About Our Firm

Firm History

Donald K. Gillard

Gillard, Bauer, Mazrum, Florip, Smigelski & Gulden traces its history to 1924, when Donald K. Gillard, newly admitted to the bar, opened a law practice in the Bostwick Building on North Second Avenue in Alpena, on the site currently occupied by Cabin Creek Coffee.

In 1934, Donald Gillard purchased the addition to the Davison Block, built in 1890 and located at 109 E. Chisholm Street, and moved his law practice to that address, where the firm is still located today.

Joel W. Gillard

Various attorneys worked with Donald Gillard throughout the years, and the firm’s name became Gillard & Gillard with the addition of his son, Joel W. Gillard, in 1969.

Donald Gillard died in 1974, and Joel Gillard then joined with Roger C. Bauer and James L. Mazrum to create the present law firm. James D. Florip joined the firm in 1979, William S. Smigelski in 1982, and Timothy M. Gulden in 1988. Joel Gillard died in 1997.

The firm is now entering into its third generation of attorneys, with the addition of Joel E. Bauer in 2003 and Daniel J. Florip in 2006.

Roger and Joel Bauer

Jim and Dan Florip