The Texas Lawbook

Free Speech, Due Process and Trial by Jury

Firm Management tease

Citi — Big Law in Texas Had Strong 2024, and 2025 Looks Even Better

The bad news for Texas-based corporate law firms is that revenues, profits per partner and demand for legal services significantly trailed their out-of-state competitors during 2024, according to new Citi Law Firm Group data provided Monday to The Texas Lawbook. But the good news is that those outside national law firms — including Kirkland & Ellis, Gibson Dunn, Latham & Watkins and Sidley — growing faster and richer now make up about 60 percent of the Texas corporate legal market, according to the Texas Lawbook 50 report for 2024.

Mark Curriden

Are You a Go-Getter Lawyer?

To be a success in the legal profession hinges much more on how you work than where you work. Taking ownership of your own success and not expecting someone else to provide it for you is every bit as important today as it was 40 years ago. But what the series revealed is that different generations have a different sense of what go-getting looks like today.

Tom Melsheimer

Citi: Texas Firms Experiencing Headcount, Revenue Growth So Far in 2024

Texas-based corporate law firms experienced strong headcount, demand and revenue growth during the first nine months of 2024, according to new Citi Law Firm Group data provided to The Texas Lawbook. The dozen or so law firms headquartered in Texas increased their year-over-year lawyer headcount during the first three quarters by three percent, compared to 1.3 percent for firms nationwide. Those firms grew equity partnership by 2.2 percent, which compares to zero percent nationally, according to Citi’s exclusive data.

Mark Curriden

November 14 — The Day Fulbright & Jaworski Changed the Texas Legal Landscape Forever

Fulbright & Jaworski was the biggest of the Big Three in Texas a dozen years ago. For the past century, Fulbright, Baker Botts and Vinson & Elkins reigned as the masters of corporate law in Texas. Lawyers at the trio didn’t need to do much business development because clients rushed to their offices when they needed big-time help. Fulbright and her two sister firms — all headquartered in Houston — represented Texas’ biggest businesses and wealthiest citizens. Each employed about 700 attorneys, and they reported roughly the same revenues and profits. The best students at all the Texas law schools prayed one of the Big Three would extend them an offer. Lawyers joined Fulbright and stayed until they retired. Even as national law firms dipped their toes in the Texas legal market waters, leaders at the Big Three swore they would never merge. Texas forever.

Then came Nov. 14, 2012. And everything changed.

Mark Curriden

V&E Announces New Denver Office

The Houston-based firm announced on Halloween that it is launching a Denver office led by three leading corporate partners at the firm. V&E has been involved in several deals in the region this year.

Brooks Igo

The Vanishing Texas-based Corporate Law Firm

At midnight on Dec. 31, the sign on the front door at Locke Lord will come down, and the corporate law firm’s 130-year history as a Dallas-based institution will come to an end as the result of a merger with Troutman Pepper. Over the last dozen years, more than 30 business law firms headquartered in Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio have merged with or been swallowed up by larger, more profitable corporate law firms seeking to enter the thriving Texas business market or expand specific practice areas. None of them call Texas HQ anymore.

Since 2012, seven of the 25 largest Texas-based corporate law firms have merged out of existence. Legal industry analysts predict that more Texas legacy firms — small, medium and large — will be takeover targets within the next 18 months.

Mark Curriden

Locke Lord, Troutman Pepper Vote to Merge

The combination will create a firm of more than 1,600 lawyers in 35 offices which last year reported more than $1.5 billion in revenues, placing it in the top 30 of the Am Law 100 rankings.

Kent Zimmermann, a strategic adviser and principal with the Zeughauser Group, introduced the two firms and describes the combination as "the most appealing in recent history."

Allen Pusey

Update: Texas Lateral Partner Hiring Boomed in H1 2024

The lateral partner market in Texas hit a fevered pitch during the first six months of 2024 — especially in Houston and among litigation practices, according to exclusive Texas Lawbook data. Some big-name lawyers changed locations during H1 2024. Dozens of the lateral partner moves are the result of a few law firms opening new offices in Texas. Four law firms took their first plunge into the Texas legal market by hiring lateral partners. Lawbook database manager Christi Trammell and reporter Mark Curriden provide the inside numbers and Lotus Legal Search Founder Kate Cassidy offers the analysis.

Mark Curriden & Christi Trammell

© Copyright 2025 The Texas Lawbook
The content on this website is protected under federal Copyright laws. Any use without the consent of The Texas Lawbook is prohibited.