Marks Gray traces its origins back to 1899 when Richard Marks first opened a law office in Jacksonville. Since then it has had four different homes and construction on a 58,000 square-foot building on Riverside Avenue is expected to begin soon. Currently, it occupies two floors in the SteinMart building. Daily Record staff writer Sean McManus met recently with Jerry Weedon, the firm’s president.
WHEN DID YOU JOIN THE FIRM?
“I started four days after graduating from law school at the University of Florida in 1976. I received my undergraduate degree in English from Washington & Lee.”
ANY OTHER ATTORNEYS GO TO W&L?
“John Sarber went there for undergrad and law school. And the son of the founder, Sam Marks, went to law school there.”
HOW MANY LAWYERS TOTAL?
“We just hired Randall Jenkins; that makes 20. And we have three law clerks.”
PRACTICE AREAS?
“We have some of the best trial lawyers in the state that do work at the trial and appellate levels in all state and federal courts. Our firm handles almost every type of civil litigation, including an appellate practice, commercial litigation, construction litigation, employment, first amendment, insurance, medical liability, mediation, municipal liability, products liability, professional liability, transportation and workers compensation. We also have a big business and real estate practice where we advice corporate and individual clients in forming, buying and selling businesses. We’ve been active in real estate since the very beginning. We also have a creditor’s rights and bankruptcy practice.”
HAS THE BANKRUPTCY TEAM BEEN BUSY?
“Yes.”
BIG CLIENTS?
Aetna, AIG, Citrus Bank, Delta Airlines, Dow Chemical Co., First Union, Jefferson Smurfit, General Motors, The Jacksonville Port Authority, Marriott Corp., Mercedes-Benz of North America, Merrill Lynch, Sears, Roebuck, Toyota, Vistakon, Walgreen’s and Zurich American Insurance Group. “We represent over 100 major corporations in one way or another.”
LEGAL RELATED ACTIVITIES?
Almost every attorney is a member of the Jacksonville Bar Association, The Florida Bar and American Bar Association. “We are one of the most active firms in Jacksonville in terms of bar activity. Almost every partner is in the Defense Research Institute. We have had two Florida Bar presidents, three presidents of the Jacksonville Bar, three presidents of Kiwanis and several attorneys in Meninak. We have a former chairman of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce. We have three past presidents of the International Association of Defense Trial Attorneys. We have lawyers active in Leadership Jacksonville, JCCI and the Human Rights Commission. We have several attorneys who are in the Chester Bedell Inn of Court. We have several retired Navy officers. And Jim Rinaman was the first general counsel of the [City’s] consolidated government.”
WHAT LAW SCHOOLS ARE REPRESENTED?
The University of Florida, Stetson, Florida State, Mississippi, Washington & Lee, Emory and the University of Baltimore. “In addition to a JD from UF, Steven Galligher also as an MBA from Wharton. Giselle Carsen, one of our new clerks, is our first from Florida Coastal. She graduated first in her class.”
HOW MANY WOMEN WORK AT MARKS GRAY?
“Eight out of 20 not counting two female clerks.”
THE VERY BEGINNING.
Capt. Richard Marks was admitted to practice law in Florida in October 1899. He grew up in Orlando, where his father, a former major in the Confederate Calvary, was mayor of Orlando from 1888-1891. He came to Jacksonville to be an assistant U.S. attorney and practice law. In 1910, the firm was Marks, Marks & Holt , after Richard’s son, Sam and Francis Holt joined the firm. In 1912, the firm moved to the Heard National Bank building until 1960. In 1930, it was Marks, Marks, Holt, Gray & Yates. It represented the Davis family, which soon became Winn-Dixie Enterprises. Harold Sebring later joined the firm and became chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court and the dean of Stetson Law School. In 1940, Richard Marks represented the U.S. in the acquisition of the Jacksonville Naval Air Station. In 1947, it became Marks, Gray, Yates & Conroy — Pat Conroy was the founder of the Jacksonville YMCA. Mark Hulsey (before Smith Hulsey) worked at Marks Gray in 1953. In the 1960s, Marks Gray examined the title for the Disney World Property. Marks, Gray, Conroy & Gibbs was incorporated in 1973. In 1999, the firm became Marks Gray.