What Brown, Hay & Stephens does

Brown, Hay & Stephens, LLP is the oldest law firm in Illinois, operating continuously since 1828 when founder John Todd Stuart opened a practice in Springfield (Abraham Lincoln practiced at the firm early in his career). Headquartered in Springfield with three additional offices in Decatur, Bloomington, and Hinsdale, the firm operates as a full-service Illinois LLP providing legal counsel across 25 documented practice areas spanning litigation (civil, criminal, appellate, professional liability, medical malpractice defense), transactional work (business law, banking and financial institutions, creditors' rights, real estate), regulatory and government-facing practice (administrative, environmental, education, legislative advocacy, municipal), and individual client services (estate planning, family law, personal injury, DUI). The firm is structured as a privately-held limited liability partnership with no external investors or parent company, controlled by its partners under Managing Partner Charles Y. Davis (since January 2020).

The firm has no proprietary technology platform; its core technology is described as standard legal practice tooling for case management, document preparation, and client communications. Revenue is generated exclusively through billable professional services rendered on hourly, fixed-fee, or matter-specific fee arrangements to a diverse client base spanning healthcare providers, educational institutions (K-12 districts and higher education), units of local government, banks from community to Fortune 500 scale, agricultural clients, and individuals. Named engagements include general outside counsel work for Dot Foods (the nation's largest foodservice re-distributor), representation of the Illinois Farm Bureau in landmark Illinois Supreme Court utility cases, and healthcare professional liability defense.

Client acquisition is reputation-driven and referral-based, supported by 198 years of brand equity, the firm's location in the state capital (enabling direct access to Illinois legislative, executive, and judicial branches), Meritas global alliance membership (242 markets, 7,448 lawyers), bar association recognition (Leading Lawyers since 2003, Super Lawyers since 2004), and sustained civic and pro bono engagement. Distribution is via direct attorney-client engagement through the four Illinois offices plus phone, email, and virtual consultations, with no disclosed pricing transparency.

Name

Brown, Hay & Stephens

Legal name

Brown, Hay & Stephens, LLP

Website

https://bhslaw.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1828

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Brown, Hay & Stephens is the oldest law firm in Illinois (founded 1828), a Springfield-based full-service LLP with four offices across Illinois serving healthcare, education, government, banking, agricultural, and individual clients across 25 practice areas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Litigation & Dispute Resolution (BPAHAAAB)

Keywords

• Legal services
• Litigation practice
• Business law
• Estate planning
• Government law

Headquarters

HQ city

Springfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Legal Services - Professional Fees: The firm generates revenue through billable legal services across its practice areas including litigation, transactional work, regulatory compliance, and advisory services. Services are rendered to diverse clients including businesses, government entities, healthcare providers, financial institutions, and individuals on an hourly fee, fixed-fee, or matter-specific basis.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Brown, Hay & Stephens is the oldest law firm in Illinois (founded 1828), operating as a full-service law firm providing legal counsel across more than 25 practice areas. Services include civil and appellate litigation, business transactions, banking and financial institutions law, government and municipal representation, healthcare law, education law, agricultural law, environmental and energy law, estate planning and probate, family law, criminal defense, labor and employment, intellectual property, real estate, mediation and arbitration, and legislative advocacy.

Product overview

Brown, Hay & Stephens is a full-service law firm offering comprehensive legal services through 25 distinct practice areas. The firm provides legal counsel across multiple domains including business transactions, litigation, government relations, estate planning, healthcare law, and specialized regulatory areas. The practice areas operate as distinct service lines that attorneys specialize in, with some attorneys maintaining practices across multiple areas. The firm has deep roots in Illinois dating to 1828 and is the oldest law firm in the state.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Administrative Law

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully represented Illinois Farm Bureau in landmark Illinois Supreme Court ruling (2017) that Rock Island Clean Line does not qualify as a public utility under Illinois law, ending a $2 billion transmission line project.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Meritas Global Alliance of Independent Business Law FirmscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Brown, Hay & Stephens has been awarded recertification in Meritas, a selective global alliance of independent business law firms. As a condition of membership, firms must complete recertification every three years. Meritas provides an extensive due diligence process and quality assurance program that includes self-assessment, peer review by other member firms, and client feedback. The alliance serves clients across 242 global markets with 7,448 lawyers, enabling Brown, Hay & Stephens to refer and receive multi-jurisdictional client matters and maintain quality standards.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Howard & Howard Attorneys: Peoria-headquartered Illinois-based full-service firm of similar size serving business, banking, and individual clients. Directly comparable as a mid-size Illinois full-service competitor.
• Heyl, Royster, Voelker & Allen: Peoria, Illinois-based regional mid-size firm founded in the 1800s that operates as a full-service business law firm serving clients across central and northern Illinois. Comparable in size, breadth, and target market to BHS, with strong litigation, healthcare, and banking practices.
• Dykema Gossett: Detroit-based Midwest regional full-service firm of similar size profile serving business, government, and individual clients across multiple states. Comparable as a regional full-service firm with similar practice breadth and mid-market enterprise clients.
• Sandberg Phoenix & von Gontard: St. Louis-based mid-size full-service firm with comparable practice areas in litigation, healthcare, banking, and business law. Comparable as a peer mid-size regional firm serving business clients across the Midwest.
• McMahon Berger & Keleher: St. Louis, Missouri-based mid-size full-service firm of similar size with overlapping practice areas in litigation, labor and employment, banking, and government law. Comparable regional peer serving Midwest institutional clients.
• Hinshaw & Culbertson: Chicago-based Illinois firm of similar mid-size profile with national reach, providing full-service business, litigation, and regulatory counsel. Comparable regional Illinois firm with broader national footprint, sharing overlapping practice areas in insurance defense, banking, and government law.
• Sorling Northrup: Sorling Northrup is a Springfield, Illinois-based full-service law firm of comparable size, practice breadth, and regional footprint. Direct local competitor in central Illinois with overlapping practice areas including litigation, business, estate planning, and government law.

Broad incumbents

• Thompson Coborn Hahn & Hedeen: Springfield, Illinois office of a larger St. Louis-based full-service firm serving government, banking, education, and healthcare clients across the Midwest. Overlaps with BHS in government, education, and banking practice areas, but operates with broader geographic and practice scale.
• Holland & Knight: National full-service firm with strong government, healthcare, and litigation practices. Broader incumbent competitor for institutional clients in BHS's verticals, including engagements involving state and federal regulatory matters.
• Greenberg Traurig: Global AmLaw 50 firm with significant government law, healthcare, banking, and litigation practices operating across multiple jurisdictions. Broader incumbent in BHS's practice verticals but does not specialize in central Illinois government work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BHSLaw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/brown-hay-&-stephens-llp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Brown, Hay & Stephens