Baker & McKenzie has been named the strongest law firm brand in the Acritas worldwide Sharplegal Global Elite Brand Index 2010. The survey was based on feedback from more than 1000 executives worldwide, including general counsel, chief legal officers, CEOs and COOs at 604 companies with revenues of US$1bn or more and operating in all major industry sectors and regions. Respondents were asked to evaluate law firms based on top-of-mind name awareness, overall favorability, and likelihood to be considered for multi-jurisdictional deals, as well as multi-jurisdictional litigation.

Other firms to be listed in the index in order of brand awareness were Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Linklaters, Allen & Overy, Jones Day, DLA Piper, Hogan Lovells, Skadden and White & Case. According to Acritas, the top six global law firm brands achieved almost double the revenue growth since 2007 of their global 100 peers, while the top 15 law firm brands achieved 50% higher revenue growth since 2007 than their global 100 peers.

One of the key aspects of those firms to make the index was a commitment to a global network strategy. Baker & McKenzie has 68 offices in 40 countries and critical mass in both emerging and developed markets. The firm serves more than half the world’s largest public companies, based on the Forbes Global 2000, including nearly all of the 100 largest and more than 75% of the top 500, according to Baker & McKenzie chairman John Conroy.

The top 15 Global Elite Brand Leaders according to Acritas