Our History
The founding partner of the firm, Judge George R. McCormick, was born in Great Barrington in 1904. Judge McCormick graduated from Catholic University Law School in Washington, D.C., and began his professional career in New York City. Judge McCormick returned to Great Barrington in 1933 to open his own law practice.
On December 28, 1960, Judge McCormick was appointed as Presiding Justice of the Southern Berkshire District Court and served in this capacity until his death in 1974.
William P. Murtagh, a native of Great Barrington, joined Judge McCormick in 1954 and practiced law together under the name of McCormick & Murtagh at offices located at the corner of Castle Street and Main Street on the second floor of the former Mahaiwe Bank building.
William P. Murtagh retired on August 1, 1996 and remained Of Counsel to the firm until his death in 2006.
Current Managing Partner, Edward G. McCormick, the great nephew of Judge McCormick, was born and raised in Great Barrington. Ed graduated from St. Anselm College and Suffolk University Law School and was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 1971. He joined the firm with Judge McCormick and William Murtagh in 1972.
On May 28, 1994, Dana E. Marcus joined the firm as a partner. Dana, also a native of Great Barrington, is a graduate of Boston University and Suffolk University Law School. Dana relocated to Florida in 2006 and remains Of Counsel to the firm.
On April 1, 2004, Kathleen M. McCormick, daughter of Managing Partner Edward G. McCormick, joined the firm as an associate. Kathleen was also born and raised in Great Barrington, is a graduate from Boston College and Suffolk University Law School, and was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 2002.
On June 6, 2006, Michael P. Citrin joined the firm as an associate. Michael, a graduate of University of Detroit Law School, has practiced in Michigan and New York for a total of 15 years before his relocation to the Berkshires.
The current partnership, McCormick, Murtagh & Marcus, continues its general practice with a concentration in residential and commercial real estate, business and corporate law, estate planning, estate administration and probate, elder law, litigation, municipal law, land use, zoning, labor, employment and litigation.
Since 1978, the firm’s offices have been located at 390 Main Street in the William Cullen Bryant House, Great Barrington’s oldest building and a National Historic Landmark.