AKRON, Ohio – Founded in 1876, Roetzel & Andress is marking 150 years of legal service and community commitment in 2026. 

From its earliest days as a two-lawyer partnership in downtown Akron, the firm has grown alongside the city through periods of industrial growth, economic transition and renewal.

Today, Roetzel is a full-service law firm with nearly 200 attorneys across offices in Ohio, Florida and Illinois. While the firm has expanded its geographic reach, its identity remains anchored in Akron and northeastern Ohio.

“For 150 years, this firm has grown with Akron, not just in size but in responsibility,” said Robert E. Blackham, chairman of Roetzel & Andress. “Our lawyers have advised businesses, supported public institutions and helped shape civic life here for generations. That continuity matters, especially in a community our firm is proud to call home.”

In 2024, the firm welcomed more than 40 attorneys from Brouse McDowell’s Youngstown and Sharon, Pa., offices, further reinforcing its Akron roots and broadening its ability to serve businesses, public entities and nonprofits across the region.

The firm’s name reflects its legacy of leadership. Cletus Roetzel, a former Summit County prosecutor known for his successful prosecution of the Black Hand crime syndicate, joined the firm in the 1930s and became one of Akron’s most respected trial lawyers. Samuel Andress, who joined in 1927 and returned to the firm after World War II, was a corporate attorney who helped grow the firm’s business practice and its reputation for client service.

Roetzel’s history also includes pioneers such as Ruth Moore, who began working at the firm in 1910 and went on to become one of Ohio’s first female attorneys. She practiced law into her late 90s and was later recognized by the American Bar Association as one of the oldest practicing female attorneys in the country.

“Longevity is not accidental,” Blackham said. “It comes from placing relationships first with clients, colleagues and the communities we serve, and from making decisions with the next generation in mind.”