In an era characterized by the zig of headlong expansion, the Texas-based firm of Kane Russell Coleman Logan has found a way to zag.
In unusually amicable fashion, senior director Zach Mayer is departing from the 26-year old firm and, with the blessing of its founding management, taking as many as 20 lawyers with him.
Mayer said Thursday he plans to open his own Dallas-based firm at the end of the year, a firm that will include many of those who currently practice with him at Kane Russell. When it opens, the firm — to be named Mayer LLP — will include an office in Albuquerque, N.M. “from day one,” said Mayer, reflecting the broader ambitions for his practice that is at the core of his departure.
“In the 12 years I’ve been here, Kane Russell has been truly supportive of me in every way I can think of,” Mayer said. “They’ve taught me to be entrepreneurial and that’s what this is all about.”
Managing partner Joe Coleman, who helped form KRCL 26 years ago, agrees. “This is a positive step forward for both Zach and the firm,” said Coleman.
In an unusual joint interview that included Coleman and Mayer, founding partner Mike Logan said Mayer’s litigation practice had grown to a point where it had become “a firm within a firm,” and its natural growth clashed with KRCL’s desired balance between commercial litigation and transactional, as well as its identity as a purely Texas-based full-service firm.
“We’ve always wanted to maintain a mix of practices, and this move helps us do that,” Logan said.
“We’ve watched the ‘oligopolization’ of the mega-firms in Texas,” added Coleman, “and that’s not what we want to be.”
Founded in 1992 with five lawyers, KRCL has grown to 90 attorneys with offices in Dallas and Houston. Although that number will be reduced to about 70 with the departure of Mayer’s practice group, Coleman said the firm intends to be aggressive in the market for laterals. The firm is currently ranked 20th in gross revenues and 15th in profits per partner in the Texas Lawyer Firm Finance Survey.
Coleman said KRCL doesn’t intend to stay at the 70-lawyer level.
“We’ve had one of our betters years with laterals,” said Coleman, “and we intend to stay active.”
Mayer said his litigation practice was developing rapidly beyond state lines with clients in New Mexico, Oklahoma, even Michigan.
“That’s influenced my own unique vision for the law firm I want to build,” Mayer said.
Coleman agreed. “From the beginning of our firm, we’ve emphasized an entrepreneurial spirit. This is really a recognition of Zach’s success here and who Zach was becoming. In a way, his success is a vindication of our business model.”
“What we’ll be looking for now is who will be our next Zach,” Coleman said.
During their exclusive interview with The Texas Lawbook, Mayer, Coleman and Logan continually emphasized the ultimately amicable character of the transition. Coleman said the firm had held its Halloween party Wednesday, and the festivities included those who will be departing.
“We all dressed up and had a lot of fun,” said Coleman.
“Yeah, but my group won [the costume competition]….again,” Logan said.
All three laughed.