McNutt & Wrigley, LLC
A Brief History of the Firm
Moore, Susler, McNutt & Wrigley, L.L.C. a general practice law firm, was founded in 1923 by Raymond E. Denz and Edward Buckner. Both veterans of World War I, they were the best of friends while they attended Harvard Law School following their discharges. That friendship lead to the creation of a partnership known as Denz & Buckner which had its offices in the Standard Life Building (now Millikin Court) and moved in 1930 to the Citizens' National Bank Building (now Barnes-Citizen's Building), both located in downtown Decatur on Water Street. The partnership ended in 1948 with the sudden, untimely death of Mr. Buckner.
Mr. Denz continued in the practice of law at the same location, later adding partners who included: Herbert B. Lowe, Daniel M. Moore, Jr. and William A. McNutt. Mr. Denz died in 1981, after 60 years of legal practice. Thereafter, the firm added partner Robert I. Wrigley in 1983. Mr. Wrigley had been an Assistant State's Attorney in Macon County, and was in general private practice when he came to the firm. Mr. Lowe retired in 1988 after practicing law for 60 years, and is now deceased.
Shortly before Mr. Lowe's retirement, the firm merged its practice with Marshall A. Susler, a senior trial lawyer, who had been a former partner in a Decatur law firm. Mr. Susler's past legal associations had been with several distinguished lawyers, having begun his career as an associate of the firm of McMillan, McMillan & Garmen. Coincidentally, Mr. Denz, many years before, had also been employed as an associate lawyer by that firm's predecessor, then known as McMillan & McMillan, before he started his own law firm.
In 1993 the firm moved its office to its present location at 3071 North Water across from the Brettwood Village Shopping Center.
S. Greg Johnson joined the firm in 2003. Mr. Johnson, as a former trust officer in a local and regional bank, has extensive experience in estate planning, probate, guardianship, federal and state tax. Additionally, he is a CPA and stockbroker with AXA Advisors.
Nicholas C. Phipps joined the firm as an associate attorney in 2004. He is a recent law graduate of DePaul University in Chicago.
The Honorable John L. Davis joined our firm in 2006, following a distinguished career of 28 years as a Circuit Court Judge in Macon County, Illinois. He has extensive experience in all areas of litigation and concentrates his practice in personal injury and family law.
Current active lawyers are Mr. McNutt, Mr. Wrigley, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Phipps and Mr. Davis. Semi-retired and acting Of Counsel for the firm are Mr. Moore and Mr. Susler.
The law firm has a broad General Legal Practice. It accepts cases in Estates and Probate, Elder Law, Real Estate, Corporations and Partnerships, Business Litigation, Discrimination and Employment Law, Divorce, Custody and Support Disputes, Criminal and Traffic, Workers Compensation, Personal Injury Claims and Military Law. The firm is also skilled in arbitration and has mediation services available.