To build a global group of lawyers from the ground up, a leader needs to communicate clearly about the culture being created while also earning the trust of business partners and scaling the function across geographies and practice types.
In a dozen years at Hines, the private, Houston-based real estate investment giant, Chief Legal and Compliance Officer Richard Heaton has done just that by recruiting and training lawyers to work as one team across the 30 countries where the company operates.
The Association of Corporate Counsel’s Houston Chapter and The Texas Lawbook congratulate Heaton for being selected as one of two finalists for the 2025 Houston General Counsel of the Year Award. The awards ceremony is set for May 22 at the Four Seasons downtown.
Baker Botts partner Connie Taylor said Heaton is very thoughtful and manages to keep the overarching organizational goals in mind, even when dealing with the minutia of a single transaction.
“He effectively delegates without micromanaging and gives clear instructions to both outside counsel and internal counsel so that teams are more collaborative and effective,” said Taylor, who nominated Heaton for the award. “He is also a genuinely nice person who treats colleagues and counterparties with respect, even when holding firm on his position.”
Michael J. Baum, global co-chair of the real estate practice at Greenberg Traurig, said Heaton “combines his vast experience and skill set with a calm, measured and thoughtful approach toward finding solutions.”
“As a leader of one of the most prominent and prolific real estate development and investment management businesses in our industry, Richard effectively balances his internal constituency, outside legal counsel and Hines’ transaction partners and their counsel,” Baum said. “He approaches these transactions with the goal of finding amicable and thoughtful solutions, leaving everyone involved feeling like they were an integral part of the success of the transaction.”
Heaton joined Hines in 2013 as corporate counsel when the company was “a decentralized and entrepreneurial organization that had not previously had a legal department.”
But Heaton saw an opportunity and went about building relationships across Hines’ business teams to articulate the vision of the new in-house legal department.
“The business quickly saw the value of working with the internal legal department, and we have hired, trained and developed many attorneys. And today, we have 27 attorneys globally,” Heaton said. “The success is the people. Having been able to attract, develop and retain the best legal talent is a huge win. And working at Hines is a great career for any lawyer. I’m proud that we are able to provide a career-enhancing growth opportunities for lawyers to practice at the top of their game.”
In keeping with the family-first approach Hines is known for, Heaton conceptualized and launched a first-of-its-kind employee co-investment fund for employees to invest along with the Hines family in all the company’s deals globally.
Heaton, along with Hines Co-Head of Legal Evan McCord, also managed a major internal restructuring over the past year. In September, the company said it had formed a globally focused investment management leadership team “to enhance coordination across investment strategies and regions, aiming to achieve higher returns, strengthen fiduciary responsibilities, and deliver exceptional value to tenants and stakeholders.”
Premium Subscriber Q&A: Richard Heaton discusses the traits he seeks in outside counsel, what outside counsel need to know when working with him and more.
Heaton said every day is a joy because “Hines really has the best, smartest and most humane people.”
Heaton is a Houston native and the first in his family to go into law. His father was a pediatrician while his mother was a homemaker “and chauffeur and cheerleader and chef and teacher and first aid provider and all-around champion.” Heaton was drawn to the profession, in part, because of the sense of accomplishment that comes in serving others, and he eventually moved in-house to achieve as much.
“I do like serving people, and I had a lot of experience and satisfaction doing that,” Heaton said about his decision to leave King & Spalding in 2007. “It’s been good to help clients with complicated problems because it brings a lot of satisfaction. I always felt a draw to be closer to the business. I wanted to really understand what mattered to my clients and be able to better provide solutions. I also wanted to understand the business, and joining NewQuest Properties [in September 2007] gave me exactly that. The owners were there all day, every day; so, I learned how they viewed risk and made business decisions.”
As chief legal and compliance officer at Hines, he’s watched the role of a general counsel evolve from one that used to oversee many discreet legal matters such as corporate transactions and disputes into one of risk management across numerous business sectors.
“The GC needs to be on top of all things risk — seeing around corners and horizon scan for emerging risks — to keep management apprised and advised of those risks, while also being a culture carrier who contributes to the business strategy. The world gets more complex every day, and so does the role of the general counsel,” Heaton said.
“I’ve always been impressed with Richard’s ability to command the issues and find solutions, regardless of the level of detail or involvement that he has been exposed to on that transaction,” Greenberg Traurig’s Baum said. “He uses his vast experience, along with this collaborative approach, to partner with his outside counsel and opposing counsel to find common ground. And while Hines certainly has the benefit of leverage given its market prowess, his subtle and constructive use of that market position allows him to get what Hines needs, as opposed to dictating terms.”
Taylor of Baker Botts said Heaton “strives for transparency so that a direction has context.”
“It is much easier to defend a position if the basis is clear,” she said. “Richard listens to other opinions and viewpoints with an open mind but does not hesitate to make a decision when required. He ensures that all outside counsel have all the information needed to represent Hines in matters entrusted to them. Richards is a pleasure to work with and is highly regarded within the Hines organization and externally.”
Fun Facts: Richard Heaton
- Favorite book: Kon Tiki — could see myself taking that adventure.
- Favorite movie: Disney’s Aladdin.
- Favorite musician or band: U2, Sting, Juan Luis Guerra, Ana Gabriel
- Favorite restaurant: The pork chop at Perry’s is the best I’ve had. A real treat.