Jones Day - Firm Overview

On March 1, 1893, Judge Edwin J. Blandin and William Lowe Rice founded a new law firm in Cleveland, Ohio. More than a century later, Jones Day has evolved into one of the most recognized law firms in the world -- a truly global Firm of more than 2,300 lawyers in 30 locations around the world. As our clients transformed from local companies to national and then global enterprises, the Firm has grown with them to meet their changing needs around the world.

Three Eras

The Firm has evolved through three distinct eras:

1. 1893–1945: The Early Years in Cleveland, Ohio

2. 1946–1985: Growth into a National Law Firm

1946: Washington, D.C. Office opens - first expansion beyond Ohio
1948: John W. Reavis becomes Managing Partner
1967: Merger of Washington, D.C. Office with Pogue & Neal
1973: Los Angeles Office opens - first office on the West Coast
1975: Allen C. Holmes becomes Managing Partner
1980: Columbus Office opens
1981: Dallas Office opens
1985: Richard W. Pogue becomes Managing Partner
1985: Irvine Office opens

3. 1986–present: Following Our Clients Around the Globe

1986: Merger with Surrey & Morse brings first international offices in New York, Paris, and London; office opened in Hong Kong
1987: Chicago Office opened
1989: Merger with Hansell & Post of Atlanta; offices opened in Pittsburgh, Tokyo, and Brussels
1990: Taipei Office opens
1991: Frankfurt Office opens
1993: Patrick F. McCartan becomes Managing Partner
1998: Sydney Office opens
1999: Shanghai Office opens
2000: Madrid and Silicon Valley offices open
2001: Merger with Showa Law Office expands Tokyo Office; Houston Office opens; offices opened in Singapore and Milan
2002: Stephen J. Brogan becomes Managing Partner
2003: Merger with London firm Gouldens anchors the Firm's presence in Europe; San Francisco, Munich, and Beijing offices open
2004: Lawyers from New York-based intellectual property boutique Pennie & Edmonds join Jones Day; San Diego and Moscow offices open

Seven Managing Partners

Since 1913, only seven Managing Partners have led the Firm's transformation into a national and then an international Firm:

Frank H. Ginn (1913–1938)
Thomas H. Jones (1938–1948)
John W. Reavis (1948–1975)
Allen C. Holmes (1975–1984)
Richard W. Pogue (1985–1993)
Patrick F. McCartan (1993–2002)
Stephen J. Brogan (2002–present)

Record of Accomplishment

Throughout the Firm's history, our lawyers have had an impressive record of public service and professional accomplishment. Justice Antonin Scalia began his career at Jones Day. Erwin Griswold, who at the time of his death had argued more cases before the Supreme Court than any other living lawyer, served as dean of Harvard Law School and later as Solicitor General of the United States under Presidents Johnson and Nixon. David Morse accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the International Labour Organization. Today two of our Partners are former United States Attorneys, and two of our alumni currently sit on federal courts of appeals. Jones Day is the only firm whose lawyers have served as both Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission and Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice.

Celebrated Engagements

Over the years, the Firm has been involved in many interesting and important issues. In 1952, the Firm's Luther Day fought President Truman's seizure of U.S. steel mills and won. In 1980, the Firm sued President Carter and defended President Reagan in the same year. In 1981, Jones Day lawyers stopped Mobil Corporation's hostile takeover bid for Marathon Oil. And in 1974, H. Chapman "Chappie" Rose decided that representing the President of the United States without listening to his presidential tapes was inconsistent with his duties at the Firm. Rose turned President Nixon down.

"Steve Brogan regards Rose’s refusal of the Watergate representation as a supreme demonstration of the lawyer’s prerogative to exercise independent judgment concerning a proffered engagement—even if the client is the President of the United States."
- Albert Borowitz, Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue, The First Century

	Print Page Email Page Select a Language Firm History
Lawyers Staff Firm Overview Achievements Our Clients Diversity Pro Bono Technology Foundation Values Firm History	On March 1, 1893, Judge Edwin J. Blandin and William Lowe Rice founded a new law firm in Cleveland, Ohio. More than a century later, Jones Day has evolved into one of the most recognized law firms in the world -- a truly global Firm of more than 2,300 lawyers in 30 locations around the world. As our clients transformed from local companies to national and then global enterprises, the Firm has grown with them to meet their changing needs around the world. Three Eras The Firm has evolved through three distinct eras: 1. 1893–1945: The Early Years in Cleveland, Ohio 2. 1946–1985: Growth into a National Law Firm 1946: Washington, D.C. Office opens - first expansion beyond Ohio 1948: John W. Reavis becomes Managing Partner 1967: Merger of Washington, D.C. Office with Pogue & Neal 1973: Los Angeles Office opens - first office on the West Coast 1975: Allen C. Holmes becomes Managing Partner 1980: Columbus Office opens 1981: Dallas Office opens 1985: Richard W. Pogue becomes Managing Partner 1985: Irvine Office opens 3. 1986–present: Following Our Clients Around the Globe 1986: Merger with Surrey & Morse brings first international offices in New York, Paris, and London; office opened in Hong Kong 1987: Chicago Office opened 1989: Merger with Hansell & Post of Atlanta; offices opened in Pittsburgh, Tokyo, and Brussels 1990: Taipei Office opens 1991: Frankfurt Office opens 1993: Patrick F. McCartan becomes Managing Partner 1998: Sydney Office opens 1999: Shanghai Office opens 2000: Madrid and Silicon Valley offices open 2001: Merger with Showa Law Office expands Tokyo Office; Houston Office opens; offices opened in Singapore and Milan 2002: Stephen J. Brogan becomes Managing Partner 2003: Merger with London firm Gouldens anchors the Firm's presence in Europe; San Francisco, Munich, and Beijing offices open 2004: Lawyers from New York-based intellectual property boutique Pennie & Edmonds join Jones Day; San Diego and Moscow offices open Seven Managing Partners Since 1913, only seven Managing Partners have led the Firm's transformation into a national and then an international Firm: Frank H. Ginn (1913–1938) Thomas H. Jones (1938–1948) John W. Reavis (1948–1975) Allen C. Holmes (1975–1984) Richard W. Pogue (1985–1993) Patrick F. McCartan (1993–2002) Stephen J. Brogan (2002–present) Record of Accomplishment Throughout the Firm's history, our lawyers have had an impressive record of public service and professional accomplishment. Justice Antonin Scalia began his career at Jones Day. Erwin Griswold, who at the time of his death had argued more cases before the Supreme Court than any other living lawyer, served as dean of Harvard Law School and later as Solicitor General of the United States under Presidents Johnson and Nixon. David Morse accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the International Labour Organization. Today two of our Partners are former United States Attorneys, and two of our alumni currently sit on federal courts of appeals. Jones Day is the only firm whose lawyers have served as both Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission and Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice. Celebrated Engagements Over the years, the Firm has been involved in many interesting and important issues. In 1952, the Firm's Luther Day fought President Truman's seizure of U.S. steel mills and won. In 1980, the Firm sued President Carter and defended President Reagan in the same year. In 1981, Jones Day lawyers stopped Mobil Corporation's hostile takeover bid for Marathon Oil. And in 1974, H. Chapman "Chappie" Rose decided that representing the President of the United States without listening to his presidential tapes was inconsistent with his duties at the Firm. Rose turned President Nixon down. "Steve Brogan regards Rose’s refusal of the Watergate representation as a supreme demonstration of the lawyer’s prerogative to exercise independent judgment concerning a proffered engagement—even if the client is the President of the United States." - Albert Borowitz, Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue, The First Century