# Nixon Peabody

Nixon Peabody LLP is a Boston-based law firm with over 700 attorneys collaborating across major practice areas in cities across the U.S. and international offices in London, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. In addition to the firm's Boston headquarters, it maintains U.S. office locations in New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Palo Alto, Albany, Buffalo, Manchester, Rochester, and Providence.
Clients include emerging and middle-market businesses, national and multinational corporations, financial institutions, public entities, educational and not-for-profit institutions, and individuals. The firm represents clients such as JetBlue, Constellation Brands, Corning Incorporated, and Gannett Co., among others. Additionally, the firm has represented parties in the financing of new stadiums for the Mets and Yankees. The firm has nearly thirty teams that focus on specific industries or areas of law.
Stephen Zubiago serves as the Nixon Peabody's chief executive officer and managing partner, a role he has held since February 2021. Andrew Glincher is the firm's senior chairman.

## History

Nixon Peabody was formed by the 1999 merger of two firms that began practicing more than a century ago: Nixon, Hargrave, Devans & Doyle LLP and Peabody & Brown. Nixon Hargrave was originally a Rochester, New York, firm that had grown to become one of the largest law firms in New York.
In 2000, Nixon Peabody merged with Sixbey Friedman Leedom & Ferguson in Northern Virginia, doubling the size of its intellectual property practice.
The firm expanded into California in 2001 through a merger with Lillick & Charles, founded in San Francisco in 1897. Throughout the 20th century, Lillick developed a base of international clients in Asia and Europe and was an advisor to many California businesses.
In December 2002, Nixon Peabody merged with the 150-year-old Boston firm of Hutchins, Wheeler & Dittmar, adding fifty attorneys in the areas of business, litigation, and health services.
As of 2008, the firm had 1,728 employees in the U.S. and two abroad. The average salary for an Associate Attorney was $178,016 and for a secretary, $67,733. Women make up 59% of employees, minorities 19%. The firm offers domestic partner benefits for same-sex couples.
In late 2008, when many law firms were collapsing or announcing layoffs, Nixon Peabody declared an objective to double the size of the firm in the next three or four years, a move its global head of finance termed "a necessity for our firm." The firm said it would hire up to 100 attorneys from the dissolving firm Thelen LLP, and in October took on 25 lawyers in Paris, a move that led to a legal dispute with UK firm Taylor Wessing.
In April 2014, Nixon Peabody announced it cut 38 positions, reportedly for "operational efficiency through a flatter administrative structure and a more centralized legal support model."
In February 2015, Chicago-based mid-sized law firm Ungaretti & Harris LLP merged into Nixon Peabody, adding 100 attorneys and experience in corporate, health care, real estate, litigation, public finance, intellectual property, and government relations.
In October 2015, Nixon Peabody consolidated operations with CWL Partners, a firm based in Hong Kong. The two firms had been formally associated with each other since 2010. The combined firm is known as Nixon Peabody CWL in Hong Kong but will remain as Nixon Peabody LLP in the U.S., Europe, and the firm's Shanghai, China, office. The combination adds 30 lawyers and staff, increasing the firm's Asian presence.

## Pro bono

In 2011, Nixon Peabody attorneys spent an average of 56 hours on pro bono matters, or 3.7% of their billable hours. The firm as a whole contributed 37,539 hours to pro bono work. The firm "targets 3% of billable hours annually for pro bono work."
Nixon Peabody has worked on behalf of a wide range of pro bono clients, including microfinance work veterans' affairs, asylum and immigration cases, domestic violence matters and with various legal aid organizations on a wide range of matters, in some cases as part of a corporate partnership (the firm's Albany office partners with General Electric's Global Research division on community pro bono matters).
In 2009, the Manchester office launched the Nixon Peabody Domestic Protection Team, aimed at assisting victims of domestic violence. In 2012, Nixon Peabody partners co-authored the amicus brief by the New York State Bar Association in Fisher v. University of Texas, et al. The NYSBA brief argues that the government has a compelling interest in promoting diversity in the legal profession, which cannot happen without meaningful diversity in the undergraduate pipeline.
Nixon Peabody members have mentored students in Providence, Rhode Island, under a YMCA program called Championing Our Students.
Up to 60 hours of pro bono work by Nixon Peabody lawyers can be counted toward the 1,900 bonus target. There is a firmwide pro bono partner, and individuals in each office belong to the pro bono committee. They "send out details of opportunities almost every day." Associates unanimously declare that they have taken numerous cases, ranging from domestic violence cases and restraining orders to drug conspiracy trials, as well as representing child victims of trafficking and obtaining benefits for veterans.

## Litigation

Chambers describes Nixon Peabody's litigation activities as involving commercial litigation, IP litigation, product liability, government investigations, white-collar defense, arts and cultural institutions, and Indian law and gaming. Lawyers at the Washington office perform much of their work at the Court of Federal Claims.

## Culture

Despite a "generally positive opinion of firm culture," junior lawyers have complained about the lack of transparency between upper management and associates.

## Offices

Nixon Peabody has an array of 13 US branches plus 3 international offshoots in London, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. Offering a full spread of practices, a few of which are garlanded with regional Chambers USA rankings."