Spring is officially here. And spring is the quintessential time for new beginnings, change, growth and renewal.

It is this sense of new beginnings and growth that ties so well into this month's cover feature. That is because we take a look at the new beginnings and growth for firms in the state of Texas. Although we are highlighting this trend, it is not the first time we have written about the lure of the Lone Star State for firms. We know that law firms have been setting up shop and expanding operations in Texas at rapid pace. All the result of a strong, diverse Texas economy, the state's high-profile energy sector, and the fact that Texas has a long list of corporate headquarters. And as Brenda Sapino Jeffreys reports, the expansion of out-of-state firms setting up shop in Texas is also not a new thing—some out-of-state firms have had offices in Texas for 30 years.

But in 2018, Texas has moved high up in the action list of oh-so-many firms in a truly unprecedented way. Those already established in the state are expanding. Others, including long-established firms such as New York-based White & Case and Shearman & Sterling, have just joined the roster of firms with outposts in the Lone Star State.

In fact, only a few months into 2018, and we have seen more than half a dozen firms already expand or open new offices in Texas. And this is causing quite the drama in moves, too. Because it is not just firms that are finding opportunities in the state, lawyers are also directly benefiting. All the new and expanding offices across the state have heated up the lateral market, offering options to Texas lawyers.

So we are still early into 2018, but spring has definitely awakened change, growth and new beginnings for the Texas legal market. It is a wonderful time to be a lawyer is Texas. But we all knew that already—it is about time the rest got the memo.

Best Regards, Heather D. Nevitt, Esq. [email protected]