Charles River Associates

Founded in Boston in February 1965 by three Harvard and MIT graduates, Charles River Associates (CRA) is headquartered in Boston and operates internationally. It is the consulting business of publicly listed CRA International, Inc.

CRA advises law firms, corporations, accounting firms, governments, and regulatory agencies on economic, financial, and management questions. Its work spans litigation and regulatory proceedings, antitrust and competition economics, business strategy, finance, life sciences, energy, labor and employment, and forensic services.

The firm is particularly prominent in competition economics and complex disputes requiring expert analysis. For students, CRA is a specialist alternative to generalist strategy consulting: its work typically combines applied economics, quantitative analysis, industry research, and written or expert-witness support. CRA says more than 82% of senior staff hold advanced degrees, including more than 35% with PhDs.