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Boston is the business and cultural capital of New England. Though it is home to New England's tallest skyscrapers; a rich, patriotic history; and a leading commercial port, the city is probably best known for its accomplished sports teams (including most recently the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, who play their home games in nearby Foxboro). Boston is also known as an impressive college town. Indeed, Boston is home to some of the most prestigious colleges in the country, including Harvard and MIT (the Massachusetts Institute of Technology).
Until fairly recently, Boston's legal culture was powerful, but isolated and provincial. A number of the nation's largest and most prominent law firms are headquartered in Boston. Things began to change, however, when numerous major out-of-town firms began establishing offices in Boston and major Boston firms started extending out of New England. Serving as an enticement to out-of-town firms, the billing rates in Boston are consistently higher than most other areas, second only to New York. Some partners bill upwards of $600 an hour.
Boston's law firms are now enjoying a growth rate higher than the national average. As both the original home of America's publishing industry and a thriving center for technological and media development, Boston has a large concentration of intellectual property and biotech practices. Even firms that do not specialize in IP take up important IP cases in Boston. In addition to IP, there are many other strong practice areas in Boston, including litigation, corporate (especially in M&A, securities, bankruptcy, and private equity work), and employment law.
Boston's efficient public transportation system, boasting America's first subway, makes getting around this sprawling metropolis and its neighboring counties easy for those who can master the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, known to locals at the T.
Touring Boston Harbor, including making a visit to "Old Ironsides," the USS Constitution, and a whale-watching expedition, are required for Boston newcomers. For a more complete notion of the town's storied past, the Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mile path, features Paul Revere's house, John Hancock's grave, and the site of the Boston Massacre. One can take a trip back in time on Acorn Street, where ye olde colonial Boston has been preserved. Quaint row houses and Mt. Vernon's hidden garden line cobblestone streets so narrow, only one car can squeeze through at a time.
Bostonians often spend warm summer nights on blankets with picnic baskets at the Esplanade, where they can gaze at the fleet of tiny sailboats in the Charles River Basin, enjoy a Boston Pops concert, or on the Fourth of July, witness America's most celebrated fireworks show. Newbury Street, an eight-block-long shopping district, is one of the most posh consumer districts in the country. Chanel, Brooks Brothers, and Armani are just a few of the notable shops found on Newbury Street. The hippest shops and the trendiest scenesters can be found on the other end. The stores get funkier the closer you get to Massachusetts Ave.
Nothing is more Boston than the Boston Common. The oldest public park in America, the city was built around the Common. Hundreds of years ago, the Common was home to grazing cattle and public hangings, but today you're more likely to find sun worshippers, college kids playing Hacky Sack (TM), or public speakers enjoying their First Amendment rights.
A good clam chowder cannot be missed. Though it's a much-contested title, the restaurant with the best clam chowder in Boston is The Times Bar and Restaurant. Fancy eateries come and go in Boston. For a laid back, moderately priced evening, Pizzeria Regina in the North End is widely known as the pizza capital of New England. What really matters to Bostonians, though, is the bar scene. There is no shortage of bars with a lot of character and great, cheap drinks. To drink like a patriot, Bell in Hand, founded in 1795, is America's oldest continuously open tavern. In Allston, Wonderbar is a classy jazz joint. In Harvard Square is Grafton Street, an authentic Irish Pub catering to the less obnoxious set of grad students. The South End's greatest bar, the graceful and ambient Red Fez, had been closed for decades but has recently reopened. For real aficionados, check out the B-Side Lounge, a chic little spot in Cambridge with a staff of expert bartenders who whip up cocktails not seen since the 19th century. |
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