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Nixon Peabody LLP

Unverified

Rochester, NY

About

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.

Recruiting & Summer Program

Summer Class Size

15 associates

Billable Hours

1,850 hours

Practice Areas & Rankings

Source: Chambers USA 2026 Rankings

Practice AreaBandJurisdictions
Banking & FinanceBand 1Nationwide, California, District of Columbia, New York
Commercial LitigationBand 1New Hampshire
Corporate / M&ABand 1New Hampshire, New York: Upstate
HealthcareBand 1New York
Labor & EmploymentBand 1New York: Upstate, Rhode Island
Real EstateBand 1New York: Upstate
White Collar DefenseBand 1Massachusetts
Banking & FinanceBand 2Illinois
Commercial LitigationBand 2New York: Upstate, Rhode Island
Commercial LitigationBand 3Massachusetts
ConstructionBand 3California
Corporate / M&ABand 3Massachusetts
Energy / InfrastructureBand 3New York
EnvironmentalBand 3New York: Upstate
FranchisingBand 4Nationwide
HealthcareBand 4Nationwide, California, Illinois
Real EstateBand 4Massachusetts
Restructuring / BankruptcyBand 4Massachusetts
Private EquityBand 5Nationwide

Firm Profile

Vault Rank (2026)

#75

AmLaw Rank (FY2025)

#88

Founded

1999

Chair / Managing Partner

Stephen D. Zubiago

Partners

134

Attorneys

~640

Partnership Track

8 years

Billable Hours Target

1,850 hours

Summer Class Size (2025)

~20

Revenue (FY2025)

$688.3M

Revenue per Lawyer (FY2025)

$1.1M

1st-Year Total Comp (2026)

$210,000

PPP (FY2025)

$1.9M

Offices (12 locations)

Rochester, NY(HQ)
Boston, MA
Buffalo, NY
Garden City, NY
Manchester, NH
Providence, RI
Chicago, IL
Los Angeles, CA
San Francisco, CA
New York, NY
Albany, NY
Washington DC, DC
Visit firm website

Data sources: Financial data from AmLaw 200, FY2025. Practice area rankings from Chambers USA 2026. Summer program data from Chambers Associate 2026. Office locations from firm websites. Last verified: March 27, 2026. View our data methodology

Nixon Peabody LLP | Summer Associate Program & Rankings | BigLaw Bear