When Winston & Strawn launched its Dallas office in February, the firm announced it would open with 21 lateral partner hires from eight firms, including a group from Fish & Richardson.


Scott C. Thomas.


Photo: Mark Graham

But four months later, one of the Fish & Richardson lawyers, Scott Thomas, left Fish & Richardson but is working as a solo practitioner because he's knee-deep at work on a major lawsuit that poses a client conflict for Winston & Strawn. Thomas said he will join Winston & Strawn in Dallas once his work ends on on Sabre Inc. v. The Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania. The suit is set for trial this fall in the Supreme Court of the State of New York.


Tom Melsheimer of Winston and Strawn's Dallas office.


Courtesy photo

Tom Melsheimer, the managing partner of Winston & Strawn's office who also left Fish & Richardson, said the firm is keeping Thomas' job offer open for a year.