Mexican demand for natural gas remains strong. That has allayed some fears that related energy law practices, particularly in South Texas, will falter amid the Trump administration's appointment bottleneck and its previous fiery talk about the United States' southern neighbors.

“We have a lot of projects. We have seen pipeline activity greatly increase,” said Lara Pringle, a partner in the Houston office of Jones Walker.

In the first days of the new administration, the president's staunchly nationalist vision sparked client fears that Mexico and other nations would shun American suppliers. For the lawyers, there were concerns that deal work could dry up, Pringle and others said.