• PRACTICE AREAS
• INDUSTRIES WE SERVE
• FIND A PROFESSIONAL

• About Us
  • History
  • Client Service Standards
  • Representative Clients
  • Diversity
  • Culture
  • Pro Bono & Community Involvement
  • Recognition & Honors
  • Project Management
  • Green Initiatives
• Practice Areas
• Professionals
• Offices
  • Minneapolis
  • St. Cloud
  • Washington, DC

History

Gray Plant Mooty is the oldest continuing law practice in Minneapolis—and one of the most influential. Founded in 1866 by Charles Woods as a one-man firm specializing in local real estate, the practice has grown to over 160 attorneys with clients worldwide. Gray Plant Mooty has served the Twin Cities for over a century, building an award-winning reputation for legal expertise and a solid commitment to community involvement.

“The Kingman Firm”

The original practice first expanded in the early 1880s with the additions of William J. Hahn, a former Minnesota state attorney general and Joseph R. Kingman. While the firm was originally known as “Woods & Hahn,” when Kingman retired 67 years later in 1950, it was widely known as “the Kingman Firm.” By the mid-1950s, the practice of law was becoming increasingly focused. Already heavily involved in probate, estate planning, and real estate, the firm expanded into the areas of corporate law, finance, and tax and litigation. Physically, the practice moved to the Roanoke Building in downtown Minneapolis and key new faces were now on the scene: Franklin Gray, Frank Plant, John and Melvin Mooty, and Russell Bennett.

An Expanding Practice, A Growing Reputation

As the firm grew, so did its reputation for expertise in antitrust and product liability law, both on regional and national levels. It argued and won cases for major clients such as DuPont and Westinghouse. But it also remained heavily involved in real estate matters, in projects ranging from “Southdale,” the nation’s first enclosed suburban shopping mall in Edina, Minnesota, to the explosive skyscraper growth of downtown Minneapolis.

Gray Plant Mooty has grown in size and influence. But the practice has worked hard to balance the strength and resources of a larger firm with the spirit of a smaller firm. The close working relationships amongst its partners and associates is a prime example of that balance.

On the Move, New Partners

The 1980s and 1990s were highlighted by another move—and more expansion. In 1984, the firm relocated to the Minneapolis City Center. Six years later, Gray Plant Mooty joined with Harstad and Rainbow. In 2002, the firm combined with Hall & Byers, bringing together one of Minnesota’s top 10 law firms with one of the most influential business law practices in St. Cloud. Clients throughout the state—and the entire Midwest—have benefited.

New Home

In 2003, the firm relocated its Minneapolis office to its current location in downtown Minneapolis’ IDS Center and the St. Cloud office further expanded its offices. At the end of 2005, Gray Plant Mooty grew beyond Minnesota for the first time in the firm’s history, opening its East Coast office in Washington, DC. Today, Gray Plant Mooty ranks among the nation’s top 500 law firms, providing legal support of the highest quality, a dedication to uncompromising client service and an active commitment to its century-plus tradition of community involvement.

A Gray Plant Mooty Timeline