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Overview

Introduction

The reach of Oregon-based firm Tonkon Torp extends far beyond its home state. The firm has represented some of the largest and most influential companies in the world, including Portland General Electric, sneaker giant Nike, and real estate mammoth Blackstone. Attorneys at Tonkon Torp cover a full range of practice areas, including bankruptcy, corporate, cannabis, employment, environmental, intellectual property, litigation, real estate, and tax. Best Lawyers in America® named six Tonkon attorneys as...

Firm Stats


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Total No. Attorneys (2020)

50 - 100

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Featured Rankings

Top 150 Under 150
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Base Salary

1st year: $135,000
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No. of U.S. Offices

1


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No. of International Offices

0


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Major Office Locations

Portland, OR

Vault Verdict

Tonkon Torp seeks candidates with ties to Portland, who want to remain at the firm long term. Social personalities will feel at home at the firm, which offers abundant opportunities to make friends—although there is no pressure to attend events. One associate described the culture as Goldilocks-esque in that there is just the right amount of socializing. Associates are pleased with their compensation and feel it is appropriate given their work/life balance. Mentoring is a strong point at the firm, and associates are pleased with the collegial relationships they have with partners. Opportunities for early responsibility abound, and there is plenty of formal and informal training to provide sufficient guidance. Those looking for strong pro bono commitment need look no further than T...

About the Firm

The reach of Oregon-based firm Tonkon Torp extends far beyond its home state. The firm has represented some of the largest and most influential companies in the world, including Portland General Electric, sneaker giant Nike, and real estate mammoth Blackstone.

Once an Oregonian, Always an Oregonian

Though its reach extends beyond, Tonkon Torp's roots remain in Oregon. In 1974, Moe Tonkon's three-person firm welcomed some new additions: Frederick Torp and five other attorneys from Stoel Rives. Among the original crew of founding partners was renowned Oregonian Brian G. Booth, who is credited with revitalizing the literary and natural heritages of the state. A fervent literary arts advocate, Booth created the Oregon Book Awards, Oregon Literary Fellowships, and Literary Arts orga...

Associate Reviews

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  • “Tonkon is a social place. People genuinely enjoy each other, and some of us count our closest friends as colleagues here.”
  • “It's a goldilocks amount of official/semi-official firm social life: not too hot, not too cold. We have a few purely social annual events, a robust official associate social calendar but without pressure to always be there, a casual after-work get-together scene that ebbs and flows with workload and season, and a lot of independent social relationships and activities that include multiple firm lawyers but also others.”
  • “The best thing about Tonkon is not only do we work with smart attorneys, we also work with attorneys and staff that we just like to be around. Between our mostly monthly Fireside chats and more informal happy hours, there are always opportunities to hang out with colleagues that have become friends.”
  • “Socializing is organic and optional. I enjoy the company of my colleagues and count many of them as friends.”

Getting Hired Here


  • “The firm recruits from both national and local (Oregon) law schools through its summer associate program with a strong focus on candidates likely to stay in Portland. Lateral hiring is less structured and often by referral.”
  • “We consider commitment to a business-focused practice in this market, intellectual chops (with law school academics the most obvious proxy), judgment and maturity, and overall whether someone will be able to competently manage client matters and build and maintain client relationships. We hire top students from local schools and candidates from national schools.”
  • “We are looking for people who want to be in Portland, working at a law firm, serving business law clients for the long term. Questions try to determine whether the candidate fits this profile.”
  • “The firm likes to get to know candidates during interviews. It only selects candidates with excellent ‘on paper’ qualifications, so interviews tend to focus on soft skills and personality fit.”