Firm History

Founded in 1850, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC is one of the oldest law firms in the country. Established by Moses Hampton, along with his son John, the firm was also perhaps the first instance of lawyers practicing in partnership in the Pittsburgh area. When the elder Hampton became president judge of the District Court for Allegheny County, son John formed a partnership with William C. Moreland and the firm name changed to Hampton & Moreland.

The year 1868 brought with it the addition of John Dalzell, as well as another name change for the firm. George B. Gordon joined the firm in 1883, along with William Scott in 1887, marking the formation of Dalzell, Scott & Gordon. In 1906, with the passing of William Scott, Dalzell and Gordon each decided to forge off in their own directions and form a firm of their own. Gordon chose as his partner William Watson Smith, and the firm became known as Gordon & Smith.

In 1916, John G. Buchanan, a highly revered appellate lawyer, was admitted to the firm, along with Frank B. Ingersoll, a corporate finance attorney, in 1924, and the firm underwent another name change to Gordon, Smith, Buchanan & Scott. After the passing of George Gordon, and the addition of tax attorney Paul G. Rodewald in 1930, the firm name was again altered in 1936 to read Smith, Buchanan & Ingersoll.

The next decade brought the additions of William J. Kyle and David B. Buerger to the firm, and, in 1958, the firm name became Buchanan, Ingersoll, Rodewald, Kyle & Buerger after the retirement of William Smith. In 1974, the former firm of Randolph and O'Connor joined with Buchanan, which significantly enlarged the practice of Labor Relations law. John McLean, Jr. joined the firm as a senior litigator in 1976.

Another milestone was witnessed in 1980 when the firm became one of the first large firms to incorporate, which was highly unusual for that time. This step facilitated efficient management of the firm as well as provided more attractive retirement and other employment benefits.

The highly respected corporate practice firm of Moorhead & Knox was acquired in early 1981, bringing to Buchanan advanced legal skills in the corporate, health care and communications fields. The firm shortened its name in 1983 to Buchanan Ingersoll Professional Corporation and later to Buchanan Ingersoll PC.

The firm underwent a series of acquisitions and additions during the next two decades, including the addition of the 55 attorneys and patent professionals of Burns, Doane, Swecker & Mathis in 2005.

In 2006, the firm merged with Klett Rooney Lieber & Schorling PC to form the present day Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC. The firm is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Buchanan is one of the largest law firms in the nation, and has more than 450 attorneys and government relations professionals practicing throughout the United States, with offices in Washington, D.C., Alexandria, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Miami, Aventura, Tampa, Wilmington, Princeton, Newark, San Diego and Temecula.