Hi and welcome to Blog Group! Today, we’re taking a look at the top 10 richest lawyers in the world of 2024. Being a lawyer is one of the most lucrative professions in the world. Whether you are a criminal, civil, or any other type of lawyer, there is always a good scope for making a lot of money. The earnings of lawyers depend upon their experience, their record in court, their previous clients and cases, and the law firm they are working for.
Today, we are talking about the top 10 Richest lawyer in the world in 2024. These are the people with eight-digit net worths. They have amassed significant wealth and fame over the course of their lengthy careers, and not just that, they continue to dominate their respective fields.
In the following list, we are talking about practicing lawyers. So without further ado, let’s check out the list. Please check out the full article till the end to know who is the richest of all.
Top 10 Richest Lawyer in the World
#10: Jane Wanjiru Michuki
- Net Worth: $60 million
- Specialty: Corporate Law
- Notable Roles: Managing Partner at Kimani and Machuki Advocates
- Additional Ventures: Largest female stockholder on the Nairobi Stock Exchange, Human rights consultant with the United Nations
Jane Wanjiru Michuki is a Kenyan lawyer, investor, and businesswoman with a net worth of $60 million. She graduated from the University of Warwick in the UK. She is the managing partner of Kimani and Machuki Advocates. Her firm currently represents an extensive list of clients, including Equity Group Holdings Limited, which is the largest bank holding company in Africa, serving over 9.2 million customers.
Michuki served as lead counsel for several massive housing project developers in Kenya, including the Soraya Group. In addition to practicing law, she is the largest female stockholder on the Nairobi Stock Exchange. Machuke is also a recognized humanitarian, serving as both a human rights consultant with the United Nations and the Special Representative to the Secretary-General to the United Nations Mission in Liberia.
#9: Roy Black
- Net Worth: $85 million
- Specialty: Civil and Criminal Defense
- Notable Roles: Defense attorney for William Kennedy Smith and Rush Limbaugh
- Additional Ventures: Legal consultant on Good Morning America and The Early Show, appeared on The Real Housewives of Miam
Roy Black is an American civil and criminal defense attorney based in Miami with an estimated net worth of $85 million. Black is most widely recognized for two high-profile cases in which he was the defense attorney for William Kennedy Smith and Rush Limbaugh, respectively.
Other celebrities whom Roy has represented include Cheers and Frasier star Kelsey Grammer, singer Justin Bieber, billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, artist Peter Max, Girls Gone Wild creator Joe Francis, and auto racing driver Helio Castroneves.
He is famous for brilliantly delivered, well-studied arguments during trial, and he received the highest possible score on the Florida Bar exam when he took it in 1970. Black is often referred to as “The Professor,” possibly alluding to the time he spent teaching as an adjunct professor in criminal evidence at the University of Miami. You also check out about Richest Kids In The World.
#8: John Branca
- Net Worth: $100 million
- Specialty: Entertainment Law
- Notable Roles: Legal counsel for The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, and other major artists
- Additional Ventures: Revolutionized concert promoting with a centralized ticketing system for The Rolling Stones
John Branca is one of the richest entertainment lawyers today, with a net worth of $100 million. He was born in Bronxville, New York, and moved to Los Angeles when he was 11. He played in a band throughout his early teens and went on to major in music at Los Angeles City College and Occidental College. He then earned his law degree from UCLA School of Law.
After earning his law degree, he began working in estate planning but subsequently shifted his focus to entertainment law. He went on to become one of the most influential entertainment lawyers ever and has served as the legal counsel for The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, Carlos Santana, The Beach Boys, Fleetwood Mac, The Bee Gees, The Doors, Alicia Keys, and Dick Clark, among many others.
He revolutionized concert promoting when he designed a centralized ticketing system for The Rolling Stones in 1989. He currently manages the Jackson estate, among other high-profile clients. The standard percentage a manager like Branca receives for his work is 15 to 20 percent of all revenue generated.
