recruiting

"One of the reasons we have been able to grow as rapidly as we have is because it's a good place to work. People like coming to work in the morning."

Positive. Collegial. Respectful.

At McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff LLP, we provide challenging and rewarding work in a professional and collegial atmosphere. Visitors to our offices in downtown Chicago immediately sense an atmosphere rare in law firms. Part of it is the casual office culture that contrasts with our anything but casual attitude toward legal work and client service. Part of it is the energy and positive spirit of the firm. But perhaps the most distinctive traits of our culture are summed up in words such as positive, collegial, and respectful.

As one senior partner puts it: "One of the reasons we have been able to grow as rapidly as we have is because it's a good place to work. People like coming to work in the morning." An associate concurs: "People use the word 'collegial' about their firms all the time, but here people really do get along unusually well. I used to be a hiring coordinator for a large East Coast law firm, and it's something I never, ever saw there."

At MBHB, we have worked hard to create an air of respect and openness for everyone at the firm, from senior partners to mail clerks. As a result, we have been able to attract and retain smart, enthusiastic people who are motivated, work hard, and enjoy the people, opportunities, and experiences that comprise a career at MBHB.

An innovative office culture

As a relatively young firm, we have been able to chart our course based on what makes sense, instead of how things have traditionally been done. One mark of this innovative culture is that we were one of the first law firms to endorse casual attire five days a week. Working closely with fast-moving clients in the high-tech sector, it simply made sense to dress in kind.

Another mark of our innovative approach to our workplace is our formal commitment to mentoring. Each associate is mentored by a partner who helps solicit and provide feedback on work and guides the associate's development as an attorney. This commitment helps establish a foundation of trust and openness that is a hallmark of attorneys' experiences at MBHB.

One associate says, "I can walk into anyone's office and ask a question. I have never felt like I was alone. I have never been given a project and been expected to figure it all out on my own. I've always felt I had a network of support and people I could talk with from the highest level on down."

"There's always something new…".

Stimulating cases, colleagues, and clients

One trait that all of our attorneys share is a passion for intellectual property law, a field they agree is the most fascinating they could have chosen. "There's always something new," says one associate. "That's one reason I went into law rather than stay in science. In research you tend to work on one project for years - that's all you talk about, read about, think about. Right now I have five projects that are completely different. No two days are ever the same."

Our attorneys also have the benefit of working with other MBHB attorneys, achieving a true synergy of expertise and experience. Our open and collegial atmosphere facilitates attorney interaction and permits us to maximize the talent of our staff so that our clients are truly hiring the whole firm and its full range of strengths. This not only makes MBHB a pleasant place to work, it makes our firm stronger and better able to accomplish our clients' goals.

An additional factor that contributes to the excitement encountered while working at MBHB is our clients, which range from individual inventors to Fortune 100 corporations active in a wide range of technologies. Correspondingly, the nature of the work we take in is varied and complex. Whether we are litigating over handwriting recognition software or directing a start-up biotech company's patent portfolio, the work we do for our clients offers our lawyers satisfying challenges and opportunities. Associates are able to engage in much more complex work earlier in their careers than they would at other firms.

The term "boutique" is sometimes applied to firms of our size and expertise. It belies the breadth and complexity of our cases. Says one associate, "The work we do rivals that of any firm in the world, whether it's a 500-attorney firm in Chicago or a firm with 5,000 attorneys worldwide."

Stimulating work with intelligent and committed colleagues in an open and collegial environment based in one of the great cities in the world, at MBHB, we may have the career you've been looking for.