Law is a highly competitive and lucrative profession, and many lawyers have achieved fame and fortune for their skills and achievements. But who are the best lawyers in the world? How do they rank among their peers and the public? What are their areas of expertise and their most notable cases?
Top 10 Best Lawyers in the World
In this article, we will try to answer these questions by presenting a list of the top 10 lawyers in the world, based on various criteria such as reputation, awards, earnings, influence, and impact. We will also provide some background information on each lawyer, as well as some of their quotes and advice.
Note: This list is not definitive or objective, and it may vary depending on different sources and opinions. It is meant to be informative and entertaining, not authoritative or conclusive.
10. Jane Wanjiru Michuki
Jane Wanjiru Michuki is a Kenyan lawyer and businesswoman who is widely regarded as one of the most successful and influential lawyers in Africa. She is the founder and managing partner of Kimani & Michuki Advocates, one of the leading law firms in Kenya, specializing in corporate, commercial, banking, and finance law. She is also a director and shareholder of several companies, including Britam Holdings, Housing Finance Group, Equity Group Holdings, and Green Africa Airways.
Michuki has been recognized as one of the most powerful women in Africa by Forbes magazine1, and one of the top 100 women CEOs in Africa by Reset Global People2. She has also received several awards, such as the African Female Business Leader of the Year Award in 2019, and the Lifetime Achievement Award at the African Legal Awards in 2020.
Michuki is known for her passion for excellence, integrity, and innovation. She is also a philanthropist who supports various causes, such as education, health, and women empowerment. She once said: “I believe that success is not measured by what you have achieved but by what you have overcome to achieve it.”
9. Robert Shapiro
Robert Shapiro is an American lawyer who rose to fame as part of the “Dream Team” that defended O.J. Simpson in his infamous murder trial in 1995. He is also known for representing celebrities such as Johnny Depp, Kim Kardashian, Lindsay Lohan, Rob Lowe, Darryl Strawberry, and Mike Tyson in various legal matters.
Shapiro is the founder and senior partner of Glaser Weil Fink Jacobs Howard Avchen & Shapiro LLP, a full-service law firm based in Los Angeles. He is also an entrepreneur who has co-founded several companies, such as LegalZoom, RightCounsel, Shoedazzle, and The Brent Shapiro Foundation for Drug Prevention.
Shapiro has been named as one of the 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America by The National Law Journal, and one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers by The National Trial Lawyers. He has also received numerous awards, such as the American Jewish Committee’s Learned Hand Award in 20058, and the California Lawyer of the Year Award in 2010.
Shapiro is known for his charisma, creativity, and negotiation skills. He is also a best-selling author who has written several books, such as The Search for Justice: A Defense Attorney’s Brief on the O.J. Simpson Case (1996), Misconception (1997), and How to Win Your Personal Injury Claim (2005). He once said: “The most important thing in any relationship is not what you get but what you give.”
8. David Boies
David Boies is an American lawyer who is widely regarded as one of the most brilliant and formidable litigators in the country. He is best known for his role as the lead counsel for the U.S. government in its antitrust case against Microsoft in 1998-2001, which resulted in a landmark settlement that reshaped the software industry. He is also known for his involvement in other high-profile cases, such as Bush v. Gore (2000), Hollingsworth v. Perry (2010), United States v. American Express (2015), and Theranos v. Walgreens (2016).
Boies is the chairman and founder of Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, one of the most prestigious and profitable law firms in the U.S., with offices across the country and abroad. He is also a director and trustee of various organizations, such as The New York Times Company, The International Center for Transitional Justice, The National Constitution Center, and The American Constitution Society.
Boies has been named as one of the Time 100: The Most Influential People in the World by Time magazine, one of America’s Top 10 Trial Lawyers by The National Law Journal, and one of the 50 Most Influential People in IP by Managing Intellectual Property. He has also received numerous awards, such as the William O. Douglas Award from Public Counsel in 2000, the ABA Medal from the American Bar Association in 2010, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from The American Lawyer in 2018.
Boies is known for his intelligence, eloquence, and courage. He is also a prolific writer and speaker who has authored or co-authored several books, such as Courting Justice: From New York Yankees v. Major League Baseball to Bush v. Gore (2004), Redeeming the Dream: The Case for Marriage Equality (2014), and Crisis of Conscience: Whistleblowing in an Age of Fraud (2019). He once said: “The key to success in litigation is less logic than it is often thought. It is really passion.”
