As Hot Texas Legal Market Presents Abundant Lateral Opportunities, Dallas Firm Gruber Hail Decides to Close
With out-of-state firms moving in and competition for lateral hire increasing, lawyers at a Dallas trial boutique choose to go their separate ways.
April 17, 2018 at 05:14 PM
5 minute read
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Dallas-based Gruber Hail Johansen Shank is shuttering its doors—a move prompted by the state's hyperactive lateral market and the subsequent decision by many of its lawyers to depart for other firms.
Mark Johansen
“Gruber Hail Johansen Shank has made a decision to unwind the firm,” partner Mark Johansen said in a statement on Tuesday. “We had a lot of success and a great run but given the current market for lateral partners with the national firms and regional, full-service firms, the equity partners decided it was an opportune time to explore other options.”
Michael Gruber, who co-founded the firm in 2006, joined Dorsey & Whitney on Monday as a partner in the firm's trial group in Dallas. On April 9, Mark Shank joined Diamond McCarthy in Dallas as a senior counsel. Johansen said he is considering several opportunities at national and regional firms and expects to make a decision very soon. Brian Hail, the other name partner, also said he is considering opportunities at national and regional firms and litigation boutiques and will also decide in the near future.
Brian Hail
Johansen said the state of the Texas legal market in 2018 prompted the decision to close the firm. With numerous out-of-state firms opening offices in Dallas and elsewhere and firms of all sorts seeking to hire laterals, the firm's partners decided it was time to consider their options.
“We all recognize there were market opportunities that we ought to consider, either collectively or individually. It was a market-driven decision,” Johansen said.
Gruber said in the past, many lawyers at boutiques and smaller firms in Dallas largely ignored calls from headhunters and the national firms moving into the market. But that changed last year. He said he decided to look around after talking with friends who reported they had positive experiences with national firms.
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