Austin, Tex. (August 1, 2008) - The international law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP announced today the opening of a new office in Austin TX, its third office in that state and 27th in the United States. The firm has had an established presence in Dallas since 2003 and in Houston since 2005. With the launch of the Austin office, along with Dallas and Houston, Greenberg Traurig will have more than 100 attorneys in Texas. Worldwide, Greenberg Traurig has approximately 1,800 attorneys in 30 offices. Greenberg Traurig has the most U.S. lawyers among the 2008 AmLaw 100, and the most U.S. offices among the Top 10 on the 2007 NLJ 250.
To launch the Austin office, the firm welcomes Demetrius G. McDaniel, Thomas J. Bond and Barry Senterfitt. In addition, joining as of counsel is Patricia Fuller McCandless. Prior to joining Greenberg Traurig, the three new shareholders were partners, McCandless was of counsel and Farrer was an associate, with Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. McDaniel will head Greenberg Traurig's Texas Governmental Affairs Practice; Bond will head its Texas insurance regulatory practice and be a senior leader in the firm's national practice; and Senterfitt, who had been partner in charge of Akin Gump's Austin office, will become the Managing Shareholder of Greenberg Traurig's new office.
In addition to the new additions, firm shareholder John S. "Chip" Rainey, currently resident in the firm's Houston office and has long roots in Austin, will join the new team.
"We are delighted to add these highly regarded, top notch professionals to our Texas team while opening a presence in this important state capital," said Richard A. Rosenbaum, President of Greenberg Traurig. "Greenberg Traurig is totally committed to building upon our strong foundation in Dallas and Houston, and now Austin, creating a top tier presence in this critically important growth state, where our lawyers work as one, unified team across offices and practices. In addition to government representation, we expect to build a full service Austin location, with practices including corporate, litigation and real estate. Given our uniquely strong entertainment and media practices in Atlanta, Los Angeles and New York, and our firm-wide strength in the technology area, we are also a good fit to serve these important local industries."
Greenberg Traurig's strategy for growth is to establish a presence in markets with identifiable business opportunities that can be supported by several of the firm's nationally recognized practice groups. The firm only opens offices where and when it makes sense and it can make a difference for its clients. More and more, state legislatures are taking the lead on establishing laws that impact insurance, environmental, labor, technology, real estate, corporate and climate change issues. Austin, as the Texas state capital, makes sense. When Greenberg Traurig adds an office, it does so because it has found a local team of attorneys that complement the firm's collaborative platform and - - importantly - - are lawyers who are culturally consistent with the firm's values.
Fred W. Baggett, Chair of the firm's National Governmental Affairs Practice, stated: "While Greenberg Traurig maintains its government practice in many state capitals throughout the country, it has always been a goal of the firm to ensure a strong presence in the four bellwether states of New York, Florida, California and Texas. These high quality, collaborative talents in Austin will join our strong Albany, NY, Sacramento, CA and Tallahassee, FL state capital network. Coupled with our longstanding presence in Washington, D.C., our ability to deliver effective and efficient federal, state and local government representation to our client base is now even greater, with first rate capabilities in four of the most important growth states."
Austin is a vibrant city with expanding and diverse demographics and a healthy economic base that continues to attract business. Austin was named No. 1 in economic vitality by The Wall Street Journal in 2007 and was named No. 1 in Expansion Management’s “Top Metros for Future Business Locations” in 2006. In addition, the Austin metropolitan area grew by 41.1 percent from 1996 to 2006. In the comparable time period, the population growth of Texas grew by 23.7 percent, and the United States, in general, at 12.9 percent. [Statistics courtesy of Austin, TX Chamber of Commerce.]
“I know I speak for my colleagues joining Greenberg Traurig when I say that we are delighted to have the opportunity to play an important part in expanding the reach of the firm,” Senterfitt said. “Greenberg Traurig's recognized national platform allows us to offer our clients seamless service and we look forward to engaging with our new colleagues in Texas and throughout the firm.”
About the Attorneys
- McDaniel's practice centers around public law, policy and regulation. He has been recognized as a top lobbyist in Texas. McDaniel received his B.B.A. and his J.D. from the University of Texas. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas and has been selected as a member of the distinguished Texas Bar Foundation.
- Bond, who headed his prior firm's insurance practice group, practices insurance and regulatory law. He was the Commissioner of Insurance for the state of Texas from 1982 to 1985. Bond received a B.A. from Baylor University and an M.F.A. from Bowling Green State University. He received his J.D. (with honors) from the University of Texas School of Law.
- Senterfitt's practice focuses on the insurance and managed care industries. He received his B.B.A. (with honors) from Texas A&M University, where he was a member of Phi Kappa Phi, and his J.D. (with honors) from Texas Tech University, where he was a member of Order of the Coif and managing editor of the Texas Tech Law Review.
- Rainey has wide-ranging experience in representing both traditional and on-line-only clients in the development of their use of the Internet for marketing, E-commerce and distribution activities. He also advises clients on finding ways to efficiently benefit from the climate change issue. Rainey received a B.B.A., from The University of Texas at Austin, and earned his J.D., (magna cum laude) from the University of Houston Law Center, where he was in the Order of the Barons and the Order of the Coif.
- McCandless practices insurance and regulatory law and has experience in managed care and health insurance regulation. She received a B.S. degree in Journalism from Texas A&M University in 1988, and a J.D. (cum laude) from New York Law School in 1992.