(L-to-R) Lisa Atlas Genecov, Cheryl Camin Murray and Kenya Woodruff

Katten Muchin Rosenman has added a health care group in Dallas, making three lateral partner hires from three major firms.

Lisa Atlas Genecov and Cheryl Camin Murray joined Katten on Tuesday, coming from Norton Rose Fulbright and Winstead, respectively. On Friday, Kenya Woodruff, formerly of Haynes and Boone, joined them at Katten.

The three lawyers said they started talking months ago about joining forces at a single firm in Dallas, and considered a number of firms before deciding Katten was the best fit for their practice.

Genecov said Katten not only provides a well-established health care practice and a wide network of lawyers, but the Dallas office has high-quality lawyers, a forward-thinking strategy,  and a culture that values teamwork and diversity.

“Katten really rose to the top, and stayed there for us,” she said.

Woodruff said the health care bar is relatively small in Dallas, and the three lawyers have known each other for years. So when they started talking about practicing together, it was very exciting.

“We realized all the synergies we had,” Murray said.

Roger Furey, chairman of Katten, said the addition of the three partners this week enhances the firm's ability to offer a full range of service to health care clients in Texas and around the country.

“Lisa, Cheryl and Kenya are deeply talented attorneys who have all been recognized for their professional excellence. Their presence at Katten allows us to further tap into the emerging health care market in Dallas with partners whose high-caliber legal skills are well-known there,” Furey said in a statement.

Before moving to Katten, Genecov was Dallas head of health care transactions and chief diversity officer for Norton Rose. Murray was chair of Winstead's corporate, securities and M&A health care specialty group and the law student hiring attorney for the Dallas office. Woodruff chaired the health care practice group at Haynes and Boone and was chair of the attorney diversity and inclusion committee.

The three attorneys do a wide range of health care transactional and regulatory work, which will complement the health care sector work done by white-collar crime defense attorneys in the Dallas office.

Katten opened its Dallas office in February when a group of seven partners left Andrews Kurth Kenyon prior to its merger with Hunton & Williams. The office has grown to 30 lawyers. The firm also has Texas offices in Houston and Austin.

When asked to comment on Woodruff's departure, Tim Powers, managing partner of Haynes and Boone, wrote, “Kenya was a valued colleague, and we wish her success in her new position.”

Winstead and Norton Rose did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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