Trial law firm Weinberg Wheeler Hudgins Gunn & Dial announced Monday its expansion to Texas with the launch of a Houston office spearheaded by attorney Chaz D. Klaes.
Klaes, formerly a shareholder at Donato, Brown, Pool & Moehlmann, joined WWHGD as partner and launched its Houston office. Klaes brought with him a team of eight lawyers: partner William “Cal” Calvert and associates Robert Summerlin, Hugo Diaz, Andrew Rodriguez, Douglas Wall, Cameron Ziegler, Alexandria Bryant, and Grant McDonald.
WWHGD’s Houston office will offer services in the areas of transportation litigation, catastrophic injury and wrongful death, product, healthcare, professional and commercial liabilities.
“Our vision is to provide top quality legal services to our clients, to get the best and most efficient outcome while working with good people and developing good lawyers,” Klaes told The Texas Lawbook.
Klaes’ practice at Donato focused on insurance defense and subrogation matters. With WWHGD, he plans to expand his practice to cover more labor, employment, general construction and commercial matters.
Discussing trends he’s noticed in the Texas legal market, Klaes said the focus of commercial trucking suits is shifting from the circumstances surrounding the accident or basis of the claim to the hiring and retention of drivers, Klaes said. He’s also seen an increased emphasis on non-economic damages and “new injuries” detailed in claims, such as traumatic brain injuries.
“I’m seeing firms of this size, of this capacity, really being able to hit the ground running in the Houston market and expand into all of these areas in Texas, Klaes said.
Executive Committee Member Johnny Krawcheck said mutual clients introduced Klaes to the firm.
“It was immediately obvious that we share the same approach to the delivery of legal services, as well as matching vision and professional goals,” Krawcheck said.
Klaes’ résumé includes stints at Galloway, Johnson, Tompkins, Burr & Smith and The Hudgins Law Firm. He earned his law degree from Washington and Lee University School of Law.
WWHDG now has seven offices across the country.