History

The Experience of Generations

Kahn, Dees, Donovan & Kahn traces our origin to 1908 when 21-year-old Isidor Kahn opened his first law office in the Rookery Building at Fourth and Sycamore streets in Evansville, Indiana.

Born in Madisonville, Kentucky, in 1887, Isidor Kahn’s family moved to Evansville in 1898. He graduated from Evansville High School at age 15, and took a commercial course that trained him to be a bookkeeper or stenographer.

Isidor Kahn became intrigued with law while working as a stenographer in the office of Evansville attorney Phillip Frey. He entered Indiana University School of Law in 1906, and completed the three-year course of study in two years, earning straight As and graduating with highest honors.

Harry Dees joined Mr. Kahn in 1935 and became a trusted advisor to a wide array of commercial enterprises throughout the region. In 1966, Mr. Dees argued and won a case before the United States Supreme Court.

Arthur Donovan joined the firm in 1946, bringing with him considerable experience in the then-emerging field of labor law, having previously served as a regional attorney for the National Labor Relations Board.

Since then, KDDK has enjoyed more than seven decades of steady, controlled growth, adding attorneys and areas of expertise as the needs and objectives of clients have evolved and expanded. Today, we provide legal services in most areas of law.

Harry Dees and Isidor Kahn