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Firm Management

Susman Godfrey Names Vineet Bhatia New Co-Managing Partner

Susman Godfrey’s newly elected co-managing partner, Vineet Bhatia, said Tuesday that 2021 was the most profitable year in the 42-year history of the Houston-based litigation powerhouse and that the law firm needs to hire more lawyers to keep up with client demand. Susman Godfrey announced Tuesday that long-time managing partner Neal Manne is stepping down as co-leader of the law firm Jan. 15 and that Houston partner Bhatia is his successor, along with current co-managing partner Kalpana Srinivasan in Los Angeles.

Mark Curriden

V&E’s Odd Couple Exits Stage Right

Mark Kelly and Scott Wulfe took over as co-leaders of Vinson & Elkins 10 years ago. This Friday at 11:59 p.m., their reign ends. Some V&E partners were skittish about them leading the firm. Together, they faced existential threats to the firm’s existence and implemented fundamental challenges during the past decade. They saw scores of partners leave to join elite national corporate firms that open offices in V&Es backyard. But Texas' largest law firm by headcount also achieved record revenues and record profits. Kelly and Wulfe say 2021 was another record-breaking year for one of the most influential law firms in Texas history. For V&E, it is the end of an era.

Mark Curriden

Sidley: ‘The Heat is On’

Angela Zambrano and Scott Parel took over as co-managing partners of Sidley's Dallas office only a month ago, but they and Texas will be front-and-center this week when they host the management committee for the 150-year-old, 2,000-attorney global law firm. Sidley has made Texas key to its strategic growth. The firm's headcount and revenue increased tenfold over nine years. And Sidley's next global chair is their predecessor. As rocker Glenn Frey would say, "The Heat is On."

Mark Curriden

Fletcher Held: V&E Alumni Team Up at Houston Boutique

Scott Fletcher and Kenneth Held were young trial lawyers at V&E in the securities litigation practice. Fletcher loaned Held an office couch and chair when Held became a partner in 2003. Seven years later, Held replaced Fletcher as V&E’s co-chair of the securities litigation section. Now both in their 50s, Fletcher and Held are partners again – this time at their own Houston securities litigation boutique, appropriately named Fletcher Held.

Mark Curriden

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