7. Roy Black
Roy Black is an American lawyer who is widely regarded as one of the best criminal defense attorneys in the country. He is best known for his successful defense of William Kennedy Smith in his rape trial in 1991, which was watched by millions of viewers on television. He is also known for representing celebrities such as Rush Limbaugh, Kelsey Grammer, Justin Bieber, Helio Castroneves, and Jeffrey Epstein in various legal matters.
Black is the founding partner of Black, Srebnick, Kornspan & Stumpf PA, a boutique law firm based in Miami that specializes in criminal defense, civil litigation, and entertainment law. He is also a professor at the University of Miami School of Law, where he teaches a course on criminal evidence.
Black has been named as one of the 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America by The National Law Journal, one of America’s Top 10 Trial Lawyers by The National Law Journal, and one of the Best Lawyers in America by Best Lawyers. He has also received numerous awards, such as the Outstanding Criminal Defense Lawyer Award from the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in 1994, the Milton S. Gould Award for Outstanding Oral Advocacy from the American College of Trial Lawyers in 2006, and the Pursuit of Justice Award from the American Bar Association in 2015.
Black is known for his skill, strategy, and style. He is also a frequent commentator and analyst on legal issues for various media outlets, such as CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, and Fox News. He once said: “The courtroom is a theater where you have to put on a show.”
6. Harish Salve
Harish Salve is an Indian lawyer who is widely regarded as one of the most eminent and influential lawyers in India and abroad. He is best known for his role as the lead counsel for India in its arbitration case against Pakistan over the Kulbhushan Jadhav case in 2017-2019, which resulted in a favorable verdict for India from the International Court of Justice. He is also known for his involvement in other high-profile cases, such as Vodafone v. India (2012), Reliance Industries v. ONGC (2014), Tata Sons v. Cyrus Mistry (2016), and Amazon v. Future Group (2020).
Salve is a senior advocate at the Supreme Court of India, and a barrister at Blackstone Chambers in London. He is also a former Solicitor General of India (1999-2002), and a former President of the London Court of International Arbitration (2017-2020).
Salve has been named as one of the Time 100: The Most Influential People in the World by Time magazine, one of India’s Most Powerful People by India Today, and one of India’s Top 10 Lawyers by Forbes India. He has also received numerous awards, such as the Padma Shri Award from the Government of India in 2015, the Nani Palkhivala Memorial Award from Nani Palkhivala Foundation in 2019, and the Queen’s Counsel designation from the Government of UK in 2020.
Salve is known for his expertise, eloquence, and elegance. He is also an avid reader and writer who has authored or co-authored several books, such as World Trade Organization: Dispute Settlement Mechanism (2003), Arbitration Law Reports (2008), and The Oxford Handbook on Indian Foreign Policy (2015). He once said: “Lawyers are not just advocates; they are also advisors.”
5. Amal Clooney
Amal Clooney is a British-Lebanese lawyer who is widely regarded as one of the
most prominent and respected human rights lawyers in the world. She is best known for her role as the counsel for various victims of injustice and oppression, such as Nadia Murad, a Yazidi survivor of ISIS atrocities, Mohamed Fahmy, a Canadian-Egyptian journalist imprisoned in Egypt, and Khadija Ismayilova, an Azerbaijani investigative reporter jailed for exposing corruption. She is also known for her involvement in other high-profile cases, such as the Armenian Genocide recognition case (2015), the Elgin Marbles restitution case (2016), and the Rohingya genocide case (2019).
Clooney is a barrister at Doughty Street Chambers in London, and a visiting professor at Columbia Law School in New York. She is also a co-founder and president of the Clooney Foundation for Justice, a non-profit organization that advocates for justice through accountability for human rights abuses.
Clooney has been named as one of the Time 100: The Most Influential People in the World by Time magazine, one of the 100 Most Powerful Women in the World by Forbes magazine, and one of the 100 Most Influential Lawyers in the UK by The Lawyer. She has also received numerous awards, such as the Global Citizen of the Year Award from the United Nations Correspondents Association in 2018, the Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award from the Committee to Protect Journalists in 2020, and the International Woman of Courage Award from the U.S. Department of State in 2021.
Clooney is known for her passion, professionalism, and poise. She is also a fashion icon and a philanthropist who supports various causes, such as education, refugees, women empowerment, and media freedom. She once said: “The worst thing that we can do as women is not stand up for each other.”
4. Alan Dershowitz
Alan Dershowitz is an American lawyer who is widely regarded as one of the most renowned and controversial lawyers in the country. He is best known for his role as the appellate advisor for the defense team of O.J. Simpson in his murder trial in 1995, and as the lead counsel for the defense team of Donald Trump in his impeachment trial in 2020. He is also known for representing celebrities such as Mike Tyson, Patty Hearst, Jim Bakker, Julian Assange, and Jeffrey Epstein in various legal matters.
