The lateral partner market in Texas hit a fevered pitch during the first six months of 2024 — especially in Houston and among litigation practices, according to exclusive Texas Lawbook data. Some big-name lawyers changed locations during H1 2024. Dozens of the lateral partner moves are the result of a few law firms opening new offices in Texas. Four law firms took their first plunge into the Texas legal market by hiring lateral partners. Lawbook database manager Christi Trammell and reporter Mark Curriden provide the inside numbers and Lotus Legal Search Founder Kate Cassidy offers the analysis.
Texas Lawbook 50: 11 Firms Rise to Elite Status
Eleven corporate law firms operating in Texas reached elite financial status in 2023.
Texas Lawbook 50 data shows that three Texas-based law firms and eight national law firms reported at least $3 million in profits per partner and $1.4 million or more in revenue per lawyer in their Texas operations last year.
Bell Nunnally Awards Midyear Associate Bonuses
Citing an extraordinary first six months of success, Bell Nunnally has awarded its two-dozen associates midyear bonuses ranging from $10,000 to $25,000.
“We are having a fantastic year with revenues up seven to nine percent year-over-year,” Chris Trowbridge, managing partner of the Dallas-based law firm, told The Texas Lawbook. “We did not want to wait until the end of the year to reward our associates for their great work.”
Peter Berg Moves to White & Case
Berg, a former partner at King & Spalding in Houston, advises owners and developers in the construction of large-scale energy construction projects, whether on-shore, off-shore or renewable.
McKool Smith Announces Summer Bonuses
Litigation boutique McKool Smith kicked off the 2024 summer battle for talent this week by announcing four- and five-digit bonuses to its lawyers who have worked the most time on client matters.
Texas Boutique Firm’s Westward Expansion Fueled by Dynamic Middle Market
In January, FBFK Law Firm announced its expansion into California by merging with Orange County litigation firm Stephens Friedland, aiming to address the needs of a robust entrepreneurial region. The integration has already increased FBFK’s headcount by more than 30 percent, as the firm announced the addition of 12 new attorneys across various practice areas last week.
CEO Kyle Ferguson chatted with The Texas Lawbook about how the merger is going, what lies ahead and why he’s positioning FBFK as a complement to Big Law rather than a competitor.
A&O Shearman: Texas is Strategic to New Firm’s Success
The 800 partners of the newly merged firm A&O Shearman recently conducted their first partner retreat in Denmark but a big part of their focus was 5,180 miles away on their practices in Houston, Dallas and Austin. The 3,900-lawyer corporate firm, the result of Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling combining, has 64 attorneys in Texas, but its leaders tell The Texas Lawbook major additions are planned.
“We are less than two months into this new firm, but the growth opportunities we see now are significantly larger than the opportunities for growth we saw before,” said Bill Nelson, managing partner of the Texas region for A&O Shearman and a capital markets partner in the firm’s Houston office.
Akin Partners Elect New Firmwide Co-Chairs
Akin Gump, a 900-attorney corporate law firm founded in Dallas in 1945 by Robert Strauss and Richard Gump, announced Tuesday that it has elected a partner in New York and a partner in London to take over the firm’s leadership in 2025.
Paul Hastings Continues Its Texas Expansion
Paul Hastings announced Tuesday that Vinson & Elkins litigation partner Manuel Berrelez has joined the firm’s Dallas office as a partner. Since September, Paul Hastings has more than doubled its presence in Texas — growing from about two dozen lawyers to about 65, including eight corporate finance partners from V&E who joined in March. At the same time, the firm officially announced that it had opened an office in Dallas.
Gotta Move On: Polsinelli Expands to Fort Worth
Kansas City-based Polsinelli announced Wednesday it has opened its third office in Texas in ‘Funkytown’ with a group of four transactional lawyers. Firm leaders say Fort Worth is a right fit for the Midwest firm.