Six Partners from K & L Gates Jumping to McDermott Will & Emery LLP

June 2, 2015

2379

Summary: McDermott Will & Emery LLP has grabbed six partners from K & L Gates at this time but more may be joining.

After testing the waters in Dallas three years ago, McDermott Will & Emery LLP has snagged six partners from K & L Gates to expand their presence in the Texas city. The attorneys include three mergers and acquisitions partners and three partners that specialize in technology and outsourcing.

The M&A group of Soren Lindstrom, Greg Hidalgo, and Wilson Chu started checking the market together earlier this year through the help of a recruiter. They were impressed with McDermott’s depth in certain areas.

The technology and outsourcing group include Jason Krieser, David Guedry, and Shawn Helms, but there is potential for 15 more lawyers to also join the departure from K&L Gates. The new additions are working in a temporary space until a more permanent location uptown can be secured.

Texas has been a growing hot spot for out-of-town law firms. McDermott is based in Chicago but decided to expand to Texas in 2012 where they added their first attorneys and then a tax controversy team from Dentons . There have been almost 30 national law firms to move to Texas between 2009 and 2014. An additional dozen law firms have greatly expanded during that time as well. Some of the emerging law firms in Houston are Latham & Watkins and Willkie Farr & Gallagher.