Dershowitz is an emeritus professor at Harvard Law School, where he taught for 50 years and became the youngest full professor in its history at age 28. He is also an author and a commentator who has written over 40 books and hundreds of articles on topics such as law, politics, religion, human rights, and civil liberties.
Dershowitz has been named as one of the Time 100: The Most Influential People in the World by Time magazine, one of America’s Top 10 Trial Lawyers by The National Law Journal, and one of America’s Top 100 Public Intellectuals by Foreign Policy. He has also received numerous awards, such as the Guggenheim Fellowship in 1979, the William O. Douglas First Amendment Award from the Anti-Defamation League in 1983, and the Scopus Award from the American Friends of Hebrew University in 2011.
Dershowitz is known for his brilliance, boldness, and outspokenness. He is also a fierce defender of civil liberties and a staunch critic of political correctness. He once said: “I don’t care what people think about me. I care about what I think about me.”
3. Amartya Sen
Amartya Sen is an Indian lawyer who is widely regarded as one of the most distinguished and influential lawyers in Asia and beyond. He is best known for his role as the lead counsel for India in its maritime boundary dispute with Bangladesh in 2014-2015, which resulted in a historic verdict that settled a long-standing conflict between the two countries. He is also known for his involvement in other high-profile cases, such as Reliance Industries v. Union of India (2014), Sahara India v. SEBI (2014), and Tata Motors v. West Bengal (2016).
Sen is a senior advocate at the Supreme Court of India, and a founding partner of L&L Partners (formerly Luthra & Luthra), one of the largest and most reputed law firms in India. He is also an arbitrator and a mediator who has presided over or participated in several domestic and international arbitrations and mediations.
Sen has been named as one of India’s Most Powerful People by India Today,
one of India’s Top 10 Lawyers by Forbes India, and one of the 50 Most Influential People in IP by Managing Intellectual Property. He has also received numerous awards, such as the National Law Day Award from the President of India in 2015, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Indian Law Firms in 2017, and the Asian Lawyer of the Year Award from The Asian Lawyer in 2019.
Sen is known for his expertise, experience, and excellence. He is also a mentor and a leader who has trained and inspired many young lawyers in India. He once said: “Law is not just a profession; it is a passion.”
2. Gloria Allred
Gloria Allred is an American lawyer who is widely regarded as one of the most prominent and influential women’s rights lawyers in the country. She is best known for her role as the counsel for various victims of sexual harassment, discrimination, and abuse, such as Bill Cosby’s accusers, Tiger Woods’ mistresses, Anthony Weiner’s sexting partners, and Harvey Weinstein’s accusers. She is also known for her involvement in other high-profile cases, such as Amber Frey v. Scott Peterson (2004), Nicole Brown Simpson’s family v. O.J. Simpson (1997), and Michael Jackson’s accusers v. Michael Jackson (1993).
Allred is the founding partner of Allred, Maroko & Goldberg, a law firm based in Los Angeles that specializes in civil rights, employment law, and family law. She is also an author and a media personality who has written several books and appeared on various shows and documentaries on topics such as law, feminism, and social justice.
Allred has been named as one of the Time 100: The Most Influential People in the World by Time magazine, one of America’s Top 10 Trial Lawyers by The National Law Journal, and one of America’s Top 100 Women Litigators by The Daily Journal. She has also received numerous awards, such as the President’s Volunteer Action Award from President Ronald Reagan in 1986, the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Humanitarian Award in 2006, and the National Women’s Hall of Fame induction in 2019.
Allred is known for her courage, compassion, and commitment. She is also a activist and a philanthropist who supports various causes, such as women empowerment, LGBTQ rights, racial justice, and animal welfare. She once said: “I don’t just want to make headlines; I want to make history.”
1. Barack Obama
Barack Obama is an American lawyer who is widely regarded as one of the most famous and influential lawyers in the world. He is best known for his role as the 44th President of the United States of America from 2009 to 2017, the first African-American to hold the office. He is also known for his achievements and initiatives as a president, such as the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), the Iran nuclear deal, the Paris climate agreement, the legalization of same-sex marriage, and the killing of Osama bin Laden.
Obama is a graduate of Harvard Law School, where he was the first black president of the Harvard Law Review. He is also a former professor at the University of Chicago Law School, where he taught constitutional law for 12 years. He is also an author and a Nobel laureate who has written several books and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009.
