Foley Hoag LLP

Hailing from the land of red socks and chowder, Foley Hoag has stayed close to its Boston roots. With only five locations—in Boston, New York, DC, Denver, and Paris—the firm is smaller than many of its BigLaw competitors. But Foley Hoag has made a name for itself with its strong practice and progressive history.

A Diverse Foundation

Foley Hoag began during the Second World War when Henry Foley and Garrett Hoag set up shop in Boston in 1943. As the firm progressed, so did its commitment to diversity. In 1979, the late Charles J. Beard II was named partner at Foley Hoag, becoming the first African-American to be named partner in a Boston law firm. Beard specialized in cable television regulation and business law and also served for many years on the firm’s Hiring Committee and as the firm’s marketing partner. In 1980, The Foley Hoag Foundation launched; it was the first foundation established to focus exclusively on the improvement of race relations in Boston. Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded more than $3.8 million in grants to more than 450 organizations. The Foundation’s mission has recently broadened to support programs addressing inequality in its various forms, including racial, ethnic, and gender disparities in both Greater Boston, New York City, and metropolitan Washington, DC.

Innovating in Beantown

Foley Hoag works across dozens of practice areas, including bankruptcy, corporate, energy, environmental law, IP, international litigation and arbitration, and litigation. The firm has a strong environmental law practice, which includes counseling on hazardous waste, industrial and mining projects, recycling strategies, renewable energy, and waste management, as well as advising on regulatory matters. 

Another bright spot at the firm is its international arbitration practice. The firm’s lawyers have experience with arbitration laws across the globe and advise across a host of industries, such as banking and financial services, construction, cyber security, employment, gas pricing, IP licensing, joint venture projects, telecommunications, and more.

The firm is also well known for its entrepreneurial services practice. Its Boston headquarters is located in the Seaport District—Boston’s new “innovation district” and the center of the region’s emerging companies and venture capital communities.

Pro Bono Presence

Foley Hoag’s pro bono program has been a centerpiece of the firm since its representation of the plaintiffs in the 1970s lawsuit that brought desegregation to the Boston public schools. On average, pro bono projects total approximately 3.6% of the firm’s total work, and firm attorneys in the U.S. offices regularly average more than 55 hours each of pro bono annually—for over 20,000 pro bono hours firmwide—all of which count toward that all-important billable hour requirement. Foley Hoag’s pro bono projects cover a wide range of topics, including political asylum, civil rights, and fair housing.

• Won unanimous ruling from Federal Circuit for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, affirming district court’s decision adding a Dana-Farber inventor to patents covering cancer treatments licensed to Bristol-Myers Squibb.
• Representation of cannabis operator Columbia Care in multiple transactions, including the sale of certain assets to Sean “Diddy” Combs and its ultimate sale to Cresco Labs for $2 billion (largest cannabis transaction in history).
• Secured labor-employment victory for Loomis Sayles & Company in Massachusetts Superior Court. The decision marks major development under Mass. Independent Contractor Statute.
• Played integral role in Boston's civil rights struggles when representing plaintiffs in 1970s federal lawsuit bringing desegregation to Boston Public Schools.

• Awarded Pro Bono Law Firm Award, 2023—PAIR Project
• Best Company for Women and People of Color to Advance, 2023—Parity.Org
• Pulse Leaderboard of Top Firms in U.S., 2022—Law360
• Tipping the Scales Award for Gender Parity, 2022—Diversity & Flexibility Alliance
• Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality, 2022—Human Rights Campaign 
• Mansfield Rule 5.0 Plus Certification—Diversity Lab