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About Us

World-Class Law Firm in Kern County

90 years after Morris Chain founded the law firm, Chain | Cohn | Clark is now Kern County’s leading accident, injury and workers’ compensation law firm, representing clients from all over the Central Valley and throughout California. The attorneys focus their efforts on protecting the rights of individuals who have been seriously injured due to the negligent, reckless or intentional conduct of another. Like Morris Chain, the firm today is dedicated to standing for the working man and woman. Year after year, the law firm is voted into the “Best Law Firm” category by the people of Kern County, and has been included in the “Best Law Firms” listings in U.S. World News & Report’s “Best Lawyers in America” program, the oldest and among the most respected attorney ranking services in the world.

While earning national accolades, the law firm’s mission is to stick to its local roots by providing personal attention to each client. From making sure attorneys meet with clients upon a first meeting, to maintaining ongoing communication throughout the case, to receiving personal care from the entire office, the dedication to personal service is one of the things that makes Chain | Cohn | Clark unique in the world of accident and injury law, and the promise is to give this personal attention to each client.

Read About Our History Below

Lawyers of Chain | Cohn | Clark

A Rich History

Morris B. Chain was born in Russia in 1904, before his family emigrated to Bakersfield, California. Morris attended Kern County Union High School (now known as Bakersfield High School) and Bakersfield Junior College, where he coined the nickname “Renegades” for the Bakersfield College football team. For this, Bakersfield College honored Morris with the “100 Stars Award” on its 100-year anniversary in 2014.

Morris B. Chain graduated from the University Of Southern California School Of Law. Being a fresh-faced lawyer during the Great Depression, Morris had a hard time finding a job, so he created his own. The following was written by columnist Eddie Griffith in The Bakersfield Californian on May 21, 1977: “They wouldn’t hire me for free” during the depression days. “I had to become a lone ranger or starve … I starved anyway,” he said, black eyes snapping in amusement and with a wry half-smile which was a Chain trademark. He would work 18-hour days, investigating his own cases with camera and subpoenas in hand. Car-less, he hitched rides with prosecuting attorneys on cases he was defending. All for his clients. All in the pursuit of justice.

Historical Photos of Morris Chain

Chain | Cohn | Clark History

Opened Legal Practice

1934

Opened Legal Practice

Morris opened his practice as a defense attorney in Bakersfield inside the Haberfelde Building in downtown Bakersfield. “Using wit and dramatic movements when speaking Mr. Chain quickly made a name for himself amongst the courtroom while fighting for the ‘the little guys’.” (The Bakersfield Californian, 1977) His law firm eventually developed a personal injury, workers’ compensation, and wrongful death focus, which is the core of the firm’s practice today.


Sill Building Office

1938

Sill Building Office

Morris moved into the architecturally-famous Sill Building in downtown Bakersfield. By this time, he would earn a reputation for taking on some of the highest-profile criminal cases in the area.


Superior Court Victories

1940s

Superior Court Victories

Morris worked in Kern County Superior Court in his role as criminal defense attorney and won victories in cases where the prosecution evidence assembled against his clients appeared insurmountable. He would also become more involved in local politics.


Formation of the Firm

1950s

Formation of the Firm

Morris began to form a formidable team around him including secretary Helen Banducci, and lawyers Albert Noriega and Milton Younger. Investigator Leonard Winters also worked directly with Morris for more than three decades. The law firm would become one of the largest and most prestigious law firms in the Central Valley.


Rembrandt of the Courtroom

1960s

Rembrandt of the Courtroom

By this time, Mr. Chain had achieved a state-wide reputation for being flamboyant in the courtroom while being dramatic, witty, entertaining and exciting to watch. But his performance always was firmly anchored to the logic of the law. He would be called "the Rembrandt of the courtroom." Pictured here is Morris during the infamous Spade Cooley murder trial.


Death - May 18, 1977

1977

Death - May 18, 1977

Morris B. Chain passed away at the age of 72; however, Morris’ traditions carried on to this day. His law firm prided itself on being locally focused, and most of the attorneys and employees who worked under the Chain firm through the years, including today, were born or raised in Bakersfield. Additionally, the law firm and its attorneys have followed Morris’ lead of community service, becoming active in local and statewide politics, labor and the arts. By the 1980s, the firm also began to diversify its ranks, hiring Latino, black and Asian attorneys and staff.


Truxtun & Chester Office

1990s

Truxtun & Chester Office

The law firm, known as Chain-Younger by this time, moves its headquarters from Truxtun Avenue and M Street into the Bank of America building on Truxtun and Chester avenues.


Chain | Cohn | Stiles

2009

Chain | Cohn | Stiles

The law firm becomes known as Chain | Cohn | Stiles, with David Cohn leading the law firm as the managing partner. Today, Cohn has been with the firm for more than 40 years. Other current partners include James Yoro and Matt Clark. David Stiles retired in 2015.


New Home

2015

New Home

Following its 80-year-anniversary, the law firm moves to its fifth home on the southwest corner of 18th Street and Chester Avenue in downtown Bakersfield, across the street from the Sill Building where Morris Chain’s offices once stood. The move was also seen as a part of a continued revitalization of historical downtown Bakersfield.


Chain | Cohn | Clark

2022

Chain | Cohn | Clark

The law firm changes names to “Chain | Cohn | Clark” as Matt Clark takes on a leadership role. The name holds true to its roots, while highlighting its leadership as it stands today. Today Clark is the managing partner of the historic firm.


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Today

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