Making Legal Services Accessible to All
On September 20, 1972, Stephen Meyers and Leonard Jacoby opened the first office of Jacoby and Meyers in Van Nuys, California. They chose a location in a shopping center to make the office easily accessible for the average person. This office marked the launch of the first legal clinic in the United States, pioneering a revolutionary concept in legal services.
Recognizing the need for a full-service law firm dedicated to middle-income individuals—who could neither afford expensive attorneys nor qualify for free legal services—the partners restructured the traditional neighborhood law office.
This approach allowed them to provide quality legal services at reasonable fees to a high volume of clients, establishing Jacoby and Meyers as America’s most recognized law firm.
The first law office opened its doors to the public in the second week of September 1972. The storefront law office was located at 6511 Van Nuys Blvd in the San Fernando Valley. A 1973 article published by Harper’s magazine described the office on opening day as, “Through the window the usual philodendron standing in the corner of the waiting room. A sign, “Peace and goodwill are not just words…” hung up on the wall, and a coffee table placed in front of a black Naugahyde couch was littered by magazines. “Initial consultation fee $15,” read a notice at one end of the receptionist desk, and a stack of brochures entitled “A message to our clients” waited at the other”.
