Weston Hurd traces its roots to 1925 when it was founded in Cleveland, Ohio by three young attorneys, graduates of Western Reserve University – Clark Tod McConnell, William C. Blackmore, and J. Virgil Cory. The firm, then known as McConnell, Blackmore & Cory, began as a full-service law firm located on the 10th floor of the Hippodrome Building at 720 Euclid Avenue. Shortly thereafter, the firm moved its offices to the Terminal Tower, moving while the Tower was still under construction and becoming one of the first tenants.
The early years were challenging ones for the firm as it navigated and survived the stock market crash of 1929 and the depression of the 1930s. They did this by building a healthy general practice law firm representing several new and mid-sized companies and building a fine reputation for litigation. They also began a long-term relationship with the insurance industry with some of the firm’s first insurance clients continuing their association with Weston Hurd today.
During the 1940s-1960s, Weston Hurd expanded its insurance and litigation representation and began its representation in products liability matters. Growth of corporate work and the expansion of its established estate, trust, and probate practice followed. Of significant importance during this time were the addition of influential attorneys who continued to shape the firm’s future – Burns Weston, Frank Hurd, Harold Fallon, Louis Paisley, and Lee Howley.
Throughout the 2000s, Weston Hurd continued its path of strategic growth – geographically with offices in Cleveland and Columbus; the number of attorneys now surpassing 70; and in practice area expansion that today includes a large presence in litigation, corporate, employment, and education law.
Weston Hurd has grown and thrived as a mid-sized Ohio law firm, dedicated to providing its clients with solid, strong legal representation, representation that among other things, involves great client communication. Mark O’Neill, one of Weston Hurd’s finest Cleveland attorneys often spoke about the need for the firm’s attorneys to produce beautiful law. Weston Hurd has done so for 100 years through a combination of legal talent, professionalism, and a dedication to its clients and for the communities in which it practices.
Recent events commemorating the firm’s milestone anniversary:
Rollout of a new 100-year Weston Hurd logo and tagline thoughtfully designed in collaboration with a committee of Weston Hurd attorneys and staff working in conjunction with a graphic design team. The tagline, “A Century of Legal Excellence,” along with the logo and chevron symbolizes both a century of providing top notch legal representation and our position as a strong firm moving forward into our next century.
Weston Hurd was recently inducted into the Western Reserve Historical Society 100 Year Club. The 100 Year Club is a celebration of entrepreneurship – past, present and future that recognizes “the pioneering spirit and relentless pursuit of excellence as embodied by century old Northeast Ohio organizations.” Representing Weston Hurd at the event – Dan Richards, Carolyn Cappel, Mark Kruse and Gary Johnson.
Toasting 100 Years with our colleagues from the Cleveland and Columbus offices on 1-9-25.
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