Our History

The success of our firm is deeply rooted in our clients, colleagues and communities.

Eckert Seamans has built upon the legacy our founders William H. Eckert, Frank L. Seamans, Carl Cherin, and Cloyd R. Mellott formed with only 10 clients in Pittsburgh in January 1958. Today, we guide several of those same clients and countless new ones through their most challenging legal issues, most significant business transactions, and most critical disputes, which often cross our numerous practices and jurisdictions. We are known around the world for the nationally awarded counsel we provide to our clients on any given matter from 15 offices in 11 states.

We also believe in serving a greater purpose and we are most proud of our longstanding history of helping not only our clients, but our communities, attorneys, and professional administrative staff members. Our attorneys and professional staff, like our founders, come from all walks of life but are united by our collective experience and desire for comradery, quality, service, and value. Whether we joined the firm due to mergers, relationships, or reputation, we are connected by our desire to deliver an exceptional experience every day not only to one another but to every client, and every time.

From our history, much can be learned that is of current usefulness by considering how principles and personalities contribute to the success of an institution. At its inception, Eckert, Seamans, Cherin and Mellott worked together, rounding off their differences and meshing their talents, to create a new firm and point it in a forward focused direction, a direction our firm continues today.

Founders Day

Annually, on January 31, we reflect together on our accomplishments and lessons learned throughout the year, rededicate ourselves to strategic growth, lasting impact, and enduring partnerships, and refresh our perspectives with boundless excitement for the future of Eckert Seamans. Over the years and annually, the firm has undertaken many significant legal projects – landmark cases, business structuring’s, community causes and care for individual problems. The Founders Day celebration is a rewarding reflection of the success of our firm, while staying connected to the origins and founding values of our predecessors. 

Our Historical Timeline

On January 31, 1958, with only 10 clients, several of which the firm still serves today, Eckert Seamans was founded in Pittsburgh by William H. Eckert, Frank L. Seamans, Carl Cherin, and Cloyd R. Mellott. Eckert Seamans witnessed steady growth in the 1960’s to 1970’s, during which the firm doubled in size and expanded our practice areas focusing on construction and labor relations. The firm also prevailed in the 1970’s to 1980’s when it developed a formalized management structure and maturation of the firm through lateral partners and expanded its corporate, intellectual property, energy and litigation practices. Throughout the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, the firm expanded by adding multiple offices to its platform and accounted for significant growth of our government relations, banking regulatory, white collar crime, and transportation practices. During the 1990’s and early 2000’s, our firm was one of the fastest growing law firms in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. With a focus on our steady growth in our regional offices, the firm quickly added depth and resources to the overall national capabilities. From the 2010’s to present day, our firm has remained a significant presence and focused resource in the legal industry amongst global consolidation. Today, we offer legal services across more than 50 practice areas in which our team collaborates closely across a wide breadth of disciplines, and we use every resource at our disposal to successfully solve our clients’ challenges.

Our Strategic Office Locations Establishments

  • Pittsburgh – 1958

  • Harrisburg – 1986

  • Washington, D.C. – 1986

  • Boston – 1990

  • Philadelphia – 1990

  • Wilmington – 2003

  • White Plains – 2006

  • Richmond – 2009

  • Newark – 2013

  • Princeton – 2013

  • Providence – 2013

  • Buffalo – 2013

Eckert Seamans prides itself in having been able to evolve with the changing needs and desires of our clients and the legal industry while also enriching our cherished cultural roots.