#7: Robert Shapiro
- Net Worth: $120 million
- Specialty: Civil Litigation
- Notable Roles: Part of the defense team for O.J. Simpson
- Additional Ventures: Founding member of LegalZoom, ShoeDazzle.com, and RightCounsel, children’s book author
Robert Shapiro is an American civil litigator and senior partner in the Los Angeles-based law firm Glaser Weil Fink Jacobs Howard Avchen & Shapiro. His net worth is $120 million. Robert Shapiro was born on September 2, 1942, in Plainfield, New Jersey, but he was raised in Los Angeles. He graduated from LA’s Hamilton High School in 1961. He gained notoriety for being on the team responsible for exonerating O.J. Simpson from the murders of Simpson’s ex-wife and Ron Goldman.
He has represented clients from Johnny Carson to Occidental Petroleum and Rockstar Energy Drinks. He is also an effective entrepreneur. He is a founding member of LegalZoom, ShoeDazzle.com, and RightCounsel. In addition, Shapiro has also starred as himself and as a lawyer on both television and the big screen.
He earned the Best Film Award from the Tenerife International Film Festival in 2015. The 2005 death of his son due to a drug overdose inspired Shapiro to write the children’s book “Somo Says No,” which contains an anti-drug message. Along with his family, he founded the Brent Shapiro Foundation and For Lofts to assist and rehabilitate drug addicts.
#6: Willie E. Gary
- Net Worth: $200 million
- Specialty: Personal Injury Law
- Notable Roles: Won over 150 multi-million dollar settlements
- Additional Ventures: Motivational speaker, featured on Oprah, owns multiple vehicles including Rolls Royces
Willie E. Gary is an American attorney, motivational speaker, and businessman who has a net worth of $200 million. He was born in Eastman, Georgia, and graduated from Shaw University with a degree in business administration. From there, he went on to earn his law degree from North Carolina Central University. He went on to open the first black law firm in Martin County.
He currently lives in Sewall’s Point, Florida, and is known for having won more than 150 cases that resulted in multi-million dollar settlements, including one that resulted in a $500 million judgment. He has appeared on various talk shows and news programs and was featured on Oprah. He is listed as one of Forbes Magazine’s Top 50 Attorneys in the U.S. He owns two planes and multiple vehicles, including more than one Rolls Royce.
#5: Judge Judy (Judith Sheindlin)
- Net Worth: $440 million
- Specialty: Family Court
- Notable Roles: Judge on the TV show Judge Judy
- Additional Ventures: Best-selling author, owns several expensive homes, uses a private jet for commuting
Judith Sheindlin, better known as Judge Judy, is an American family court judge and television star who has a net worth of $440 million. Her outspoken persona has made her one of the highest-paid women on daytime television. Starting in 1972, she served as a family court prosecutor for 17 years. She then became a judge in the criminal court and the supervising judge in the family court system in New York.
In her role, Judy prosecuted domestic violence and child abuse cases. She was known for her no-nonsense attitude and tough style of judging and was featured in profiles in the Los Angeles Times and on 60 Minutes. She has a penchant for real estate, tying up at least some of her fortune in several expensive homes around the country.
She is also a best-selling author with a highly rated book, “Don’t Pee on My Leg and Tell Me It’s Raining.” She also decided to pass up commercial air travel after 9/11. Instead, she uses her own private jet to commute from the set of Judge Judy in Los Angeles to her home in Florida.
#4: Bill Neukom
- Net Worth: $850 million
- Specialty: Corporate Law
- Notable Roles: Lead lawyer for Microsoft Corporation
- Additional Ventures: CEO of the San Francisco Giants, founder of the World Justice Project
Bill Neukom is an American businessman and entrepreneur who has a net worth of $850 million. He was born in San Mateo, California, in 1942. He is a Stanford Law School graduate and served as the lead lawyer for Microsoft Corporation for almost 25 years, skillfully guiding the company through treacherous anti-trust and intellectual property litigation.
His high-profile cases include the “trial of the century,” otherwise known as United States versus Microsoft. At Microsoft, he was responsible for managing legal and governmental affairs as well as its active philanthropic activities. Retiring as the Vice President of Law and Corporate Affairs, Neukom was eventually selected to serve as the President of the American Bar Association from 2007 to 2008.
