100 YEARS OF SERVICE

Firm Background:

Gould & Wilkie (which became a limited liability partnership effective January 1, 1999) was founded in 1892 by Charles Winthrop Gould and John Lincoln Wilkie. The Firm was located on Wall Street until August 1, 1993, when it moved two blocks north into its new offices at One Chase Manhattan Plaza. A number of prominent lawyers have practiced at Gould & Wilkie, the best known being Judge Learned Hand. He was a partner at Gould & Wilkie from 1904 to 1909, when he was appointed by President Taft to the Federal bench. Alumni have also included a President of the New York State Bar Association, Chief Executive Officers of two public utilities, a President of a large insurance company, a President of a national retailer and a Vice Chairman of a major industrial corporation.

Firm Philosophy:

Gould & Wilkie has long possessed the qualities to grow to a large size, but it has consciously remained small over the past century. The essence of this decision is a dedication to the practice of law, rather than the business of law, with its accompanying elaborate bureaucratic and administrative machinery and resultant high fixed cost structure. Consequently, the firm is able to provide partner-performed legal services at competitive cost values to clients.

Firm Practice

The Firm conducts a general practice. Governor Mario M. Cuomo described our practice in 1992 when he issued an Executive Citation congratulating the firm on its one-hundredth anniversary:

Gould & Wilkie is a unique firm in New York City. Its practice consists of major corporate, general business, administrative, real estate, litigation, and estate law. It is a small firm with intimate association among its partners and associates, all of whom are directly involved in the practice of law.