In 2010, one Texas firm grew due to an oil rig explosion and another shrank due to the timing of birthdays.

Godwin Ronquillo increased its lawyer count by almost 50 percent during the last eight months of 2010, primarily to meet the needs of one client, says Donald E. Godwin, chairman and chief executive officer of the Dallas-based firm. The firm represents Halliburton Energy Services Inc. of Houston in litigation related to the April 2010 Gulf of Mexico explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig operated by BP PLC of London.