Howard & Howard marks milestone with '12 Months of Giving' campaign

The law firm of Howard & Howard will celebrate its 150th anniversary this year in grand style. To mark the sesquicentennial, the firm will undertake a “12 Months of Giving” campaign, a yearlong charitable initiative involving all of Howard & Howard’s offices and their respective communities.

Over the course of 2019, the firm will be making a significant donation every month to select nonprofit organizations in cities where it maintains offices, including Royal Oak and Ann Arbor; Chicago and Peoria, Ill.; Las Vegas; and Los Angeles.

“All of us at Howard & Howard are very proud of the firm’s 150-year history,” said President and CEO Mark Davis. “In addition to contributions through our established Community Reinvestment Fund, we’ll celebrate this landmark anniversary with ‘12 Months of Giving,’ which will reinvest in the communities where we live and work both financially and through community efforts.”

Tracing its roots to the mid-19th century, the firm was founded by William G. Howard in Kalamazoo and was a “family affair” in the early years, according to Davis. The founder’s son (Harry C. Howard) joined the firm in 1896, followed by Harry’s two sons (Bill and John) in the 1930s, and then Bill’s son (Richard) in 1969.

“We’ve grown significantly over the last 10 to 15 years and now have a team of 160-plus attorneys in addition to our dedicated support staff,” Davis said. “There hasn’t been a member of the Howard family working here for years now, but there is still a very strong family and supportive environment at Howard & Howard.”

From its beginnings in an office above a blacksmith shop, the Howards focused their law practice on serving the business community. That focus continues today, as the firm provides legal services almost exclusively to businesses and business owners.

Over the years, Howard & Howard has provided legal counsel for some of the region’s and country’s leading companies including BMO Harris Bank N.A., ThyssenKrupp, Konami Gaming Inc., Martinrea International Inc., and Stryker Corp.

According to Davis, the firm’s legal work is primarily focused in corporate and commercial transactions, business litigation, and its ever-expanding intellectual property practice.

In 2018, Howard & Howard was ranked 258th on the National Law Journal listing of the country’s top 500 law firms.