In 1976, Steve Engelman and Mark Smith saw an opportunity to fill a long unmet need in the legal system. Fundamental changes in the practice of law were being imposed by the Supreme Court when it repudiated minimum fee schedules and overturned bans on lawyer advertising. The young lawyers knew that the wealthy and corporations had deep pockets to hire attorneys and the poor had legal assistance to protect their interests. But the middle class, until these changes in the ground rules, had difficulty finding quality legal services at reasonable and affordable rates. Working out of an Evanston storefront and utilizing first generation word processing, the firm was able to handle most legal matters for fees substantially less than that charged by other lawyers. As the nation was celebrating its bi-centennial, Steve and Mark were painting the offices of the first suburban-based legal clinic in the Chicago metropolitan area.

ENGELMAN & SMITH also recognized its obligation to give something back to the community which supported its effort. The firm assisted in the creation and passage of the Evanston Landlord Tenant Ordinance, an ordinance which became a national model for defining landlord and tenant obligations. It successfully represented the first female to be hired as a street officer on the Evanston police force, and it won important jury verdicts in civil rights and other claims. As the firm matured, Steve and Mark continued their commitment to the community serving in an array of governmental, charitable, legal and community service capacities.

Over thirty years ago, several news organizations reported the opening of an innovative new law firm of ENGELMAN & SMITH and its plan to provide quality and affordable legal services. Throughout its history, the firm has met each individual client with this goal in mind and continues to be dedicated to its original mission.