Planning for Growth in a Contracting Economy
Without a doubt, all law firms will eventually be tested on their ability to survive a contracting economy. Not all firms will pass the test.
Free Speech, Due Process and Trial by Jury
Without a doubt, all law firms will eventually be tested on their ability to survive a contracting economy. Not all firms will pass the test.

The number of Texas law partners who moved their practice to a new firm during 2024 hit record highs and the trend seems to be continuing in 2025. And for a growing percentage of the lateral moves, this was their second or third jump in recent years. Texas Lawbook data shows that 20 percent more partners at business and litigation practices in Texas jumped to a competitor last year. Three law firms added 10 or more lateral partners in 2024. Twenty-two firms hired five or more lateral partners. Three law firms lost 10 or more partners to competitors in 2024. The Lawbook examines the data and the individual specific lateral moves for trends.
Haynes Boone has officially established a Texas Corporate Governance Practice Group to assist companies with the legal and operational challenges of relocating or reincorporating in the Lone Star State. The Dallas-based firm aims to leverage its experience and connections, especially as the Texas Stock Exchange gains traction and the NYSE plans to follow suit. The new group, led by veteran partners, will guide businesses considering a move to Texas on compliance, governance, taxes, economic development and more.
The elite Wall Street law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges announced leadership changes in its Dallas offices on Wednesday.
Kane Russell Coleman Logan announced on Tuesday that it has expanded its presence in Texas by establishing a new office in Austin.
In the last six months, Schouest, Bamdas, Soshea, BenMaier & Eastham has opened offices in two Texas port cities, Corpus Christi and now Galveston.

The Houston office of Latham & Watkins had not been open for a year when Ryan Maierson experienced a significant realization. The office opened in February 2010, and as the year progressed, he and the other partners at Baker Botts began to marvel at how easily this "non-native" firm from Los Angeles integrated itself into Texas's established transactional law environment.
Other national firms had previously entered the Texas market. However, with Latham — the second most profitable law firm in the world — something felt different. In less than a year, Latham had achieved what no other national firm had managed to do: it instilled a sense of fear in the long-established Texas firms that had previously dominated corporate law in the Lone Star State.
Fifteen years later, this is the story of how Latham changed the game in Texas.
The bad news for Texas-based corporate law firms is that revenues, profits per partner and demand for legal services significantly trailed their out-of-state competitors during 2024, according to new Citi Law Firm Group data provided Monday to The Texas Lawbook. But the good news is that those outside national law firms — including Kirkland & Ellis, Gibson Dunn, Latham & Watkins and Sidley — growing faster and richer now make up about 60 percent of the Texas corporate legal market, according to the Texas Lawbook 50 report for 2024.
© Copyright 2026 The Texas Lawbook
The content on this website is protected under federal Copyright laws. Any use without the consent of The Texas Lawbook is prohibited.