Gould + Ratner
U.S. News & World Report: Best Companies To Work For. Law Firms 2024.

Careers

Associates

Gould & Ratner is focused on building the next generation of leaders in law. Attorneys who come to Gould & Ratner stay at Gould & Ratner – providing continuity of service from generation to generation. Our associates have the opportunity to work in a professional, challenging and collegial midsized firm environment. Because of the diverse nature of our clients, our associates gain exposure to sophisticated transactions, complex litigation and intricate estate/wealth management planning, among other areas.

Like the individuals and businesses we represent, our lawyers are skilled in a number of technical disciplines, have an entrepreneurial focus, adapt quickly to changing market conditions and provide excellent client service and value.

Life as a New Associate at Gould & Ratner

Meet the team

We encourage our new associates to participate in attorney lunches and practice meetings to get to know your colleagues and find out more about Gould & Ratner and its practice areas. These meetings are also a great opportunity to talk to our lawyers about your experience and to promote cross-selling across our various practice areas.

Outreach

We use email marketing, news releases and social media to inform our clients and friends of the firm about your arrival. Associates are also encouraged to provide our Marketing and Business Development team with clients and contacts you want integrated into our CRM and to receive the news about your recent move.

Get-to-Know-You Activities

Making new attorneys feel welcome and included is an important part of our firm culture. Beyond getting to know the other attorneys in your practice, Gould & Ratner also invites associates to monthly “Lets GRab Lunch” small-group outings with other attorneys, paralegals and staff, as well as offers opportunities to participate in firm initiatives involving recruiting, marketing and professional development for associates. Associates also can participate – and even lead – activities that focus on social and business networking events, some specifically targeting opportunities for women lawyers, along with other programming promoting diversity and inclusion at the firm.

Mentorship and Professional Development

Our partners see the value of both formal and informal mentorship at every stage of an associate’s career. We provide our associates with the training resources needed to learn their craft on the pathway to partnership, as well as the advice and counsel to become distinguished providers of top-notch client service. Additionally, the firm’s Chief Talent Officer acts as guide, instructor and sounding board for associates.

50+

experienced attorneys

13

our midwest "best of the best" ranking

11

key service areas

2,500+

valued client relationships

Summer Associate Program

Our 10-week summer associate program is geared toward forward-thinking, business-focused law students looking to explore different areas of legal practice through mentorship, shadowing and training. Our small group of summer associates has the opportunity to experience a wide range of practice areas, including corporate, litigation, real estate and tax. To help them gain valuable, career launching experience, summer associates are connected with associate and partner mentors to guide them through the program, introduce them to different practice areas, cases and transactions and provide helpful feedback.

Throughout their time spent at Gould & Ratner, our summer associates will be fully engaged in our firm community, attending events organized by the firm’s Inclusion Committee and GROW (Gould & Ratner Opportunities for Women), working alongside our attorneys in pro bono matters and volunteering on community service initiatives. We make sure our summer associates experience what we love so much about working at Gould & Ratner. Students will participate in social activities ranging from attorney and firm outings, to client events and informal Lets GRab Lunches and happy hours.

*We are no longer accepting applications for our 2023 Summer Associate Program.*

Firm Culture

Gould & Ratner prides itself on our collegial and interconnected firm culture. We value an open-door policy, collaboration, inclusiveness and giving back to our community. Our attorneys, paralegals and staff enjoy the benefits of a friendly and flexible workplace with a focus on teamwork. We believe it's important to enjoy being at work, which is a big reason why we moved to new office space to provide more opportunities for creative collaboration and socialization.

However, the coronavirus pandemic also taught us that our bonds as a firm go beyond our formal offices, allowing for complete flexibility and productivity wherever we are. To that end, we allow for a flexible in-office work policy that currently doesn’t mandate in-office attendance more than 2-3 days per week (and sometimes less, if needed).

Diversity & Inclusion

At Gould & Ratner, we value and respect the collective diversity of experiences and perspectives among our employees, clients and communities. We recognize that diversity encompasses a broad range of characteristics including race, age, gender, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, political affiliation, marital status, veteran’s status and disability. We strive to maintain a work environment where every individual is appreciated and rewarded on the basis of personal contributions to the organization. Learn more about our firm diversity and inclusion initiatives here.

