In 1947, Howard A. Jacobs joined the law practice of his father, Israel J. Jacobs, who began his law practice in New Haven in 1918. The present firm, Jacobs, Grudberg, Belt & Dow, P.C., has grown to 13 lawyers, with offices occupying all four floors of two joined and restored red brick townhouses, within walking distance of both the state and federal courts. The firm concentrates almost entirely on litigation. It represents plaintiffs in all types of personal injury claims, including those occurring through medical malpractice and product liability. It represents people in the defense of all types of criminal charges. It also represents people in family law litigation, in employment discrimination and wrongful discharge matters, and in other civil disputes. The firm also represents businesses in a broad range of civil and criminal disputes, including antitrust and business torts, stockholder and partnership litigation, securities litigation, breach of contract, employment, franchise and environmental litigation as well as civil and criminal RICO matters. The firm's practice is statewide in both state and federal courts. Howard A. Jacobs (Personal Injury Litigation for Plaintiffs, Family Law), Ira B. Grudberg (Personal Injury for Plaintiffs, Criminal Defense, Business Litigation) and William F. Dow, III (Criminal Defense) are listed in The Best Lawyers in America. The law firm is listed in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers.