So, who are they? Here's a quick look in the richest attorneys in the world, ranked from the lowest net worth to the greatest. Please note that the people on this list are all practicing attorneys or judges. There are plenty of other "attorneys " using a considerably higher net value, but they just possess a law degree and no longer use it.
Richard Scruggs: $1.7 billion
A 1976 graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Law and a prominent trial attorney, Richard Scruggs is famous for his love of asbestos and tobacco cases as well as the fact he won more than $1 billion in judgements against different companies. He was also highly involved in 2000's Ritalin class action lawsuits, in addition to the 2003 situation against Lehman Brothers which he won a $51 million verdict. However, in 2007, he had been accused of judicial bribery. In 2008, he pled guilty and eventually served six years in prison. Today, in the age of 70, he has completed his sentence, and it has retained his massive fortune.
Robert Shapiro: $50 million
Presently a senior partner at Glaser, Weil, Fink, Jacobs, Howard, Avchen, and Shapiro, LLP, Robert Shapiro graduated from Loyola Law School in 1968 and started a career as a criminal attorney. After working on O.J. Simpson's legal team (and representing several other actors ), he chose to move into civil litigation. In addition to his law career, he's written a children's book and can be a co-founder of LegalZoom and Shoedazzle.com.
Vernon E. Jordan Jr.: $12 million
Born in 1935, Jordan has enjoyed a very long law career that started after his graduation from Howard University. (In addition, he holds over 70 honorary degrees from several colleges and universities.) He's now the senior council, focusing on overall council, organization, and international law, at Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer, and Feld LLP. His early career focused primarily on civil rights, while he later served as an adviser to President Clinton. The majority of his fortune had been made by representing substantial businesses, such as Xerox and American Express, in addition to spending some time as Wall Street banker.
Judy Sheindlin: between $150 million and $250 million
Best known for being a no-nonsense TV judge, Judge Judy earns $47 million a year. A 1965 graduate of New York Law School, Judge Sheindlin was initially a corporate attorney, though she immediately grew tired of it and decide to be a household court prosecutor. Back in 1982, she was appointed as a criminal court judge, in which she earned a reputation as a "tough" judge and presided over more than 20,000 cases. This, together with several novels she wrote, caught the attention of TV executives and finally resulted in her TV show. Additionally, she is the author of seven books and has served as legal counsel on various TV shows.
No comments:
Post a Comment