2024 Vault Rankings
- Boston#11
At a Glance
“The work environment and topics handled by the firm.”
“Range of work and freedom with directing my career.”
“People and opportunities given to junior and mid-level associates.”
“Lack of transparency from management and a sense that Foley Hoag is trying to become more like the BigLaw stereotype; lack of perks found in other firms.”
“Lack of clarity in bonus structure.”
“Competition for hours.”
About 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.
News & Awards
- 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
Why Work Here
Foley Hoag's Unique Culture
Put simply, “Foley Hoag is a great place to work.” With a unique combination of substantive work, “wonderful” mentors and consistent work-life balance, associates have nothing but positive things to say about life at their firm. “The people are great, the work is interesting, I'm learning all the time, and I am encouraged to maintain something of a life outside the office,” notes a Boston contact. Weekend work, the bane of most associate’s existence, is a rarity at Foley Hoag and any last-minute projects can usually be taken care of from home. A junior contact adds, “Everyone is very kind and helpful, but also very professional. Most partners make associates feel like valuable team members rather than underlings.” The firm’s overall culture, too, is described as “friendly, academic and open,” ensuring that associates consistently feel like “valuable team players rather than underlings.”
Seaport West
155 Seaport Boulevard
Boston, MA 02210
Phone: (617) 832-1000
Managing Partners: James Bucking & Jeffrey Collins
Recruiting Chair: Meredith Haviland
Total No. Attorneys (2023):
250 - 500
No. of Partners Named 2023:
5
Billable-Hour Requirement:
1,850
Base Salary (2023)
1st year: $215,000
2nd year: $225,000
3rd year: $250,000
4th year: $295,000
5th year: $345,000
6th year: $370,000
7th year: $400,000
8th year: $415,000
9th year: $415,000
Summer Associate: $215,000
Nicole Archibald, J.D.
Director of Legal Recruiting
(617) 832-7060
narchibald@foleyhoag.com
No. of U.S. Offices: 4
No. of International Offices: 1
Boston, MA (HQ)
Denver, CO
New York, NY
Washington, DC |
Paris, France
Bankruptcy & Restructuring
Business Crimes & Government Investigations
Cannabis
Corporate Finance & Securities
Corporate Social Responsibility
Emerging Companies & Venture Capital
Energy, Technology & Renewables
Environmental Compliance Litigation
General Business Counseling
Government Strategies
Insurance Recovery
International Litigation & Arbitration
Labor & Employment
Licensing & Strategic Alliances
Life Sciences & Health Care
Mergers & Acquisitions
Patent Litigation & Prosecution
Private Funds
Professional Liability Litigation
Real Estate, Land Use & Development
Trademark, Copyright & Unfair Competition
*See firm website for additional departments and specific practice areas and industries