Texas “Significant Factor” in Sutherland & Eversheds Joining Forces

© 2016 The Texas Lawbook.By Mark Curriden WASHINTON, DC (Dec. 16) – The Texas legal and business markets were a key factor in the decision by Atlanta-based Sutherland Asbill & Brennan and London-based Eversheds joining forces to create a new global law firm. Partners at the firms voted Friday to create a new law firm called Eversheds Sutherland. Sutherland Managing Partner Mark Wasserman told The Texas Lawbook in an interview in Washington, D.C. Friday that the two law firms have several mutual clients that are either headquartered in Texas or have major operations in the state. “For Eversheds, our Texas offices in Houston and Austin were a significant factor in this combination,” Wasserman said. “Growth in Texas is important for both law firms.” Sutherland has 22 lawyers in Houston and nine in Austin. Two Houston partners, Ben Clark and Ram Sunkara, are members of Sutherland’s nine-member executive committee. Sutherland represented Houston-based Transocean in the BP oil spill litigation. Sutherland was founded in 1924 by William Sutherland and Elbert Tuttle, who was later appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals in Atlanta and is widely considered one of the greatest federal judges to ever serve in the South. Judge Tuttle, along…