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JULY/AUGUST 2015
ExTra legal legacy

Thompson Hine

BY DONALD H. MESSINGER & DAVID J. HOOKER

or over a century, Thompson Hine attorneys frequently approached for advice. A movement for the benefit of Cleveland has ever
has been proud to call Cleveland graduate of Yale College and Yale Law School, been undertaken without numbering Walter
home. The firm traces its origins he served as an assistant attorney general for the Flory among its most aggressive sponsors.”
to 1893, when Amos Burt (A.B.) state of Ohio and was a respected author who
F Thompson was admitted to the Ohio wrote numerous journal articles regarding novel Clients: International Reach, Hometown
Bar and established a commercial law practice legal issues. One of the more notorious cases he Commitment
in the Society for Savings Building on Public handled was an action brought in 1929 against In its 100+ years, Thompson Hine has had the
Square. Charles P. Hine became Thompson’s first what is now the Cuyahoga County Airport by privilege of serving thousands of local, national
partner in 1907, followed by Walter L. Flory in the disgruntled owner of property on the other and global clients, including many prominent
1911, marking the birth of Thompson, Hine and side of the road who complained that the then Cleveland-based companies, some of which the
Flory, the name the firm kept for 90 years before new airport and flying school was a nuisance firm has advised since their beginnings.
shortening it to Thompson Hine in 2001. These and that the planes flying over his property were In the 1930s the firm began its relationship with
three enterprising, civic-minded lawyers built a trespassing. Hine successfully argued for an what is now Parker Hannifin Corporation when
law firm that has contributed to the success of injunction prohibiting planes from flying over Arthur Parker sought assistance to complete a real
many prominent Cleveland businesses and has the property at an altitude of less than 500 feet, estate deal for his growing business, which was
had a lasting impact on the city itself. among other things. He was described as serious building a unique pneumatic braking system for
in the office but more social and creative outside trucks and buses. In 1938 Thompson, Hine and
Founders: Devoted to the Law & Engaged in the office, enjoying golf, writing poetry, drawing Flory handled the company’s incorporation. The
the Community cartoons and adapting the lyrics of popular firm continues to provide legal services to Parker
After graduating from Williams College, songs. He was a longtime member of the Court Hannifin, which has grown into a Fortune 250
Thompson moved to Cleveland to start his of Nisi Prius, a Cleveland lawyers’ club that hosts global leader in motion and control technologies
career. He could not afford to go to law school annual dinners for clients featuring songs and for the industrial and aerospace markets.
but qualified to practice law by “reading” law skits written by club members. Another longtime client is KeyCorp, which
with a Cleveland practitioner. He was smart, Flory, a graduate of Denison University and began as Society for Savings, a mutual savings
hard-working and ambitious, and he recognized Western Reserve University Law School, led the bank founded in 1849. Society successfully
an opportunity when he saw one. So when way in civic engagement. From the firm’s early weathered financial panics and the Great
Congress passed the Bankruptcy Act of 1898, the years through the present, lawyers have been Depression. By the 1950s, its management was
young attorney reasoned that none of the older, encouraged to be active in community and civic ready to grow, but Society’s expansion prospects
more established lawyers in Cleveland had an organizations in Cleveland. Flory epitomized that were limited by its status as a mutual thrift
advantage over him in addressing the first federal commitment. He participated in numerous bar institution owned jointly by its depositors. In
bankruptcy law that gave debtors potential associations, charities and civic groups. In 1912 1958, in the first and only transaction of its kind
protection from their creditors. Thompson he joined other young professionals interested ever completed, Society for Savings converted
decided to specialize in the new Bankruptcy Act in debating the issues of the day in founding to a stock-based entity, Society National Bank.
and developed a premier bankruptcy practice. the City Club of Cleveland; a few years later he The conversion was vigorously challenged by
According to his grandson, Thompson was so was part of the small group of drama enthusiasts other banks that wanted to keep Society from
dedicated to his practice that he memorized the who established the Cleveland Play House. Flory expanding further in the market. Thompson,
Bankruptcy Code and carried a copy of it around was instrumental in the establishment of the Hine and Flory represented Society for Savings
in his breast pocket. His reputation as a shrewd, Citizens League of Cleveland and served as a in the conversion and subsequent litigation,
hard-working professional with high standards lifelong trustee. His interest in the city’s economic defeating the competing banks’ efforts to block
earned him seats on several boards, among development led Mayor Frank Lausche to tap the transaction, and the new Society National
them a directorship with The Cleveland Trust him to lead a citizens’ study in the early 1940s that Bank grew quickly following its successful
Company (which later became AmeriTrust), a resulted in the creation of the Cleveland Planning conversion. During the subsequent decades,
position he held for more than 40 years. Commission, of which Flory was the first vice the firm served as counsel for Society National
Hine came from a family of lawyers and was chair. After his death, the Cleveland City Council Bank and today still advises its successor,
a highly regarded legal practitioner whom other passed a resolution stating “No forward looking KeyCorp. The two organizations have also
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