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History

The law firm of Phelps Dunbar traces its roots to 1853 when Joseph Dirrhammer was admitted to practice in New Orleans. Dirrhammer and John Hansen Kennard later formed the firm of Dirrhammer and Kennard. After several successor firms and changes in name, the firm became Phelps, Dunbar, Marks & Claverie in 1943. The firm name was changed to Phelps Dunbar LLP in 1990.

One of the oldest and largest firms in the South, Phelps Dunbar has successfully combined valuable traditions and progressive ideas. The firm was one of the first to expand regionally, opening offices in Baton Rouge, Jackson, Houston, and Tupelo during the 1980s and 1990s. Since 2000, the firm has opened offices in Tampa, Florida; Gulfport, Mississippi; Mobile, Alabama; and Raleigh, North Carolina. Although positioned geographically in the south, many of the firm’s practices are national and international in scope, as evidenced by the establishment of a London office in 1987. 

Phelps Dunbar has been a major influence not only in the practice of law but also in the development of our local communities. We are proud of the contributions of past and present firm members as lawyers and civic-minded individuals and recognize that the course of Phelps Dunbar’s future has been set by the accomplishments of our past.