A trio of Bracewell trial attorneys have left for White & Case, where they will join about 90 attorneys practicing out of the firm’s Houston office.
Sean Gorman, Chris Dodson and Andrew Zeve, who led the team that secured a $1.6 billion judgment on behalf of client BMC Software in a trial against IBM last year, started with White & Case Tuesday.
Gorman was at Bracewell for nearly eight years, while Zeve and Dodson had spent their entire legal careers at that firm, 19 and 17 years, respectively.
“I enjoy practicing with Chris and Andrew so much that I can never imagine not practicing with them,” Gorman told The Texas Lawbook on Tuesday. “To be able to move together, for me, is a dream.”
The camaraderie between the three litigators was strengthened while working on the BMC lawsuit, Gorman said.
“Needless to say, it was a super stressful period of time leading up to the trial and during the trial,” Gorman said, explaining the long hours spent at the office preparing the case. “We formed incredibly close bonds because we realized we could trust each other absolutely… That’s why I care so much about these guys and rely on them.”
Gorman has focused his practice across numerous sectors — including energy, financial services, chemical and petrochemical, communications, oilfield services, medical products, software, construction, real estate and manufacturing.
Dodson’s trial practices centers on business disputes and environmental matters and Zeve focuses on energy disputes, including intellectual property matters. Zeve served as co-chair of Bracewell’s energy litigation practice group and said he’s kept an eye on White & Case’s rapid expansion since opening a Houston office in 2018 as well as its focus on serving energy-industry clients.
“When this opportunity came up and after meeting the people, it became an easier decision once I saw how great the platform is,” Zeve said of leaving the only firm he’s ever known.
The head of White & Case’s commercial litigation practice, Glenn Kurtz, touted in a news release the track records of Gorman, Dodson and Zeve and the expertise they will bring to the firm.
“This team presents a unique opportunity to grow our practice in a way that marries the strengths of the firm and the Houston market by bringing on board an integrated litigation team,” he said.
Bracewell issued a statement to The Lawbook that the firm thanks the trio “for their contributions to the firm and wish[es] them the best.”
Jay Cuclis, who heads the firm’s Houston office and is co-head of its energy industry practice group, called the three partners a “valuable addition” to the Houston team.
“White & Case anticipates additional growth in Houston in areas that are strategically important for our clients, including deepening our bench of energy lawyers, particularly with respect to our rapidly growing energy transition practice,” he said. “Additionally, we expect to hire more lawyers to further build out our litigation practice.”
Gorman earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Houston in 1985 and graduated from law school there in 1988.
Dodson graduated from Southern Methodist University with a bachelor’s degree in 2002 and is a 2005 graduate of the University of Texas School of Law.
Zeve holds a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University, where he graduated in 2000, and is a 2003 graduate of the University of Texas School of Law.