Celebrating 100 years in the law business in Connecticut this year, the state's largest firm, Day Pitney, has been marking the occasion with events throughout the year, including a recent block party on Pratt Street in downtown Hartford.

Complete with live music, food and vendors, the party entertained more than 300 guests, including Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin and Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz. To mark the centennial, Day Pitney gave out 100-plus free bicycles and helmets to local youth organizations, after taking up a collection at each of the firm's 13 offices. Employees in the Hartford office assembled the bikes, which were displayed at the block party and delivered the following day.

“We are very proud of reaching this milestone, which is a testament to our long-standing relationships and deep commitment to the community,” said Tom Goldberg, Day Pitney's managing partner. “More importantly, we are thrilled to mark this occasion by giving back to the community through these deserving organizations.”

Operating under various iterations over the past century, Day Pitney was initially known as Day & Berry when founder Edward Marvin Day brought in Joseph F. Berry and Lawrence A. Howard to create Day & Berry. The firm would change its name to Day, Berry & Reynolds before becoming Day, Berry & Howard in 1932. The firm's name would remain unchanged for 75 years until 2007, when a major merger with Pitney Hardin would create the firm we know today.

Day Pitney has a long history of giving back to the community in and around Hartford through charitable initiatives and pro bono legal services, as well as work on major cases. The firm made history in 1944 by helping resolve all of the claims from the tragic 1944 Hartford Circus Fire. Partner Cyril Coleman's work on this historic effort earned him adoration, and he was elected mayor of Hartford by landslide victories in 1947 and 1949.

Care for the city and its people continues to this day, with attorneys from Day Pitney serving on the advisory board of the Salvation Army of Greater Hartford for the past 20-plus years and working with the Connecticut Fair Housing Center for the past 16 years. A team of volunteer attorneys recently staffed free legal clinics at the South Park Inn, a homeless shelter in Hartford.

Day Pitney's block party made a lasting mark, with community members teaming up to paint a life-sized mural representing the firm and the city. Friends and supporters of the firm are undoubtedly looking forward to another successful century for the firm and the community.