Midsize law firm Michelman & Robinson opens in Houston weeks after Dallas launch

By
Texas prepares to lift mask mandate and reopen to full capacity in Houston
A man runs at a park overlooking the Houston skyline. REUTERS/Callaghan O'Hare
  • Michelman & Robinson opened its Dallas outpost earlier this month
  • The firm said it expects to continue Texas expansion

(Reuters) - Less than three weeks after launching in Dallas, Los Angeles-based Michelman & Robinson has opened its second Texas office in Houston, the firm said Monday.

The office will be led by litigator Lauren Varnado, former principal at McKool Smith, who said she expects to assemble a team of at least 10 attorneys in the coming weeks.

Also joining from McKool Smith is David Dehoney, though he will be based in New York. He works on energy-related litigation along with Varnado, according to Michelman & Robinson.

According to Sanford Michelman, the firm's co-founder, the Houston office will have an oil and gas focus for now as the energy industry is "centered" in the city.

He said that there has been client demand for deal and regulatory work in Houston, as well as litigation support.

The firm on Jan. 11 said it opened its first Texas office by absorbing a small data privacy and cybersecurity-focused firm in Dallas.

Michelman & Robinson has about 80 attorneys working out of seven offices, but has recently competed with some of the largest U.S. firms on associate salaries.

A representative from McKool Smith was not immediately reachable for comment on attorney departures from the firm.

Read more:

Midsize law firm Michelman & Robinson bets on Texas with Dallas office

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Thomson Reuters

Chinekwu Osakwe covers legal industry news with a focus on midsize law firms. Reach her at Chinekwu.osakwe@thomsonreuters.com.

Read Next / Editor's Picks