Nixon Peabody LLP

Nixon Peabody is a Rochester, New York-founded law firm with approximately 640 attorneys and offices across the United States. Founded in 1999 through the merger of two historic Upstate New York firms. Nixon, Hargrave, Devans & Doyle and Peabody & Brown. Nixon Peabody has built nationally recognized practices in affordable housing, public finance, and government relations. The firm generates profits per partner of approximately $1.9 million and has carved out a distinctive market position through its dominance in areas that few large law firms prioritize.

Nixon Peabody holds top-tier rankings in Chambers USA for Public Finance, Real Estate, and Affordable Housing/Community Development. The firm's affordable housing practice is the largest in the country, representing developers, investors, and government agencies on Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) transactions, bond financings, and regulatory compliance. Its public finance practice handles municipal bond issuances, infrastructure projects, and government financing structures. Nixon Peabody's healthcare practice advises hospitals and health systems on regulatory matters, and the firm maintains strong capabilities in intellectual property and commercial litigation.

Nixon Peabody uses a free-market assignment system. The firm targets second-year law students for its eight-week summer program and offers the NP Scholars Program for third-year students serving as paid interns in specific practice groups. Callback interviews typically involve four to five sessions with attorneys from the relevant practice group and office. The firm's culture reflects its Upstate New York origins, associates describe it as accessible, community-oriented, and genuinely invested in work-life balance. Nixon Peabody has been recognized for its commitment to social justice and maintains robust pro bono and diversity programs.

Nixon Peabody's leadership in affordable housing and public finance gives it a mission-driven dimension that is unusual among firms of its size. The firm's work directly impacts the availability of affordable housing and public infrastructure in communities across the country, giving associates the opportunity to do commercially sophisticated transactional work that also serves the public interest. For students interested in real estate, public finance, or mission-aligned legal work within a BigLaw platform, Nixon Peabody offers a uniquely compelling combination.