Katten Muchin Rosenman will close its small offices in Austin and the San Francisco Bay Area, with the pending departure of nine environmental and workplace safety partners from four cities.

The group of nine lawyers is expected to join Baker Botts in Austin, Houston, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., according to an individual with knowledge of the move.

When asked about the pending lateral hires, a spokesman for Baker Botts provided this statement: "We are always in the market to enhance our premier environmental, health and safety crisis response capabilities. We will continue to add talent that provides the strategic and cultural fit required to sustain the exemplary level of business and legal judgment that our clients expect from us in their most high-profile and sensitive EHS matters."

Katten confirmed that these partners are leaving the firm: Danny Worrell in Austin; Greg Dillard and Scott Elliott in Houston; Lily Chinn and Matthew Baker in the San Francisco Bay Area; and Steve Solow, Nadira Clarke, Anne Carpenter and Natalia Sorgente in Washington.

None of the nine returned calls for comment Friday afternoon to their offices at Katten.

Katten Chairman Roger Furey said in a statement that key elements in the firm's three-year strategic plan include further development of the practices related to the finance and financial markets sectors "as well as other core market sectors for which Katten is well-known."

He wrote that as Katten implemented that plan, lawyers in the environmental and workplace safety group determined in discussions with management that they would be "more successful" at a firm "more involved in the oil, gas and chemical industry sectors."

While Katten is closing the Austin office, of counsel Michelle Apodaca remains at the firm and will work remotely.

Another environmental lawyer from Katten, Tom Van Wyngarden in Los Angeles, moved to Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman last week.

Katten opened its Austin office in 2012 and its San Francisco Bay Area location in 2011.

|

Read More

Katten Muchin Rosenman Opens Houston Office