Why I Chose Gould & Ratner

Rebecca Smart

Midsize Culture Meets Sophisticated Transactions

Choosing to join Gould & Ratner was a no-brainer for me. What drew me to the firm was its commitment and dedication to cultivating and maintaining a welcoming workplace culture in the midst of the pandemic. I was also drawn to the complexity and breadth of the services the Corporate Practice provides. Gould & Ratner is unique to me in the sense that it has the culture and work/life balance of a midsize firm, while simultaneously providing the technical expertise and resources to work on transactions of the size, structure and complexity traditionally thought of as attributable only to larger firms.

Michael Toussaint

Access to High-Level Work and Clients

I joined Gould & Ratner because I knew it was a great firm to sharpen my legal skill set through exposure to a wide range of clients and complex transactions. Immediately after joining the firm, I was exposed to interesting and sophisticated real estate transactions and had direct contact with clients. Gould & Ratner sets itself apart from other firms by providing its associates with opportunities to work at a high-level and providing access to dedicated mentors who are invested in the training and professional development of their associates.

Maria DeGiovanni

A Workplace Invested in You

I began my career at a large international law firm and had been looking for a smaller firm with a collegial culture to grow with. Since joining Gould & Ratner, I have gotten the opportunity to work in a collaborative environment where practice groups aren’t silos, mentors are supportive, and firm leadership is genuinely wants you to thrive in your professional growth and development.

Benefits

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Gould & Ratner strives to offer a comprehensive benefit package to help you make the most of your career and your life, which includes:

  • Hybrid Remote Schedule/Work From Home
  • Health Insurance (PPO, HMO)
  • Dental Insurance
  • Vision Insurance
  • Short and Long-Term Disability Plans
  • Life Insurance
  • Health Reimbursement Account and Flexible Spending Account
  • Accident and Critical Health Insurance
  • Pre-Tax Commuter and Public Transit Program
  • Wellness Programs and Activities
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Vacation and Paid Time Off
  • 401(k) Plan
  • 24/7 Telemedicine Service
  • Complimentary Access to Onsite Fitness Center
  • Career-Related Fees (Bar Memberships, Exams, Licenses, etc.)
  • Dress for Your Day Attire, Including Jeans Every Day

Hiring Contact

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Associate Positions

Emerging Companies & Venture Capital Associate

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Job Description

Gould & Ratner LLP is seeking an Emerging Companies & Venture Capital Associate to join its Corporate Practice. The ideal candidate will have 5-8 years of experience working with early stage and growth stage companies, founders and venture capital firms and the ability to act as lead attorney on a range of EC/VC transactions. In addition, this attorney should have significant experience with transactional and corporate governance matters, including mergers and acquisitions, corporate structure (formation and reorganization), corporate contracts (operating agreements, license agreements, service contacts, buy/sell agreements etc.), joint ventures, divestitures and private equity. 

The ideal candidate will also have the following experience:

  • Experience with M&A transactions in the technology and venture capital spaces.
  • Familiarity with convertible debt, preferred equity issuances and related financing tools.
  • Fund formation experience, including experience structuring funds, management entities and carried interest holding structures.
  • Familiarity with regulatory matters facing funds and issuers, including the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, The Securities Act of 1933, Reg D safe-harbors and state blue sky law compliance.
  • Familiarity and experience with the forms published by the National Venture Capital Association. 
  • Understanding of the issues facing clients whose primary asset is intellectual property, including IP ownership, IP development, licensing agreements, tax matters, employee matters and similar concepts. 
  • Experience with the ESG, clean-technology, blockchain, Web 3 and cryptocurrency spaces is a plus. 

This is an excellent opportunity for an attorney who is highly motivated and seeking a positive career trajectory. This attorney will gain direct client interaction, business development experience and significant responsibility on complex and sophisticated legal matters.

Please note that this role allows a flexible work schedule with a hybrid remote/in-office presence in our Chicago office or a fully remote position located in Colorado.

