Marc Dworsky
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Reid Collins & Tsai, a Texas-based litigation boutique with offices in Austin, Dallas, New York and Washington, D.C., has expanded into California, hiring former Munger Tolles & Olson litigator Marc Dworsky as a partner.

Dworsky has spent the bulk of his career defending large companies in multibillion-dollar lawsuits, including as the lead lawyer spearheading the nationwide defense of both Bank of America and Wells Fargo throughout the financial crisis. But in joining Reid Collins, he has now crossed over to the plaintiff's side of the bar.

Dworsky said he was ready for a change from the defense work he had been doing for 25 years. “I felt like I had done all I could do in that role,” he said. ”I thought I'd like to try something else.”

Dworsky retired from Munger Tolles in March 2017 and did not plan to resume practicing law. But he did some work with Reid Collins co-founder Bill Reid, a former adversary who had become a friend. That work, which he said was “immense fun,” led to his decision to join Reid Collins.

“I came in as settlement counsel with some stuff that Bill had. It became an obvious proposition that we should be doing something together,” Dworsky said.

Reid, who said he has long admired Dworsky, also said the decision that they join forces came about naturally. ”Dworsky is a brilliant legal strategist,” Reid said. “And it's great to eliminate him as potential competition by adding him to Reid Collins' team.”

Reid Collins, a 32-lawyer firm, focuses on complex business litigation on the plaintiff's side, taking work on a contingency-fee basis. Earlier this year, Reid won a Texas appeals court ruling affirming a $211 million judgment on behalf of his client against Credit Suisse.

Dworsky said that at this stage of his career he is happy to not have to deal with the business and bureaucracy of law, but is highly interested in litigating sophisticated and groundbreaking cases, as well as working with lawyers he respects and whose company he enjoys.

“I know I'm going to wake up happy,” he said.

Munger Tolles senior partner Brad Brian, who used to work with Dworsky, described his former partner as a “brilliant legal thinker and strategist” who guided some of the firm's clients through thorny problems.

“America's legal system depends on having smart, responsible, and ethical lawyers on both sides,” he said in a statement. “I'm sure Marc will be as formidable on the plaintiff side as he was helping so many of our clients.”

Dworsky will be based in Santa Barbara, initially working out of his home.

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Further Reading:

Appellate Lawyer of the Week: Austin Lawyer Defends His Own $211M Damage Win Against Bank