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Miscellany
​

Oldest Law Firms in the United States
Unverified Listing in United States

---

Methodology

Basic research was undertaken in each state using the internet, news sources and Google.  Where there was no discernible or apparent disagreement about which was the oldest law firm within a particular state, i.e., no apparent conflicting claims from other firms in that state, a firm was designated the "oldest" with the URL(s)  of the most authoritative source(s) listed.

A law firm listed herein if it was started by a single lawyer that ultimately was joined by another.  For example some firms claimed to be the oldest partnerships but were predated by a single lawyer who began to practice earlier, e.g., the firm started by the solo practitioner was considered the oldest.

In some states where there was no consensus, no "oldest" firm was listed, e.g., in several states multiple firms claimed to be "among the oldest" or "one of the oldest".  Additional research will follow and input is welcomed.

In some states certain firms consisting of firms combined from firms in multiple states claimed to be the oldest in certain states; however, if that firm's claim of oldest was rooted in its formation in another state, its oldest claim was discounted in the subject state.  Said another way, this is a list of firms who were first formed in each of the fifty states -- not those formed earlier in another state and moved to the subject state after another firm was formed.

In a very few states claims that one firm was the oldest based on a particular date of formation but another firm credibly listed an earlier date of formation also claiming to be the oldest, the more credible firm was listed as the oldest.  Significantly, sources such as Wikipedia that are easily editable by the public and often "maintained" by the subject are highly suspect and not considered credible when compared to other conflicting sources deemed more credible.

Among other things "credible" in this instance means supported by (i) early day contemporaneous printed news reports, (ii) official court reports and records, (iii) archival information or documents not readily susceptible to manipulation supporting an earlier date of formation.  To illustrate using just one example of several, Wikipedia appears to erroneously report one firm as being the oldest in a state because it was formed in 1902, which assertion is not independently verifiable.  Conversely, another firm in the same state claims oldest status supported by (i) early day newspaper articles available online from official sources that mention the founding partner of the firm; (ii) historical accounts prepare by an independent third party clearly identifying the 1983 date of formation ; and (iii) its claim was also supported by reported cases with its founding partner shown as an attorney of record that appears in the official reporter of that state's Supreme Court predating 1902.

Importantly, where one firm (i) seemed to the oldest law firm in a state; (ii) and no older firms were identified in that state; (iii) and that firm did not claim to be the oldest; but (iv) merely claimed to be "one of the oldest" seemingly qualifying its status, that firm is shown as the oldest but with an asterisk by the date of formation pending further research.

Finally, the rankings by date do not imply that the firm listed at say position 10  is the tenth oldest law firm in the United States as there may be a number of second oldest firms in earlier states that predate the tenth listed.

---

Oldest US Law Firms in each State by Date Formed
​

1. 1783 | Pennsylvania | Rawle & Henderson LLP
   www.rawle.com/the-firm ww.abajournal.com/magazine/article/which_law_firm_is_the_oldest_in_the_united_states 
   
   
2. 1786 | Connecticut | Howard, Kohn, Sprague & FitzGerald
   www.hksflaw.com/firmhistory.html
   www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/which_law_firm_is_the_oldest_in_the_united_states
   
   
3. 1792 | New York | Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft
   www.cadwalader.com/about/history
   www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/which_law_firm_is_the_oldest_in_the_united_states
   ​
4. 1812* | Kentucky | Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP
   wyattfirm.com/about-wyatt-detail/firm-history
   
   
5. 1820 | Arkansas | Rose law Firm
   www.roselawfirm.com/about-us/our-history
   
   
6. 1822 | West Virginia | Jackson Kelly PLLC
   www.jacksonkelly.com/view.aspx?s=Firm%20History
   
   
7. 1825* | Massachusetts | Fletcher Tilton PC
   www.fletchertilton.com/
   
   
8. 1826 | Delaware | Potter Anderson & Corroon
   www.potteranderson.com/about.html
   
   
9. 1826 | Louisiana |  Chaffe McCall, L.L.P.
   www.chaffe.com/our-firm.html
   
   
10. 1828 | Illinois | Brown, Hay & Stephens, LLP
    www.bhslaw.com/
    
    
11. 1832* | Indiana | Stites & Harbison
    www.stites.com/about/our-history
    
    
12. 1832 | North Carolina | Craige Brawley Liipfert & Walker LLP
    craigebrawley.com/about/our-history/
    
