Lee Kaplan and three other former partners of Houston litigation boutique Smyser Kaplan & Veselka have launched a new firm — Murphy Ball Stratton — focused on civil trials, white collar matters and appeals.
Members of the new firm, according to its website, are Garland “Land” Murphy, Dane Ball, Michelle Stratton and Lee Kaplan.
Members of the new firm declined to address why they departed SKV but issued a statement to The Lawbook Tuesday morning explaining the new firm’s focus and philosophy.
“Our aim is to be ‘smart law’: we are a team of experienced courtroom lawyers with top intellect, credentials, and work ethic, who are nimble, responsive, and efficient in the way we serve clients,” the statement reads. “MBS specializes in civil trials, white-collar trials and investigations, and appeals — the practice areas where Land, Dane, and I respectively have expertise.”
Craig Smyser, founding partner of SKV, wished his former colleagues well in an email to The Lawbook:
“We wish our former partners the best in starting their new venture. That said, we at SKV look forward to building on 2023 — the most financially successful year in SKV’s history — and providing our local, national and international clients outstanding litigation and trial services.”
According to their LinkedIn profiles, Murphy was with SKV for 17 years and one month, Ball was with the firm for nine years and three months and Stratton was with SKV for eight years and nine months.
Kaplan, whose LinkedIn resume does not list SKV as of Tuesday morning, left Baker Botts in 1995 to launch SKV with Smyser and Larry Veselka.
Murphy Ball Stratton is “a premiere team of civil and white-collar trial and appellate lawyers with a proven track record of victories,” according to its website.
“We are nimble with our fee arrangements, using hourly, fixed, contingency, or hybrid agreements that best suit a given case and that align our financial interests with those of our clients,” the website reads. “Ultimately, we care little about how it’s always been done — we focus on how it should be done.”