Attorneys

Why Hodgson Russ

We are a team of more than 450 attorneys and professional staff who work with high-profile clients on complex, significant matters. Whether you are starting your legal career or seeking new opportunities, Hodgson Russ LLP offers an environment where people are able to forge their own paths, make their marks, and live fulfilling and impactful lives. We don’t just encourage meaningful work – we expect it. It’s why Hodgson Russ is one of the most prestigious and revered law firms in the country.

Entry Level Attorneys

We hire entry-level attorneys primarily through our Summer Associate Program. We also recruit third-year law students as needed for our growing practice areas.

Lateral Hiring

Our lateral hiring is based on the needs of our practice groups and the needs of our clients. We are also always interested in considering groups of experienced attorneys who possess a self-sustaining portable practice and would like to integrate into our firm. Our needs change over time. Whether or not we have a particular need, if you are an attorney with an outstanding record of academic and professional achievement, and you believe you would thrive at our firm, please contact us.

Questions about our open positions? Please contact our Attorney Recruiting Manager:

Amy Hayes Atkinson (she/her/hers), Attorney Recruiting Manager
The Guaranty Building 140 Pearl Street, Suite 100
Buffalo, NY 14202-4040
Tel: 716.848.1612 Fax: 716.849.0349
aatkinson@hodgsonruss.com

Open Positions

_{To submit a resume, cover letter, and transcripts for consideration for any of the following positions, please click here.}

Employee Benefits Associate (Buffalo)

Experience: 2 to 6 years of experience and comprehensive knowledge of employee benefits laws, regulations, and compliance requirements (ERISA).

Responsibilities:

• Provide clients with counseling and advocacy services to assist clients in designing, establishing, maintaining, and operating a wide range of retirement, welfare, executive compensation, and fringe benefit plans.
• Draft employee benefit plan documents and summary plan descriptions.
• Technical proficiency in administrative service agreements related retirement, welfare, executive compensation, and fringe benefit plans.

Requirements:

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with other practice areas to provide comprehensive solutions to clients.
• Excellent technical, written, and verbal communication skills.

Salary: $135,000 to $165,000

• A competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefit package, including medical, dental, vision, life, long term disability, flexible spending, 401(k), Paid Time Off, pension plan, and more.  At this time, the good faith estimate of the annual salary range for this position, if the successful applicant is based in Buffalo, is $135,000 to $165,000. Where a successful applicant is slotted within this range will vary based on legitimate criteria, such as experience, portables, and skill level. This range is not applicable to other locations.

Finance Associate (Buffalo, Rochester, or Albany)

Experience: 2 to 6 years in commercial finance transactions.

Responsibilities:

• Represent clients, including borrowers and lenders, in complex middle-market commercial lending transactions, including applicable advice under the Uniform Commercial Code for secured transactions.
• Advise on and handle term loans, letters of credit, acquisition financing.
• Manage documentation and negotiations for equipment leasing and finance agreements.
• Facilitate cross-border transactions involving secured and unsecured credit facilities.

Requirements:

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with other practice areas to provide comprehensive solutions to clients.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong academic credentials.

Salary: $124,000 to $158,000

• • A competitive compensation and comprehensive benefit package, including medical, dental, vision, life, long term disability, flexible spending, 401(k), Paid Time Off, pension plan, and more.  At this time, the good faith estimate of the annual salary range for this position, if the successful applicant is based Buffalo, Rochester, or Albany office, is $124,000 to $158,000. Where a successful applicant is slotted within this range will vary based on legitimate criteria, such as experience, portables, and skill level. This range is not applicable to other locations.

Environment & Energy Associate (Buffalo, Rochester, Saratoga Springs, or Albany)

Experience: 3 to 6 years representing clients in an array of environmental and/or energy matters.

Encouraged: Candidates seeking to join a growing and vibrant practice group widely recognized for its expertise in environmental and renewable project development matters, including environmental regulatory compliance; remedial project management; complex environmental litigation and administrative practice; environmental risk management and due diligence assistance; negotiation and drafting of complex environmental contractual provisions and agreement; renewable energy project siting and development, permitting, project acquisition, transfer, and financing transactions.

• Responsibilities:
  • • Representing clients in environmental and energy matters, including in front of administrative bodies.
    • Handling permitting, regulatory compliance, diligence, and transactional matters related to energy and environmental sectors.
    • Conducting litigation in relevant fields including handling depositions, motion practice, court appearances, and electronic discovery.

