Connie Pfeiffer has joined Yetter Coleman as the new leader of the Houston litigation boutique’s appellate practice group, the firm announced Tuesday.
Pfeiffer joins Yetter Coleman after spending the first 15 years of her legal career at another boutique, Beck Redden. Her first day was Monday.
The University of Texas-trained lawyer has handled a number of notable appellate matters in her career. In 2018, she obtained a $9.6 million reversal in the Supreme Court of Texas on behalf of Diamond Offshore Services in an oil rig injury case that also provided guidance on when civil courts can exclude relevant evidence. In the same court two years earlier, she won a significant case that overturned a faulty federal appeals decision and added a layer of protection to the 15% of Texans who take out home equity loans.
Currently, Pfeiffer represents the Memorial Hermann Health System in a multimillion-dollar defamation dispute against one of its former heart surgeons that is pending in the Texas Supreme Court. She’s also representing a prominent Houston plaintiffs’ law firm that currently has a high-stakes, $140 million employment contract dispute pending in a trial court.
Since 2013, Pfeiffer has served on the bipartisan Federal Judicial Evaluation Committee, which screens and recommends nominees for vacancies on the federal bench and in U.S. attorney offices in Texas.
In her new role at Yetter Coleman, Pfeiffer succeeds Reagan Simpson, who has led the boutique’s appellate practice for the past decade. Simpson will now serve as the firm’s administrative partner.
“Year after year, Connie is recognized among the most respected lawyers in Texas,” he said in a statement. “Connie’s arrival at Yetter Coleman reflects the strong next generation of our firm and appellate team. Her skills, record and relationships with clients are extraordinary. She perfectly fits with our firm’s commitment to deliver leading-edge service to our clients for decades to come.”
Pfeiffer said that when the opportunity arose at Yetter Coleman, it was “very persuasive” for her to join. She said the job would allow her to work with a group of colleagues and friends whom she has respected for years while working at an “ideal” platform for high-stakes lawsuits.
“The needs of my clients were a very significant consideration of the move, and I knew Yetter Coleman was a firm where I could continue serving those clients and continue serving them well,” Pfeiffer told The Texas Lawbook. “I had a high degree of confidence that it would be a seamless transition. It’s really nice to go to a firm where you already have so many people you like and respect.”
Pfeiffer is among the next generation of leaders as prominent litigation boutiques in Texas — Yetter Coleman among them — begin to lean into the notion of succession planning.
“It is clear to me that they are committed to the future of the firm and that Paul Yetter is very much behind supporting the next generation,” Pfeiffer said. “The firm is really promoting lawyers from the bottom up. I can see even at the junior associate level that the firm is very [committed] in advancing their careers.”
Pfeiffer said that aspect of the firm was attractive to her because it lines up with her own values and passion for mentoring younger lawyers.
“I believe a rising tide lifts all boats, and I’m just excited about the idea of building up the whole team and advancing the group as a section,” Pfeiffer said.
Because of the pandemic, Pfeiffer is not starting her new job in the office, since Yetter Coleman is still operating remotely. She says she has been “intentional” about breaking into “very small groups” for outdoor gatherings, and meeting her new colleagues electronically via Zoom.
“This pandemic has been a tragic situation, and I just really try to focus on these silver linings,” Pfeiffer said. “As lawyers, we’re able to all work remotely without skipping a beat, which I’m very thankful for. One of the keys to success is being able to adapt. It’s very important to be able to do that and to make the best of a hard situation.”