Neukom went on to become the CEO of the San Francisco Giants between 2008-2011, guiding the team to its first World Series since moving to California in 1958. He now works primarily as the founder, president, and CEO of the World Justice Project. His foundation is focused on strengthening the rule of law to promote the development of communities of opportunity and equity around the world.
#3: Jerry Reinsdorf
- Net Worth: $1.5 billion
- Specialty: Corporate Law, Sports Ownership
- Notable Roles: Owner of the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bulls
- Additional Ventures: CPA, appraiser, mortgage underwriter
Jerry M. Reinsdorf was born in Brooklyn, New York, in February 1936. He is a lawyer, CPA, and professional sports owner who has a net worth of $1.5 billion. He attended George Washington University for undergrad and then moved to Chicago, where he got a job as a CPA, appraiser, and mortgage underwriter.
He earned a full scholarship to Northwestern University School of Law, graduating in 1960. His very first job after graduating was for the Internal Revenue Service. The very first case he was assigned to was a tax delinquency case involving Bill Veeck, who owned the White Sox.
Currently, he is the owner of both the Chicago White Sox and the Chicago Bulls, which are worth $1.9 and $3.2 billion today, respectively. He has been the head of both teams for more than 35 years and has met with both great success and controversy regarding his handling of key team members, most notably Phil Jackson and Michael Jordan.
#2: Wichai Thongtang
- Net Worth: $1.8 billion
- Specialty: Corporate Law
- Notable Roles: Represented former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra
- Additional Ventures: Chairman of Cable Thai Holding PLC, owns 15% of Dusit Medical
With a net worth of $1.8 billion, Wichai Thongtang is at spot number two. He is a powerful corporate billionaire lawyer in Bangkok, Thailand. He came into the limelight when he successfully represented former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in an asset concealment case back in 2001. This case instantly gave him celebrity status throughout Thailand and abroad.
Thongtang graduated from Thammasat University and began practicing law in the 1970s, representing Thai executives and their companies. In addition to his law profession, much of Thongtang’s wealth comes from strategic investment holdings that he has acquired throughout his career. In fact, he is the chairman of Cable Thai Holding PLC and owns 15% of Dusit Medical, a Bangkok healthcare company.
#1: Peter Angelos
- Net Worth: $2 billion
- Specialty: Trial Law
- Notable Roles: Owner of the Baltimore Orioles
- Additional Ventures: Racehorse owner and breeder, represented Maryland in the suit against tobacco companies
At the number one position is Peter Angelos, an American trial lawyer and businessman who has a net worth of $2 billion. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in July 1929. He is the majority owner of the Major League Baseball team, the Baltimore Orioles.
Angelos graduated from the University of Baltimore School of Law. He is also a racehorse owner and breeder. He was hired by the state of Maryland in 1996 to represent it in the suit against tobacco companies. Angelos became an attorney in 1961 and founded the Law Office of Peter Angelos. He has served as a member of the Baltimore City Council.
Peter Angelos became the principal owner and managing partner of the Baltimore Orioles in 1993. He is a member of the University of Baltimore Law School Advisory Committee. He received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 1996 and was named Marylander of the Year in 1988.
FAQ’s
Who is the richest lawyer in the US?
The richest lawyer in the US is Richard Scruggs, with an estimated net worth of $1.9 billion. He is known for his work in tobacco litigation and asbestos cases.
Who is the highest-paid lawyer in the world?
The highest-paid lawyer in the world is Wichai Thongtang, a corporate lawyer from Thailand, with a net worth of $1.8 billion. He gained prominence by representing former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
What is the highest paid lawyer?
The highest paid lawyers typically work in specialized fields such as corporate law, intellectual property law, and trial law. Lawyers in these fields can earn significantly higher salaries due to the complexity and high stakes of their cases.
Can lawyers be millionaires?
Yes, lawyers can be millionaires. Many lawyers, especially those in high-demand specialties like corporate law, intellectual property law, and personal injury law, have the potential to amass significant wealth.