Results positive at both White & Case and Wilmer

White & Case has reported a 7 per cent hike in global revenues for the 2008 financial year.

As first reported by US legal blog AbovetheLaw.com, the US firm increased revenue from $1.37bn in 2007 to $1.46bn in 2008.

The announcement comes after the US firm completed a global management overhaul at the recommendation of McKinsey & Company last year.

As reported by The Lawyer the firm will be managed under key regional jurisdictions including the Americas, Asia and Europe and the Middle East and Africa (3 December). Each group has a range of new practice group heads leading the new management structure.

New York-based corporate partner Neal Grenley has taken up the post of executive partner for the office while partner David Koschik is the new chair of the Americas operations committee.

In the UK Oliver Brettle has replaced senior partner Peter Finlay as head of the office becoming executive partner of London.

A spokesperson for White & Case said the firm was pleased with its 2008 financial performance given the economic downturn.

"As we look forward to 2009, our new strategy and organisational structure will give us the ability to better adapt to changes in market conditions and respond quickly to opportunities in high-priority regions and practices," he added.

The firm’s results coincided with the release of year-end figures at WilmerHale. The firm also posted an increase, in both profit and revenue, for 2008.

WilmerHale’s total income inched up just over 1 per cent from $940m to $955m, while average profit rose a similar amount, from $1.06m to $1.08m.

In a statement, WilmerHale added that revenue per lawyer had also risen, by 5.8 per cent to $1.027m.

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