(L to R) Christopher Staine, Randy Gordon, Luke Wohlford

Oklahoma firm Crowe & Dunlevy has opened an office in Dallas led by director Randy Gordon, who returned to the firm after a long stint at Gardere Wynne Sewell.

Gordon and director Luke Wohlford, also formerly of Gardere, joined Crowe & Dunlevy in Texas in September. Associate Christopher Staine moved from the firm's headquarters in Oklahoma City to the Dallas office on Dec. 1.

Timila Rother, president and CEO of Crowe & Dunlevy, said in a statement that the firm is excited to expand its practice in Texas and to be a part of the Dallas community.

Gordon, who had worked at Gardere since 1995, learned last spring that a client conflict would arise in September, so he started talking to a number of firms in Dallas about opportunities.

“I actually had a couple of attractive offers from big national law firms, but I had stayed in contact with folks from Crowe, and a good friend of mine is now president, and I just happened to have dinner with her last spring,” Gordon said, adding he then learned his old firm was looking to open an office in Dallas.

He said it made a lot of sense to rejoin Crowe & Dunlevy because he is familiar with the firm's vision and its people.

“They have a philosophy of excellence that I very much agree with. That made a lot of sense. They had a need because they have a great number of Oklahoma clients that increasingly do work in North Texas, so they needed people on the ground,” he said.

Gordon believes it will be easier to recruit lawyers to a regional firm that doesn't have the high overhead or high rate pressure of national firms. At Crowe & Dunlevy, he has flexibility on billing rates, he said. “When I'm working on something in Oklahoma, I charge Oklahoma rates,” he said.

Gordon specializes in antitrust work, including RICO litigation, class actions and other litigation. Wohlford has a similar practice, and Staine is also a litigator, doing bankruptcy, energy and environmental litigation.

Gordon said his clients include Texas A&M University System and Jordan Reses Supply Co. He teaches at Texas A&M University School of Law.

Crowe & Dunlevy has 130 lawyers in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Dallas.

No one from Gardere was immediately available to comment.

(L to R) Christopher Staine, Randy Gordon, Luke Wohlford

Oklahoma firm Crowe & Dunlevy has opened an office in Dallas led by director Randy Gordon, who returned to the firm after a long stint at Gardere Wynne Sewell.

Gordon and director Luke Wohlford, also formerly of Gardere, joined Crowe & Dunlevy in Texas in September. Associate Christopher Staine moved from the firm's headquarters in Oklahoma City to the Dallas office on Dec. 1.

Timila Rother, president and CEO of Crowe & Dunlevy, said in a statement that the firm is excited to expand its practice in Texas and to be a part of the Dallas community.

Gordon, who had worked at Gardere since 1995, learned last spring that a client conflict would arise in September, so he started talking to a number of firms in Dallas about opportunities.

“I actually had a couple of attractive offers from big national law firms, but I had stayed in contact with folks from Crowe, and a good friend of mine is now president, and I just happened to have dinner with her last spring,” Gordon said, adding he then learned his old firm was looking to open an office in Dallas.

He said it made a lot of sense to rejoin Crowe & Dunlevy because he is familiar with the firm's vision and its people.

“They have a philosophy of excellence that I very much agree with. That made a lot of sense. They had a need because they have a great number of Oklahoma clients that increasingly do work in North Texas, so they needed people on the ground,” he said.

Gordon believes it will be easier to recruit lawyers to a regional firm that doesn't have the high overhead or high rate pressure of national firms. At Crowe & Dunlevy, he has flexibility on billing rates, he said. “When I'm working on something in Oklahoma, I charge Oklahoma rates,” he said.

Gordon specializes in antitrust work, including RICO litigation, class actions and other litigation. Wohlford has a similar practice, and Staine is also a litigator, doing bankruptcy, energy and environmental litigation.

Gordon said his clients include Texas A&M University System and Jordan Reses Supply Co. He teaches at Texas A&M University School of Law.

Crowe & Dunlevy has 130 lawyers in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Dallas.

No one from Gardere was immediately available to comment.