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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.

Comerica Closes $10.9B Merger, Wins DFW Corp. Counsel Award for M&A Transaction of the Year

Fifth Third Bank’s merger with Dallas-based Comerica was a complex mega-transaction put extraordinary pressure on the Comerica legal department, which was already being pushed to the limit on other matters. But the $10.9 billion transaction announced on Oct. 6 officially closed this morning at 12:02 a.m., a mere four months after the deal was announced. Citing their extraordinary accomplishments, the Association of Corporate Counsel’s DFW Chapter and The Texas Lawbook this past Thursday night honored the Comerica legal department and its outside counsel at Wachtell Lipton with the 2025 DFW M&A Transaction of the Year.

Premium Subscriber Q&A: Comerica Deputy General Counsel Hope Schall

Hope Schall was part of the Comerica legal team that won the 2025 DFW Corporate Counsel Award for M&A Transaction of the Year related to the bank’s $10.9 billion merger with Fifth Third Bank. In this Q&A with The Texas Lawbook, she discusses the traits she seeks in outside counsel, what outside counsel need to know when working with her and more.

Premium Subscriber Q&A: Comerica Deputy General Counsel Nicole Gersch

Nicki Gersch was part of the Comerica legal team that won the 2025 DFW Corporate Counsel Award for M&A Transaction of the Year related to the bank’s $10.9 billion merger with Fifth Third Bank. In this Q&A with The Texas Lawbook, she discusses the traits she seeks in outside counsel, what outside counsel need to know when working with her and more.

Premium Subscriber Q&A: Comerica Division General Counsel Steve Franklin

Steve Franklin was part of the Comerica legal team that won the 2025 DFW Corporate Counsel Award for M&A Transaction of the Year related to the bank’s $10.9 billion merger with Fifth Third Bank. In this Q&A with The Texas Lawbook, he discusses the traits he seeks in outside counsel, what outside counsel need to know when working with him and more.

Premium Subscriber Q&A: Comerica Deputy GC General Counsel Ashley Fincher

Ashley Fincher was part of the Comerica legal team that won the 2025 DFW Corporate Counsel Award for M&A Transaction of the Year related to the bank’s $10.9 billion merger with Fifth Third Bank. In this Q&A with The Texas Lawbook, she discusses the traits she seeks in outside counsel, what outside counsel need to know when working with her and more.

Premium Subscriber Q&A: Von Hays

In this Q&A with The Texas Lawbook, Von Hays discusses the traits he seeks in outside counsel, what outside counsel need to know when working with him and more.

CDT Roundup: Cold Front, Hot Government Capital

For the wintry week ended Jan. 31, the CDT Roundup saw 11 deals reported with a total value of nearly $4 billion — and the bulk of that was, in essence, a preferred equity funding deal involving the federal government.

A week earlier, eight deals were reported with only three disclosed values totaling a little more than $1.3 billion. This time last year there were 16 deals worth a little more than $10 billion that passed across our desk. That and more in this edition of CDT Roundup.

P.S. — Texas Native Named Dean of Yale Law School

In this edition of P.S., we report that San Antonio native Cristina M. Rodríguez is set to make history as the first Latina to lead Yale Law School when she assumes the deanship on Feb. 1. Also, the San Antonio Legal Services Association has announced that Texas Supreme Court Justice Brett Busby will serve as the keynote speaker at its premier fundraising event in April. And retired U.S. District Judge Barbara Lynn, a trailblazer and mentor to many, will be honored with the Charles O. Galvin Award for Extraordinary Service as part of SMU Dedman School of Law’s 2026 Distinguished Alumni Awards. 

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