Overview
Introduction
One of Boston's top firms, Choate operates out of one office in Beantown—though its practice extends across the nation, with clients like JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Summit Partners, and more on its roster. The firm specializes in five main areas: complex litigation and investigations; finance and restructuring; life sciences and technology; middle-market private equity/M&A; and wealth management. The firm provides associates with ample hands-on experience and prioritizes associate feedback.
Firm Stats
Total No. Attorneys (2021)
No. of Partners Named (2021)
Featured Rankings
No. of 1st Year Associates Hired (2020)
No. of Summer Associates (2021)
Base Salary
Vault Verdict
As with many firms, Choate prioritizes candidates’ academic records in hiring, but the firm is looking for more than good grades. Personality fit is key, as well as an interest in settling down in the Boston area. Associates describe the firm as having a “tight-knit community” and appreciate that partners respect their work/life balance. The firm also sponsors a variety of firm-wide activities, include happy hours and a yearly field day. Associates and partners get along well, with mutual respect and little sense of hierarchy, and associates appreciate the transparency from above. Hours can be long and unpredictable, but associates feel the firm does a good job distributing hours. They also are thrilled with their compensation, which meets the market for both salary and bonuses—pl...
About the Firm
Since 1899, Choate Hall & Stewart has been a Boston firm through and through. Although smaller in number than its national competitors, Choate attorneys have remained competitive without compromising on the firm’s collaborative mindset and “one office” culture.
Keeping It Local
Choate is a legal force in Massachusetts. The firm is among the Top 5 in Vault’s Best Law Firms in Boston ranking. In an era of megafirm expansion, Choate has dodged the advances of larger firms looking to merge and has held off takeovers to stay in Boston. The firm says its strategy of maintaining its legal team under one roof allows it to "deliver seamless client service" unmatched by firms with a dozen offices around the U.S. The firm's client list—which encompasses national entities lik...
Associate Reviews
- “Culture is one of the hallmarks of Choate. It's a very tight-knit, collegial environment and we are encouraged to make connections, both professional and personal, with our colleagues through firm organized social events (regular group meetings; holiday parties; participating in rowing, road races, etc.)”
- “Choate's one office model fosters a strong, tight-knit community and friendships among attorneys and staff. Social events are regularly organized by committees (e.g. Choate Women's Network, Attorneys of Color).”
- “Activities vary from Choate's long-standing Lawyers Field Day, to a party at a local museum (significant others invited) to a private screening of the Ruth Bader Ginsburg movie at a local theater. Floors have monthly happy hours at a local pub and Professional Development schedules periodic class lunches, to encourage socialization among classmates.”
- “What I appreciate most [at] Choate [are] the colleagues I work with—including the partners, associates, and assistants. Very professional, very capable, very ‘human’—nice and willing to help. The partners I work with appreciate that work is not [one’s] whole life—they understand there are many other (more) important things in life: family, parenting and so on.”
Diversity at Choate, Hall & Stewart
Getting Hired Here
- “We get candidates from all over the country but benefit by being in Boston which has a number of excellent law schools. I think prior work experience is always viewed as a plus, but ideally we are looking for candidates who are self-starters, can work on small teams, and that want to ‘punch above their weight.’”
- “While law school and grades are just as important as they would be with every top firm, Choate spends a lot of time meeting with candidates to fully understand the personality and fit within the firm culture. Additionally, as Choate has strategically elected to limit operations to one office in Boston, connections and desire to remain in Boston are important.”
- “Important factors are grades; candidates must want to live in Boston; interest in the firm's practice areas; and personality.”
Perks & Benefits
