After a nearly four-decade run, Dallas law firm Hiersche, Hayward, Drakeley & Urbach will be closing its doors at the end of the year.
More than three-quarters of Hiersche Hayward’s 17 lawyers are leaving for new opportunities, according to an official statement from the firm.
Nine attorneys are joining Spencer Fane on Jan. 1 and the firm’s four-lawyer medical malpractice section is in discussions with a number of law firms and plans to make an announcement in the near future, according to the Hiersche Hayward statement.
“When we founded HHDU almost 40 years ago, our vision was to build a law firm with a solid reputation for offering excellent but affordable legal services. I’m immensely proud of the firm’s many successes over the years and the top-notch attorneys who built their careers here,” Jerry Hiersche, a founding partner of the firm who will wrap up the firm’s operations before retiring, said in a statement.
“We experienced steady growth throughout our history, even during turbulent times that brought down other firms. Our many loyal clients have been our greatest asset and I know these attorneys will continue to provide them with the highest quality legal representation for many years to come.”
The attorneys leaving for Spencer Fane bring expertise in litigation, real estate, corporate and tax matters. The group is led by partners Jim Drakeley, James Patterson and Scott Seifert. They are joined by of counsel William Hayward, Laurie Patton, Thomas Slover, Chris Summers and Robert Van Amburgh and associate Macy Matthews.
“Adding a group of this caliber is an exceptional continuation of our growth in Texas, and no doubt advances our commitment to providing the highest possible service to clients when and wherever necessary,” Jason Cross, Spencer Fane’s Dallas office managing partner, said in a statement.
Landing this lateral group will increase Spencer Fane’s Texas headcount to 55 attorneys across Dallas, Plano and Houston offices. Drakeley called the Kansas City law firm a “perfect match” for his team and clients, praising its service platform, geographic reach and service depth.
A long-tenured shareholder at Hiersche Hayward, Drakeley has built a noteworthy business litigation practice over the last 40 years. He successfully represented Craig James, the former ESPN sportscaster and one-half of the Southern Methodist University “Pony Express” running back tandem, in his high-profile dispute with then-Texas Tech football coach Mike Leach.
The Hiersche Hayward medical malpractice group that is in discussions with multiple firms includes shareholders William Dick Wiles, M. Kenneth Patterson, Kevin Keith and Heather Kanny.
Hiersche launched the Addison-based law firm in April 1980 with two other partners. Named shareholders Bill Hayward and Jim Drakeley joined forces with Hiersche within the first five years. The firm grew to more than two dozen attorneys at its peak.
In the past two years, the firm has experienced a number of significant departures. Named shareholder Gerry Urbach retired; trial lawyer Craig Harris moved to Munsch Hardt; bankruptcy attorney Russell Mills left for Bell Nunnally; intellectual property expert Wade Cloud lateraled to Munck Wilson; real estate transactions pro Victoria Yarkho jumped to Mayer LLP; and litigator Jason Katz joined Carrington Coleman.