Skip to Content
Our History

Default text: Milton served as a Union General in the Civil War where, in 1864, he lost his right arm and was also a prisoner of war for six weeks. Upon his release, he loyally returned to lead his brigade until the end of the Civil War. Following the war, just ten years after the Gettysburg Address, he and his son joined together to begin the law practice that would eventually evolve into the Baird Holm of today. The firm is the oldest continuously existing law firm in the State of Nebraska originating from predecessor law partnerships consisting of two or more lawyers.

150 Years of Legal Excellence

Baird Holm’s history is intricately woven with that of the city of Omaha, the state of Nebraska, and its surrounding regions.

1873

The Beginning

The law practice that would eventually evolve into Baird Holm, Montgomery and Son, is started by General Milton Montgomery and his son, Carroll S. Montgomery.

1892

At the Helm of the State’s Most Prominent Early Cases

Carroll S. Montgomery appealed, argued, and won the first case from the United States District Court of Nebraska that was decided by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

1894

A Senate Win Against a Future Presidential Candidate

The firm’s John Mellen Thurston ran for the United States Senate from Nebraska against William Jennings Bryan, who later became a three-time Democratic Party candidate for the United States presidency in 1896, 1900 and 1908. Thurston won the Senate race against Bryan and served as Senator from 1895 to 1901.

1898

Paving the Way for Omaha’s Trans-Mississippi International Exposition

Carroll S. Montgomery was an organizer and then served as general counsel for the corporation that organized the Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition held in Omaha, in 1898, which welcomed more than 3,000,000 visitors over a five-month period to the city.

1908

The Foundation for the Firm’s Education Practice

In 1908, the firm’s Paul Martin became the first Dean of the Creighton Law School and served in this capacity until 1919. Over the years, he was also the President of the Omaha Bar Association, and Vice President of the municipal corporation that was an early predecessor to the present University of Nebraska at Omaha.

1916

The First Female Attorney Joins the Firm

Effie Cover becomes the first female lawyer to join the firm, which is noteworthy because this was four years prior to the final ratification of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution establishing women’s right to vote. However, true to the time, it was later discovered that she did not, in fact, practice as an attorney at the firm but as a Legal Assistant instead.

1920

Contributors to the Current Nebraska Constitution

Baird Holm attorney Clair Baird helped revise the original 1875 Nebraska Constitution in 1920, which remains in place today.

1968

Founding Member of the American Society of Hospital Attorneys

Attorney Edmund D. McEachen acted as a founder and later became president of the Board of Directors of the prestigious American Society of Hospital Attorneys, which founded the practice of health care law as a discipline.

1970

A Merger and a New Office

The firm known as Young, Holm, McEachen & Hamann merged with Lane, Baird, Pedersen & Haggart, resulting in the creation of what is now known as Baird Holm. As part of this new identity, the firm moved into the newly completed Woodmen Tower as one of its first tenants. Now named the WoodmenLife Tower, it was the tallest building in downtown Omaha at the time, until the First National Bank Tower was completed in 2002.

1976

Prestigious Recognition

William J. Baird, one of the firm’s namesakes, received the Nebraska Bar Association’s Presidential Citation, now named the Award of Special Merit. This esteemed award recognizes an individual for services advancing the legal profession, the administration of justice, and the public interest.

1988

Baird Holm Hosts its Inaugural Labor Law Forum and Health Law Forum

Hosted every year since, these Forums have become two of the region’s largest and most highly regarded client law seminars.

 

2003

Baird Holm Founds the Best Places to Work in Omaha Initiative

Baird Holm founds the Best Places to Work in Omaha initiative to publicly recognize extraordinary employers and to incent others to follow. Great employers are essential to our great city, and for this reason, the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce sponsors this initiative.

2010

Involvement in Renewable Energy Projects

With substantial involvement from Baird Holm, the Nebraska Legislature passed Legislative Bill 1048, which created a framework for State approval of large utility-scale renewable energy projects as well as a system of property taxation for renewable energy facilities.

2014

A Significant Ruling for Employee Safety

Baird Holm obtained a Nebraska Supreme Court ruling for a Fortune 500 client that afforded greater protections to businesses seeking to protect their employees from threats and violence. In what was described as a reversal of 100 years of precedent, the Nebraska Supreme Court extended restraining order and injunction protections to businesses as never before.

2000-2023

Key Player in Omaha’s Booming Real Estate Development

Baird Holm has provided counsel for significant real estate projects in Omaha’s booming real estate market for several decades. The firm has the largest group of attorneys dedicated to real estate matters in Nebraska.

2023

Baird Holm’s 150th Anniversary

The law practice that would become Baird Holm was established when Nebraska was just six years old. Since its formation, the firm has witnessed 29 U.S. Presidents, two World Wars, a Great Depression, a global pandemic, and numerous cultural and technological revolutions. What began as a firm of two is now a thriving practice of 100 attorneys supported by a full team of paralegals, legal assistants and staff. Baird Holm proudly celebrates a century and a half of providing excellent legal services to its valued clients.

Our Founder

“It is my honest belief that people who do work for others do not believe they are doing anything out of the ordinary course of life…

Service is the greatest thing. It should be practiced in business by professionals and corporations, not to help the success of business, but to help humanity.”

– C.S. Montgomery, upon his retirement in 1923

View Our New Video!

Expert Legal Counsel to Serve the Diverse Needs of our Clients

Committed to the Community We Call Home

We graciously thank the vibrant Omaha community for its outstanding support throughout the years. We remain committed to donating our time, talent, and resources to ensure the continued growth of the people and community around us.

$2 million

Financial support of local nonprofits over past 10 years

$150,000

Diversity scholarships and support for underrepresented law students over past 10 years

Over 100

Number of leadership roles in nonprofit and community organizations currently held by our attorneys

BH Community Works

BH Community Works is a firm-wide program started in 2023 as a part of our 150th Anniversary campaign to show our continued commitment to taking care of the community that surrounds us. As the longest-standing law firm in the state of Nebraska, the attorneys and staff at Baird Holm contribute to dozens of charitable organizations both financially and with our time. To help facilitate this, Baird Holm recently launched a new program called BH Community Works. It is a program that provides opportunities for attorneys and staff to act as representatives of the firm while donating their work time, talents, and financial resources to different organizations and volunteer efforts in the community.

The Baird Holm Perspective

Following in Our Founders’ Footsteps of Integrity

“We take the RIGHT path, even when it isn’t the EASY path.”

#BH150

We think 150 years is a reason to celebrate, don’t you? Stay connected with Baird Holm as we continue to honor this milestone year with more events, activities, and exciting news!

1700 Farnam Street | Suite 1500 | Omaha, NE 68102 | 402.344.0500