Overview

Introduction

Wolf Greenfield is an IP-focused midsize firm based in Boston, with an additional office in New York. The firm covers all aspects of IP, from patent prosecution through post-grant proceedings at the Patent Office, International Trade Commission litigation, and litigation before all levels of the federal courts. Most attorneys at the firm have degrees from multiple educational fields, with almost all having backgrounds in engineering or science and over half having worked in those fields before coming to the law.

Firm Stats


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Total No. Attorneys (2021)

100 - 150

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No. of Partners Named (2021)

7

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Featured Rankings

Top 150 Under 150
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No. of Summer Associates (2021)

4 (1 2L; 3 1Ls)


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Base Salary

1st year: $215,000
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No. of U.S. Offices

2

Vault Verdict

Associates at Wolf Greenfield are generally quite happy working there—you probably won’t end up there if you don’t want to work in IP; if you do and think a midsize firm is a good fit for you, you’ll find little to complain about here. As long as you have the right technical background, Wolf Greenfield gives less attention to what law school you went to than other firms might. Although socializing has taken a hit due to COVID, the firm is still culturally tight-knit and encourages regular team bonding via Zoom. Associates feel valued by the partners, who are accessible and treat associates with respect. The hours requirement is reasonable. Particularly in light of the lighter-than-average hours requirement, associates are quite happy with their compensation and the quality of thei...

About the Firm

One of the most reputable firms in Boston, Wolf Greenfield has made a name for itself as an IP powerhouse. With just under 100 attorneys, Wolf Greenfield is known for its work in patent litigation on technology matters. The firm has kept to the East Coast with one office in Beantown and one in the Big Apple.

IP Roots

Wolf Greenfield was founded in 1927 by patent attorney Ezekiel Wolf in Boston. In its first decades, clients included famed electrical engineer Andrew Alford and radio pioneer Reginald Fessenden. The firm is no stranger to making history, and over the years has had its hand in some of the most important IP developments. In 1961, the firm successfully argued Aro Manufacturing Co. v. Convertible Top, now known as the seminal Supreme Court case covering t...

Associate Reviews

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  • “Once a week lunches, happy hours, etc. Lawyers and staff have a friendly relationship.”
  • “Friendly culture that emphasizes providing thoughtful feedback and involving associates with high-level business development.”
  • “During the pandemic, I feel like the more junior litigation associates made a strong effort to bond and spend time together remotely. The litigation group as a whole initially made a good effort to get together, but those efforts stagnated as the pandemic wore on.”
  • “Before the pandemic it was very friendly and everyone interacted with everyone else in the hallways, kitchens, etc. Now it's different but we still try to connect socially with each other over zoom.”

Why Work Here


A proud tradition of excellence in IP

For over 80 years, Wolf Greenfield has offered its clients a level of expertise matched by few other firms. Like the inventors and innovators we serve, we have backgrounds as engineers, scientists, and specialists in fields as diverse as biotechnology, computer science, mechanical engineering, and countless other areas of science. Our unitary focus on intellectual property has proven to be advantageous. Wolf Greenfield attorneys genuinely believe IP to be the most exciting field in the legal industry, and we value our interactions with clients whose inventions, products, and services are changing the world for the better. As a firm, we make sure our attorneys' commitment and dedication is matched by a rich infrastructure designed and refined with the practice of IP law in mind. With over eight decades of IP experience behind us, we understand intellectual property - its subtleties, intricacies, and how best to serve our clients' IP needs - on a level other firms can only hope to achieve.

Getting Hired Here


  • “We're looking for smart people who are easy to get along with. We don't care about feeder schools or journals or any of that nonsense.”
  • “Strong technical background (good grades, graduate degrees preferred but not required); communication skills, attitude (enthusiastic about the work). School largely irrelevant if positives in other areas.”