Historical Legacy

1881

The Founder Starts Practicing Law

Thomas W. Patterson started practicing law in Pittsburgh, PA. He was born in Carroll Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania on November 14, 1856. He was the son of a printer and had been apprenticed to a printer before becoming a lawyer. He attended Columbia University.

1900

The Firm Is Established

Thomas Patterson founded the Firm, which was then called Patterson, Sterrett & Acheson in Pittsburgh, PA. The Firm was composed of Thomas W. Patterson, Ross Sterrett and Mark Acheson. All of them were of old Western Pennsylvania families. The Firm was located on the 12th floor of the Frick Building which was brand new at the time. Henry Clay Frick had his office upstairs.

1904

Charles F.C. Arensberg Starts With The Firm.

Charles F.C. Arensberg started with the Firm while he was a student at Harvard Law School. At this time, not all lawyers came from law schools; some elected to study law in law firms. In 1909 or 1910 the Firm formally offered him a job, which he held for the balance of his career.

1900

1920

1900

1920

Early Clients & Establishing a Reputation

The Firm was counsel for the Pennsylvania Railroad, Bell Telephone Company, for the receivers of the Wabash Pittsburgh Railway Company, First National Bank, Peoples Savings and Trust Company, as well as a number of other railroads and banks. The Firm was engaged in litigation almost constantly and tried a number of cases in other counties of the state. Mr. Patterson’s reputation as a leader of the bar was state-wide. He had been president of the Allegheny County Bar Association (1902) and also of the Pennsylvania Bar Association (1907). Mr. Patterson also helped to organize the predecessor to Pitt Law School.

1917

Changing Names

The Firm of Patterson, Sterrett & Acheson dissolved; the new Firm was called Patterson, Crawford and Miller and then became Patterson, Crawford, Miller and Arensberg.

1927

First Female Attorney Admitted to Pennsylvania Bar Association

The Firm was called Patterson, Crawford, Arensberg & Dunn. Ella Graubhart, who started with the Firm in 1935, graduated from law school and was admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar Association. She is believed to be the first female ever admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar Association. At this time the offices were at 1404 First National Bank Building at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Wood Street where PNC Plaza (formerly known as the Pittsburgh National Building) now stands.

1937

Richard B. Tucker starts with the firm

Richard B. Tucker, Jr. started with the Firm, which was named Patterson, Crawford, Arensberg & Dunn. He attended the University of Virginia and served in World War II.

1938

Forming a 50-year partnership

Charles Covert Arensberg (“Charlie Arensberg” and the son of Charles F.C. Arensberg) came to the Firm and Richard B. Tucker and he happily practiced law together for more than 50 years. At this time, the Firm represented the Colonial Trust Company and the Etna Bank which eventually merged into Peoples First National Bank & Trust Company, predecessor to PNC Bank.

1940

First female senior partner in Pennsylvania and World War II Challenges

Ella Graubhart becomes the first female Senior Partner of a Pennsylvania law firm. The Firm also helped to create the Public Parking Authority of Pittsburgh during this decade and represented this client until 1969. During the years of World War II (1939-1945), the Firm was reduced to six lawyers at one point as several lawyers went into service. When the war was over, most of the attorneys that left to go into the service came back.

1942

Moving Towards Equality in the Legal Industry

Charles F.C. Arensberg was elected President of the Allegheny County Bar Association. Until this time, African American lawyers had been excluded from membership. During his term as President, he saw to it that these restrictions were abolished and for the first time elected to the association.

1950

Charles F.C. Arensberg Elected President of the PBA

Charles F.C. Arensberg was elected President of the Pennsylvania Bar Association and served the customary year. During the 1940’s and 1950’s the Firm had bread-and-butter clients like Peoples-Pittsburgh Trust Company, The Bell Telephone Company of PA (now Verizon), Erie Railroad, United Engineering Company, Lawyers Title Insurance Company and others.

1964

Fighting for Positive Change

Charlie Arensberg read a Father Drinan’s story of black churches being burnt in the South and at least one African American pastor being accused of arson. He volunteered for the Lawyer’s Constitutional Defense Committee and took a bus to Jackson, Mississippi where he spent to weeks living in African American quarters, defending African American activists and generally being depressed, fearful and mindful of racial differences at the core.

1968

New Firm Location

The Firm moved out of the First National Bank Building to the 6th and 11th floors of One Oliver Plaza.

1969

Representing Multi-employer Funds

The Firm started to represent multiemployer funds for compliance and litigation/collections. This represents a big part of our business today.

1970

More Name Changes

Patterson, Crawford, Arensberg & Dunn merged with Campbell Thomas & Burke to form Tucker, Burke, Campbell & Arensberg which dissolved February 28, 1971, and on March 1, 1971, Tucker, Arensberg & Ferguson was formed.Patterson, Crawford, Arensberg & Dunn merged with Campbell Thomas & Burke to form Tucker, Burke, Campbell & Arensberg which dissolved February 28, 1971, and on March 1, 1971, Tucker, Arensberg & Ferguson was formed.

