Hats Off! Lakin Spears Law Firm Marks 100 Years With Community Service, Donations

Marking 100 years of legal service to Palo Alto and the larger Bay Area community, law firm Lakin Spears, LLP, contributed community service, as well as funds, to area events and organizations in 2014.

The firm, founded in 1914 by Palo Alto native Egerton D. Lakin (1886-1968), is part of the living tapestry of Palo Alto and the San Francisco Peninsula, and charitable giving is part of its legacy.

“Judge Lakin gave generously to the community in his day, so we couldn’t imagine a better way to commemorate this achievement than by giving back to the community that made it possible,” said Jessica Arner, partner at Lakin Spears.

Lakin Spears staff members often donate their time to a variety of causes, and the firm has contributed to many area organizations and events over the years, as well as to support efforts like earthquake relief, food services, and cultural and educational activities.

The Palo Alto Moonlight Run and City of Palo New Year’s Eve Senior Bash were among the recipients of staff time and donations in commemoration of the firm’s centennial year. At the Moonlight Run, Lakin Spears attorneys and staff provided the water service, and many also participated as walkers and runners. As a sponsor of the New Year’s Eve Senior Bash, the firm helped area seniors enjoy a social outing to ring in the new year.

The History of a Law Firm—and a City

“The history of Lakin Spears is really the story of the city of Palo Alto,” said Jean Kohler, partner at Lakin Spears.

Egerton Lakin attended high school in Palo Alto, graduating from Stanford Law School in 1910, and becoming a key part of Palo Alto’s development into the vibrant city it is today. He served on the City Council from 1914 until 1915, and from 1915 until 1929, he served as the Police Judge.

Judge Lakin served as volunteer secretary and president of the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce between 1916 and 1922. During World War I, Judge Lakin was chairman of the Four Minute Men and spearheaded war bond drives.

A major gift by Judge Lakin enabled the Palo Alto Humane Society to build its first permanent shelter built in 1937. During World War II, he was chairman of the U.S.O. and chairman of the Rural and Extension committee for the Salvation Army in Palo Alto. But he wasn’t only involved in serious matters; he was also a leading light onstage with the Palo Alto Community Players, and took a keen interest in local theater affairs.

The Lakin Spears firm has evolved and adapted over a century of service. Over the years, mergers brought key partners into the firm including Andrew M. Spears, Conrad F. “Connie” Gullixson, George H. Norton, and Thomas D. Reese.

Moving Into A Second Century

Today, Lakin Spears offers a diverse portfolio of expertise, employing 17 attorneys and 19 support staff across its four specialties:

• Business and real estate law
• Family law
• Trusts and estates
• Taxation

Partner Rita Patterson feels very optimistic about the future of the firm.

“We look forward to another one hundred years of excellence,” said Rita.

About Lakin Spears

Founded in 1914 in Palo Alto, California, Lakin Spears, LLP is a law firm built on a long tradition of value-added legal service to clients throughout the state of California. The firm’s talented and dedicated team of attorneys provides a wide range of transactional, mediation and litigation legal services in Business & Real Estate, Family Law, Trusts & Estates, and Taxation. Visitwww.lakinspears.com.

Images and info courtesy of Lakin Spears. Captions:

• Lakin Spears Staff at Moonlight Run. Lakin Spears staff members help out with water service at the Moonlight Run in September. The firm is celebrating its centennial in 2014 with a variety of community activities. From left, Kelly McHan, Michael MacDonald, Lydia Crandall, Priya Kumar, Jessica Arner, Joan LeBlanc and Ellen Cookman. Photo Credit: Jean Kohler.
• Photo Portrait: Egerton D. Lakin. Egerton D. Lakin founded Palo Alto’s Lakin Spears law firm in 1914. The firm is celebrating its centennial in 2014 with a variety of community activities. Photo Credit: Unknown (vintage photo)
• Lakin Spears Centennial Gingerbread House. A 1914 photo of downtown Palo Alto serves as the backdrop to a delicious representation of Lakin Spears early offices, as a newspaper boy cycles beneath the city’s tall trees. This Centennial Gingerbread House, celebrating Lakin Spears’ 100 years in business, was decorated by Director of Administration Kelly McHan. Photo Credit: Kelly McHan.
• Jessica Arner, Partner; Photo Credit: Huy Pham
• Jean Kohler, Partner; Photo Credit: Huy Pham
• Rita Patterson, Partner. Photo Credit: Huy Pham