    
13. 1840 | Iowa | O'Connor & Thomas, P.C.
    www.octhomaslaw.com/about/
    
    
14. 1840* | Ohio | Millikin and Fitton Law Firm
    www.mfitton.com/firm.php
    
    
15. 1842 | Wisconsin | Foley & Lardner
    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foley_%26_Lardner
    www.foley.com/
    
    
16. 1845 | New Jersey | McCarter & English
    www.mccarter.com/aboutus/uniGC.aspx?xpST=AboutUs
    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarter_%26_English
    
    
17. 1846 | Texas | Miles Shirley
    www.millsshirley.com/
    
    
18. 1852 | New Hampshire | Sulloway & Hollis
    www.sulloway.com/about-us/firm-history.html
    
    
19. 1852* | Michigan | Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, P.L.C.
    www.millercanfield.com/f-42.html
    
    
20. 1857* | Nebraska | Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather, L.L.P.
    www.clinewilliams.com/
    
    
21. 1857 | Hawaii | Carlsmith Ball LLP
    www.carlsmith.com/
    
    
22. 1860 | Oregon | Haugeberg, Rueter, Gowell, Fredricks & Higgins, P.C.
    www.attorneysmcminnvilleoregon.com/
    
    
23. 1860 | Tennessee | Batson Nolan PLC
    batsonnolan.com/about/
    
    
24. 1861* | Mississippi | Campbell DeLong LLP
    www.campbelldelongllp.com/firm_history.html
    
    
25. 1864* | Montana | Gough, Shanahan, Johnson & Waterman
    www.chambersandpartners.com/usa/firm/65619/gough-shanahan-johnson-waterman-pllp
    
    
26. 1865 | Florida | Bedell Firm
    www.bedelllawfirm.com/about/
    
    
27. 1866 | Minnesota | Gray Plant Mooty
    www.gpmlaw.com/About-Us/History
    www.lawandpolitics.com/minnesota/In-With-the-Old/da5ed804-11fa-4c0e-adb6-018eab2cb433.html
    
    
28. 1866 | New Mexico | Catron, Catron & Pottow
    www.catronlaw.com/firm_history
    
    
29. 1871 | Georgia | Gilbert, Harrell, Sumerford & Martin, PC
     www.gilbertharrelllaw.com/firm-overview/our-history.html​
    
    
30. 1871 | Colorado | Flanders, Elsberg, Herber & Dunn, LLC
    www.flanderslaw.com/
    ​
31. 1873 | Missouri | Lathrop & Gage
    www.lathropgage.com/about-history.html
    
    
32. 1874 | Utah | Fabian VanCott
    www.attorneyatlawmagazine.com/salt-lake-city/cover-story-van-cott-bagley-cornwall-mccarthy-p-c/
    fabianvancott.com/about-us/
    www.linkedin.com/company/vancott-bagley-cornwall-&-mccarthy
    
    
33. 1874* | California | Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro
    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pillsbury_Winthrop_Shaw_Pittman
    ​
34. 1876 | District of Columbia | Hamilton and Hamilton, LLP
    www.hamiltonlaw.com/history.html
    
    
35. 1879 | North Dakota | Conmy Feste Ltd.
    www.conmylaw.com/About-Us/
    
    
36. 1879* | South Carolina | HunterMaclean
    www.huntermaclean.com/about-us/history/
    ​
37. 1881* | South Dakota | May, Adam, Gerdes & Thompson LLP
    www.magt.com/firmprofile.htm
    
    
38. 1883 | Maine | Hale & Hamlin, LLC
    www.hg.org/attorney/hale-and-hamlin-llc/106443
    
    
39. 1883* | Washington | K&L Gates LLP
    www.klgates.com/seattle-united-states-of-america/
    ​
40. 1885* | Kansas | Young, Bogle, McCausland, Wells and Blanchard, P.A.
    youngbogle.com/about-us/
    
    
41. 1886 | Arizona | Fennemore Craig
    www.fclaw.com/about/history.cfm
    
    
42. 1887 | Wyoming | Corthell and King, P.C.
    corthellandking.com/
    
    
43. 1887 | Alabama | Albrittons, Clifton & Moody, P.C.
    www.albrittons.com/
    
    
44. 1889* | Virginia | Pender & Coward
    www.pendercoward.com/index.php/about-us
    
    
45. 1893 | Oklahoma | Mitchell DeClerck
    www.oklahoma-bankruptcy.net/our-history.html
    
