Law firm associates are often surprised at the lack of compensation transparency for in-house positions — particularly in states like Texas where disclosure is not required. But understanding a typical in-house counsel compensation package is a crucial part of considering a transition from a law firm to a corporate legal department.
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Texas Lawbook 50: A New No. 1 for Headcounts and a Three-way Tie for 2nd
On an FTE basis, the Texas Lawbook 50 firms increased lawyer employment by 2.6 percent. The new Lawbook 50 extends a winning streak that began with a net-hiring rush in 2019, took a year off for the pandemic in 2020, then roared back even stronger in the past two years. From 2010 to 2018, the annual headcount was essentially flat, with five up years offset by four down ones. However, the new data may point to a downshifting in the law firm labor market after record gains of 301 lawyers in 2021 and 287 in 2022.
In 2023, 29 firms increased headcounts, 20 firms employed fewer lawyers and one firm stayed even. A shakeup at the top of the Lawbook 50 rankings is the result of shifting the way the Lawbook 50 calculates headcounts to a method used by other legal publications.
Updated: ‘One Day Stands Out’ for Retiring Southwest CLO Mark Shaw
Mark Shaw has witnessed a lot of crises and successes during his 24 years as a lawyer for Southwest Airlines, but the day that stands out most is Sept. 13, 2001. “I will never forget seeing that first flight after the terrorist attacks of 9/11 taking off from Love Field,” Shaw told The Texas Lawbook in an interview Thursday. “It had been a horrible, tragic few days, but American flags were everywhere and seeing the spirit of everyone moving forward was amazing.”
Southwest announced Wednesday that Shaw, 61, is resigning as the company’s chief legal and chief regulatory officer on May 31 for family reasons. Shaw, who has been the general counsel since 2013, will remain with the company in an executive advisory role.
Third COA: Court Reporters’ Suit Against Certification Commission May Proceed
Court reporter Jo Ann Holmgren and her firm, Preferred Legal Services, are seeking a court finding that the Judicial Branch Certification Commission failed to do its job when it dismissed a complaint of alleged violations of court reporting laws by a digital recording company. The Third Court of Appeals rejected the JBCC’s appeal and remanded the case to the trial court.
Q&A: Tana Pool
For Premium Subscribers TGS GC Tana Pool discusses her biggest challenges, what she seeks in outside counsel, diversity efforts and how the role of the GC has changed during her
TGS GC Tana Pool is a ‘Leader by Example’
Tana Pool is a self-described “small town girl.” The adopted daughter of Texas panhandle cotton farmers, she had never traveled outside the U.S. before becoming a lawyer. Then, a decade ago, Pool became the general counsel of a global Norwegian-based energy data and intelligence corporation that has a $1.7 billion market cap. She now has offices in Oslo, London and Houston. She is doing M&A deals around the world.
During her 17 years at TGS and Quanta Services, Pool has done more than a dozen acquisitions and joint ventures, negotiated more than $1 billion in credit facilities and is now on the verge of closing TGS’ largest M&A transaction — the acquisition of Oslo-headquartered Petroleum Geo Services (PGS) for 9.3 billion Norwegian crowns (roughly $864 million) in a merger of equals. Recognizing her long list of extraordinary achievements, the Association of Corporate Counsel’s Houston Chapter and The Texas Lawbook are awarding Pool with the 2024 Houston Corporate Counsel Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Todd Lowther Latest Key Hire for Clifford Chance’s Houston Office
Clifford Chance’s Texas expansion continued Wednesday as the firm announced a key lateral hire who bolsters its U.S. tax and energy & infrastructure practices.
Fifth Circuit Undoes $1.6B Judgment Against IBM
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit determined Tuesday that U.S. District Judge Gray H. Miller got it wrong when he handed down a massive $1.6 billion judgment against International Business Machines for breach and fraud in a lawsuit against Houston-based BMC Software.
Q&A: Adel Sander
In this Q&A, Adel Sander discusses what she considers when hiring outside counsel, what it is about her job that gets her out of bed, how diversity became front and center for her and what diversity and inclusion initiatives law firms can be doing to create change.
Ascend’s Adel Sander Ensures Women are ‘Not Just a Pretty Face at the Counsel Table’
Adel Sander has been driven to succeed and advocate for others from the time she could talk to present day as director and deputy general counsel at Ascend Performance Materials. As a 2-year-old growing up in Baku, Azerbaijan, she pointed out to her mom that her dad in fact did split some of the domestic labor by going to the market every week. As an in-house lawyer, she bats for women and diverse professionals every day, whether it’s a new mom needing a part-time schedule, a female outside lawyer up for partner, a father who wants to spend more time with his newborn or a job applicant shunned by other employers because of their criminal history.
“I really, really like to push people into being promoted to the next level and to give people opportunity,” she said. “At one point or another, someone gave me an opportunity, so I like to return the favor.”
Sander is one of three finalists for the Association of Corporate Counsel’s Houston chapter and The Texas Lawbook’s 2024 Houston Corporate Counsel Award for Achievement in Diversity and Inclusion. This is her story.