© 2014 The Texas Lawbook.
By Natalie Posgate – (October 6) – Fort Worth-based Kelly Hart & Hallman on Monday announced that it has opened a new office in Midland.
The new Midland location, which is the firm’s fourth office, officially opened its doors Oct. 1 and is being launched by nine Midland attorneys from the New Mexico-based firm Hinkle, Hensley, Shanor & Martin. The attorneys specialize primarily in oil and gas litigation and transactional matters, which will be the main focus of Kelly Hart’s new West Texas stomping grounds.
Dee Kelly, Jr. the firm’s managing partner, said Kelly Hart has been looking at expanding in the past year (which also included opening a New Orleans office in June), and Midland was a good fit because of the firm’s “good amount” of existing business in the area and the explosion of activity with the Permian Basin.
He said the Hinkle Hensley lawyers were a good fit because they were already in Midland and Kelly Hart already had an existing relationship with them.
“The lawyers we’re bringing in are quality lawyers and we are excited to have them join us,” Kelly said. “We wanted to expand with lawyers who live in the market.”
Kelly added that bringing in more lawyers to the Midland office “is certainly part of the long term plan” after the new office gets more settled in and after the firm gets to know the current lawyers in Midland better.
William B. Burford is leading the new office as managing partner. Burford focuses his practice on oil and gas title and transactional matters, which include fee, state and federal lands in both Texas and New Mexico. Burford has been on the State Bar of Texas’ editorial board for the development of title examination standards since its inception in 1991.
Harold L. Hensley, Jr., who joins Kelly Hart as a partner, will also play a large role in leading the new office. His practice focuses on complex commercial litigation primarily involving oil and gas, commercial law and condemnation matters. Hensley has served on the New Mexico Supreme Court as a member of its Uniform Jury Selection Committee.
Also joining the firm are C.D. Martin, Max Wright, Mary Baker and Anna Brandl as partners and John Shelton, Taylor Spalla and Gareth Morton as associates.
“We’re delighted Kelly Hart decided they wanted to be here in Midland and more than pleased to have been asked to join them,” Burford said in a written statement. “The Midland group is eager to start building on Kelly Hart’s West Texas practice.”
In addition to oil and gas matters, the new office will serve clients in complex commercial, medical and intellectual property litigation as well as appellate law geared toward oil and gas litigation.
The Midland office is located at 508 West Wall Street, Suite 444, Midland, TX 79701.
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