In what may be a first for Tucson, three generations of attorneys – father, son and grandson – are practicing together in the same firm.
Lowell Rothschild, now 83, savors his good fortune as the prominent patriarch who’s been practicing for more than half a century. He’s a founding partner of Mesch, Clark & Rothschild, one of Tucson’s oldest and largest law firms where son Jonathan and grandson Isaac now also practice.
“It’s just good luck,” he said.
Lowell Rothschild is recognized nationally for his fortitude in the bankruptcy arena. Jonathan, 55, is a highly rated attorney, specializing in business law and estate planning. Isaac, 29, joined the firm last fall, practicing commercial litigation and business reorganization.
“It must be in the DNA,” Lowell joked. He could not have imagined when he opened the firm in 1957 that it would be thriving in 2010, with three generations of Rothschilds on board.
As managing partner, Jonathan is always first to arrive at the downtown firm, 259 N. Meyer Ave., starting work at 6:30 a.m. Isaac is the next to come in at 7. Lowell works every day, relying on his BlackBerry and laptop to keep him connected to the office when he and his wife, Anne, are at their weekend summer home on Coronado Island.
Lowell moved to Tucson from Chicago as a teen, with his mom and step dad. She started a used furniture business on Sixth Avenue and Lowell attended Tucson High School. After graduation, he did a stint in the Navy, and enrolled in the University of Arizona in 1946. He graduated from UA College of Law in 1952.
Five years later, Lowell teamed up with law school classmates Norville Jasper, John Mesch and Alfredo Marquez to form the firm. Doug Clark came on board in 1966.
Clark continues as senior trial attorney.
In the early days, Lowell took on divorce cases, murder cases and anything that would pay the bills.
“We wanted to make enough money to pay our mortgages and send our kids to college,” Lowell recalled.
He soon was drawn to bankruptcy and reorganization, a specialty he has maintained for decades. The Rothschilds have been involved in significant cases over the years, including the reorganization of the City of South Tucson in 1986.
Jonathan has grown the firm significantly over the last several years. There are now 21 lawyers and 53 employees. He’s married to Karen Spiegel Rothschild, a physical therapist.
In October seven partners in the firm were named among the “Best Lawyers in America.” They are Lowell, Douglas Clark, Mel Cohen, Richard Davis, Scott Gan, Michael McGrath and Brenda Moody Whinery.
“It is very fun to see the three Rothschilds working together,” said Arnold Kraus, a stockbroker with Wells Fargo Advisors. Kraus has been a client for 20 years.
“Lowell has been the patriarch, and it has been interesting to see Jonathan taking over,” Kraus said. “Now to have Jonathan’s son, who is a very quick study, in the firm is great.”
He called Mesch, Clark & Rothschild “one of the premiere firms in town.”
“Lowell is known as being very fair but tough,” Kraus said. “He has a passion for what he does. As a firm, they have really changed with the times, which is particularly interesting with someone over 80.”
There was no master plan for the three generations to work together. Lowell’s wife of 56 years, Anne, did not encourage her husband and son to work together.
And Jonathan did not encourage Isaac to go to law school. Yet he did, as did younger son Nathan, 25, who’s studying law at Gonzaga University. Daughter Molly Rose, 18, is cutting her own path, planning to become an actor.
Isaac initially was drawn to international law. But after studying in China, he decided Mesch, Clark & Rothschild in Tucson was where he wanted to be.
“I realized I wanted to be somewhere with some personality,” Isaac said.
The three men turn to one another for advice, but rarely work on cases together. They share a passion for volunteerism.
“Part of the culture here is you give back to the community,” Lowell said.
“I don’t see how you are a good lawyer unless you care about people,” Jonathan added.
Working alongside his son and grandson brings great joy to Lowell.
“We’re just so fortunate.”