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 March of 2009 marked the
beginning of the 172nd Anniversary of our law firm. The
law firm has had a continuity of lawyers practicing
together as a firm in Schenectady County from March 1837
to date. For eight generations, the lawyers of this
firm, past and present, have had the privilege of
serving the legal needs of individuals, families,
businesses and organizations in the Capital Region. Our
law firm is one of the oldest not only in New York
State, but in the entire Nation. Our law firm motto is
Non ut sibi ministretur sed ut ministret.
"Not to be
served, but to serve."
The founder of our
firm was David Cady Smith, a graduate of Hartwick
Seminary and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He
studied law under the tutelage of Surrogate Court Judge
Alonzo C. Paige who was a Union College Trustee. David
Cady Smith was admitted to the Bar in 1837. We trace our
history from that date.
Our firm has had a
long-standing relationship with the Schenectady Savings
Bank, now, through a series of name changes and mergers,
Bank of America. David Cady Smith served as attorney for
the bank. He was also a Trustee and eventually President
of the bank during the period 1875 to 1904. He was
joined in the legal practice by his son, Everett Smith,
who, like him, represented the bank and became its
President. Everett Smith's brother, Gerardus Smith, was
the President of the Schenectady Bank which merged with
and became a part of the Schenectady Trust Company in
June of 1902, currently Trustco Bank. Gerardus Smith was
also the owner of the Schenectady Gazette, currently The
Daily Gazette.
State Senator
Edwin Miller became a partner with Everett Smith in the
practice of law in 1911. Senator Miller's family owned
the Union Book Company. After Everett Smith died,
Senator Miller took Harold R. Beyerl as a partner in
1921. Harold Beyerl named his only child, Edwin J.
Beyerl, after Senator Edwin Miller. Edwin Beyerl too,
became an attorney and joined the firm in 1956. He
retired in 1987.
At the end of
World War II, Frank S. Higgins joined the firm, followed
in the 1950's by John Van Etten, James P. Houlihan,
Richard E. Roberts and Edwin J. Beyerl. All of them were
partners with Harold R. Beyerl. Robert J. Coan joined
the firm in 1959 and retired in 2002. James H. Erceg
joined the firm in 1964. He retired in 2005 after 41
years with the firm.
In November of
2006, Richard E. Roberts, a distinguished partner in our
firm for approximately 48 years, passed away. Dick
Roberts was a friend, teacher and benevolent partner who
considered it an honor to serve his clients. He was a
model for treating all people with respect, regardless
of their condition or status. He was a Union College
Trustee, Sunnyview Hospital Trustee, and President of
the Sunnyview Hospital Foundation, Inc.
The current Principal attorneys in our
firm and the year they started at the
firm are as follows:
Principals:
Michael R. Suprunowicz 1982
Charles J. Assini, Jr. 1985
Michael E. Basile 1989
Amy Herter Robinson 1987
Maura C. Mottolese 1991
Lawrence A. DeAngelus 2000
Richard A. Fuerst 2001
The firm name evolved and changed with
the passage of time but there was always
a continuity of lawyers working together
and representing the Schenectady Savings
Bank. Except for a relatively brief
period, the firm name has been Higgins,
Roberts, Beyerl & Coan since 1964.
Prior to that time, the firm names were
as follows:
1. 1837 David Cady Smith, Esq.
2. 1879 David Cady Smith & Everett
Smith, Esq.
3. 1911 Everett Smith & Edwin Miller,
Esq.
4. 1921 Edwin Miller & Harold R. Beyerl,
Esq.
5. 1945 Harold R. Beyerl & Frank S.
Higgins, Esq.
6. 1956 Beyerl, Higgins, Houlihan,
VanEtten, Roberts & Beyerl, Attorneys at
Law
7. 1962 Higgins, Roberts & Beyerl,
Attorneys at Law
8. 1964 Higgins, Roberts, Beyerl & Coan
During the 1950's, the firm enlarged the
scope of its practice beyond bank and
real estate law to include a
concentration in estate and trust
planning, estate and trust
administration and elder law. The firm
has since expanded into other areas of
law including corporate, not-for-profit,
personal injury, taxation,
administrative, education, general
litigation, insurance, adoption,
bankruptcy, foundations, matrimonial and
family law.
Several lawyers of distinction in the
Capital District have been associated
with the firm as partners, associates
and clerks. The present Schenectady
County Surrogate Court Judge, The
Honorable Barry D. Kramer, and the
present Schenectady County District
Attorney, Robert M. Carney are former
partners of the law firm.
Our firm had offices in the City of
Schenectady primarily at 251 and 502
State Street for 158 years before moving
to our present location at 1430 Balltown
Road in Niskayuna in 1994.
Time is merely one test of talent,
integrity, knowledge and proper
application of the law, but we believe
it is a clear indicator of the ability
of our firm to stay current and relevant
in a constantly changing world. The men
and women of Higgins, Roberts, Beyerl &
Coan, P.C. believe that their experience
and dedication, combined with the
unprecedented history and continuity of
the firm, bring a unique excellence to
the delivery of legal services. Call us
for a consultation about your legal
needs today, and see the difference for
yourself.
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Higgins, Roberts,
Beyerl & Coan. P.C.- 1430 Balltown Rd. Schenectady
NY, 12309 - Tel: 518-374-3399 - Fax:
518-374-9416 |
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