King & Spalding history

When Calhoun joined in 1887, he was apparently such a significant figure that his new partners added his name first, to become Calhoun, King & Spalding.

When Little departed, Marvin Underwood joined, and in 1909 the firm became King, Spalding & Underwood.

In 1918, the presidential administration of King's and Spalding's former Atlanta law colleague Wilson appointed King Solicitor General of the United States.

Because of his former partner's departure for Washington, Spalding had to reorganize the firm, taking on Daniel MacDougald and John A. Sibley as partners under the name Spalding, MacDougald & Sibley in 1920.

Two years later, he received an appointment as United States Circuit Judge of the Fifth Circuit, a position he held until 1925.

In 1935, MacDougald left and Pope Brock and Robert B. Troutman became partners, so that the firm became Spalding, Sibley, Troutman & Brock.

Spalding died in 1938, leaving three children, the eldest of whom would become a partner in the law firm.

In 1949, the firm began hiring graduates other than the sons or other relatives of present partners.

In a 1985 article about increasing competition for legal positions in Atlanta, the Journal and Constitution noted that the city's work environment was becoming more like that of New York.

In a 1989 article entitled "Lawyers Eager to Defend White-Collar Crime Cases," Robert Luke of the Journal and Constitution suggested that white-collar crime would overtake drug-related crime as a lucrative new market for prestigious law firms.

Pursuing new opportunities related to the rapid corporate expansion of the 80s, King & Spalding established its New York office in 1990.

The Atlanta paper, in a 1992 article, indicated that King & Spalding was "profiting from public debt."

By 1994, King & Spalding was without a doubt the oldest, largest (284 lawyers), and fastest-growing law firm in Atlanta.