Baker & Hostetler LLP

BakerHostetler is a Cleveland-founded law firm with approximately 1,030 attorneys and offices in major U.S. cities including New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Houston, and Los Angeles. Founded in 1916, the firm has built a nationally recognized practice with particular dominance in data privacy, cybersecurity, and digital assets, areas where it has established itself as the clear market leader. The firm generates profits per partner of approximately $2.5 million and is consistently ranked #1 in the country for privacy and data security work.

BakerHostetler holds top-tier rankings in Chambers USA for Privacy & Data Security, Intellectual Property, Litigation, and Tax. The firm's privacy and data security practice is the largest in the nation, handling more data breach responses than any other law firm, having managed over 8,000 incidents. Its digital assets practice advises on cryptocurrency regulation, blockchain technology, and fintech compliance. BakerHostetler's litigation department handles complex commercial disputes, antitrust matters, and government investigations, while its tax controversy practice is well-regarded for IRS disputes and transfer pricing matters.

BakerHostetler uses a free-market assignment system. OCI interviews are conversational in nature, with partners asking about interests, hobbies, and motivations alongside standard questions about grades and extracurriculars. Associates describe the culture as collegial and down-to-earth, reflecting the firm's Midwest roots. The summer associate program gives students a genuine taste of large-firm practice, and the firm invests in mentorship and structured training programs. BakerHostetler has been recognized for its commitment to pro bono work and maintains active diversity initiatives across its offices.

BakerHostetler's most famous case involvement includes serving as counsel for the Nixon estate during the Watergate tapes litigation. The firm's early and aggressive investment in data privacy, at a time when most firms treated it as a niche offering, has proven remarkably prescient as cybersecurity has become a boardroom-level concern for every major corporation. For students interested in the intersection of technology, privacy, and law, BakerHostetler is the definitive destination.