Katz Teams Up with Vartabedian
Marc Katz is leaving one of the largest law firms in the world to join the practice-focused boutique Vartabedian Hester & Haynes as a name partner. The firm has added more than 20 lawyers over the past year.
After the Claude Crash — What Agentic Tools Mean for Legal Research Vendors and Texas Lawyers
On Feb. 3, a lot of legal and data folks discovered they suddenly cared about stock tickers. Anthropic announced legal plug-ins for its agentic platform, Claude Cowork, and within 48 hours investors shaved tens of billions off the market caps of Thomson Reuters (Westlaw/CoCounsel), RELX (LexisNexis) and Wolters Kluwer. Headlines framed it as AI killing legal software. Social channels called it the “Claude Crash” and the “SaaSpocalypse.” If you work in a Texas law firm or legal department, it felt like watching a tornado touch down a few miles over — not on your roof yet, but close enough to change your weekend plans.
Let’s separate the market drama from the operating reality.
Houston Trial Boutique Sorrels Law Adds Experienced Trial Lawyers
Jim Martin and Sam Kinne have joined Sorrels Law in Houston, continuing the plaintiff-side litigation firm’s expansion.
Latham Hires Trial Superstars Expected to Eventually Launch Dallas Office
Latham & Watkins has hired prominent litigators Taj Clayton and Scott Thomas as partners, the firm announced Tuesday. The move, first reported by The Texas Lawbook on Feb. 6, significantly strengthens Latham’s trial team in Texas and across the country, adding two nationally recognized litigators with deep experience in high-stakes commercial, securities and white-collar disputes. The two litigators are expected to eventually play a key role in launching the firm's Dallas office, as both are North Texas residents.
Big Law’s Transfer Portal: Elite Firms Raid Texas Talent with Record Pay Packages
The Texas corporate legal market has started 2026 with a frenzy of activity that includes several high-profile lateral partner moves, new office openings, new hourly rates nearing $3,000 and record-shattering compensation agreements with some lawyers being offered guaranteed multi-year compensation packages exceeding $20 million.
Paul Weiss To Open Houston Office with Longtime M&A Dealmakers
Paul Weiss announced Tuesday that it has found the lawyers needed to open and run a new office in Houston, both from Kirkland & Ellis.
Melsheimer, Stodghill Lead Nine-Partner Litigation Team to King & Spalding
Prominent Dallas trial lawyer Tom Melsheimer, long-time law partner Steven Stodghill and seven other litigation partners from Winston & Strawn started their new positions as partners at King & Spalding in Dallas today. “I was on top of the mountain with Winston,” Melsheimer told The Texas Lawbook. “But then I saw another mountain. King & Spalding made an offer that I could not say no to, so I didn’t. King & Spalding understands that this is a war for the best talent because the best talent attracts the best clients. King & Spalding is in it to win this war.”
Groundhog Day: More Competition for Texas Talent
Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow and the first week of February has seen at least 20 business lawyers in Texas on the move, including a new Oil & Gas co-chair at Baker Botts.
Weil Opens New Austin Office as Firm Now Has Three in Texas
When Weil brought intellectual property trial veteran Jeff Homrig back to the firm in August, there was speculation that the notable summer lateral would be its opportunity to open an Austin office. Six months later to the day, it’s official: Weil has a new office in Central Texas, its third in the state, the firm announced early Monday morning in a news release.
The new office will offer commercial litigation and corporate practices, with IP litigation serving as its initial focus, according to the firm.
Brown Fox Jumps Over to The Quad, Nearly Doubles Footprint
Russ Brown, cofounder and managing partner of Brown Fox, said the full-service business boutique wanted to be in the “nerve center of the top economic center in the country.” It is the latest instance of Uptown landing a law firm’s Dallas digs.
Balch & Bingham Nearly Doubles Austin Presence with Duggins Wren Mann & Romero
Balch Managing Partner Stan Blanton said the firm “could not have found another group of lawyers who offer the expertise and talent” of Duggins Wren Mann & Romero, particularly in the electricity and gas sectors.
Texas Lawbook Law Firm of the Year
There were scores of multibillion-dollar corporate mergers and some landmark commercial trial verdicts in 2025. The year was filled with big stories.
But hands down, the biggest story of the year was the Trump administration’s executive orders against large corporate law firms, including a handful that have offices in Texas.