NALP Directory of Legal Employers

Directory Year: 2023

Goldberg Kohn
Goldberg Kohn Ltd.

Hiring Attorney: Mr. Seth Good

Hiring Attorney: Vanessa Bachtell

Recruiting Contact: Ms. Edith Valdes
Director of Human Resources
55 E Monroe Street
Suite 3300
Chicago, Illinois (IL) 60603
United States

Contact Info: Phone: 312.201.3877
[email protected]
To apply online, go to:: https://www.goldbergkohn.com/careers/overview/

Goldberg Kohn was founded in 1976, by four lawyers at a well-known midsized Chicago firm, with the express goal of creating a firm that would provide legal services on a par with the largest and most respected firms in Chicago. The founders aimed to create a firm with a working environment based on mutual respect, support, and trust and completely devoid of internal competition and personal empire building. The theory was that by focusing their competitive energy on providing the best possible legal services rather than on internal politics the firm would not only attract and retain superb lawyers who truly enjoy the practice of law, but also provide a welcome change for clients weary of the infighting that is characteristic of so many of today's law firms; politics that add unnecessary cost and inefficiencies to the handling of legal matters.

Today, over 45 years later, those ideals are not only intact, but remain the greatest source of Goldberg Kohn's success. During the first years of its founding, the firm grew primarily by attracting lawyers from large, well-established firms to join a noble, if risky, experiment. The firm worked hard to achieve a greater level of name recognition at leading national law schools, enabling it to attract outstanding graduates who have gone on to become Goldberg Kohn's first generation nurtured from summer associate to principal. Although the firm continues to rely on law school recruitment to fuel a portion of its growth, the firm is also a magnet for young lawyers who have been in practice for a few years at recognized firms and who look to Goldberg Kohn as the home where they can practice law in a supportive environment for the rest of their professional career.

Goldberg Kohn's clientele has grown to include an institutional client base worthy of a much larger firm, while preserving the same idealistic and collegial atmosphere that has become the hallmark of the firm. 

Goldberg Kohn is proud to be associated with some of the most respected organizations in the legal industry, such as the Secured Finance Network  (formerly the Commercial Finance Association), Turnaround Management Association, and the Litigation Counsel of America. In addition, the firm has been recognized by leading legal publications including Chambers and Partners, American LawyerU.S. News' Best Law Firms, and M&A Advisor. We counsel clients ranging from private to Fortune 50 companies and have built a reputation for great work, for being great to work with, and great to work for. 

Every day, we earn and reaffirm our reputation for skill and integrity by competing with the largest and best-known firms in courtrooms and conference rooms around the world. We don't take our top legal talent, first class clients, and outstanding results for granted. We constantly look ahead to the next challenge, to finding opportunities for our current clients, and developing new relationships.

Announcements

Goldberg Kohn is committed to building a work environment that reflects the diversity of our community. We believe that one of the main drivers of the health and success of our firm is creating a vibrant culture in which professionals of all backgrounds can find long-term work/life balance and experience a true sense of belonging. We also support the movement for racial and social justice through our volunteer time and our money.

In order to build an environment that is inclusive and supportive, Goldberg Kohn espouses an approach to diversity that supplements the firm's core values with a concerted recruitment, retention and promotion strategy for diverse professionals that encourages our entire team to be involved in the change we want to see. In practical terms this means facilitating the development of multiple partner and staff mentorship and champion relationships for diverse associates centered around internal and external networking opportunities and providing regular career and business development support and resources; supporting local community organizations both financially and with our volunteer time; and building a robust Pro Bono program that undertakes projects like criminal record sealing and expungement clinics for historically underserved client populations.

Our approach to diversity also builds upon Goldberg Kohn's founding principles and the unique culture we have fostered. Specifically, throughout its history, our firm has implemented a deliberate, purposeful growth plan — one attorney at a time. The firm does not acquire practice groups and has never merged with another firm or group of attorneys. We operate based upon consensus building, not vote-counting. Goldberg Kohn has firm clients, not individual attorneys with separate books of business. This approach creates an environment where every principal enjoys an equal voice and attorneys of every background have the opportunity and encouragement to flourish professionally and economically. We believe these values and policies enable all of our professionals, from a wide range of communities, to establish long-term careers at Goldberg Kohn.