Lightfoot Franklin Expands in Houston, Merging With Local Trial Boutique
Alabama-based Lightfoot, Franklin & White took on three lawyers from Houston trial firm Levinthal Wilkins as of Jan. 1.
January 07, 2020 at 06:00 AM
3 minute read
Robert Wilkins, left, Jared Levinthal and Kaitlyn Faucett, now lawyers at Lightfoot, Franklin & White. Courtesy photos
Houston litigation boutique Levinthal Wilkins has merged into Alabama-based trial firm Lightfoot, Franklin & White, with Levinthal Wilkins' three lawyers joining the firm's Houston office as of Jan. 1.
The addition of partners Jared Levinthal and Robert Wilkins and associate Kaitlyn Faucett expands Lightfoot Franklin's Houston office to seven lawyers. The 63-lawyer trial firm opened its Texas office in January 2017.
Melody Eagan, Lightfoot Franklin's managing partner, said the firm has been looking to expand in Houston, and the name Levinthal Wilkins repeatedly came up last year when the firm asked Texas managing partners about good litigation boutiques in Houston.
"More than one person said these guys are top-notch," Eagan said.
She said the Levinthal Wilkins lawyers are skilled attorneys with experience in commercial litigation, particularly in the oil and gas industry.
Levinthal said he and Wilkins, who launched their firm 10 years ago, weren't looking to join up with a larger firm. But they decided to take a meeting with Lightfoot Franklin after Levinthal got a call from his Tulane University fraternity brother Larkin Radney, who is a partner in the firm's Birmingham office.
Talks started in April, but Levinthal said their "long courtship" ended with a deal struck in November. One important selling point was Lightfoot Franklin's size: he said his boutique lost out on some big litigation because it was small.
The lawyers moved into Lightfoot Franklin's Houston office in mid-December, Levinthal said, so they would not have to do it over the holidays, but the merger was not official until the first day of 2020.
Levinthal declined to identify the clients they brought with them to Lightfoot Frankin. Eagan, however, said Lightfoot Franklin wanted to expand in Houston in part because of the amount of work it has in Texas, including litigation for General Motors and U-Haul.
Lightfoot Franklin's pickup in Houston may be an early indicator that heated activity in Texas' legal market will continue steadily into the new year.
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Q&A with Melody Eagan of Lightfoot, Franklin & White, a Midsize Houston and Birmingham Firm
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