A Brief History of the Glavin Law Offices

Glavin and Glavin law offices were founded in 1924 by James H. Glavin, Jr. of Waterford (pictured). Prior to founding the law office, James Jr. served as Chief of the Trial Bureau of the New York State Attorney General’s office. The main Glavin office moved from Broad Street to 69 Street Second Street in November 1965.  In 1967, James Jr. was appointed to the New York State Court of Claims by Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller, where he served as judge until his retirement.

In 1960, James H. Glavin III, of Waterford (pictured), was honorably discharged from the United States Air Force, where he served as a Judge Advocate General, and returned to Waterford to join his father’s practice. He was admitted to the Bar of the U.S. Supreme Court, New York State and Federal Court for the Northern District of New York. He served as chairman for the New York State Bar Association's Administrative Law Practice Committee and was a member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers and the Air Force Association.

James III’s wife, A. Rita Chandellier Glavin (pictured), joined the practice in 1965. She was appointed Judge of the Saratoga County Surrogate's Court by Governor Mario M. Cuomo in 1986.  She is the first woman to hold major judicial office in Saratoga County and first woman Surrogate in the Capital District Region.

A. Rita Chandellier Glavin's mother, Helen Fox Chandellier (pictured), was a 1926 graduate of Albany Law School.  She was a lawyer in private practice for 50 years. 

There are four attorneys from the Glavin family who practice at Glavin and Glavin in Waterford today: A. Rita Chandellier Glavin, James Chandellier Glavin, James Henry Glavin IV and his wife, Marina Ivolgina Glavin.