What were the firm’s biggest or most important (non-client) achievements as a firm in 2020?
Our biggest achievements in 2020 were being prepared, keeping good people, and maintaining fluid client service. Before the shelter-in order, all our attorneys and staff were equipped with home office necessities, VPN access, monitors, printers (where necessary) and training on our secure video conferencing system. We transitioned smoothly into quarantine and when we opened the offices back up in May, employees were trusted to decide whether they should continue to work from home or come back to the office.
We communicated regularly with our employees and kept them informed on safety protocols and firm operations. We were able to keep all employees working and non-attorney/managers on full pay during the quarantine and we did not have to make any staff cuts. Our clients had our full service throughout the pandemic. Even with court closures and trial postponements, we still had a high volume of hearings and mediations that were conducted virtually. We also hired 16 attorneys in 2020. Eight of them were female and four were lateral partners.
As a firm, what were your biggest challenges and how did you address them?
A big challenge was making sure that we operated fluidly and that our staff would continue to receive full pay and benefits. Unsure as to how COVID would affect client payments and cash flow, in the beginning of Q2, we proactively implemented a 20 percent pay cut for partners, a 10 percent pay cut for non-partners, and a five percent pay cut for director/manager level staff. Many partners volunteered to forego their base salary to ensure those who needed it the most were paid in full. Everyone continued to receive full benefits.
Our plan was to reevaluate the numbers by the end of the second quarter to determine if we needed to extend the reduced salary, but we were well on track with work coming in and revenue by June, so we restored everyone back to full salaries by the beginning of Q3. By August, all attorneys anddirectors/managers were retroactively reimbursed for the deductions taken in the 2Q.
Another big challenge was ensuring everyone’s safety. We had safety protocols and communicated regularly with our employees about the policies enforced for coming to the office. We provided hand sanitizer, masks, and antibacterial wipes for all employees and we had stickers on the floor to encourage social distancing. We also installed a temperature scanning kiosk that all employees had to visit before entering the office. Finally, we had an app for employees to sign into each morning to take a COVID exposure and symptom screening questionnaire before reporting to work.
What were three of the most important successes your firm’s Texas lawyers achieved for clients last year?
We had a highly publicized transaction announced late in the year where our corporate group represented an MWM client in an acquisition of 51 percent interest of their company by a leading global online automotive client. The valuation of our client’s company was $275 million, and the deal closed in January 2021.
We had two big wins in 2020 on behalf of one of our global pharmaceutical clients, both related to patent infringement cases. This client is a global skin care company, and we represent them in defending their market exclusivity against generic companies who try to duplicate their highly successful medications that help millions of patients around the world.
We represented one of our biggest clients as intellectual property counsel in connection with a $144 million merger transaction.
Who are two Texas lawyers – one partner, one associate – who really shined in 2020 and why?
Jenny Martinez, a senior partner in our firm, was elected to the MWM executive committee and she was named co-chair of our litigation section. In addition to these two impressive milestones in her career at MWM, she is also the leading partner responsible for the significant success we have had in recruiting and hiring strong female laterals.
Jordan Strauss, an associate in 2020, was a member of three of our top MWM litigation trial teams in 2020 and she played a major role in handling complex research, briefing, and argument for our patent infringement, trade secret misappropriation, and other IP-related matters. Jordan was made partner at the end of 2020.
What was the firm’s biggest pro bono/public service success in Texas of 2020?
MWM is involved with Hunger Busters, a Dallas-based charity focused on providing a much-needed third meal of the day to food-insecure children in the DISD. In 2020, despite the pandemic, Hunger Busters was able to provide 350,000 meals to 11 DISD schools and six after-school programs. MWM provides pro bono legal representation to Hunger Busters and William A. Munck serves as chairman of the board.
What was the firm’s most significant move forward in addressing diversity and inclusion in 2020?
Our firm elected three female partners at the end of 2020, and we have nearly tripled our female partner head count in the past three years. This was a strategy set forth when we hired Jenny Martinez in October 2018, a lateral partner who worked with our firm leaders and set a plan in place to bring more strong female attorneys to the firm. The first female attorney she brought on board was Alison Battiste who made partner in December 2020, along with two other female associates. Jenny has helped us recruit other impressive laterals, both male and female, and as our female attorney headcount grows, we seem to be having an easier time recruiting more female talent.
Our minority numbers have also steadily increased in the past three years, going from 11 percent at the end of 2018 up to 15 percent at the end of 2020 and we intend to keep focusing on successful diversity and inclusion initiatives.
What is your No. 1 goal as a law firm for 2021?
We plan to maintain our momentum of growth in our current offices in Dallas, Los Angeles, and Austin, and we want to expand in Miami by the end of the year. We will continue to add strong, smart, and talented attorneys to the MWM ranks across all offices.