Fish & Richardson Latest Law Firm to Give Houston a Second Chance
Fish & Richardson has opened an office in Houston, one of several law firms that are seeing opportunity once again in the city.
Fish & Richardson was one of several firms that set up shop in Houston during the 1980s and 1990s only to close their doors as the city experienced economic problems, the Houston Business Journal reports. Many law firms are now returning.
Houston’s economy is helped by strong oil prices as well as a technology boom in areas that include biomedicine and aeronautics, the story says. And at least one law firm sees a plus side in hurricanes that hit the region.
Fish & Richardson was likely lured to the region because the Eastern District of Texas is a popular location for patent infringement suits. The law firm opened a Houston office with shareholder David Healey and four lawyers from Weil, Gotshal & Manges, according to the article.
Another firm opening in Houston, the story says, is the Merlin Law Group of Tampa, Fla. Lawyers at the insurance firm decided to open in Houston after seeing a report that listed the city as one of the three biggest markets for storm insurance claims, according to the Houston Business Journal story.
Legal recruiters say national law firms opening offices in Houston are recruiting energy lawyers from established Texas firms, creating a hot market for the practice specialty.
Law firms that have opened in Houston in the last three years include McDermott, Will & Emery; DLA Piper; Hunton & Williams; Morgan, Lewis & Bockius; Sutherland Asbill & Brennan; and Greenberg Traurig.
