On historic Cotton Row, half a block east of the Mighty Mississippi, Th e Monroe Firm PLLC, practices out of an early 1900s, two-story building. With expertise in civil and criminal trial law, the practice got its start when the firm's principal, William M. Monroe, was a young boy deeply affected by a terrible legal injustice suffered by his Russian ancestors shortly aft er their emigration to America four generations prior.

Two decades later, armed with a J.D. degree from Memphis State University, Monroe became the assistant general counsel of Guards-mark, one of the world's largest security services companies. In 1978, he joined Dowden, Card, Holt & Monroe, becoming a partner in 1981.

In 1989, Monroe, Marti I. Kaufman, and Stephen B. Shankman started Monroe, Shankman and Kaufman, which continued the tradition of representing individuals in harm's path.

Along the way, Monroe realized two important things. One, he enjoyed teaching and mentoring young lawyers by providing them a base from which to launch a career. Two, he saw the importance of maintaining a small practice so that he could accomplish the first realization—an ethical responsibility to pass along not only hard-earned, first-hand knowledge but, more importantly, perhaps, what mistakes to avoid.

In 2003, The Monroe Firm PLLC, launched its downtown Memphis presence. Monroe, peer-rated as one of the highest ethically and professionally qualified att orneys in this area, plans to keep his practice small and focused. "I know this sounds terribly idealistic," he says, "but my grandmother's story is why I went into law. I enjoy standing between people and harm's way."