    
46. 1896 | Idaho | Hawley Troxell
    www.hawleytroxell.com/about-us/history/
    
    
47. 1917* | Vermont | Dinse Knapp McAndrew
    www.dinse.com/the-firm/history.html
    
    
48. 1918 | Nevada | Woodburn and Wedge
    woodburnandwedge.com/about-us/our-history
    
    
49. 1921 | Maryland | Blades & Rosenfeld, P.A.
    www.bladesandrosenfeld.com/about.aspx
    
    
50. Rhode Island | 1932* | Slepkow, Slepkow & Associates, Inc.
    www.slepkowlaw.com/
    
    
51. 1939* | Alaska | Hughes Gorski Seedorf Odsen & Tervooren, LLC
    www.hglawfirm.net/Firm-Overview.shtml
    ​

---

Oldest US Law Firms by State
​

1. Alabama | 1887 | Albrittons, Clifton & Moody, P.C.
   www.albrittons.com/
   
   
2. Alaska | 1939* | Hughes Gorski Seedorf Odsen & Tervooren, LLC
   www.hglawfirm.net/Firm-Overview.shtml


3. Arizona | 1886 | Fennemore Craig
   www.fclaw.com/about/history.cfm
   
   
4. Arkansas | 1820 | Rose law Firm
   www.roselawfirm.com/about-us/our-history
   
   
5. California | 1874* | Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro
   en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pillsbury_Winthrop_Shaw_Pittman
   ​
6. Colorado | 1871 | Flanders, Elsberg, Herber & Dunn, LLC
   www.flanderslaw.com/
   
   
7. Connecticut | 1786 | Howard, Kohn, Sprague & FitzGerald
   www.hksflaw.com/firmhistory.html
   www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/which_law_firm_is_the_oldest_in_the_united_states
   
   
8. Delaware | 1826 | Potter Anderson & Corroon
   www.potteranderson.com/about.html
   
   
9. District of Columbia | 1876 | Hamilton and Hamilton, LLP
   www.hamiltonlaw.com/history.html
   ​
10. Florida | 1865 | Bedell Firm
    www.bedelllawfirm.com/about/
    
    
11. Georgia | 1871 | Gilbert, Harrell, Sumerford & Martin, PC
    www.gilbertharrelllaw.com/firm-overview/our-history.html​
    
    ​Georgia | 1879 | HunterMaclean
    www.huntermaclean.com/about-us/history/
    
    
12. Hawaii | 1857 | Carlsmith Ball LLP
    www.carlsmith.com/
    
    
13. Idaho | 1896 | Hawley Troxell
    www.hawleytroxell.com/about-us/history/
    ​
14. Illinois | 1828 | Brown, Hay & Stephens, LLP
    www.bhslaw.com/
    
    
15. Indiana | 1832* | Stites & Harbison
    www.stites.com/about/our-history
    
    
16. Iowa | 1840 | O'Connor & Thomas, P.C.
    www.octhomaslaw.com/about/
    
    
17. ​Kansas | 1885* | Young, Bogle, McCausland, Wells and Blanchard, P.A.
    youngbogle.com/about-us/​
    ​
18. Kentucky | 1812* | Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP
    wyattfirm.com/about-wyatt-detail/firm-history
    
    
19. Louisiana | 1826 | Chaffe McCall, L.L.P.
    www.chaffe.com/our-firm.html
    
    
20. Maine | 1883 | Hale & Hamlin, LLC
    www.hg.org/attorney/hale-and-hamlin-llc/106443
    
    
21. Maryland | 1921 | Blades & Rosenfeld, P.A.
    ​www.bladesandrosenfeld.com/about.aspx
    
    
22. Massachusetts | 1825* | Fletcher Tilton PC
    www.fletchertilton.com/
    
    
23. Michigan | 1852* | Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, P.L.C.
    www.millercanfield.com/f-42.html
    
    
24. Minnesota | 1866 | Gray Plant Mooty
    www.gpmlaw.com/About-Us/History
    www.lawandpolitics.com/minnesota/In-With-the-Old/da5ed804-11fa-4c0e-adb6-018eab2cb433.html
    
    
25. Mississippi | 1861* | Campbell DeLong LLP
    www.campbelldelongllp.com/firm_history.html
    
    
26. Missouri | 1873 | Lathrop & Gage
    www.lathropgage.com/about-history.html
    
    
27. Montana | 1864* | Gough, Shanahan, Johnson & Waterman
    www.chambersandpartners.com/usa/firm/65619/gough-shanahan-johnson-waterman-pllp
    
