Texas accounting firm Weaver announced Wednesday that it has hired Houston litigator Frank McElroy as its first in-house lawyer and general counsel.
Before joining, McElroy spent more than 10 years at Houston firm Forrest McElroy, where he guided and defended CPAs on issues such as licensing, client disputes and litigation.
McElroy pointed to the firm’s impressive growth as a factor for him joining. He also was already familiar with Weaver since he has handled a couple matters for the firm in the past.
“Many accounting firms with general counsel are based out of other areas – really none of them are based here in Texas, so that drew me to them,” McElroy told The Texas Lawbook. “I know the guys, I’ve worked with them and they have a great reputation. It seemed like a great opportunity to help them grow and continue to do great work.”
At Weaver, McElroy will work on both the litigation and transactional side. In addition to managing the firm’s corporate needs, he’ll be active in the firm’s contract and acquisition negotiations, quality review teams and risk management.
“I hope to help them grow into the next level of their development,” he said.
Founded in Fort Worth, Weaver has grown from a Texas-only accounting firm to the 37thlargest firm in the U.S. and the largest independent accounting firm based in the Southwest. Weaver primarily serves commercial, financial services and government clients.
Weaver will remain based in Houston, where the firm’s chief executive officer is also based.
“As the firm continues to grow, so does our need for legal expertise,” Weaver CEO and Managing Partner John Mackel said in a statement. “Frank has worked with us as outside counsel on a variety of legal issues, including quality and risk management, contract matters and regulatory filings. His excellent work for Weaver and his commitment to the accounting profession made him our top choice for in-house counsel.”
McElroy earned his law degree from the University of Houston Law Center. He also received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration at U of H.