Energy work at Dallas/Austin offices of Texas Big 3 Firms? Forum

[BleekerSuits]

I was wondering if anyone had experience with the non-Houston offices of the Texas Big Three firms and whether they did any energy work? I know that BB and V&E are pretty much the go to firms for big energy M&A, but I was wondering if you'd get a chance to be exposed to those transactions outside of Houston? Or do they just work on non energy work?

[Anonymous User]

My rough sense-- I'm going to be on the lit side only as a 2L but did a short rotation in corp at a Big 7 as a 1L-- is that Dallas and Austin do see some energy work but not as much as Houston. Austin is a lot more tech, fund formation, VC, private equity; Dallas is more a New York(...ish) style practice with a mix of energy, general mix corporate, and financial services work.

That said Houston has pretty much all of those as well, and both have some energy work. The edges bleed a lot, is the point.

[legalese_retard]

I was wondering if anyone had experience with the non-Houston offices of the Texas Big Three firms and whether they did any energy work? I know that BB and V&E are pretty much the go to firms for big energy M&A, but I was wondering if you'd get a chance to be exposed to those transactions outside of Houston? Or do they just work on non energy work?

Yes. I have a friend working in the V&E Dallas office and he works extensively with the Houston office on energy matters. He is concerned that he may be overlooked for partnership because he doesn't have the daily face-to-face interactions with the partners who works with in Houston, but knows other baby partners at the firm who became partners under similar circumstances.

[Anonymous User]

I was wondering if anyone had experience with the non-Houston offices of the Texas Big Three firms and whether they did any energy work? I know that BB and V&E are pretty much the go to firms for big energy M&A, but I was wondering if you'd get a chance to be exposed to those transactions outside of Houston? Or do they just work on non energy work?

Yes. I have a friend working in the V&E Dallas office and he works extensively with the Houston office on energy matters. He is concerned that he may be overlooked for partnership because he doesn't have the daily face-to-face interactions with the partners who works with in Houston, but knows other baby partners at the firm who became partners under similar circumstances.

Completely agree with both of the responses, as far as BB Dallas is concerned.

[downinDtown]

Yeah, so most of the work is sourced from Houston for pretty much all the firms (obvi). But there are a relatively good number of large (or mid-size) energy-related companies that are based (or have a large presence in DFW) including: Exxon (in Irving), Hunt, Denbury (in Plano), Breitling, Oxy, Plains All American Pipeline (in Irving), Pioneer Resources (in Irving), HollyFrontier (refineries), Energy Transfer, Energy Future Holdings Corp. (private holding co. for utilities like ONCOR and TXU), and Alon USA Energy, among others that I may be missing. (Source: http://www.governor.state.tx.us/files/e ... panies.pdf - interesting to compare Dallas HQs to Houston HQs)

Representation for these companies is spread across a few firms, with the firms you'd expect (V&E and Baker Botts) being highly involved. So you certainly can get some exposure to energy work in Dallas, but if your heart is set on energy, Houston is the place to be. Where Dallas does have some good opportunities is the funds/PE work that may involve energy-related work. But for public company M&A, Houston, no question. Also, may be good to target Houston, especially if you're considering in-house opportunities after working in BigLaw for a few years just because of the sheer number of O&G companies in Houston. Feel free to PM if you have other questions.

[Anonymous User]

Yeah, so most of the work is sourced from Houston for pretty much all the firms (obvi). But there are a relatively good number of large (or mid-size) energy-related companies that are based (or have a large presence in DFW) including: Exxon (in Irving), Hunt, Denbury (in Plano), Breitling, Oxy, Plains All American Pipeline (in Irving), Pioneer Resources (in Irving), HollyFrontier (refineries), Energy Transfer, Energy Future Holdings Corp. (private holding co. for utilities like ONCOR and TXU), and Alon USA Energy, among others that I may be missing. (Source: http://www.governor.state.tx.us/files/e ... panies.pdf - interesting to compare Dallas HQs to Houston HQs)

Representation for these companies is spread across a few firms, with the firms you'd expect (V&E and Baker Botts) being highly involved. So you certainly can get some exposure to energy work in Dallas, but if your heart is set on energy, Houston is the place to be. Where Dallas does have some good opportunities is the funds/PE work that may involve energy-related work. But for public company M&A, Houston, no question. Also, may be good to target Houston, especially if you're considering in-house opportunities after working in BigLaw for a few years just because of the sheer number of O&G companies in Houston. Feel free to PM if you have other questions.

I summered at BB in Austin. happy to answer Q's

[BigLawer]

Yeah, so most of the work is sourced from Houston for pretty much all the firms (obvi). But there are a relatively good number of large (or mid-size) energy-related companies that are based (or have a large presence in DFW) including: Exxon (in Irving), Hunt, Denbury (in Plano), Breitling, Oxy, Plains All American Pipeline (in Irving), Pioneer Resources (in Irving), HollyFrontier (refineries), Energy Transfer, Energy Future Holdings Corp. (private holding co. for utilities like ONCOR and TXU), and Alon USA Energy, among others that I may be missing. (Source: http://www.governor.state.tx.us/files/e ... panies.pdf - interesting to compare Dallas HQs to Houston HQs)

Representation for these companies is spread across a few firms, with the firms you'd expect (V&E and Baker Botts) being highly involved. So you certainly can get some exposure to energy work in Dallas, but if your heart is set on energy, Houston is the place to be. Where Dallas does have some good opportunities is the funds/PE work that may involve energy-related work. But for public company M&A, Houston, no question. Also, may be good to target Houston, especially if you're considering in-house opportunities after working in BigLaw for a few years just because of the sheer number of O&G companies in Houston. Feel free to PM if you have other questions.

I summered at BB in Austin. happy to answer Q's

Not OP, but did you do corporate work? I heard their corporate practice is very small. Did you accept an offer from that office? What was your perception of how many people they bring on in their corp. dept. each year?