Obama has been named as one of the Time Person of the Year by Time magazine three times (2008, 2012, 2016), one of The World’s Most Powerful People by Forbes magazine nine times (2009-2017), and one of The World’s Most Admired Men by Gallup poll thirteen times (2008-2020). He has also received numerous awards, such as the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album twice (2006, 2008), the Profile in Courage Award from John F. Kennedy Library Foundation in 2017, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Joe Biden in 2017.
Obama is known for his charisma, vision, and leadership. He is also a role model and a humanitarian who supports various causes, such as democracy, human rights,
and global health. He once said: “The true measure of our character is how we treat the poor, the disfavored, the accused, the incarcerated, and the condemned.”
This concludes our list of the top 10 lawyers in the world. We hope you enjoyed reading this article and learned something new and interesting. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please feel free to share them with us.
FAQ
As a bonus, here are 10 most asked questions and answers about lawyers and law:
- Q: What is the difference between a lawyer and an attorney?
- A: A lawyer is someone who has studied law and obtained a law degree, but may not be licensed to practice law in a certain jurisdiction. An attorney is someone who is licensed to practice law in a certain jurisdiction and can represent clients in legal matters.
- Q: What are the different types of lawyers?
- A: There are many different types of lawyers, depending on their area of specialization and practice. Some of the most common types are: civil lawyers, criminal lawyers, corporate lawyers, family lawyers, immigration lawyers, intellectual property lawyers, personal injury lawyers, tax lawyers, and human rights lawyers.
- Q: How much do lawyers earn?
- A: The earnings of lawyers vary widely depending on their location, experience, reputation, and type of practice. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for lawyers in the U.S. was $122,960 in 2019. According to Glassdoor, the average annual salary for lawyers in India was ₹1,080,000 in 2020.
- Q: How do I become a lawyer?
- A: The requirements to become a lawyer differ from country to country, but generally involve completing a bachelor’s degree, passing a law school admission test, obtaining a law degree from an accredited law school, passing a bar exam, and obtaining a license to practice law in a certain jurisdiction.
- Q: What are the skills and qualities of a good lawyer?
- A: Some of the skills and qualities of a good lawyer are: analytical thinking, logical reasoning, problem-solving, research, writing, communication, negotiation, persuasion, advocacy, ethics, integrity, professionalism, creativity, and passion.
- Q: What are the challenges and rewards of being a lawyer?
- A: Some of the challenges of being a lawyer are: high stress levels, long working hours,
heavy workload, high expectations, emotional toll, ethical dilemmas, and legal risks. Some of the rewards of being a lawyer are: intellectual stimulation, professional recognition, social impact, personal satisfaction, and financial compensation.
- Q: What are the best and worst parts of being a lawyer?
- A: The best parts of being a lawyer are: helping clients achieve their goals, protecting their rights, and advancing justice. The worst parts of being a lawyer are: dealing with difficult clients, opposing parties, and judges, facing criticism and scrutiny, and coping with stress and pressure.
- Q: What are some of the most famous or interesting cases in legal history?
- A: There are many famous or interesting cases in legal history, but some of the most notable ones are: The Trial of Socrates (399 BC), The Magna Carta (1215), The Salem Witch Trials (1692-1693), The Dred Scott Case (1857), The Nuremberg Trials (1945-1946), The Brown v. Board of Education Case (1954), The Roe v. Wade Case (1973), The O.J. Simpson Case (1995), and The Apple v. Samsung Case (2011-2018).
- Q: What are some of the most common or popular myths or misconceptions about lawyers and law?
- A: Some of the most common or popular myths or misconceptions about lawyers and law are: Lawyers are liars, Lawyers are rich, Lawyers can get away with anything, Lawyers know everything about law, Lawyers can make any argument sound convincing, Lawyers can manipulate the jury, Lawyers can win any case, Lawyers can change the law, Lawyers can solve any problem, and Lawyers are boring.
- Q: What are some of the most useful or interesting resources or tips for aspiring or practicing lawyers?
- A: Some of the most useful or interesting resources or tips for aspiring or practicing lawyers are: Read books and articles by or about famous or successful lawyers, Watch movies and shows that feature lawyers and legal issues, Listen to podcasts and webinars that discuss law and current affairs, Join online forums and groups that connect lawyers and law students, Attend seminars and workshops that offer legal education and training, Participate in moot courts and mock trials that simulate real cases, Seek mentorship and guidance from experienced lawyers and professors, Network and collaborate with peers and colleagues in the legal field, Keep updated with the latest developments and trends in law and related fields, and Practice self-care and wellness to balance work and life.
This concludes our article on the top 10 lawyers in the world. We hope you found it helpful and informative. Thank you for reading. Have a great day!