So, who are they? Here is a quick look at the wealthiest attorneys in the world, ranked from the lowest net worth to the highest. Please note that the individuals on this list are practicing lawyers or judges. There are plenty of additional "attorneys " with 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 and the fact that he won more than $1 billion in judgements against different companies. He was also highly involved in 2000's Ritalin class action lawsuits, as well as the 2003 case against Lehman Brothers for which he won a $51 million verdict. However, in 2007, he was accused of judicial bribery. In 2008, he pled guilty and eventually served six years in prison. Today, at age 70, he has finished his sentence and has kept his massive fortune, go to website.
Harish Salve: $6 million
At 59 years old, Harish Salve has worked tirelessly to develop a reputation as one of India's top (and most expensive) lawyers, specializing in commercial, constitutional, and taxation law. Salve, that comes from a long line of lawyers and previously served as the Solicitor General of India, currently charges customers about $45,000 a day. Along with representing several government entities, large corporate customers, and industrialist Mukesh Ambani, he's represented Bollywood celebrities in criminal cases. In reality, he's often known as famed actor Salman Khan's "guardian angel" for keeping him out of prison on a hit and run charge. (Indian prisons are notorious for harsh conditions.)
John Branca: $50 million
A graduate of the UCLA School of Law, John Branca has had a lengthy career as an entertainment and corporate attorney with a focus on representing rock and roll acts and independent investors. He has represented more than 30 members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and is on pretty much every list of premier entertainment lawyers in the world. On one note, he functions as the co-executor of Michael Jackson's estate.
Jose Baez: $8 million
Probably best known for protecting Casey Anthony in 2011','' 47-year-old Jose Baez is absolutely an American success story. After dropping out of high school, he joined the Navy, got his GED, and finally earned a law degree from St. Thomas University School of Law. He has been involved in several of high profile cases that led to acquittals, including the murder case of Nilton Diaz, which has been known as "the biggest legal upset because O.J., among others [3]. He's considered by many to be the most sought after criminal lawyer in the U.S. and currently reflects former NFL star Aaron Hernandez. He's also the author of this bestselling publication, Presumed Guilty: Casey Anthony: The Inside Story.
Roy Black: $100 million
Yet another criminal and civil defense attorney, Roy Black, a graduate of the University of Miami, is the senior partner at Black, Srebnick, Kornspan, & Stumpf. For more than 40 years, he has represented high profile clients, including William Kennedy Smith (acquitted on rape charges), Albertson's, Inc., and Helio Castroneves. Known by most in the industry for having "the best national reputation in Florida," he also acts as a legal analyst on "The Today Show" and "Good Morning America" and instructs advanced criminal signs in the University of Miami.
