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Overview

Introduction

Talk about history—Foley & Lardner was founded in Wisconsin while it was still a territory and not yet a state. From humble beginnings in Milwaukee in 1842 to substantial growth in the last 50 years, Foley has become a 25-office, 1,100-attorney force in the legal world. It’s known for work in the areas of intellectual property, corporate law, and litigation—especially as they relate to the energy, healthcare, life sciences, innovative technology, and manufacturing sectors.

Firm Stats


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Total No. Attorneys (2023)

1K - 1.5K

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No. of Partners Named (2023)

23

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Featured Rankings

Vault Law 100
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No. of 1st Year Associates Hired (2023)

74


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No. of Summer Associates (2023)

98 total (80 2Ls;18 1Ls)


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Base Salary

1st year: $215,000
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Vault Verdict

On top of being a leading BigLaw firm, Foley & Lardner has a truly unique claim to fame. Foley’s founders actually helped Wisconsin—their home state—achieve statehood, and the firm hasn’t stopped since, expanding its footprint across the country and the world. Still, the firm doesn’t forget where it comes from, holding on to its Midwestern friendliness and love for smaller markets; with offices in 22 cities in the US, Foley is the BigLaw leader in many smaller cities. This makes Foley an extremely attractive firm for attorneys who want to practice in BigLaw in cities other than New York or DC. Foley is also known for having a better-than-average work-life balance, one of the reasons that associates praise the firm’s culture as “friendly” and “down-to-earth.” Partners treat...

About the Firm

While Foley & Lardner handles a wide range of business matters, the majority of the firm’s major clients come from the automotive, energy, healthcare, life sciences, and technology fields. With an excellent healthcare practice and a client roster boasting such corporate staples as Harley-Davidson and Cummins, Milwaukee’s best has grown into an international operation while maintaining local allegiances. 

Milwaukee Couldn’t Hold ‘Em 

Foley & Lardner was founded in 1842 in Milwaukee when Asahel Finch and William Pitt Lynde opened shop before the lakeside city had even paved its roads. More than a century passed before the firm established a presence outside Wisconsin, creating a DC branch as it became the first Badger State firm to establish an office in another...

Associate Reviews

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  • “The firm has a friendly, collegial attitude, while maintaining top-tier performance in various practice areas. A large number of the partners are younger, and that helps keep the firm's culture from being stuffy like so many other BigLaw firms. There is an undeniable Midwestern bent to the culture, which really makes Foley stand out from other BigLaw firms, which have an East/West coast attitude.”
  • “The firm has an excellent culture, with a very collegial and professional environment. Everyone is friendly and likes to get lunch together, at least weekly. Lawyers and staff work closely together, and there's a one-team mentality.”
  • “The one word that describes the culture is respect. Everyone is treated so well, and so professionally. You're allowed to work the way that is best for you, and everyone steps up to allow flexibility for everyone else.”
  • “Foley is filled with down-to-earth, family-oriented people. We socialize after work regularly—probably twice a month. The day-to-day atmosphere is collegial. People are casual, and have a good sense of humor at work.”

Diversity at Foley & Lardner LLP

"At Foley & Lardner, we encourage attorneys and professional staff to appreciate the values of inclusion, belonging, and diversity, and to take action to improve how we relate to each other and the opportunities we can create for everyone. The talents and perspectives of a diverse team help Foley better understand the global marketplace, deliver innovative and quality legal solutions, and foster a vibrant and fulfilling professional environment for all employees. Diversity and inclusion is woven into the fabric of the firm and is manifested..."

Getting Hired Here

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  • “I think we really value grades. We also tend to value work experience prior to law school—many successful associates took time off. I think there's also strong regionality in hiring, pulling from local law schools. We want people to join and stay, so roots in the community are seen as beneficial.”
  • “Foley focuses a lot on locality in its hiring. It does invest heavily in young associates, and wants to make sure they'll stay, so you really need to have some sort of credible tie to the city you're interviewing in. When I interview a candidate, I care a lot about personality, and so have my fellow interviewers. I think Foley prides itself on its culture, so the attitude is kind of that we can teach you to be a good lawyer, but we can't necessarily teach you to be a good person or colleague. We do have training for people doing interviews, and have an interviewing guide with sample questions to ask.”
  • “Fit is important—we are a collaborative firm with a realistic path to grow into partnership, so while drive and ambition are important, we all want to see someone who works well on a team, and is passionate about the law.”

Perks & Benefits


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