 Requirements:

• • Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Strong academic credentials

Salary: $128,000 to $158,000

• • A competitive compensation and comprehensive benefit package, including medical, dental, vision, life, long term disability, flexible spending, 401(k), Paid Time Off, pension plan, and more.  At this time, the good faith estimate of the annual salary range for this position, if the successful applicant is based Buffalo, Rochester, Saratoga Spring or Albany office, is $128,000 to $158,000. Where a successful applicant is slotted within this range will vary based on legitimate criteria, such as experience, portables, and skill level. This range is not applicable to other locations.

Business Litigation Attorney (Albany)

Experience: 2 to 6 years in commercial business litigation

Join: a leading law firm known for its excellence and innovation in legal services and dedicated to providing top-tier representation to clients across various industries.

Responsibilities:

• • Handling depositions
  • Motion practice
  • Court appearances
  • Managing electronic discovery

Requirements:

• • Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Strong academic record

Salary: $123,000 to $165,000

A competitive compensation and comprehensive benefit package, including medical, dental, vision, life, long term disability, flexible spending, 401(k), Paid Time Off, pension plan, and more.  At this time, the good faith estimate of the annual salary range for this position, if the successful applicant is based in Albany, is $123,000 to $165,000. Where a successful applicant is slotted within this range will vary based on legitimate criteria, such as experience, portables, and skill level. This range is not applicable to other locations.

Finance Partner (NYC, Buffalo, Albany, Toronto, Rochester, or Florida)

Hodgson Russ LLP, a dynamic and leading law firm known for its excellence and innovation in legal services, is seeking a transactional banking and finance attorney to join its Corporate and Finance practice group in the Firm’s Buffalo, Rochester, Albany, Toronto, Florida or New York City offices. The candidate will be joining a team dedicated to assisting one another in developing new client relationships. Candidates seeking to take initial business development success to the next level are encouraged to apply.

Experience: 10+ years in commercial finance transactions.

Qualifications:

• • Experience negotiating, structuring, and documenting both secured and unsecured financing transactions for borrowers and lenders.
  • Proficiency in commercial mortgage transactions, leveraged acquisition financings, asset-based financings, senior, mezzanine and subordinated debt transactions, cross-border financings, and opinion letters.
  • Understanding of U.S.-based and foreign financial institutions, ranging from large multistate banks to small community banks, as well as non-traditional lenders, servicers and other financial services institutions.
  • Involvement with providing legal advice and support to a variety of lending, finance, and investment banking/advisory clients.
  • Familiarity with leveraged and acquisition finance, senior and subordinated finance.
  • Expertise in drafting, reviewing, and negotiating legal documents related to finance transactions, including inter-creditor agreements, loan documents, and other related agreements.

Responsibilities:

• • Represent lenders, borrowers, sponsors, and institutional investors in a variety of commercial finance transactions.
  • Handle asset-based finance, cash flow finance, senior, mezzanine, and subordinated finance, as well as leveraged and acquisition finance.
  • Assist clients in structured finance, private credit, and direct lending transactions.
  • Work collaboratively with other practice areas to provide comprehensive solutions to our clients.

Requirements:

• • Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
  • Min. of 10 years practicing commercial finance law.

Salary: $175,000 to $450,000

• • A competitive compensation and comprehensive benefit package, including medical, dental, vision, life, long term disability, flexible spending, 401(k), Paid Time Off, pension plan, and more. At this time, the good faith estimate of the annual salary range for this position, if the successful applicant is based Buffalo, Rochester, Albany or New York City office, is $175,000 to $450,000. Where a successful applicant is slotted within this range will vary based on legitimate criteria, such as experience, portables, and skill level. This range is not applicable to other locations.

Business Litigation Associate Attorney (Buffalo or Rochester)

Experience: 3+ years in commercial business litigation

Join: a leading law firm known for its excellence and innovation in legal services and dedicated to providing top-tier representation to clients across various industries.

Responsibilities:

• Handling depositions
• Motion practice
• Court appearances
•  Managing electronic discovery

Requirements:

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong academic record

Salary: $135,000 to $160,000

• Hodgson Russ offers competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefit package, including medical, dental, vision, life, long term disability, flexible spending, 401(k), Paid Time Off, pension plan, and more. At this time, the good faith estimate of the annual salary range for this position, if the successful applicant is based in Buffalo or Rochester is $135,000 to $160,000. Where a successful applicant is slotted within this range will vary based on legitimate criteria, such as experience, portables, and skill level. This range is not applicable to other locations.

