Our History
Favored with the discovery of gold in the early 1800s and its advantageous position at the junction
of railroad lines and highways, Charlotte has long been a bustling center of commerce. And since 1922,
Johnston, Allison & Hord has been a vital contributor of legal services to Charlotte's business
community.
Our founders, Claude Cochran and Frank McCleneghan, laid the cornerstone of our tradition of integrity
and high-quality service. They knew that a lawyer's mission is to serve as an advocate, helping clients
achieve their goals. They took seriously the responsibility for reflecting, through their actions, the
integrity, honesty and character of their clients. They enjoyed that responsibility, as we do today.
They built a thriving practice and contributed to their community, each serving as president of the
Mecklenburg County Bar during the 1940s.
With the addition of Bob Lassiter and Tommy Miller, the firm soon grew to four lawyers - the perfect
size, in the opinion of the founding partners. Through the deaths of Claude Cochran (1958) and Frank
McCleneghan (1970) and the arrival of Morry Johnston (1966) and Jim Allison (1971), the partners
continued their "no more than four" policy.
In the early 1980s, we grew to five partners, and have since broadened our practice through a policy
of controlled growth. Today we have more than 40 attorneys, but we continue to believe in growth only
as needed to serve our clients - not merely for the sake of growth. And we believe that the size of a
firm is far less important than the quality and professional manner in which the firm practices law.
We take pride in our strength and our service, rather than our size.
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“I often marvel at the wisdom of our founders, who knew instinctively
their own definition of success: don't be the biggest, be the best.”
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