Modrall Sperling Celebrates 80 Years of Legal Service to Clients

Posted on May 29, 2017

May 4, 2017 was a special day in Modrall Sperling history. Clients, friends, attorneys and staff, and members of the judiciary gathered to celebrate the legal legacy of New Mexico law and the integral role played by our firm.

Below is a recap of the comments made by Modrall Sperling’s president, Walter Stern:

“As you may know, we are celebrating our newly remodeled offices, but also Modrall Sperling’s 80th anniversary, so I would like to say a few words about how this great (he says immodestly) firm came to be: The year was 1937. The Great Depression still gripped the United States. Tensions were high amidst some of the greatest social upheaval in United States history. So high, in fact, that in Gallup, New Mexico a labor uprising resulted in a high profile criminal murder trial.

Across a tension-filled courtroom two well-known New Mexico lawyers, John Simms and Dick Modrall, respectively leading the prosecution and the defense, worked to find justice for their respective clients.

What Simms and Modrall also found was a deep respect for each other’s legal skills and perspectives and for their exceptional standards of integrity. Shortly after the trial, these former adversaries joined forces to forge the law firm that became Modrall Sperling.

We have come a long way in the 80 years since those days – yet in many ways, we are the same.

The lawyers of Modrall Sperling in 2017 continue to bring rich and diverse perspectives and experiences to the table, supplemented by a strong streak of collaborative spirit. That collaborative approach leads to better client service and to long-term relationships.

We are humbled to have been able to serve our clients, in some cases second and third generations of clients – individuals, family businesses and larger organizations – for so many years.”