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Our History
Who We Are
- A local firm which provides the resources of a large practice while maintaining the personalized service and cost effectiveness of a small group.
- It all began in an office on Duke of Gloucester Street, which served as home to the law practice of Ashton M. Dovell, former Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates. His secretary, Mary Inman, read law under his supervision in her spare time. In 1932, she became one of the first women attorneys in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and later served as the City of Williamsburg's first city attorney.
- Vernon M. Geddy, Sr., who was the first President of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, began practicing law in 1920 on the second floor of the Peninsula Bank on Duke of Gloucester Street. He took over Mr. Dovell's practice upon his death in 1949. Together with Mary Inman, Mr. Geddy and his son, Vernon M. Geddy, Jr. established the law firm of Geddy & Geddy in 1952. Mr. Geddy, Sr. passed away later that year, and Miss Inman and Mr. Geddy, Jr. continued practicing in their historic area office at the corner of England and Francis Streets until Sidney J. Baker joined them in 1962. Geddy, Baker & Inman was formed, and the practice was moved to the Nicholson Shop building at 137 York Street in the historic area.
- Stephen D. Harris partnered with that firm in 1967, and Geddy, Baker & Harris was established upon Miss Inman’s retirement in 1969. Mr. Baker left the firm in 1973, and the practice continued as Geddy & Harris until 1980 when it merged with McGuire, Woods, Battle & Boothe, a firm with offices then-located in Richmond and Charlottesville.
- In 1991, Vernon Geddy, Jr., Stephen Harris and Vernon Geddy, III formed Geddy, Harris & Geddy. Susanna B. Hickman began working with them in 1993, and the practice moved to 516 South Henry Street across from the Courthouse, where Sheldon M. Franck joined them in 1999.
- Geddy, Harris, Franck & Hickman, LLP was established in 1999, and moved to its present location at 1177 Jamestown Road. Andrew M. Franck joined the firm in 2002 and was named partner in 2007. Vernon M. Geddy, Jr. passed away in 2005. Former Attorneys Richard Rizk and Michael Gaten are now Circuit Court Judges.