Corporate Attorney – Of Counsel (Buffalo)

Hodgson Russ LLP, a dynamic and leading law firm known for its excellence and innovation in legal services, is seeking a corporate attorney with five or more years of experience for its Buffalo office for an of counsel position. This position will have reduced administrative tasks like client development and billable hours.

Experience: 5+ years in relevant practice experience in the areas of general corporate law, commercial contracts, mergers and acquisitions, and business planning.

Responsibilities:

• Assist team in all areas of corporate and commercial law.
• Advise on corporate governance, compliance, and commercial contracts.
• Draft, review, and revise all forms of commercial documents and agreements related to business formation, including shareholder agreements and operating agreements, merger and acquisition agreements and commercial contracts.
• Work closely with the team to counsel clients on every stage of business, including providing counseling on choice of entity structure; regulatory compliance issues, including daily operational procedures; corporate governance; strategic business growth issues, including mergers and acquisitions; exit strategies; and succession planning.

Requirements:

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with other practice areas to provide comprehensive solutions to clients.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong academic credentials.

Salary: $120,000 to $160,000

• A competitive compensation and comprehensive benefit package, including medical, dental, vision, life, long term disability, flexible spending, 401(k), Paid Time Off, pension plan, and more.  At this time, the good faith estimate of the annual salary range for this position, if the successful applicant is based Buffalo, is $120,000 to $160,000. Where a successful applicant is slotted within this range will vary based on legitimate criteria, such as experience and skill level. This range is not applicable to other locations.

Corporate associate (Buffalo)

Experience: 2 to 3 years in relevant practice experience in the areas of general corporate law, commercial transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and contracts.

Responsibilities: 

• Assist team in all areas of corporate and commercial law.
• Draft, review, and revise all forms of commercial documents and agreements related to business formation, including shareholder agreements and operating agreements, merger and acquisition agreements and commercial contracts.
• Work closely with the team to advise clients on a variety of corporate and business issues, including M&A transactions, commercial contracts, shareholder and operating agreements, and financing agreements.
• Evaluate compliance of corporate policies and procedures with government regulations, industry standards, and ethical standards.
• Performed legal research on corporate matters.

Requirements:

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with other practice areas to provide comprehensive solutions to clients.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong academic credentials.

Salary: $127,500 to $135,000

A competitive compensation and comprehensive benefit package, including medical, dental, vision, life, long term disability, flexible spending, 401(k), Paid Time Off, pension plan, and more.  At this time, the good faith estimate of the annual salary range for this position, if the successful applicant is based Buffalo, is $127,500 to $136,000. Where a successful applicant is slotted within this range will vary based on legitimate criteria, such as experience and skill level. This range is not applicable to other locations.

Real Estate Associate (Buffalo, Rochester, or Albany)

Hodgson Russ LLP, a dynamic and leading law firm known for its excellence and innovation in legal services, is seeking an attorney to join its Real Estate practice group in the Firm’s Buffalo, Rochester, or Albany offices.

• Experience: 4 to 7 years in commercial real estate transactions, including construction contracts, leasing, title insurance, real estate mortgage financing.
• Encouraged: Candidates seeking to join a growing and vibrant practice group widely recognized for its knowledge and experience in numerous areas including real estate development, real estate leasing, land use and economic development, public-private partnerships, work with tax exempt entities, as well as representation of lenders and borrowers in a variety of commercial lending and finance transactions.
• Responsibilities:

• • Handle a variety of commercial real estate transactions including commercial leasing, purchasing and sale transactions, and large-scale property review due diligence projects.
  • Draft and negotiate transactional documents as well as loan, leases, and amendments.
  • Experience with title and survey review, title examination, and the closing process.
  • Conduct comprehensive title examinations and survey analyses to identify potential issues or risks related to real estate properties as well as interpret laws, rulings, and regulations for real estate transactions.
  • Manage regulatory and compliance-related services.
  • Support legal and general advisory needs associated with a large-scale real estate portfolio.
  • Conduct due diligence.

• Requirements:

• • Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Strong academic credentials

• Salary: $144,500 to $178,000

A competitive compensation and comprehensive benefit package, including medical, dental, vision, life, long term disability, flexible spending, 401(k), Paid Time Off, pension plan, and more.  At this time, the good faith estimate of the annual salary range for this position, if the successful applicant is based Buffalo, Rochester, or Albany office, is $144,500 to $178,000. Where a successful applicant is slotted within this range will vary based on legitimate criteria, such as experience, portables, and skill level. This range is not applicable to other locations.