Additional Requirements

  • Experience drafting transaction agreements and documents with efficiency and clarity, negotiating deal terms, managing transaction closings and processes, and providing thorough factual and legal research and analysis.
  • Ability to lead, negotiate, manage and close complex transactions.
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills. The ideal candidate will be an integral part of the team and will have the confidence and demeanor to interact and build relationships with the Firm’s clients. This attorney will serve as business advisor to clients, guiding them in a full range of legal matters throughout their life cycle.
  • Candidates must be currently licensed in Illinois or licensed in another state with a UBE score that qualifies in Illinois for comity, be eligible to waive in, or be willing to sit for an upcoming IL bar exam (open to relocation candidates that meet these requirements).

About Gould & Ratner

Gould & Ratner is an 80-year old Chicago law firm with a team of over 50 attorneys, representing Fortune 500 corporations, closely held businesses, financial institutions, entrepreneurs and family businesses in diverse and complex matters throughout the world. Our team consists of a deep bench of sophisticated and experienced attorneys that provide exceptional legal services while affording our clients the benefits of working with an agile and entrepreneurial-minded team of result-oriented, well-rounded professionals.

In this ever-changing and complex world, Gould & Ratner remains one of the few truly mid-size law firms in Chicago. Thus, while our work is as sophisticated and complex as the mega firms, our focus on tailored service is something only a smaller firm like ours can deliver. This allows us the unique ability to employ our multi-faceted approach to legal service for clients of every size and in every industry. For example, our attorneys handled the $800 million redevelopment of Chicago’s Old Post Office and the $840 million purchase of the Sears (now Willis) Tower. We have handled more than $10 billion in corporate transactions in the past decade and argued cases before a number of appellate forums, including the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and the Illinois Appellate and Supreme Courts.

About Our Corporate Practice

Gould & Ratner’s Corporate Practice provides clients with sophisticated legal and business advice in areas ranging from business formation through business succession or the sale of a company. We counsel institutions and executive teams, funds, prominent family business owners and entrepreneurs on a variety of sophisticated and complex domestic and foreign transactions and business law issues including:

  • Legal entity formation, reorganization and governance
  • Mergers and acquisitions
  • Joint ventures and strategic alliances
  • Private equity, venture capital, and debt/financing  
  • Operating agreements
  • Licensing agreements
  • Executive, employment, and compensation arrangements

The Private Equity and Venture Capital Practice at Gould & Ratner is unique among Chicago law firms, with a skilled and experienced team of corporate lawyers who work closely with some of the nation's largest and most prestigious private equity funds and venture capital firms, as well as numerous entrepreneurs, startups, emerging companies and closely held businesses.

Representing funds, investors in funds, family offices and other dynamic businesses, our team has extensive experience in negotiating and documenting their investment in private companies, including early stage, growth stage, later stage, recapitalizations, workouts and management buyouts. Our experience includes representing these clients as lead investors, as well as in structuring and executing platform, add-on and other acquisition and sale transactions. We also represent a large number of funds, founders and management teams in connection with venture capital financings. 

Our Emerging Companies & Venture Capital team represents leading and innovative startups (and their founders), as well as the funds that invest in them, throughout the United States. We counsel emerging growth companies throughout their lifecycle - from formation, venture and strategic financings, growth through acquisitions, joint ventures and commercial agreements, to exit transactions, such as mergers and acquisitions and initial public offerings. We have developed deep and broad expertise and relationships across many industries, including technology, high-tech manufacturing, life sciences, “clean tech,” ESG, DeFi, sports and entertainment, health life sciences, software, environmental sciences, cryptocurrency and blockchain.

Additional Highlights

  • Opportunity to step into meaningful client relationships and be a key component of the Firm’s succession plan. 
  • Emphasis on professional and business development.
  • Low turnover, collegial and collaborative environment.
  • A dynamic culture that prizes thinking outside the box.
  • Health care, life and disability insurance.
  • Competitive compensation, benefits package, and a generous 401k plan.
  • Employee discounts and wellness programs.

Gould & Ratner is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, creed, medical condition including pregnancy, disability, genetic information, gender identity and expression, marriage or parental status, sexual orientation, or Veteran’s status.

To apply click here.