EVOLVING practice

FRASER STRYKER CELEBRATES 125-YEAR MILESTONE

Nebraska had only been a state for 30 years when Lodowick F. Crofoot and Edgar H. Scott started the law firm that would be known as Fraser Stryker PC LLO, a namesake of Partners William “W.C.” Fraser and Hird Stryker, Sr.

Now in its 125th year, the firm is celebrating its storied history, as well as its commitment to community and innovation, with a new visual brand and website and well-aligned philanthropic efforts.

When asked about noteworthy milestones throughout its long and evolving journey, Partner Michael Coyle noted Fraser’s son, Robert G. Fraser, chronicled the firm’s then-history on the occasion of his retirement in 1982. Its clientele has historically included the likes of C.B. Nash Co., Northwestern Bell Telephone Co., Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad Co., Falstaff Brewing Corp., and the Omaha Airport Authority.

“During World War II, Hird Stryker, Sr. traveled the continental United States with Peter Kiewit, reviewing and executing contracts for the war effort,” Coyle said. “W.C. Fraser was instrumental in the legislation creating public power in Nebraska. Fraser Stryker continues to represent the Omaha Public Power District, as well as Kiewit.”

Additionally, in 1940, W.C. Fraser served as president of the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce – another relationship that continues to this day.

The attributes that have sustained the firm through the decades may very well be summed up with Coyle’s response to how the firm overcame challenges over the decades.

“Fraser Stryker has managed to survive through multiple wars, the depression and was actually 20 years of age at the time of the first worldwide pandemic in 1918,” he explained. “COVID-19 was a challenge to our entire nation and, indeed, the world. Nonetheless, Fraser Stryker adopted all methodologies necessary to continue to represent our clients. Client transactions continued to be closed and Fraser Stryker attorneys even took depositions and tried cases in courts virtually.”

In fact, Coyle said the firm remained fully staffed throughout the pandemic and even grew during this time.

“In the months leading up to the pandemic, Fraser Stryker was able to recognize and anticipate the upcoming challenges and, through its exceptional IT team, was able to install and distribute the technology and resources necessary for our entire team to continue to represent our clients without missing a beat,” he added. “Trial lawyers never stopped pushing cases forward and the business matters of Fraser Stryker clients were tended to on a routine basis despite the challenges of COVID-19.”

No Strangers To Change

Partner Troy Meyerson referred to both the firm’s technology and flexibility through the pandemic and its fallout, which he said, “allowed us to quickly adapt to working from home.”

“Shortly after going remote we made improvements to our workspaces to make the office safe and available for those who wanted to or need to return to the office,” he said.

Its efforts to advise clients on the likes of COVID protocols, Paycheck Protection Program borrowing, and employee laws and regulations were coupled with a firm size that, as Meyerson noted, “allowed us to be flexible, nimble and provide needed services to our clients in a quick-changing environment.”

The industry is now more willing to allow lawyers to work remotely, according to Meyerson.

“Before the pandemic, many law firms were not comfortable with remote working,” he said. “Today, it is very different. We have many lawyers who work remotely on a regular basis.”

Prior to COVID, Zoom was hardly used by Fraser Stryker. Now, Meyerson said it is an integral part of the practice.

“With all of that, it makes accessibility and a flexible work environment available to lawyers where it wasn’t there before,” he stated.

Similarly, Coyle said the industry learned that legal services could continue to be offered, despite the inability to meet clients face to face.

“This required law firms to restructure how they offer legal services to clients from a remote basis, which led to greater efficiencies for not only law firms like Fraser Stryker, but all businesses in the future,” he said.

Transcending responses to historic events, Coyle referred to “fundamentals” that differentiate the firm from the competition.

“Fraser Stryker lawyers try cases in front of juries on a weekly basis,” he explained. “The ability to competently litigate complex disputes at such a high level is shared by few firms. Fraser Stryker has frontline litigators with the bench strength to handle any size dispute. We specialize in ‘bet-the-company’ litigation.”

Positioned Well

As part of this milestone, Fraser Stryker unveiled a new visual brand and new website to honor its legacy while conveying a dedication to innovation.

“We believe the new brand conveys the strong client advocacy,

BY MICHELLE LEACH | PHOTOGRAPHY BY DEBRA S. KAPLAN

forward-thinking mindset and commitment to the future success of our clients, team and community,” Coyle said.

Meyerson also noted how the visual branding had not been updated in “quite a while.”

“ … we wanted to refresh the brand and website to demonstrate how the firm continues to evolve and meet the needs of our clients,” he added.

Also, as part of its celebrations, Meyerson said the firm is focused on continued involvement with the community.

“[Fraser Stryker is] committing to volunteer with and provide support to 125 or more community organizations throughout the area,” he noted.

The firm is documenting its journey of community involvement on its social media pages.

When asked about what is on the horizon for the firm, Coyle referred to its second office in Hastings as a means to “meet the ever-growing and expanding needs of our clients in central and western Nebraska.” He also noted achievements and efforts such as attorneys on the “cuttingedge of some of the most critical litigation taking place in the state,” as allowing clients to learn from and leverage other clients’ successes.