History

As with many law firms, Coward, Hicks & Siler, P.A. has had various name changes through the years, but the core of Coward family lawyers began with Orville Coward, in 1951 and his partnership with his brother Kent Coward, in 1957.  It continued with Orville’s son, Orville, Jr., who began with the firm in 1979, and Kent’s sons, Jay and Bill, who began with the firm in 1984 and 1987 respectively. As the needs of the community grew, the firm added lawyers through the years, including Ralph Hicks, who had begun his practice with an office in Cashiers, and then merged with the firm in 1984.  Monty Beck also joined the firm in 1984.  Robert F. (“Bud”) Siler merged his Franklin practice with the firm in 1991.  At the present time, the firm consists of 12 lawyers, with offices in Sylva, Franklin and Cashiers.