Overview
Introduction
Top-ranked for intellectual property and one of the largest law firms focusing exclusively on this field, Finnegan handles all aspects of IP, including patent, trademark, copyright, trade secrets, false advertising, and licensing law. Notably, Finnegan professionals demonstrate an impressive array of tech experience. The firm takes training seriously, with extensive formal programming and an emphasis on mentoring. Attorneys seeking a supportive, team-oriented atmosphere will feel at home here.
Firm Stats
Total No. Attorneys (2024)
No. of Partners Named (2023)
Featured Rankings
No. of 1st Year Associates Hired (2024)
No. of Summer Associates (2023)
Base Salary
Vault Verdict
If you want to handle sophisticated IP work in a supportive environment with great partners, it would be difficult to find a firm better than Finnegan. Recruiting focuses on academic achievement, work experience, technical degree, and interest in IP work. Associates enjoy working in office settings that are friendly and supportive. Partners embrace open-door policies because they are dedicated to associate training and professional growth. Each associate is assigned and learns from an associate mentor and a partner mentor, and the firm’s professional development team puts has established a vibrant training program. Associates describe receiving challenging assignments, increasing responsibility, and client interaction; project distribution comes directly from partners based on exp...
Firm's Response
Finnegan values individuals who are smart, hardworking, self-motivated, mature, intellectually curious, and committed to excelling in intellectual property law. Our firm is committed to promoting and strengthening a diverse workplace. We promote a working environment of teamwork, congeniality, and mutual trust, where all employees are trea...
About the Firm
With experts in every industry and technology, Finnegan is one of the world’s top IP law firms. The firm’s work spans the full range of IP needs related to European, German, U.K., and U.S. IP law. Finnegan employs more than 700 people, including nearly 300 IP professionals, contributing to its status as an IP giant.
IP Vision
Marc Finnegan and Douglas Henderson teamed up in 1965 to open a shop in Washington, DC, that practiced only IP law. The firm’s focus has not changed, although its scope has expanded to cover virtually every aspect of patent, trademark, and copyright law with services that include counseling, prosecution, licensing, portfolio management, and litigation. Finnegan also provides counseling and litigation services in advertising, privacy, and a wide spectrum of I...
Associate Reviews
- “Attorneys offer support and care for each other. We strive to treat everyone in the firm well. Overall, this is a great place to work.”
- “Open, supportive, and engaging. The associates often meet up outside of work a few times a month, and it happens organically and spontaneously most of the time. Lawyers and staff interact in a very close manner.”
- “Firm has high expectations for work and knowledge acquisition. People are willing to talk and teach you in a number of ways. The most-junior to most-senior partner will sit down and discuss anything with me—life, work, future plans. I get the impression that staff really enjoy working here, and I have made some good friends with the staff thus far. Much of our social interaction is firm-sponsored or initiated from a firm-related gathering.”
- “The culture is extremely hardworking and collegial. The firm sponsors social evenings over drinks, and they are moderately well-attended due to the high workload on the attorneys. Consistent late nights are not acknowledged as going above and beyond.”
Diversity at Finnegan
Getting Hired Here
- “The firm focuses on candidates with relatively good grades, having some kind of technical degree, and having a demonstrable interest in IP law. Other factors like journals, moot court, etc., are helpful but not nearly as important. Personality is certainly given a reasonably high weight as well.”
- “The firm looks for candidates that have the potential to develop into productive and respected attorneys at the firm. Most have a technical degree, and many have a PhD or post-graduate degree. While grades, prior work experience, and school attended are factors, we can usually tell if the candidate is a good fit at the interview.”
- “The hiring process at Finnegan is rigorous. The summer associate program is a significant talent pipeline for Finnegan, and summer associates are selected for their potential to thrive as associates at the firm and eventually to make good partners. To my knowledge, the interview process is holistic. No single factor is dispositive; instead, all of the data points are considered: grades, background (including diversity), prior education, work experience, interests (chiefly interest in IP law), and personality.”
- “It's the standard interview process. I believe my firm is looking for hardworking and intelligent individuals who have a genuine interest in intellectual property law. I have not noticed any feeder schools. The firm values hiring of individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences. The firm has guidelines for those who interview candidates.”
Perks & Benefits