Harter Secrest & Emery LLP

Harter Secrest & Emery LLP is a full-service law firm headquartered in downtown Rochester, NY, founded in 1894. With over 125 attorneys and more than 50 practice areas, it operates as one of the largest law firms in the Rochester region. The firm maintains additional offices in Buffalo, Albany, Corning, and New York City, serving clients that range from individuals and family-owned businesses to Fortune 100 companies and major regional institutions.

The firm has deep roots in Rochester's business community, having assisted leading local entrepreneurs since the 1890s. Its long-standing relationships include work with organizations such as Eastman Kodak Company and the Strong Museum of Play.

Harter Secrest & Emery covers a broad range of legal disciplines, with particular depth in:

• Corporate and M&A transactions
• Litigation (general commercial)
• Labor and employment
• Real estate
• Immigration
• Environmental and land use
• Employee benefits
• Healthcare regulatory compliance
• Intellectual property
• Trusts and estates

The firm also maintains specialized industry teams in sectors like optics and photonics, agriculture and food & beverage, higher education, and insurance coverage. A General Counsel Services team, led by former in-house general counsel, provides outsourced legal guidance to businesses that lack a full-time legal department.

Harter Secrest & Emery holds Band 1 rankings from Chambers & Partners in five Upstate New York practice areas: Corporate/M&A, Immigration, Labor & Employment, Litigation, and Real Estate. The firm is also recognized in the 2026 edition of Best Law Firms. Its compensation model does not tie attorney pay to individual revenue generation, which the firm structures to encourage collaborative, team-based client service rather than internal competition for work. The firm holds Mansfield Certification, reflecting a commitment to diversity in leadership.

The Rochester headquarters occupies 1600 Bausch & Lomb Place in the Center City neighborhood, within the Washington Square area of downtown. The building sits near the Genesee River and is surrounded by other professional offices, government buildings, and cultural institutions in Rochester's urban core. Downtown Rochester offers accessible parking garages and is served by multiple RTS bus routes, making the office reachable from across the metro area.