1971

New Office & Higher Education Clients

The Firm moved into the new Pittsburgh National Bank (PNB) Building. Due to the close relationship with PNB, the Firm was the first non-Bank tenant in the building. The Firm occupied part of the 12th floor and eventually took over all of the space on the 12th floor and then took space on 11 in 1985 or 1986. During the 1970s the Firm did much legal work for the University of Pittsburgh and also represented Point Park College since it was incorporated. Mr. Tucker saved the college from financial ruin in the 1970s when he tried its case for exemption of its real estate from local taxation. Mr. Tucker thereafter served on the Board of Trustees for many years and Point Park remains a client to this day.

1983

The permanent name is established

Tucker Arensberg, PC was formed as a corporation and the permanent name of the Firm is established.

1984

Office Merges into Tucker Arensberg

The Firm merged with Brooks & Ewalt which added five lawyers and new practice specialties. Our client, Pittsburgh National announced a merger with Hershey Bank and the Firm had other clients in the Harrisburg region. The Firm started an office sharing arrangement on State Street in Harrisburg.

1985

Harrisburg Office is Established

The shared office in Harrisburg merged into Tucker Arensberg.

1987

Harrisburg office move and new firm management and structure

The Tucker Arensberg Harrisburg office moved to more spacious quarters on Pine Street. During the 1980s the Firm adopted a new managing committee format with Mr. Tucker’s full support. In 1986 he wrote, “The present system works much better; it provides leadership.” The Firm’s philosophy progressed from the belief that management and business planning were beneath the dignity of a lawyer to the belief that management and planning are essential to the furnishing of effective professional services to our clients. In the early 1980s the Firm organized itself into Commercial and Litigation practice groups and by the mid-1980s, the departmentalization improved the Firm’s profitability. The Board also hired an office manager to focus on the fact that this was a business.

1988

Merger to add expertisee

The Firm merged with Finkel, Lefkowitz, Ostrow & Woolridge to add corporate, tax, securities and ERISA expertise.

1993

Pittsburgh Office Moves

The Pittsburgh office moved to One PPG Place.

1995

First Managing Shareholder is Established

The Firm formally vested day-to-day management authority to Charles Vater when they named him Managing Shareholder of the Firm.

1998

Harrisburg Office Merger

The Firm of Hepford, Swartz and Morgan merged with the Tucker Arensberg Harrisburg office located on Front Street.

1999

New Managing Shareholder, Gary Hunt

Gary Hunt succeeded Chuck Vater as Managing Shareholder.

2000

Celebrating 100 years

With about 65 lawyers, the Firm celebrated its centennial with a big party at Dowe’s on 9th. This is a photo from the event of then Managing Shareholder Gary Hunt with then Pittsburgh Mayor, Tom Murphy

2009

New Managing Shareholder, Thomas Peterson

Thomas Peterson succeeded Gary Hunt as Managing Shareholder.

2010

Gary Hunt: Allegheny County Bar Association President

Gary Hunt is elected President of the Allegheny County Bar Association and served the customary year.

2020

New Managing Shareholder, Irving Firman

Irving Firman succeeded Thomas Peterson as Managing Shareholder.

2021

New Harrisburg office location and expansion into California

Tucker Arensberg, PC expands to provide legal services through Tucker Arensberg, L.L.P. with an office in the San Francisco Bay area. Tucker Arensberg Harrisburg law office moved to a new state-of-the-art office space to accommodate growth.

The Founder Starts Practicing Law

The Firm Is Established

Charles F.C. Arensberg Starts With The Firm.

Early Clients & Establishing a Reputation

Changing Names

First Female Attorney Admitted to Pennsylvania Bar Association

Richard B. Tucker starts with the firm

Forming a 50-year partnership

First female senior partner in Pennsylvania and World War II Challenges

Moving Towards Equality in the Legal Industry

Charles F.C. Arensberg Elected President of the PBA

Fighting for Positive Change

New Firm Location

Representing Multi-employer Funds

More Name Changes

New Office & Higher Education Clients

The permanent name is established

Office Merges into Tucker Arensberg

Harrisburg Office is Established

Harrisburg office move and new firm management and structure

Merger to add expertisee

Pittsburgh Office Moves

First Managing Shareholder is Established

Harrisburg Office Merger

New Managing Shareholder, Gary Hunt

Celebrating 100 years

New Managing Shareholder, Thomas Peterson

Gary Hunt: Allegheny County Bar Association President

New Managing Shareholder, Irving Firman

New Harrisburg office location and expansion into California

Serving our clients successfully since 1900

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