Steven Schulman has spent the past three decades helping reshape the role of pro bono work in Big Law. After building Latham & Watkins’ pro bono program, he persuaded Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld to create a full-time pro bono partnership for him. Since then, he has watched corporate firm pro bono work expand from fewer than 1 million hours nationwide in 1994 to more than 5 million annually today, a transformation that mirrors his own rise as one of the country’s leading pro bono advocates. Colleagues say Schulman, who is based in Dallas, has helped drive that growth, leveraging his role to shape not only Akin’s pro bono program but also the broader legal profession’s approach to public service.
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Texas’ First-Half Fab Five: These Firms Are Leading the M&A Break
In the first half of the year, dealmaking has been defined by an unmistakable top tier of law firms that dominate the M&A stats from every angle. Kirkland & Ellis, Latham & Watkins, Gibson Dunn, Vinson & Elkins and Sidley Austin are the only firms that land in the top 10 on all four core measures of The Texas Lawbook’s exclusive Corporate Deal Tracker for 1H 2026 M&A: overall Texas‑led deal count and value, as well as Texas‑related deal count and value.
These five firms and their Texas lawyers formed the “starting lineup” for buyers and sellers who needed wraparound services, expertise and scale.
What sets the Texas Fab Five apart is that each arrives from a slightly different angle.
Per usual, Kirkland and Latham anchor the high‑volume end of the spectrum, running enormous books of Texas‑related deals.
Gibson Dunn dominates the top of the value leaderboard, with transactions that generate staggering amounts (thanks, SpaceX!).
Vinson & Elkins and Sidley provide the bridge between those extremes with deal counts that show substantial total value and a strong share of Texas‑led work.
The megadeals have gotten a lot of love as of late, but Texas lawyers at these firms are also delivering consistent core middle‑market activity, too.
What does the starting lineup look like?
Texas’ First-Half Fab Five: These Firms Are Leading the M&A Break
In the first half of the year, dealmaking has been defined by an unmistakable top tier of law firms that dominate the M&A stats from every angle. Kirkland & Ellis, Latham & Watkins, Gibson Dunn, Vinson & Elkins and Sidley Austin are the only firms that land in the top 10 on all four core measures of The Texas Lawbook’s exclusive Corporate Deal Tracker for 1H 2026 M&A.
These five firms and their Texas lawyers formed the “starting lineup” for buyers and sellers who needed wraparound services, expertise and scale.
Asked & Answered with AZA’s Monica Uddin: DMX, Mid-Trial Adjustments and Learning to Ski
In this edition of Asked & Answered, AZA partner Monica Uddin discusses her first trial and what being a hiring partner looks like for her. She also shares her own misconceptions about the practice.
Two Years in, Texas Business Court Wins Praise, But Dedicated Courtrooms, Extended Terms Are Needed
By all accounts, the Texas Business Court has met or exceeded expectations. Business court judges have moved their growing dockets quickly and efficiently, and they have not been as unfriendly to plaintiffs as many lawyers feared. Yet some practitioners see specific areas that have room for improvement.
Just Wednesday morning, all 10 judges were reappointed for their second two-year terms, which most lawyers applauded.
Biz Court Gets Continuity: Gov. Abbott Reappoints All 10 Jurists
A lingering question was answered Wednesday when Gov. Greg Abbott announced in a news release that he is reappointing all 10 sitting Texas Business Court judges to two-year terms. The announcement comes about a month before the current terms are set to expire Sept. 1.
Kirkland Adds First Restructuring Group Partners in Dallas with Jones Day Duo
Restructuring partners Dan Prieto and Amanda Rush have joined Kirkland & Ellis from Jones Day. They will become the first members of the firm’s Restructuring Group based in Dallas, where they will focus on mass tort restructurings, Chapter 11 reorganizations, out-of-court restructurings and distressed M&A transactions.
We Requested SCOTX Financial Disclosure Forms. Here’s What They Show
Conferences, real estate investments and stock in ExxonMobil are among the financial interests the Texas Supreme Court justices’ financial disclosure forms detail for the past year. The Texas Lawbook made an open records request for the forms of the nine sitting justices in May. Four of the justices requested extensions. The Lawbook obtained the rest of the forms in July.
Trailblazing Texas Judge Ruby Kless Sondock Dies at 100
Ruby Kless Sondock, the first woman to serve on the Texas Supreme Court in a regular session and Harris County’s first female district judge, died last week at age 100. Sondock, a 1961 graduate of the University of Houston Law Center, leaves an enduring impact on the legal profession, particularly by advancing opportunities for women in the law, the school said.
BlackRock, Meta Team Up on $14B El Paso Data Center
BlackRock and Meta announced on Tuesday a deal to build a 1 gigawatt data center in El Paso. Latham & Watkins advised Meta on the transaction, and BlackRock used Kirkland & Ellis as outside legal counsel.