Morley Griswold was born in Elko on October 10, 1890. He earned undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Michigan and served in World War I. A leading attorney for corporations operating in Nevada, he formed a noted law firm that evolved into the Las Vegas firm of Jones Vargas. When Griswold entered politics, his business contacts became an issue and he faced conflict of interest allegations, particularly when he had clients tied to the collapse of George Wingfield's banks in 1934.