Overview
Introduction
BakerHostetler’s culture reflects its Midwest roots—professional yet warm and welcoming. Associates are also treated to strong mentorship and transparent leadership. The cutting-edge IncuBaker team is representative of the firm’s commitment to innovation, especially in helping clients navigate the intersection of digital business, emerging technologies, and the law.
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Firm Stats
Total No. Attorneys (2024)
No. of Partners Named (2024)
Featured Rankings
No. of 1st Year Associates Hired (2023)
No. of Summer Associates (2023)
Base Salary
Vault Verdict
BakerHostetler is a great landing spot for associates looking for exemplary work environments, career prospects, and pro bono opportunities. In addition to students with top grades from elite law schools, it recruits heavily in regions near its offices and looks for high-performing candidates with work experience. Socializing and collaboration come easily in the relaxed, collegial office settings of BakerHostetler. Partners value associates and the work they do, and they do an exceptional job mentoring, guiding, and providing feedback to associates. Associate professional development is taken seriously and augmented by substantive practice area trainings. BakerHostetler goes the extra mile in welcoming lateral hires and sets them up with work immediately. Generally, work assignmen...
About the Firm
BakerHostetler is home to over 1,000 lawyers across 17 offices throughout the United States. The firm maintains the requisite list of BigCorp clients, as well as a small, respectable lobbying practice.
A Little Investment
BakerHostetler was founded in 1916 on the basis of a $1,500 investment by three lawyers in Cleveland. The firm has long been active in the political world, with namesake Newton Baker serving as the Secretary of War during World War I. A few years later, Baker attorneys represented private utility companies in their nearly 20-year fight against New Deal legislation that authorized the creation of massive public power projects. Baker lawyers later advised a number of key players in the Watergate and Iran-Contra scandals. Today, the firm has grown beyond its r...
Associate Reviews
- “Very collegial culture with deep collaboration and strong mentorship being regular occurrences. The day-to-day atmosphere is relaxed and easygoing.”
- “BakerHostetler has the best culture you can get in a Midwest BigLaw firm. All of the attorneys get along and treat each other with respect, and there is very little firm politics for associates to watch out for. The attorneys socialize together at least once every other week, on average, at firm-sponsored lunches or other events, but organic and pleasant connections with attorneys happen almost every day, especially when attorneys are in the office.”
- “The culture of the firm is one of the main selling points when recruiting new associates and laterals. When partners retire, it is very common to hear that they spent their entire career at the firm, and that staying power is reflected in the atmosphere around the office. Attorneys regularly socialize outside of the office, and many have become great friends.”
- “The culture is one of the best things about Baker. Everyone is very collegial, and there is very little tolerance for hostility or animosity. There is a good balance of organic and firm-sponsored social events.”
Diversity at BakerHostetler
Getting Hired Here
- “The firm is very targeted with its hiring, and I think does a good job of prioritizing entrepreneurial hard workers. While details like class rank and law school are important, I have never gotten the impression that they are the most important. There are feeder schools; however, they're region-specific depending on the office. The firm provides training and guidelines prior to any interviewing.”
- “Our office seems to hire extensively from regional law schools (rather than more national ones). They seem to be concerned with finding people who are likely to stay in the area.”
- “The firm adequately screens candidates and conducts multiple interviews to determine fit. The firm is not focused on growing for growth's sake and hires according to need. I believe the firm considers prior success; the books of candidates; personality; diversity; and for young associates, their grades, though deference to specific law schools is not given.”
- “I believe that my firm is looking for candidates who have excelled in law school. Clerkship experience is preferred. There does not appear to be particular schools the firm hires from.”
Perks & Benefits