Baker Botts LLP

Overview

Baker Botts LLP is a long-established global law firm (founded 1840) with deep sector expertise in energy, technology and life sciences. The firm positions itself as a strategic adviser to market-leading innovators and infrastructure players, combining technical industry knowledge (including lawyers with advanced scientific degrees) with cross-practice teams that handle high-value, cross-border transactions, disputes and regulatory work. Distinctive features include a strong Energy & Technology focus, a culture that emphasises collaborative entrepreneurship and a firmwide learning platform (BBU) that supports early responsibility and technical specialism.

• Headquarters: Houston
• Founded: 1840
• Offices: 12

Values & Culture

Practice Areas

• Competition & Antitrust
• Technology & Digital
• Energy & Natural Resources
• Corporate & M&A
• Intellectual Property
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• Regulatory & Compliance
• ESG & Sustainability
• Data Protection & Privacy
• Infrastructure & Projects
• Media & Entertainment
• Pensions
• Tax
• Private Equity & Venture Capital

Geographic Focus: The firm operates from a US base with a global footprint across North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific (notably offices in Houston, Austin, Dallas, New York, Washington D.C., Palo Alto/Silicon Valley, San Francisco, London, Brussels, Riyadh, Dubai and Singapore). Baker Botts routinely handles cross-border transactions and regulatory work, coordinating with local counsel in many jurisdictions and focusing on multinational energy, technology and infrastructure matters.

Training Contract

Mentorship

New associates are paired with partner and associate mentors; the firm highlights structured mentoring and coaching, hands-on partner training and a structured annual evaluation process. BBU and practice-specific mentors support development.

Programmes & Schemes

Notable Matters

What Baker Botts LLP Looks For

Key Competencies

• Intellectual curiosity
• Strong analytical skills
• Commercial awareness
• Initiative and creative problem-solving
• Collaboration and relationship-building
• Leadership and dedication
• Technical or scientific background (for patent/IP roles)
• Interest in energy, technology or life sciences sectors

Evidence Signals

• Summer associate or prior law firm internships
• Relevant commercial or transactional experience
• Technical/scientific degrees or research experience for patent roles
• Pro bono engagement and community involvement
• Demonstrable teamwork on cross-disciplinary projects
• International or cross-border experience for global practices

Benefits & Wellbeing

• BBU firmwide learning platform (substantive legal topics, business development, Energy U, Tech Talks)
• Partner and associate mentoring and structured annual evaluations
• Tuition support for postgraduate coursework in selected geographies (patent/IP roles)
• Access to firmwide CLE programs and on-demand learning resources
• Extensive pro bono practice with nearly 30,000 pro bono hours annually
• Recognition and professional development opportunities for professional staff

Awards & Recognition

• Named #1 Law Firm for Business and Innovation by Bloomberg Law (2025)
• IAM Patent 1000 — IP rankings (2025)
• Expanded recognition in The Legal 500 US (2025)
• Continued strong Chambers USA performance (2025)
• Law360 IP Practice Group of the Year (named 2023 & 2025)
• 107 Chambers-ranked practices firmwide (2025-2026)
• 66 Legal 500 ranked practices firmwide (2025-2026)
• 140 Best Lawyers ranked practices firmwide (2025-2026)

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Mansfield Certified Plus; appointment of a Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer (Heather Souder Choi, 2022); participation in external DEI collaboratives and partnerships.

• Diversity and Inclusion Committee
• Affinity Groups
• Family-Friendly Programs
• Internal Programming
• Recruitment & Retention programmes
• Patent Pathways (collaborator)
• Promise of Justice Initiative (collaborator)
• Street Law (collaborator)
• Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) membership
• Law Firm Antiracism Alliance membership
• Minority Corporate Counsel Association collaborations
• National Asian Pacific American Bar Association collaborations
• National Association of Women Lawyers collaborations

Pro Bono

Baker Botts provides nearly 30,000 pro bono hours each year. Signature pro bono work includes multi-state merger work for the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, long-form trial and transactional pro bono matters, and educational initiatives such as the Invention Convention (pro bono patent assistance for winners). Pro bono chairs are designated across offices (e.g., Mark Speegle - Austin; David Wille - Dallas; Keri D. Brown - Houston; Suzanne Hengl - New York; Julie Cress - Palo Alto & San Francisco; Jeffrey Oliver - Washington, D.C.; Catriona Hatton - Brussels; Shadi Haroon - Riyadh).

Innovation

The firm invests in learning and technology to support cross-practice collaboration and client service. BBU delivers training on substantive legal topics and business development, while technology and information teams support budgeting, forecasting and secure client communications. Patent and IP teams use AI-based tools for FTO searches and portfolio analytics; lawyers participate in Tech Talks and innovation-focused internal training.

• BBU firmwide learning platform (Energy U, Tech Talks)
• Investment in technology and infrastructure to support client budgets and forecasting
• Use of AI-based tools in patent work (FTO searches and portfolio analytics)
• Practice-specific innovation talks and programmes

Quick Application Angles

• Emphasise relevant energy or technology sector experience and commercial awareness (the firm is sector-led and often combines IP, corporate and regulatory expertise).
• Reference recent headline matters — e.g., the firm's work on fusion (TAE Technologies $6bn merger), NEOM Green Hydrogen or the DISH patent verdict reversal — to show familiarity with the firm's practice strengths.
• Show concrete examples of 'learning by doing' and early responsibility (describe specific tasks you handled, outcomes and supervision/mentorship received).
• If applying for IP/patent roles, highlight technical degrees, invention drafting or patent prosecution experience and any work with AI tools or portfolio analytics.
• Demonstrate commitment to pro bono and community work (Baker Botts emphasises pro bono parity with fee work and publishes large pro bono hour totals).