news & events

Miller, Miller & Canby Set to Mark 80-Year Anniversary in 2026

Posted December 3, 2025 at 7:56 AM

MM&C Happenings, News & Events

Miller, Miller & Canby will celebrate its 80-year anniversary in 2026, making it one of the oldest law firms in Montgomery County, Maryland.                  

Miller, Miller & Canby opened its doors in 1946, after James Miller, Sr. returned from service as an officer in the United States Marine Corps Reserves in World War II. He joined the Maryland Bar and opened a law office in Rockville, Maryland. His wife, Lee Miller, also passed the Maryland Bar, just the 149th woman admitted, and joined her husband in the practice, named Miller & Miller.

During the late 40s and early 50s, Montgomery County was changing from a predominately rural area to a suburban county, with a rapidly-growing population. Highways were planned and constructed, as well as public facilities necessary to serve the expanding community. Miller and Miller were affectionately nicknamed the “dirt lawyers” as the practice handled every type of real estate deal from land development, zoning, construction, financing, leases, and litigation. As the county grew, so the firm expanded to meet the growing needs of residents and businesses.

In 1952, the Spiedel property at 200 Monroe Street in Rockville came on the market. It consisted of several acres of land on which was located the old “Hege” house, built in the late 1890s and in poor repair. Lee and Jim Miller, recognizing the property’s potential (with close proximity to the courthouse) and in need of a solution to their own crowded offices, bought the property. They restored the large house, remodeled it into attractive offices, and in 1953 moved the offices of Miller & Miller to the first floor of what was then renamed the “Miller Building.”

It has been the firm’s home ever since.

In the 1950s Jim Miller, Jr. joined the firm, and became the Charter President of the Rockville Chamber of Commerce. William (“Bill”) Canby, who was instrumental in getting the County’s Charter adopted, also joined the firm, after active duty as a U.S. Naval Reserve officer in the Korean War and a judicial clerkship in Montgomery County. In 1963, Bill Canby became a partner and the firm’s name was changed to Miller, Miller & Canby.

From the late 1970s through the 1980s the firm evolved from a general practice law firm which undertook legal representation in nearly every area of law to a more specialized practice focused on all issues touching real property: land use & zoning, eminent domain, property tax appeals, sale and lease transactions, and financing; the related business needs of clients, including business and tax planning, and estates and trusts planning & administration; and litigation that flowed from these practice areas, all of which remain a cornerstone of the firm’s practice today.

 “We are honored to mark this historic milestone in 2026,” said Miller, Miller & Canby’s managing partner, Michael Campbell. “It is remarkable to recognize that our firm has served individuals and businesses across the state of Maryland and throughout the Washington, DC metropolitan area for eight decades. While it is impossible to give the deserved attention and credit to all the partners and associates who have contributed to the firm’s continued success over the years, we are proud to say that every one of our attorneys maintains the client-focused and results-driven code of the firm’s founders. We are grateful to have worked side-by-side with so many members of our community, and look forward to continuing these partnerships for many years to come.”

Learn more about the Miller, Miller & Canby’s history by visiting here.

About Miller, Miller & Canby
In 2026, Miller, Miller & Canby marks 80 years of serving the legal needs of metropolitan Washington, DC. As one of the oldest law firms in Montgomery County, MD, the firm recognizes that this milestone reflects the relationships built and maintained with our clients, friends and the business community, many spanning multiple generations. The firm maintains its focus on its core areas of practice: Land Use & Zoning, Real Estate, Litigation, Eminent Domain, Business & Tax, Employment and Estates and Trusts Law. The firm’s size allows its attorneys to maintain close contact with clients and have the opportunity to develop and foster trusted, lasting relationships. In all of our practice areas, an overarching concern for quality of product and efficiency of accomplishment assures clients that we strive for true value in legal representation. Miller, Miller & Canby is proud to have maintained this standard of service since the firm’s founding in 1946.

RELATED NEWS & RESOURCES