Attorneys at Law Since 1892
A Brief History
Geary Attorneys and the GSOGM Law Firm
Thomas J. Geary passes the bar and opens his practice in Petaluma in 1872.
Thomas moves his practice to Santa Rosa in 1876.
Thomas is elected to Congress in 1890 and serves two terms until 1894.
Two of Thomas' sons, Finlaw and Donald, become attorneys and practice with their father following his time in Congress.
Donald is appointed Superior Court Judge of Sonoma County at the age of 31.
The firm changes names a few times in the ensuing years - Geary and Geary, Geary and Tauzer, and Geary, Spridgen and Moskowitz are among the various incarnations.
Donald's son Bill also becomes an attorney and after Donald retires from the bench and Bill returns to Santa Rosa after serving in the Korean War, together they form the firm as it is today in 1958. (Read Bill Geary's bio.)
Jack Shea (1930-1985) joins the firm in 1960. Santa Rosa's Federal Building is renamed the John F. Shea Federal Building in 1990.
Dick Pawson (1934-1976) joins the firm in 1962.
The firm offices move to current location in the Empire Building in Santa Rosa's Old Courthouse Square in 1964.
Mike O'Donnell (1940-2000) joins the firm in 1970. The California State Senate passes a Memorial Resolution honoring Mike's lifetime achievements on March 24th, 2000.
Pat Grattan joins the firm in 1977.
Bill's son, John Geary, a fourth generation family attorney, joins the firm in 1990.
In addition to Pat Grattan, Bill and John Geary, the current shareholders of the firm are: Steve Mitchell (1989); John Holdredge (1992); Michael Carlson (1996); Leo Bartolotta (2007); and Ray Fullerton, Jr. (2009).
In 2006, the firm changed its name to Geary, Shea, O'Donnell, Grattan & Mitchell, adding Steve Mitchell's name.
Matthew Good, Jenna Holthouse, Robert Henkels and Tarik Naber joined as associates in 2008.
