MILLER MAYER, LLP traces its origins to 1985, when True, Walsh & Miller, LLP opened with the goal of offering sophisticated legal services with a focus on business.  Since its founding, the firm has brought together attorneys with decades of experience in a wide range of legal areas. 

Jim Miller and John Hinchcliff have been law partners since the firm's first days.  Jim continues his 20-year career focusing on real estate, matrimonial and family law.  John's practice combines expertise in trusts and estates with civil litigation.

The firm has always been a premier healthcare law firm.  Elena Flash has practiced with the firm since 1989 and now concentrates her practice on representing hospitals, nursing homes, and not-for-profit corporations.  In particular, Elena has expertise with Continuing Care Retirement Communities, having handled the legal work for the first CCRC licensed by the New York State Health Department.

In 1990, Stephen Yale-Loehr returned to Ithaca from Washington, D.C., where he had gained considerable experience in immigration law.   Steve began collaborating with Hilary Fraser and Rosanne Mayer in the summer of 1991.  Hilary and Rosie's skills in management and legal practice complemented Steve's familiarity with developments in academia and with policymaking in Washington.  This combination has made the firm's immigration practice unique.   Since then, the firm has grown and become a nationally known member of the immigration law community.

In 1995, the firm merged with Sovocool, Pfann & Tyler, which had been founded in 1916. George Pfann, Jr. and David Tyler, longstanding partners who practice primarily in real estate, trusts and estates, elderlaw, and municipal law quickly became important members of the Miller Mayer partnership.  Together George and Dave have nearly eighty years of experience as fixtures of the Ithaca legal community.

Continuing the firm's tradition of offering specialized legal services as well as general counsel, Laurie Johnston joined the firm in 1996, offering her expertise in employment law.  She continues to counsel on employment issues as well as various legal issues surrounding healthcare entities.

In 2006, the firm changed its name to Miller Mayer, LLP to reflect its current status as a regional law firm, and its reputation as one of the best firms in upstate New York, offering services in both general practice and specialized areas.  As a partnership of friends, colleagues and equals, the firm looks forward to continuing its traditions in the coming years.

The firm strives for creative, cost-effective and efficient solutions to our clients' legal problems.  We are proud of our reputation for responsiveness.  We genuinely enjoy our work and seek to share our excitement with our clients. We are driven by our core values:

Excellence - Our partners and staff strive to provide high-quality legal counsel to our clients with attention paid to even the smallest detail. 

Integrity - We take very seriously the fiduciary duty implied by the attorney-client relationship and unequivocally uphold these standards.

Attentiveness - We strive to respond quickly to our clients' needs while staying on top of a constantly changing legal environment.

Kinship - Miller Mayer has a community- and family-based office culture.  We cherish our large, highly qualified staff.  We are committed to our community, and our lawyers and staff serve on many community boards. 

Cost-effectiveness - We strive to balance the cost of providing legal services with the need to maintain first-rate work.  We seek out and invest in technology, able staff and other cost-saving methods to provide clients the best service at the lowest cost.

Equality - Miller Mayer is very proud of its twenty-year history as a law firm of friends, colleagues and equals.