Decker, Jones, McMackin, McClane, Hall
& Bates, P.C. traces
its origins to the year 1896 when George Q. McGown
(far left) entered the practice of law in Fort
Worth. He soon developed a successful practice
representing a variety of local as well as national
business interests. In 1911, he invited his son,
H.T. McGown (middle), to join the practice, and
the two formed a partnership under the name, McGown
& McGown.
To
its burgeoning commercial litigation and business
practice, the firm added other services, including,
most notably for the day, oil and gas law. The
discovery of oil near Ranger, Texas in 1917,
brought considerable economic growth to the
region. The client base of McGown & McGown
expanded as Texas entrepreneurs responded to
the wealth of opportunities presented by this
new industry.
After
World War II, the firm emerged as a leader in
the arenas of banking and insurance. Berl E. Godfrey,
who joined the firm in 1929, was instrumental
in the formation of the Bank of Commerce and served
as President of the Association of State Chartered
Banks for more than a decade. Their firm, then
known as McGown, Godfrey, Logan & Decker,
chartered a number of insurance companies and
practiced extensively before the State Board of
Insurance.
Throughout
its history the firm has remained at the forefront
of business law practice. The firm's durability
has been due, in large part to its commitment
to respond to the changing needs of its clients.
Over the years, tax, estate planning and probate
services have greatly expanded. Members of the
firm have assisted in the development and construction
of major commercial real estate projects. At the
same time, the growth of many Fort Worth-based
business concerns has demanded greater expertise
in the fields of corporate and securities law.
Led by Robert W. Decker, the firm's business and
corporate section has helped many local entrepreneurs
break new ground and extend their reach into national
and international markets.
In 1990,
Decker McMackin and McClane, as the firm had come
to be known, sought to expand its litigation services.
This was accomplished by merging with one of Texas'
premier insurance defense firms Jones, Hall, Bates,
Warren & Watson, established in 1975 by a
handful of the state's most respected trial attorneys.
This group enjoyed a reputation of its clients'
interests. The resulting firm, Decker, Jones,
McMackin, McClane, Hall & Bates, P.C., is
a full-service firm providing a wide array of
legal and consulting services to businesses and
individuals.
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