HISTORY OF DDS

Doar, Drill & Skow History

  • DD&Swhere we start

    1883

    Since 1883, Doar, Drill & Skow has employed the esteemed talents of a former Wisconsin governor, State legislator, a State Bar Association president, and even the U.S. House of Representatives counsel for Richard Nixon’s impeachment hearing.
  • DD&SFounding of the Firm

    1884

    Life-long Wisconsin resident, Frank Fuller, founded the firm in 1883. In 1884, he persuaded his law clerk, William McNally, to take the bar exam and together they formed the law firm of Fuller & McNally.
  • DD&SA Permanent Home in New Richmond

    1901

    After Fuller’s retirement the next year, McNally continued the practice until his death in 1923. In 1901, he moved the law office into a new building on the corner of First Street and Knowles Avenue, in New Richmond, where it still stands today.
  • DD&SW.T. Doar Joins the Firm & Doar Leads the Wisconsin Bar

    1908 - 1931

    In 1908, W.T. Doar joined McNally’s practice, upon graduating from law school in Washington, D.C. A short time later, Doar’s name was added to the firm. Over the course of the first half of the 20th century, Doar gained recognition throughout northern Wisconsin as a vigorous and diligent trial and appellate lawyer, exhibited further by his dedicated service as President of the Wisconsin Bar Association in 1931. The firm continues to bear Doar’s name to this day.
  • DD&SFuture Governor Warren P. Knowles Arrives

    1933 - 1935

    Son of a Pierce County judge and future governor of Wisconsin, attorney Warren P. Knowles joined the firm’s ranks in 1933. In 1935, the firm’s name was changed to Doar & Knowles. In following with the firm’s long-standing belief that its members, while concentrating on the Wisconsin legal issues of their individual and corporate clients, should also be involved in public service, Knowles would go on to serve as a state legislator and eventually Governor of Wisconsin from 1964 to 1970.
  • DD&SJohn Doar Enters the U.S. Justice Department

    1960 - 1970

    W.T. Doar’s youngest son, John, would also carry on the noble traditions emphasized by the firm and his father, by becoming a key member in the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice in 1960. He became Assistant Attorney General, in charge of that division from 1964 to 1966, and would go on to serve as a director of President Richard Nixon’s Impeachment Inquiry.
  • DD&SDrill and Skow Strengthen the Legacy

    James Drill & Ardell Skow

    Attorneys James Drill and Ardell Skow eventually joined the firm, making up the Doar, Drill & Skow moniker enjoyed by the firm to this day. At the height of their practices, both Jim and Dell were active locally as well as on a state level. Jim served as a member of the New Richmond City Counsel, where he has resided for many years. He also served as President of the Wisconsin Academy of Trial Lawyers and was a member of the Wisconsin Judicial Counsel. Dell served on the Wisconsin Bar Association’s Board of Governors as well as the Executive Committee. In addition to his past service on a state level, Dell was an active member of the St. Croix Valley Bar Association, including past President. Both Jim and Dell were the recipients of a great many awards, including Wisconsin Super Lawyers and Best Lawyer in America.
  • DD&SLeadership and Statewide Recognition

    Present

    Active involvement in public service remains a hallmark of the firm today. Numerous attorneys have held positions of leadership in the St. Croix Valley Bar Association and the Wisconsin State Bar Association. Most of the attorneys are members of the Minnesota State Bar Association, the Wisconsin Association for Justice, and the American Association for Justice. They are also active participants in the Wills for Heroes program and area legal clinics.
  • DD&SA Tradition of Public Service Continues

    Today

    Today, Doar, Drill & Skow continues to serve the people of Wisconsin with the same care, integrity, and results that have marked the past 138 years. If you have been injured in an accident or have other legal concerns, you can select Doar, Drill & Skow with confidence. Our attorneys are well-known and highly respected by their peers. We are proud to be one of the top personal injury law firms in Western Wisconsin, practicing in – and giving back to – our community.
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