FOR 80 years, Myers, Fletcher & Gordon (MFG) have been pillars of legal excellence in Jamaica, defying the odds and pushing the boundaries of innovation. As the firm celebrates this milestone anniversary, its managing partner, Christopher Earl Kelman, reflects on the journey that has made MFG the largest and most respected law firm in the English-speaking Caribbean.

The law firm was originally called Myers, Myers, and Fletcher when it was founded on April 1, 1944, as it was formed by Frank Myers, his father Alfred Myers, and [family friend] Douglas Fletcher before Wesley (WSK) Gordon, who was more affectionately known as “Whisky” Gordon, joined the law firm, which became Myers, Fletcher & Gordon some 10 years later.

“They wanted to open and establish a firm that always had excellence at its centre—excellence in the practice of law. And they thought that with their combined experience and their motivation and learning, they would bring all of this to the establishment of a new law firm in Jamaica,” Kelman told the
Jamaica Observer in an interview at the five-storey building situated at East Street.

By the 1960s, the firm saw sporadic growth, and it became the largest firm in Jamaica, a position it still holds. This growth was credited to the arrival of the late Patrick Rousseau, former head of the West Indies Cricket Board and a very well-known businessman and lawyer in Jamaica.

“Although [he was] not a founding partner, [he was] certainly of that class of partner,” said Kelman.

In the early days of Myers, Fletcher & Gordon, the law firm grew steadily, bringing on board lawyers who shared the same vision and values. Initially, the firm consisted of just four individuals, but as the legal landscape in Jamaica evolved, so did the firm.

At the time, the legal profession in Jamaica was divided into two distinct branches: solicitors and barristers. Solicitors, like those at Myers, Fletcher & Gordon, handled general legal work such as drafting documents, wills, and commercial agreements, while barristers like Norman Manley, QC and David Coore, QC, who subsequently joined the firm, specialised in courtroom advocacy.

Before the establishment of the Norman Manley law school at the University of the West Indies, lawyers in training were known as articled clerks. These aspiring lawyers would work at firms like Myers, Fletcher & Gordon for five years, gaining practical experience before taking exams to become qualified solicitors.

Between 1944 and 1972, Myers, Fletcher & Gordon took on many articled clerks, who later became qualified solicitors and contributed to the firm’s growth. The firm’s expansion was gradual; with the typical law firm in Jamaica at the time having fewer than 10 lawyers, MFG had up to 20 lawyers, which, according to Kelman, was ‘unknown at the time,’ making it the largest law firm by the 1970s in the English-speaking Caribbean.

Myers, Fletcher & Gordon’s innovative approach extended to its physical space. In 1974, the firm opened a modern five-storey building in Kingston, a departure from the traditional small chambers on Duke Street which lawyers occupied up to that time. The building was designed to be more than just a physical space, more like an institution, showcasing art and artefacts while promoting Jamaican culture.

“We built and opened this five-storey building in 1974 and filled it with artefacts, as you see here throughout the building,” Kelman explained.

The construction of Myers, Fletcher & Gordon’s five-storey building in the 1970s was met with some scepticism, with many questioning the firm’s bold approach. Despite the political turmoil and economic uncertainty of the time, which saw many law firms contracting and some partners migrating, Myers, Fletcher & Gordon’s leaders remained resolute in their commitment to Jamaica’s growth. By choosing to expand and invest in the country’s future, the firm’s founders demonstrated a courageous and visionary mindset that has become a hallmark of their legacy.

Myers, Fletcher & Gordon’s early history is marked by two different locations. Until 1974, the firm operated from 36 Duke Street, now home to British Caribbean Insurance Company (BCIC).

Myers, Fletcher & Gordon made another bold move in the 1980s, venturing into the financial sector by acquiring several small banks and lending institutions. The firm established MF&G Trust and Finance Limited, a licensed merchant bank. This unprecedented move marked the first time a law firm in Jamaica had owned a merchant bank.

“It was sometime in the 1980s, and it was obviously operated by professionals, but it was 100 per cent owned by the law firm and operated as a successful merchant bank,” Kelman told the Business Observer.

The merchant bank was sold in 2018 to the Barita group and rebranded as Cornerstone Limited. MFG continued to innovate, expanding its services in 2003, to include MFG Asset Management Limited, a licensed securities dealer.

In 1995, MFG expanded to London, opening an office of solicitors in partnership with an English solicitor. This move was a first for a Caribbean law firm and a bold step into the English legal market. London was chosen due to its shared legal heritage with Jamaica, making it a natural fit for the firm’s expansion. The London office has been operating successfully ever since, with a complement of 21 staff members. MFG also became the first Jamaican law firm to venture into the Caribbean market in 1997, establishing an office in the British Virgin Islands. This strategic expansion was achieved through a merger with a local firm, which lasted for several years before it’s the partnership was dissolved in the 2000s.

Today, MFG is now a full-service law firm with 30 members offering expertise in every area of the law, with the exception of criminal practice. This is as a result of evolution over the years as its early focus was on housing and real estate. The firm’s approach is centred on attorney specialisation, with each of it’s members focusing on specific areas such as real estate, litigation, or commercial transactions. This approach allows for the development of expertise, enabling lawyers to master their areas of practice and provide top-notch services to clients. Kelman’s philosophy is that specialisation leads to expertise, and expertise yields superior results. By avoiding a “jack-of-all-trades” approach MFG is able to delivers high-quality services to its clients, noted Kelman.

The law firm, which currently boasts over 30 attorneys, is set to recruit new talent from the law school summer intake, pushing its numbers up to 35 in the short term. However, growth in size is not the sole objective; the firm’s primary focus is on increasing revenue earnings to enhance partner profitability. MFG has a reputation for nurturing its attorneys’ expertise, and this approach will continue as the firm strives to attract the best and brightest legal minds, who view joining the firm as a coveted opportunity.

For now, the firm is concentrated on building and developing its practice at 21 East Street, but future plans are already on the horizon for further growth in size.

“We’re happy and proud of our 80th anniversary. Not a lot of firms in Jamaica make it to 80. I think making it to 80 is an achievement in itself. But I think making it to 80, bigger and better than where it was in 1944, is also a massive achievement,” Kelman said proudly.