A decade later, Kirkland has 414 lawyers in Houston, Dallas and Austin. The firm last year made $200 million more than any law firm in Texas has ever made in one year. Through the eyes of those who were there at the beginning, this is the story of how Kirkland became the highest revenue generating and most profitable corporate law firm in Texas history. And firm leaders are promising they are not finished growing.
AI: What’s Real, What’s Next for Law Firms in Texas?
The Texas Lawbook spoke to a handful of law firm leaders about whether or how they’re using artificial intelligence technology internally and how they are advising clients on the use of the powerful tool. This week at the Northern District of Texas Bench Bar Conference, attendees will hear from federal judges and practitioners about the ethics of AI during a panel discussion moderated by U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Jennifer Walker Elrod.
Texas Law Schools Rise and Fall in U.S. News’ 2024 Rankings
The 2024 U.S. News & World Report Best Law Schools Rankings show Texas A&M, SMU and Baylor among those rising in the list, while Texas Tech and UH are with those sliding back.
A New Shift in Candidate Assessments
Recent trends show that firms are facing a new wave of lawyers doing more due diligence of firms prior to accepting (and even rejecting) offers. While law firms scrutinize resumes of potential candidates, they may themselves be subject to deeper review.
Susman Godfrey’s 2023: The Best Financial Year Ever for a Texas Law Firm
Susman Godfrey co-managing partner Vineet Bhatia told The Texas Lawbook that the Houston-based firm “had a pretty good year in 2023.” In fact, it was the single best financial year for any law firm’s Texas operations in history. Texas Lawbook 50 data research shows that the 110 lawyers for Susman Godfrey in Texas doubled their revenue and nearly doubled their profits per partner over 2022. Keep in mind, 2022 was also a record financial year for the firm.
The firm’s Texas lawyers scored some monumental courtroom victories — most of them coming with hefty contingency fee paydays. Bhatia called it “an alignment of the stars” and added, “We had a lot of happy partners.”
Three Partners Named to Lead Simpson Houston Office
There’s a change coming in the Houston office of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett. The firm announced this morning that Houston managing partner David Lieberman is stepping down and will be succeeded by a trio of partners: Matthew Einbinder, Breen Haire and Christopher May.
Nelson Mullins Pulls from Five Firms for Houston Office Launch
The South Carolina-based law firm has recruited a total of 10 laterals from King & Spalding, Foley & Lardner, Frost Brown Todd, Hicks Thomas, and Platt Richmond.
Munsch Hardt Begins Transition to New CEO
The Dallas-based firm announced key leadership changes this week. Phil Appenzeller, the longest serving CEO in Munsch Hardt’s history, informed the firm of his decision to transition out of leadership at its annual management meeting at the end of January.