Leonard D. Jacoby, Legal Pioneer, Dies at 83

Leonard D. Jacoby was born in 1942, in Lorain, Ohio and was 4 years old when his family moved to the San Fernando Valley.    He passed away, according to his daughter from complications of cardiac arrest in a New York Hospital. Leonard D. Jacoby is survived by his daughter Sharre Jacoby, a son Tom Nelson; stepdaughters Lindsey Schank and Laurie Arent; five grandchildren; and his sister, Sandra Klein.

A statement, not on their website, attributed to Michael Akiva, of Los Angeles, a managing partner at the firm was presented by the New York Times Syndicate thru various new outlets: “Len was a visionary leader who fundamentally transformed the legal industry for both the profession and the public,” and “His commitment to the middle class challenged long-standing barriers and brought quality legal representation to those who previously had nowhere to turn.” Leonard D. Jacoby, 83, dies; Jacoby & Meyers brought legal services to the masses – Daily Breeze

Key facts about Jacoby & Meyers

• The goal of the young partners was "to make legal advice affordable and accessible for middle-class families." Along the way they opened the door for attorneys to advertise, perhaps an equally significant achievement.
• Their original office, opened in 1972, was located in a Van Nuys shopping center, most likely 5626 Van Nuys Boulevard.
• Similarly, their offices across California and selected states were in suburbs and strip malls; and their hours accommodated those who needed late night access, middle class families.
• An April 1996 article in the L.A. Times, following the death of Stephen Z. Meyers in an auto accident, related "They chose Van Nuys because it was the center of the San Fernando Valley’s vast middle class, their target market"
• They no longer have a dedicated office in the San Fernando Valley.
• Jacoby was inducted, in 1994, as the first recipient of the National Trial Lawyers Advertising Hall of Fame, because of his successful litigation, which went to the U.S. Supreme Court, against the American Bar Association.  (Jacoby v. State Bar) and (Bates v. State Bar of Arizona) were decided in favor giving attorneys the right to advertise their legal services.  Why Len Jacoby Is a Legal Advertising Trailblazer | Hennessey Digital
• The pair split up, thru litigation, in 1994. Their Best Argument Was With Each Other - Los Angeles Times
• According to the Jacoby and Meyers website: "50 years and more than $2B in settlements, no one has won as much for their clients for as long as Jacoby & Meyers and we will get you the settlement you deserve, because you deserve justice."

jacobyandmeyers.com/about/

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