Kelley Drye & Warren, which moved into Texas in late 2016 by merging with a Texas litigation firm, launched a corporate practice in Houston and Austin by hiring Bryce Linsenmayer as a partner.

Linsenmayer, a transactional securities lawyer who joined the firm on July 18 and will be based in Houston and Austin, joins from K&L Gates in Houston.

Linsenmayer said his move was prompted by Kelley Drye's merger with Jackson Gilmour & Dobbs, the 14-lawyer firm that did environmental, regulatory and commercial litigation from offices in Houston and Austin. Linsenmayer said he has known partner William Jackson for many years, among several lawyers at the firm, and Kelley Drye approached him about starting a corporate practice in Texas.