    
28. Nebraska | 1857* | Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather, L.L.P.
    www.clinewilliams.com/
    
    
29. Nevada | 1918 | Woodburn and Wedge
    woodburnandwedge.com/about-us/our-history
    
    
30. New Hampshire | 1852 | Sulloway & Hollis
    www.sulloway.com/about-us/firm-history.html
    
    
31. New Jersey | 1845 | McCarter & English
    www.mccarter.com/aboutus/uniGC.aspx?xpST=AboutUs
    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarter_%26_English
    
    
32. New Mexico | 1866 | Catron, Catron & Pottow
    www.catronlaw.com/firm_history
    
    
33. ​New York | 1792 | Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft
    www.cadwalader.com/about/history
    www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/which_law_firm_is_the_oldest_in_the_united_states
    
    
34. ​North Carolina | 1832 | Craige Brawley Liipfert & Walker LLP
    craigebrawley.com/about/our-history/
    
    
35. North Dakota | 1879 | Conmy Feste Ltd.
    www.conmylaw.com/About-Us/
    
    North Dakota | 1889 | Mackoff Kellogg Law Firm
    www.mackoff.com/aboutus.html
    
    
36. Oklahoma | 1893 | Mitchell DeClerck
    www.oklahoma-bankruptcy.net/our-history.html
    
    Oklahoma | 1896 | Stuart, Biolchini & Turner
    www.martindale.com/Stuart-Biolchini-Turner/1489128-law-firm-office.htm
    
    Oklahoma | 1896 | Doerner, Saunders, Daniel & Anderson, L.L.P.
    www.dsda.com/About-Doerner/Firm-History
    
    Oklahoma | 1902 | Crowe & Dunlevy
    www.crowedunlevy.com/firm-history
    
    
37. Ohio | 1840* | Millikin and Fitton Law Firm
    www.mfitton.com/firm.php
    
    Ohio | 1844 | Eastman & Smith Ltd.
    www.eastmansmith.com/about/default.asp
    ​
38. Oregon | 1860 | Haugeberg, Rueter, Gowell, Fredricks & Higgins, P.C.
    www.attorneysmcminnvilleoregon.com/
    
    
39. Pennsylvania | 1783 | Rawle & Henderson LLP
    www.rawle.com/the-firm
    ww.abajournal.com/magazine/article/which_law_firm_is_the_oldest_in_the_united_states 
    
    
40. Rhode Island | 1932* | Slepkow, Slepkow & Associates, Inc.
    www.slepkowlaw.com/
    ​​
41. South Carolina | 1879* | HunterMaclean
    www.huntermaclean.com/about-us/history/
    
    
42. South Dakota | 1881* | May, Adam, Gerdes & Thompson LLP
    www.magt.com/firmprofile.htm
    
    
43. Tennessee | 1860 | Batson Nolan PLC
    batsonnolan.com/about/
    
    Tennessee | 1897* | Spragins, Barnett & Cobb, PLC
    ​www.spraginslaw.com/
    ​
44. Texas | 1846 | Miles Shirley
    www.millsshirley.com/
    
    
45. Utah | 1874 | Fabian VanCott
    www.attorneyatlawmagazine.com/salt-lake-city/cover-story-van-cott-bagley-cornwall-mccarthy-p-c/
    fabianvancott.com/about-us/
    www.linkedin.com/company/vancott-bagley-cornwall-&-mccarthy
    
    Utah | 1875* | Jones Waldo Holbrook & McDonough, PC
    www.joneswaldo.com/the-firm
    
    
46. Vermont | 1917* | Dinse Knapp McAndrew
    www.dinse.com/the-firm/history.html
    
    
47. Virginia | 1889* | Pender & Coward
    www.pendercoward.com/index.php/about-us
    
    
48. Washington | 1883* | K&L Gates LLP
    www.klgates.com/seattle-united-states-of-america/
    
    
49. West Virginia | 1822 | Jackson Kelly PLLC
    www.jacksonkelly.com/view.aspx?s=Firm%20History
     
50. Wisconsin | 1842 | Foley & Lardner
    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foley_%26_Lardner
    www.foley.com/
    
    
51. Wyoming | 1887 | Corthell and King, P.C.
    corthellandking.com/
    
    

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