In March of 2004, lawyers Charlie Davis and Greg Miles – who had long held to the vision of “access to the law,” (Davis founded the popular legal news website law.com on this premise in 1998), made a momentous and innovative decision. Their firm would become the legal services provider to LegalShield (which at the time was named Pre-Paid Legal). The firm would continue
to provide sophisticated, strategic counsel to companies and businesses of all sizes throughout Arizona and beyond, and it would also provide outstanding legal services to small businesses and individuals who might not otherwise have access to justice – through LegalShield. Fifteen years later, Davis Miles McGuire Gardner is the legal provider for LegalShield customers in Arizona and New Mexico.
2004 Facts:
Name: On March 1, 2004, the firm was named Davis Miles, PLLC and LegalShield was named Pre-Paid Legal.
Size: The law firm more than doubled the size on March 1, 2004 growing to about 40 employees (20 attorneys, 20 staff). Today, the firm is at 135 employees, including nearly 70 lawyers.
The firm today is ranked by Ranking Arizona as the #2 large law firm in the entire state, and is ranked as a leader (top 10) in 11 different categories – including being the number one law firm in the state for bankruptcy law in 2018.
Both entities continue to win like the Patriots (who also won the Superbowl 15 years ago).
From the LegalShield website:
• With 1.75 million members enrolled, LegalShield’s legal plans
currently protect 4.375 million lives in all 50 United States and 4 Canadian provinces.
• More than 34,000 companies offer LegalShield plans to their employees as a voluntary benefit.
• LegalShield’s Provider Law Firms employ 900 lawyers, plus an additional 4,800 referral lawyers.
• LegalShield’s provider lawyers have been with their law firms for an average of 22 years.
• Each year, LegalShield law firms receive more than two million calls from members.
From Davis Miles: From March 1, 2004 through February 28, 2019, Davis Miles McGuire Gardner took approximately 1,533,000 phone calls and opened files 1,008,541 times for LegalShield members. That includes 614,202 new files, and 394,339 times that files were reopened for whatever reason. The firm has worked on LegalShield members’ legal matters over a million times over the 15-year period.
In late February and early March, an open house was held at the firm to welcome LegalShield representatives and a weekend picnic was enjoyed by both law firm lawyers and LegalShield representatives to commemorate 15 years of great teamwork — providing Arizona and New Mexico the access to justice Charlie and Greg always envisioned.
– photo above: Brenda Anderson and Bill Harrel pose for a special picture at February open house.