Dayton Litigation and Trial Attorneys
Building Relationships
Finding Solutions
At Bieser Greer, we are known as a trusted Ohio law firm. Our team has been serving businesses and families in the Dayton community for more than 170 years.
Premier Legal Representation for Clients in Dayton, Ohio Since 1854
Our Practice Areas
A Tradition of Exceptional Service
Since 1854, we have helped companies and individuals solve their problems – in and out of the courtroom. Our approach to litigation is simple: We build relationships with our clients and work with them towards common sense solutions to their problems.
At Bieser Greer, we conscientiously strive to avoid spending time and our clients’ money on collateral and secondary disputes and issues. Instead, we focus on resolving the underlying disputes without creating side issues that generate legal fees and provide little or no benefit for our clients. Therefore, we subscribe to the admonition, “Never mistake motion for action.” By understanding our clients’ situations and focusing on practical solutions to their problems, we can effectively and efficiently advocate on their behalf and protect their interests.
Over A Century Of Local Legal Advocacy
Bieser Greer was founded in Dayton, Ohio, in 1854 – seven years before the start of the American Civil War. Weathering events such as the Great Flood of Dayton, the Great Depression and many firm name changes, Bieser Greer’s roots are deeply planted in history.
Our team of attorneys has been involved in a number of historically significant cases and other legal matters, including the drafting of the Miami Conservancy Act, the Estate of Orville Wright and the return of the Wright Flyer to the U.S. from England, and the incorporation of the People’s Railway, predecessor to the City Transit Company and the Miami Valley Regional Transit Authority.
Many of the firm’s partners throughout the years have acted as presidents of the Dayton Bar Association. The firm’s current attorneys continue to be actively involved in bar associations as well as other non-legal and charitable organizations in our community.
The firm Vallandigham & McMahon (predecessor Bieser Greer) was formed.
The Attorney Whose Defense Was Too Perfect (as published in Ripley’s Believe it or Not)
Clement Vallandigham (1820-1871) defending an accused murderer in Lebanon, Ohio pledged in his opening statement to the jury that he would prove that if his client had handled the gun in the manner charged he would have killed himself! Practicing with a loaded revolver in front of a mirror on the eve of his summation address, Vallandigham accidentally killed himself.
The firm became known as McMahon & McMahon with the arrival of McMahon’s son, J. Sprigg McMahon. Five years later, they were joined by another lawyer, H.L. Ferneding. Previous associates of John A. McMahon in the practice include George W. Houk (a. 1847) and John McMahon Sprigg (a. 1865).
After Robert G. Corwin (a. 1901) and Robert K. Landis (a. 1911) became partners in the firm, the name was changed from McMahon & McMahon to McMahon, Corwin & Landis.
Following the Great Dayton Flood of 1913, John A. McMahon drafted the Miami Conservancy Act to form the first consortium of governmental entities for a conservation project. The Act itself will serve as a model for the TVA and other New Deal legislation.
The firm changed its name to Landis, Ferguson, Bieser & Greer.
The firm changed its name to Bieser, Greer & Landis. At that time, the associates in the firm were Charles S. Bridge (a. 1948), Charles D. Shook (a. 1952), Douglas K. Ferguson (a. 1955) & Edward L. Shank (a. 1965). David C. Greer joined the firm in the following year.
David C. Greer & Leo F. Krebs argued the school desegregation case of Brinkman v. Gilligan before the United States Supreme Court. They would be involved in this litigation for a total of 10 years, a series of District Court trials, three trips to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and another oral argument before the United States Supreme Court.
David C. Greer published “Sluff of History’s Boot Soles,” which chronicles Dayton’s 200-year sweep of legal history against the background of the country’s three revolutions during that period. Greer brought personalities to life through drama or the telling of comic episodes.
Bieser Greer celebrated its 160th anniversary in 2014. Its current attorneys collectively have in excess of 350 years of legal practice with in-depth experience in all varieties of courtroom disputes. Over the course of its history, nine partners have been president of the Dayton Bar Association. The firm’s associates are the wave of its future. They are heirs to the character traits given to the firm by its two founders – the personal courage that caused one to speak up with indifference to popularity or consequence, and the personal dedication that caused the other to dedicate 69 years of life to the profession.
Committed To Protecting Our Clients, Both Professionally And Personally
The attorneys of Bieser Greer provide sophisticated legal advice and advocacy for a full spectrum of complex legal matters involving business and corporate disputes, business formation and counseling, professional liability, construction disputes, criminal charges, family law, medical malpractice and other wrongful death and personal injury claims. We complement a strong emphasis on litigation with general practice services in the fields of for-profit and non-profit business and professional organization and related transactions.
We Help You Explore Your Legal Options
There are many alternatives to trial, and while the lawyers of Bieser Greer are experienced in the various forms of alternative dispute resolution, we are advocates of only two of these forms: binding arbitration and mediation.
The choice between trial and arbitration, if such a choice is available, is dependent on the facts and issues presented by a given dispute. Mediation, however, when properly timed and undertaken, has proven effective in almost every matter and every substantive area that becomes the subject of litigation. Our attorneys have served as mediators, arbitrators and, on thousands of occasions, counsel for parties to such proceedings.
Choosing the right strategy requires a tailored approach and experienced legal counsel. Reach out to Bieser Greer today to discuss how our attorneys can help guide you toward a successful resolution. You can call our office directly at 937-230-9964 or send us a message through our website.
The Team at Bieser Greer
We take pride in our team of attorneys and supporting staff. Every member of our firm – from partner to paralegal – is committed to meeting the needs of our clients. The majority of the firm’s attorneys carry the highest eligibility rating in Martindale-Hubbell.
Jennifer L. Brogan
James H. Greer
John F. Haviland Jr.
Amber R. Mullaly
Joseph C. Oehlers
Matthew M. Suellentrop
Trisha M. Duff
Kaylin R. Jarecki
Jaren A. Hardesty
Catherine H. Jackson
Derek L. Muncy
David C. Greer
Leo F. Krebs
Howard P. Krisher II
David P. Williamson
Our Partners
Our Attorneys
Of Counsel Attorneys
Hear What Past Clients Have To Say
