Our Co-Founders
Gallagher & Kennedy was founded in 1978 when Mike Gallagher and Mike Kennedy decided to open their own law firm in Phoenix. Over 45 years later, G&K is the seventh largest law firm in Arizona, and the only top 10 firm focusing almost exclusively in Arizona.
History has shown Gallagher & Kennedy to be a classic American success story, built on the vision of two optimistic and tenacious young attorneys. Though lacking deep pockets, the two Mikes were rich in ambition and determination. Kennedy quips, “The lender’s collateral for a modest business loan consisted of “seconds” on our Country Squire and Monte Carlo.”
At the 10-year mark, Gallagher & Kennedy began to expand from primarily a litigation-based firm to include business transactions. With this change, the firm weathered the economic turbulence of the 80s and was well-positioned to participate in Arizona’s explosive growth of the 90s, including serving instrumental roles in bringing MLB to Arizona and building the home of our NFL team.
In the early days, the firm’s work primarily focused on insurance and litigation. While the start-up quarters and earliest client list were modest, the young firm was on its way.
Amidst a mounting track record of success and growing reputation in the community, Gallagher & Kennedy was able to attract top talent to fuel its growth and expansion into multi-disciplinary client services, including environmental and natural resources, catastrophic personal injury, bankruptcy and creditors rights, intellectual property, criminal defense, cannabis, consumer fraud and specialty immigration advocacy.
Learn More About Our Founders' Legacies & Contributions To Arizona's Community
The values on which Gallagher & Kennedy was established are directly tied to those ingrained in our co-founders, Mike Gallagher and Mike Kennedy. Both were reared with high regard for family, hard work, fairness, and helping others.
Today, these personal values are ingrained in our firm culture, placing the utmost importance on hard work, service excellence through teamwork, and a balanced approach to work, family, and community.
Of the principles our two founders relied on while growing the firm through thoughtful attorney and professional staff recruitment, Kennedy said, “We were most often guided by the standards we learned from our parents, not necessarily what we learned in law school.”
