Insights
Jackson Kelly Celebrates 200th Anniversary in Denver Office
Jackson Kelly PLLC kicks off its 200th anniversary year with a food drive and celebration in its Denver office. Founded in Charleston, WV in 1822, Jackson Kelly PLLC has a presence in six states, including Colorado.
February 25, 2022
Jackson Kelly PLLC celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2022. Founded by Benjamin H. Smith in Charleston, WV, Jackson Kelly’s early days featured attorneys such as James H. Brown, who served at the WV Constitutional convention and Homer “Rocky” Holt, the 20th governor of West Virginia. This milestone makes Jackson Kelly the [6th] oldest law firm in the country. Having grown across the region, Jackson Kelly will recognize the achievements of each of its offices, beginning with our office in Denver, CO. “I arrived in Denver to establish a workplace safety and health practice west of the Mississippi,” said Laura Beverage, founder of Jackson Kelly’s Denver office. “That was almost 30 years ago. We built a national presence from our Denver office, and I fell in love with Colorado and the Western U.S.”
Jackson Kelly will reflect on the last 200 years of practicing law and the last 200 years of history. In Colorado, in celebration of another bicentennial, Jackson Kelly was honored to partner with the Barney Ford Diversity Scholarship. Barney Ford was born in 1822 in Virginia, the same year and in the same state Jackson Kelly started. Like Jackson Kelly, Barney Ford found his way to Colorado. Born a slave, Barney Ford ran away from a South Carolina plantation and worked his way to Chicago and then followed the gold rush to Colorado. He became a prominent businessman in Denver and by the 1870s, was worth $250,000, using his wealth to help African Americans out of poverty and enslavement. Jackson Kelly wishes to honor Barney Ford’s spirit and accomplishments with a donation to this scholarship fund, honoring Mr. Ford, and recognizing that Black History is American History.
It is in that great spirit that our firm will celebrate each state’s history along with celebrating our track record of professionalism, reputation, diversity, and inclusion. “Having been in the legal practice for more than three decades, I personally know about the need, and favorable impact, of having a diverse workforce,” explains Ellen Cappellanti, Managing Member. “While Jackson Kelly has made significant strides, we continue our efforts to ensure that we not only hire a diverse workforce but that we identify and implement those policies that are conducive to a supportive workplace, providing all employees the opportunity for growth and advancement. Not just words, however, but actions and money are needed to prove this. That is why we are honored to donate to the The Barney Ford Diversity Scholarship.”
The Barney Ford Diversity Scholarship is dedicated to promoting diversity within the MBA program at the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Beyond the scholarship, to start the month, each of our 10 offices were able to collect at least 200 cans and cash donations to help with local food banks and charities. In Denver, we were able to contribute these collections to the Park Hill Food Pantry. “Since 1993, our office in Denver has grown from mine and occupational safety to include litigation, medical malpractice, employment, transactional, and government relations,” says Denver Office Managing Member Karen Johnston. “Our commitment to the community has grown with our office and includes pro bono services and other causes like this month’s food drive and scholarship donation.”
Jackson Kelly PLLC
National Reputation. Industry Insight. Client Focus. Jackson Kelly PLLC is a national law firm with more than 160 attorneys located in ten offices throughout Colorado, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Washington, DC. Focusing on clients' industry-specific needs, the Firm serves a wide variety of corporate and public clients and enjoys a national reputation in business, labor and employment, litigation, government contracts, tax, safety and health, permitting, natural resource and environmental law.
This year is notable on many fronts – we’re emerging from the challenges of the pandemic, and we have a significant history to celebrate.
We have experienced our greatest growth over the last 25 years. As our reputation grew and demand for our services spread, Jackson Kelly opened its first office outside of West Virginia in 1985, in Lexington, Kentucky. This office would be the first in our multi-state expansion, which now reaches as far west as Colorado. Along the way, Jackson Kelly’s ranks have also grown to over 300 employees, including attorneys, paralegals, and support staff. Our dedicated team is spread across several states, but we operate as one cohesive unit and are committed to providing all clients with the superior service that earned Jackson Kelly its name.
We look forward to the next 200 years.
For more information contact Joshua Copen at 304-288-0544 or Joshua.Copen@jacksonkelly.com
Public Relations Specialist, Jackson Kelly PLLC