In 2023, the average starting salary at the nation’s largest law firms was $225,000.
Cleveland is home to some of the largest and most prestigious law firms in the country and Case Western Reserve University School of Law has a history of extraordinary success in placing its grads in major law firms in Cleveland, as well as other big cities across the country. These firms practice every kind of law imaginable.
Last summer, twenty-five rising CWRU 3Ls were summer associates at some of the largest U.S. law firms, including 7 at Jones Day, the fifth largest firm in the United States, with 2,300 attorneys in 40 cities around the globe. 54 Jones Day attorneys in Cleveland, New York and Washington, D.C. are CWRU alumni, including 5 members of the class of 2023. The partner in charge of the Cleveland office, John Saada (LAW ‘93), is a CWRU alum.
24 graduates of CWRU are attorneys at Squire Patton Boggs, the 16th largest law firm in the U.S, with 1,500 attorneys in 40 cities around the globe. The Global Managing Partner of the firm, Michele Connell (LAW ‘03), is a CWRU graduate. Last summer, Squire hired five CWRU rising 3Ls as summer associates.
55 CWRU graduates are attorneys at BakerHostetler, the 73rd largest law firm in the world, with 1,000 attorneys in 17 cities. In 2022, BakerHostetler hired six CWRU law students as summer associates. CWRU grad Hewitt Shaw (LAW ‘80), served as Baker’s Managing Partner from 2005-2020.
42 CWRU graduates are attorneys at Thompson Hine, the 134th largest law firm in the U.S., with 500 lawyers in 8 cities. Four members of the CWRU class of 2023 began working there in the fall, and three rising 3Ls were summer associates last summer.
Other large firms in Cleveland with a significant number of CWRU attorneys include Tucker Ellis (41 CWRU grads), Benesch Friedlander (38 CWRU grads), Taft (34 CWRU grads including Co-Managing Partner); Ulmer & Berne (25 CWRU grads), Calfee Halter (25 CWRU grads), McDonald Hopkins (25 CWRU grads), Hahn Loeser (22 CWRU grads); Reminger Co., LPA (19 CWRU grads) and Vorys (17 CWRU grads).