Top Ten Richest Lawyers

So, who are they? Here is a fast look at the wealthiest lawyers in the entire world, ranked from the lowest net worth to the highest. Please be aware that the individuals on this list are practicing attorneys or judges. There are plenty of additional "lawyers" with a considerably higher net worth, but they simply have a law degree and no more use it, real estate lawyer in toronto.

Willie E. Gary: $100 million

Nicknamed "The Giant Killer," Willie Gary has taken on a number of the country 's most important corporations, such as Anheuser-Busch and Disney. He's won some of the largest settlements and jury awards in the U.S., including several cases valued at more than $30 billion. A graduate of Shaw University, he's now the managing director at Gary, Williams, Parenti, Watson, and Gary, P.L.L.C., functions as a motivational speaker, and has appeared as a legal analyst on "The Early Show. "

Vernon E. Jordan Jr.: $12 million

Born in 1935, Jordan has enjoyed a long law career that began after his graduation from Howard University. (Additionally, he holds over 70 honorary degrees from various universities and colleges.) He is currently the senior council, focusing on general council, organization, and international law, at Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer, and Feld LLP. His early career focused mostly on civil rights, while he later served as an adviser to President Clinton. Most of his fortune had been made by representing huge corporations, such as Xerox and American Express, as well as spending some time as Wall Street banker.

Thomas Mesereau: $25 million

Also a criminal defense lawyer (Are you noticing a trend?) , Thomas Mesereau graduated from Harvard University and The University of California's Hastings College of Law and has was named "Trial Lawyer of the Year for 2015" by the National Trial Lawyers. (He's won plenty of other awards including "Criminal Defense Lawyer of the Year. ") He's known for carrying high stakes cases with hopeless odds and receiving extraordinary results. He had been Michael Jackson's attorney when he was acquitted of 14 child molestation charges and has won an unprecedented three national criminal jury trials in a row. While his hourly rate is so high it's not printed, he also does pro bono work through the Mesereau Free Legal Clinic.

William Lerach: $900 million

Though he was disbarred in 2009 for his participation in a kickback scheme, William Lerach had a lucrative career as a corporate attorney with a specialty in private securities class actions suits for over 30 decades, which is the way he amassed his substantial fortune. Nicknamed the "King of Pain" and often known as the most feared lawyer in American during his heyday, Lerach, a University of Pittsburg School of Law graduate, holds the record for the largest sum ever recovered in a bunch of securities class actions suits for its $7.12 billion decision he received against Enron.

Joe Jamail: $1.7 billion

Although he passed away in age 90 at December 2015, Joe Jamail makes this record because he was the wealthiest practicing attorney in the United States at the time of his passing. Often referred to as the "King of Torts," he represented Pennzoil in a 1985 lawsuit against rival Texaco. His contingency fee was $335 following the courts chose in Pennzoil's favor. The 1953 graduate from the University of Texas School of Law was a former marine who had a longstanding reputation in the court to be abrasive, rude, and vulgar. But outside the court, he was known for his generous philanthropy.

Judy Sheindlin: between $150 million and $250 million

Best known for being a no-nonsense TV judge, Judge Judy earns $47 million annually. A 1965 graduate of New York Law School, Judge Sheindlin was initially a corporate lawyer, though she immediately grew tired of it and choose to be a family court prosecutor. In 1982, she was appointed as a criminal court judge, where she gained a reputation as a "demanding " judge and presided over more than 20,000 cases. This, together with several books she wrote, caught the eye of TV executives and finally led to her TV show. Additionally, she's the author of seven novels and has served as legal analyst on various TV shows.