Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC

Baker Donelson is among the largest law firms in the country, with more than 600 attorneys and public policy advisors representing more than 30 practice areas to serve a wide range of legal needs. Clients receive guidance from experienced, multi-disciplined industry and client teams, connected across 22 offices in Alabama; Florida; Georgia; Louisiana; Maryland; Mississippi; North Carolina; South Carolina; Tennessee; Texas; Virginia; and Washington, DC.

Three Generations of Bakers

The firm that would become Baker Donelson was founded in Huntsville, Tennessee, in 1888 by James F. Baker. Baker’s son, U.S. Representative Howard Baker Sr., and grandson, U.S. Senate Majority Leader and White House Chief of Staff Howard Baker Jr., were also attorneys at the firm. From those humble beginnings, Baker Donelson has since expanded to become one of the largest law firms in the country, and the firm’s growth has been swift and certain. Through new office openings and multiple mergers, the firm has grown from 270 attorneys and public policy advisors in 2003 to more than 600 attorneys and advisors today.

Innovative Solutions

At Baker Donelson, innovation is more than a buzzword. The firm has focused on growing its suite of innovative solutions for 20 years, making it among the most expansive in the legal industry today. The firm employs an in-house team of legal operations professionals dedicated to implementing innovative solutions that have proven to reduce client costs. These solutions include legal project management, intelligent budgeting, process improvement, creativity in pricing, flexible staffing, artificial intelligence, knowledge management, online client services, and eDiscovery.

Innovation is just one of the firm’s “BakerNext” core tenets. The firm operates with “best run business” as its guiding principle, taking pride in doing whatever it takes to get the job done for clients while focusing on teamwork, diversity, and inclusion within the firm. Baker Donelson also focuses its time, effort, and resources on its Centers of Excellence—areas where the firm has a sustainable and growing competitive advantage—to provide top-notch legal services to these client segments. And finally, the firm prioritizes and rewards business development and collaboration.

A Global Outlook

To meet client needs nationally and internationally, the firm formed a Global Business Team. This group of more than 60 professionals has helped U.S. and non-U.S. clients take advantage of global opportunities in over 100 countries spanning six continents. Members of the team routinely work with U.S. clients in China, Japan, the United Kingdom, Central and Eastern Europe, Africa, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America. The team also regularly assists non-U.S. businesses and individuals in connection with their activities within the United States. 

The Howard Baker Forum, a public policy affiliate of the firm, is a bipartisan domestic policy and international relations think tank which provides a platform for examining specific, immediate, critical issues affecting the nation's progress at home and its relations abroad.

COVID-19 Update

The coronavirus pandemic has sparked innovations in recruiting, hiring, and onboarding at Baker Donelson. We successfully planned and implemented an in-person summer associate program for 37 law students during summer 2021. Our summer associates had the opportunity to experience a variety of practice areas within our business and litigation departments. Baker Donelson offers a healthy mix of substantive client work, client contact, pro bono, social activities, and diversity initiatives so that our summer associates gain a deep understanding of our firm culture and approach to client service. We are actively recruiting for our 2022 program and will participate in OCIs both in person and virtually at over 23 law schools and career fairs in the Southeast. We reaffirm our commitment to attracting and retaining bright and diverse law students who provide unparalleled service to our clients, have a deep understanding of the practice of law, and believe in the culture of our firm.