July 2026 – This month, Tarter Krinsky & Drogin marks its 25th anniversary, a milestone that reflects its evolution from a startup law firm founded in Midtown Manhattan in 2001 to one of the nation’s leading midsize firms. This commemorative look back highlights the people, decisions, and defining moments that have shaped Tarter Krinsky & Drogin into the firm it is today.

View our historical timeline.

Built to Evolve: The Tarter Krinsky & Drogin Story

The story begins in 2001, at a moment when the New York legal market was consolidating. Businesses needed sophisticated counsel, but many wanted a more personal, practical, and responsive alternative to the traditional large-firm model. For middle-market companies, entrepreneurs, and institutions, there was a clear need for a different kind of law firm: one where serious legal talent and broad capabilities were met by a culture built around relationships.

Alan Tarter, Andrew Krinsky, and Laurent Drogin identified that opportunity. They set out to build a place where talented people wanted to work, where colleagues respected and genuinely liked one another, and where clients could recognize the difference that culture makes.

From a modest Midtown office, they invited attorneys to join who understood and shared their vision that a law firm could be entrepreneurial and disciplined, ambitious and collegial, sophisticated and personal. It could grow and adapt to a changing market without abandoning the values that made it worth building in the first place.

This mindset has guided the firm for 25 years.

A Firm Shaped by Change

Tarter Krinsky & Drogin was born in a period of dynamic change, and a pattern of adaptation and growth became central to its own evolution.

Just weeks after the firm opened its doors, New York and the nation were rocked by the attacks of September 11. In those earliest days, amid extraordinary uncertainty, the firm’s commitment to its clients and each other never wavered. The years that followed brought new tests: the financial crisis of 2007–2008, the disruptions from the COVID pandemic, and now the rise of artificial intelligence (AI).

At each turning point, Tarter Krinsky & Drogin grew by staying close to its clients, watching where their businesses were headed, and building the capabilities to support them. The firm took calculated risks, recruited strategically, invested ahead of demand, and expanded in ways that reflected real client needs rather than growth for its own sake. That’s one of the reasons the firm’s first client remains a client today.

Initially, the firm was grounded in core strengths including Corporate, Securities, Mortgage Finance, Real Estate, Litigation, and Labor and Employment. Over time, new practices were added to meet clients' growing needs. These included Bankruptcy, Construction, International, Immigration, Tax, Intellectual Property, Cybersecurity & Privacy, Matrimonial, Landlord & Tenant, Art Law, and Healthcare. The firm’s footprint also grew to include strategically positioned offices in Los Angeles, Miami, Princeton, Garden City and Islandia, NY, and San Antonio.

Each step reflected the same intentional approach: expanding with an eye toward serving clients better.

The Culture Was Never an Afterthought

For many firms, culture becomes a talking point after success has already arrived. Here, it was part of the blueprint from day one. Our founders set out to create an environment where people could do excellent work, build meaningful careers, and feel part of a community. They believed that when people are respected, supported, and empowered, they stay and grow with the firm, deliver better results for clients, and lift their fellow team members.

That belief is reflected in the firm’s high retention rate and many of its key programs, from partner mentoring of associates to business development training.  One of its signature initiatives, the GOAL Program (Go Out and Lead/Learn), encourages every team member, regardless of level, role, or department, to take ownership of their career, bring forward ideas, and pursue growth with the support of the firm behind them.

The inspiration behind GOAL was Tanya Duprey, the firm’s Chief Administrative Officer. Tanya joined the firm on its first day as a legal secretary and worked her way up to the C-Suite. Her path reflects what the founders hoped the firm would become: a place where talent and drive could lead to real opportunity.

Alan Tarter, our Managing Partner, often says, “The future of GOAL is like the future of law and the future of business. If you’re not evolving, and you’re not growing, you’re moving backward.”

That philosophy has become one of the firm’s defining themes.

Building for What Comes Next

A quarter of a century after its founding, Tarter Krinsky & Drogin is still asking what clients, attorneys, and professionals will need next.

Today, that includes a focused commitment to legal AI transformation and developing the next generation of talent. Through its newly created Office of AI and Innovation, the firm is leading the way in understanding, adopting, and responsibly leveraging AI in the midsize legal market. At the same time, our workforce programs are shaping the way our professionals will lead in the years to come with the skills and confidence needed to succeed.

What began as an entrepreneurial vision has evolved into a full-service firm with strong client relationships, a growing national footprint, and a culture that remains central to its identity.

The same instincts that shaped the firm in 2001 still apply today: pay attention to the market, invest before the need becomes obvious, equip people to succeed, and use change as a catalyst for better service.

The legal market has changed dramatically since 2001. So has the firm. Twenty-five years later, the story is still unfolding.