With one of the best-paying law firms in the world, Latham &
Watkins, looking to boost its team in Madrid, rival firms are
bracing themselves for a fight as they look to retain their top
talent – however, some observers say money alone will not
make partners jump ship
"Latham & Watkins is in hiring mode in Spain."
These are the words of one M&A partner based in the Madrid
office of a rival Magic Circle firm and they are enough to strike
fear in the hearts of managing partners at firms across the Spanish
capital. Given Latham's reputation as one of the best law firms
in the world to work for – at least in terms of the amounts
lawyers can earn – it's a pretty safe bet that they will
be able to make offers that will prove severely tempting to pretty
much any partner in the Spanish market. Profits per equity partner
(PEP) at US-headquartered Latham hit $3 million in 2016.
