Overview

Cosgrave is a collegial, energetic, and entrepreneurial workplace. Our work environment fosters mutual respect and trust, personal development, and excellent client service. We take pride in the fact that a number of our staff and attorneys have enjoyed working here for many years. We support individual career success by providing training and mentoring. It begins on day one, when new employees are integrated into the firm through our extensive orientation and new user training program. After initial orientation, ongoing learning opportunities include professional CLE’s, frequent in-house training, peer expert demonstrations, and an annual education allowance for staff. We balance the intensity of our work with a friendly, collaborative environment, including regular social events. Cosgrave seeks talented and diverse individuals who are self-motivated, dedicated to providing value and excellent service, and have a high degree of integrity, professionalism, and enthusiasm for their work. For more information, please visit our attorney and staff recruiting pages.

Employment Philosophy

Cosgrave Vergeer Kester LLP is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome all applicants and strive to provide a workplace in which all employees feel included, respected, and valued. We recognize that creating an inclusive environment brings together varied perspectives, experiences, talents, and interests that enhance our ability to provide innovative solutions for our clients. All employment decisions are carried out without regard to race, religion, national origin, age, gender, disability, military status, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other status protected by law. We do not discriminate against any applicant or employee in hiring or in the terms, conditions, and privileges of employment based on pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. The firm will make reasonable accommodations for religious beliefs and for the known needs of qualified applicants and employees with disabilities.

View our current openings 

Attorneys

At Cosgrave, our work philosophy is based on collaboration, excellence, and providing timely, efficient service to our clients. We value the diverse experience and perspectives that each attorney and staff member brings to the firm. Associates here have the opportunity to work in concert with different partners, both within an assigned practice group and across practice groups. Supported and mentored by a partner, each associate is encouraged to develop his or her own projects and often works directly with clients on challenging matters.

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package for attorneys that includes:

  • Medical and dental insurance beginning the first of the month following date of hire
  • Life insurance
  • Short- and long-term disability insurance
  • 401(k) plan with employer contribution
  • Profit-sharing retirement contribution
  • Flexible spending accounts for pretax payment of health care and dependent care expenses
  • Reasonable time off for vacation and illness
  • Paid holidays
  • Paid parental leave policy
  • Bereavement and jury duty pay
  • Employee assistance plan
  • Annual allowance for professional development expenses
  • Fitness/health club expense allowance

Professional Staff

Cosgrave’s support staff thrives on teamwork and camaraderie, working together to deliver quality service to our clients. People frequently offer to help each other, whether welcoming a new member of the team, pitching in to meet an important deadline, or streamlining a process that makes life easier for everyone. We support each staff member’s ongoing professional development through practical training and education.  Ongoing learning opportunities include frequent in-house training, peer expert demonstrations, and an annual education allowance for staff.  Individuals are recognized for the unique talent, energy, and service each brings to the firm and the community. The result is a sense of caring, pride, and deep satisfaction among our staff and our clients.

Staff Testimonials

“Cosgrave has a great team atmosphere-people are fun to work with, easily approachable and always willing to help out to get the job done.” —Evan O’Neill, Paralegal “Cosgrave is an excellent place to work, with great comradery between attorneys and staff.  As a staff member, it is rewarding to be recognized for your hard work on a regular basis.” – Ashley Long, Legal Assistant

Benefits

Our comprehensive benefits package for staff includes:

  • Medical and dental insurance beginning the first of the month on or after hire date
  • Life insurance
  • Short and long-term disability insurance
  • 401(k) plan with employer contribution
  • Profit-sharing retirement contribution
  • Flexible spending accounts for pretax payment of health care and dependent care expenses
  • Paid vacation and sick time
  • Paid holidays
  • Pretax commuter reimbursement plan for parking and/or transit expenses
  • Bereavement and jury duty pay
  • Employee assistance plan
  • Annual allowance for professional development expenses

The firm also offers:

  • Voluntary insurance coverage available at group rates (group term life, accident, critical care)
  • Free flu shots
  • Service recognition
  • On-site training classes
  • Social events throughout the year

Summer Law Clerk Program

“Working at Cosgrave I feel like I’ve gotten to know people, not just lawyers. The environment is fast paced and motivating, but flexible. I’ve enjoyed seeing how various attorneys have shaped their lives and their practices around the kind of work they enjoy and methods that get the best results. The attorneys are passionate about the law, but they’re also Oregonians with an immense appreciation for and interest in nature, hiking, fishing, and exploring. As a native Portlander, I’ve enjoyed how connected Cosgrave is to the surrounding community. Everyone has been approachable and supportive, while still allowing me to be independent. I have the space to attempt to solve problems on my own, while still having resources available to me when I get stuck. Within my first couple of weeks I’ve gotten to work on a product liability case, a trademark issue, an employment case, and various research assignments. Overall, I feel like the attorneys trust me when they give me an assignment and I can see how my work is used later on. I highly recommend Cosgrave’s summer program. ” – Josephine C. Kovacs, 2018 Law Clerk, Boston University School of Law.

Cosgrave’s summer program is designed to expose second-year law students to the breadth of the firm’s practice areas and the depth of our lawyers’ knowledge. Each summer law clerk takes part in a ten-week program of activities that provides substantive legal opportunities such as:

  • Participating in client conferences, depositions, trials, and hearings
  • Preparing pleadings, contracts, memoranda, and other legal documents
  • Conducting legal research
  • Working directly with a variety of attorneys

Partner and associate mentors are assigned to help connect a summer law clerk with hands-on work opportunities within the firm’s varied practice groups. By providing challenging projects, practical training, and the chance to work and socialize with many of our lawyers, we give law clerks the experience needed to make an informed decision about their future legal careers. In hiring summer law clerks, the firm seeks students whose academic and personal record of achievement places them in the top one-third of their class. We are looking for individuals whose character, intelligence, judgment, and training will inspire their colleagues and clients to have confidence in their abilities. We also strive to hire a diverse group of associates, because we believe our firm, our clients, and our community benefit from different experiences and perspectives.

How to Apply

We conduct on-campus interviews at Lewis and Clark and University of Oregon law schools during the recruiting season. Please arrange an on-campus interview through your law school career center. If we do not schedule a campus interview at your school, you can apply by submitting the following information:

  • Cover letter
  • Resume
  • Writing sample (at least five pages)
  • Law school transcript

Send all items via email (submissions by mail or by fax are also accepted) to:
Corey Golden, Director of Human Resources
cgolden@cosgravelaw.com
Cosgrave Vergeer Kester LLP, 900 SW Fifth Avenue, 24th Floor, Portland, OR 97204
Fax: 503-323-9019

Application packets are accepted: June 1st – August 1st

Interviews are scheduled: August