Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton has hired two partners to join its commercial real estate practice as it works to expand the Houston office it established two years ago.

Jeff Smith and Doug Yeager joined Sheppard Mullin as partners in the firm’s real estate, energy, land use and environmental practice group in Houston late last week. The two came from Winston & Strawn’s Houston office. Smith joined Winston & Strawn in January 2017, while Yeager became affiliated a month later. Both had worked for the firm for more than seven years before their departure.