Descended from a law partnership founded in Chicago in 1881, this firm was known by the mid-twentieth century as Mayer, Meyer, Austrian & Platt. Major clients included large Chicago companies such as Continental Bank and Sears. Starting in the 1970s, the firm expanded by adding offices in New York City and around the world. In early 2003, the firm grew even larger after merging with area competitor Rowe & Maw to become Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw. The new firm employed approximately 550 attorneys and 2,000 staff members in its Chicago office alone, and boasted 18 additional offices nationwide.

This entry is part of the Encyclopedia's Dictionary of Leading Chicago Businesses (1820-2000) that was prepared by Mark R. Wilson, with additional contributions from Stephen R. Porter and Janice L. Reiff.