History
“I often tell young lawyers that their chosen profession is not an easy one. Our time is not our own, our schedule is not under our control and sometimes we have more than we can handle and sometimes we have less. What makes it all worthwhile is being a part of something you believe in. We have honest lawyers and employees, dedicated to their work and to their clients and that’s what it’s all about. We are a good law firm.” - Robert Martin
The history of Martin, Pringle, Oliver, Wallace & Bauer dates back to the University of Colorado School of Law in the late 1940s. Robert Martin was a couple of years ahead of Kenneth Pringle in school and while they knew of each other, neither imagined they would end up working together to form one of the leading law firms in Kansas.
After law school and back in Wichita, Mr. Martin associated himself with a group of oil and gas attorneys, while Mr. Pringle joined his father in practice, also in oil and gas law. Now and then their paths would cross, as the senior partners in their firms were long-time friends and colleagues. When both were appointed to handle a case in Greenwood County for their respective firms, Mr. Martin and Mr. Pringle had the opportunity to work together.
On a rainy morning in the spring of 1951, Mr. Martin and Mr. Pringle headed to Eureka, Kansas, to try the case. They hit a slick spot and their car went off the road into a ditch and through a fence. Luckily, neither of them was injured so they went on to try the short case. The drive back to Wichita was slow, because of a bent wheel, which allowed time for some reflection and for talk about the future. Mr. Pringle was concerned about the future of his career and his father’s practice. Mr. Martin encouraged him to join his practice, which he did, along with his father. This was the genesis of the firm now known as Martin, Pringle, Oliver, Wallace & Bauer.
From its beginning as a small firm of oil and gas lawyers, Martin Pringle has grown to one of the largest law firms in Wichita. Over the years, it has expanded into a wide range of practice areas, gaining national prominence in products liability, especially for the aviation industry.
In 1996, Martin Pringle expanded into the Kansas City area by associating with three Overland Park attorneys who had established practices with a solid client base. This association gave Martin Pringle the regional presence it was looking for. By 2010, the Overland Park office had grown to seven attorneys and continued to be a driving force in the Kansas City legal community.
