Local Law Firm a Montville Institution

Editor's Note: The following story appears courtesy of OurMontville.com. The story has been edited from its original text, which can be viewed here.

Montville law firm Casha & Casha has been a township institution since 1980, but the partnership of Casha and Casha goes back even longer.

Larry and Debra Casha began dating as students at Montville High School and continued their relationship at Montclair State University and, while they thought they were meant for each other, neither thought seriously about a career in law at fist.

Debra went to graduate school at Montclair State and taught consumer economics as a graduate assistant. She went on to spend 17 years as a college professor.

Before law, Larry pursued the corporate world, assisting the president of Hazel Bishop Cosmetics.   

"I soon learned that corporate life wasn’t for me and decided to attend law school,” Larry said. “We got married between my first and second year of law school and moved to New Hampshire.  Debra finished her Master's degree, worked and put me through law school.”

Six years later, Debra decided to pursue a legal profession.

“Debra realized that she needed a doctoral degree to progress through the academic ranks and saw no universities that offered a doctorate in consumer economics,” he said. “[She] decided to pursue the closest doctoral degree which was a law degree.  It was my turn to return the favor and put her through Seton Hall University School of Law."

Entering into the field of law did not go smoothly at first. After graduating from Franklin Pierce Law Center, now known as the University of New Hampshire School of Law, Larry found himself in a job market that as he describes it, "was almost as bad as it is today."

As he waited for his bar exam results, he worked for experience and an occasional lunch at the Parsippany law office of Taigman and Ahto. During this time, Larry's source of income was from a factory job.

It was serendipity that led Larry to starting a law firm in Montville. He was at the dentist when the idea was first proposed. Dr. Grawher told Larry that his brother-in-law owned retail commercial property across from the Towaco train station. As Larry sat in the dentist's chair, the dentist asked him to open his practice in that commercial space and would not take no for an answer.

"He refused to work on my teeth until I at least went to look at the vacant office,” Larry said. “He literally made me get out of the dentist chair, walk down the block, key in hand and look at the office" 

After passing the bar, Larry talked with Debra and his father about taking the dentist up on his offer.

“My father said 'You’ve been poor so long, what is the difference if you starve a little longer,’” Larry said.  “Thank God my wife did and still likes to work as we had grown fond of eating."

Debra bought some furniture for the office, which didn’t have an electric typewriter at first, let alone a computer. The firm has been there since.

“I had a a small brass bell that we attached to the front door so I could hear people come in,” Larry said. “I still have the bell in my office as a reminder."

The law firm eventually grew, adding on several associate attorneys and moving offices. They have been at their current location, 115 Horseneck Road, since 2005.  Debra began practicing law full time in 1992.

Casha & Casha handles a variety of clients an cases, a versatility that has made the firm attractice to other, larger firms.

"Given our numerous licenses and experience we have been offered to join other firms and positions in government,” Larry said. “But Montville is where we grew up and where our friends, families and neighbors call home.”