Cooney Lees Morgan partner Scott Goodwin (right) played the bagpipes and consultant Keith Catran acted as town crier during the firm's 100-year celebrations yesterday.
Bay of Plenty law firm Cooney Lees Morgan kicked off its 100-year celebrations yesterday and marked the occasion with a town crier, a bagpiper and the delivery of birthday cakes.
The firm was started in 1918 when founder Hugh Owen Cooney advertised his services as a solicitor in Te Puke and Tauranga.
His first Tauranga office was on the corner of Spring and Willow Sts in a building that still stands, and his first Te Puke office was on Jellicoe St.
The firm was based largely in Te Puke and made a more concerted move to Tauranga in the early 1930s.
Yesterday at Cooney Lees Morgan's current home – the ANZ Centre building on the corner of Elizabeth St and Cameron Rd in central Tauranga – partner Scott Goodwin played the bagpipes and consultant Keith Catran acted as town crier.
The pair announced the arrival of centenary cakes that were delivered to other companies in the building for staff to share.
Cooney Lees Morgan partner Scott Goodwin (right) played the bagpipes and consultant Keith Catran acted as town crier during the firm's 100-year celebrations yesterday. Photo / Andrew Warner
Goodwin said Cooney Lees Morgan staff were all extremely proud to be associated with a firm that had been involved with the community for 100 years.
"This milestone is testament to the hard work of our staff, both current and former, and the loyalty of our clients. It is important we acknowledge this legacy. Cooney Lees Morgan simply could not exist without people."
He said as the firm looked forward to the next 100 years, there would certainly be change and opportunity.
"We look forward to continuing to service the Bay of Plenty and being part of this vibrant community. Our roots are firmly entrenched in the Bay. It is a region that has supported the firm to get where it is today."
Cooney Lees Morgan partner Murray Denyer said there were not many businesses that could say they had existed for 100 years – "that is a very significant achievement".
"I'm proud to be a part of the firm as it heads into its next century. The firm is in great heart, and I can see within our ranks some of the people who will be the leaders of the firm as the next decade or two of our second century unfolds."
There are now a total of 95 people working for Cooney Lees Morgan and the firm has nine partners, including the founder's grandson Owen Cooney.
The other eight partners are Sally Powdrell (chair of partners), Peter Crombie, Paul Tustin, Matt Tustin, Adam Hopkinson, Murray Denyer, Scott Goodwin, and Mary Hill, who is the newest partner.
HO Cooney's first partner was John 'Andy' Jamieson.
The Jamieson name was only dropped from the firm after HO Cooney's death in 1959.
The names of Cooney's other early partners, Lionel D Lees and Eugene Denis (Ed) Morgan, remain.
