Elise Hoffmann

Principal


A.B., Princeton University
J.D., Yale Law School

What attracted Elise Hoffmann to Marshfield as a client—its distinctive philosophy and rigorous approach to investing—are the same things that drew her to work at the firm in 1995. Now an integral part of the research team, Elise leverages her intellectual curiosity, analytical incisiveness, and legal and legislative background to understand what makes companies tick. She thrives on finding beauty in stocks that other investors find unattractive. As the primary author of Marshfield’s regular client newsletters and commentary, Elise is responsible for helping clients gain insights into the firm’s investment process and philosophy (as facilitated by the liberal use of both classical and pop cultural references).

Elise launched her career as an attorney specializing in corporate transactions and tax litigation at Steptoe & Johnson, LLP in Washington, DC, where, among other things, she worked on behalf of a railroad client to recoup interest payments from the federal government for material transported during the Second World War. She then served as Counsel to the House Committee on Energy & Commerce, Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance. There, she focused on securities and financial markets matters, working for seven years for Subcommittee Chairman Ed Markey (ask her a question about the Glass-Steagall Act; you’ll get a lengthy answer). 

The granddaughter of a painter (her grandfather painted Albert Einstein’s Nobel portrait) and the daughter of a scientist (her father invented one of the first lithium batteries), Elise tries to find the right balance between art and science in her own life. She’s an avid collector of contemporary art and, as a Board member and Treasurer of Transformer DC, takes great pleasure in helping to find and support emerging artists.