History of Eastburn & Gray

The name "Eastburn & Gray" was coined in 1946, upon the formation on January 1 of that year of a partnership between Arthur M. Eastburn, Sr. and Samuel S. Gray, Jr. But the law firm’s origins go back to Arthur’s father, Hugh B. Eastburn (pictured to the left), who was admitted to the Bucks County Bar on August 14, 1877. Today Hugh’s great-grandson, D. Rodman Eastburn, practices with the firm, making it a 130-year old institution.

In 1975, the house at 60 East Court Street, along with the carriage house at the rear of 68 East Court Street, was purchased. The house was erected in 1833 by attorney Charles E. DuBois, Esquire who in 1841 erected on its east side a 12-foot addition for an office. The carriage house, at the northwest corner of Broad Street and Garden Alley, was built in 1860. Both structures had previously been converted into offices.

In 1979, the adjoining house at 62 East Court Street was purchased. It had been built in 1844 by lawyer Stokes L. Roberts and sold by him in 1859 to General W. W. H. Davis. Besides having commanded the Bucks County regiment during the Civil War, General Davis was a lawyer, the governor of the territory of New Mexico, a founder of the Bucks County Historical Society and the Bucks County Bar Association, editor of the Doylestown Democrat, and author of "Doylestown Old and New" published in 1904. He lived in the house until his death in 1910.

The acquisition of the additional house made it possible for the entire firm to operate out of adjacent buildings. Renovations provided access between the houses at 60 and 62 East Court. In 1981, the brick carriage house on Garden Alley at the rear of the former Judge Harman Yerkes property at 50 East Court Street was purchased and renovated into offices and a library. That gave the firm a campus of four attractive red-brick buildings surrounding a landscaped parking lot.

Over recent years Eastburn & Gray has experienced dynamic growth. To serve its roster of individual clients and local, regional and national business clients it has developed strong specialties in areas like taxation, litigation, transactional law, land use, estate planning, employment law, family law and school law.

Besides broadening its legal capabilities, Eastburn & Gray has expanded geographically.  Many of its lawyers are admitted to practice in New Jersey. To serve those clients whose business involves adjoining Montgomery County, the firm in 2003 purchased a building in Blue Bell, and plans for an addition to the building are in preparation.

Over its history the firm has always encouraged participation by its members in the affairs of the community and of the Bucks County Bar Association. Seven of them have served as president of the Association: Samuel Gray, Jr.; Art Eastburn, Jr.; William H. Eastburn, III; Frank Gallagher; Jay Karsch; Jeff Finley; and Judith Algeo.

Over its 130 years Eastburn & Gray has grown and developed in a manner which parallels that of the community it serves. Its growth from a single lawyer in 1877 to 28 lawyers in 2012 is matched by the growth of Doylestown from a sleepy small town into a thriving suburban community and the growth of central Bucks County from a rural, agricultural area into one of the fastest growing suburban areas of the Commonwealth. In that time estate planning has evolved from the drafting of wills to the development of elaborate estate plans. Real estate practice has evolved from the preparation of deeds into the complex land use and transactional real estate activities of the present era. Representation of individuals has expanded to include advocacy for national corporations.

Eastburn & Gray looks forward with confidence to many more years of serving the law, the courts and our clients.