Leading Water Industry Attorney Wes Strickland has joined Holland & Knight as a partner in the firm’s Austin office. His clients include U.S.-based and multinational water companies and financial institutions that develop, manage and finance water resources and infrastructure. He was previously a partner with Jackson Walker. More >>

Akerman LLP, a top 100 U.S. law firm serving clients across the Americas, today announced its expansion in Texas with the addition of Ryan Beard, a first-chair patent litigator. Beard broadens Akerman’s intellectual property offering with experience in the areas of medical devices, mechanical devices, automotive products, computer equipment, other technology related to the internet and data, and copyrights and trademarks. More >>

Tracy L. McCreight and Benton T. Wheatley have joined Duane Morris LLP’s growing Austin, Texas office as partners in the firm’s Trial Practice Group. McCreight and Wheatley further enhance the firm’s construction litigation capabilities in Texas and throughout the United States. Prior to joining Duane Morris, McCreight and Wheatley were shareholders at Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C., where Wheatley was head of the Austin office. Associate Meredith Mills Gregston has also joined the Trial Practice Group in the firm’s Austin office. She joins from Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. More >>

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP is pleased to announce the continued growth of its banking and financial technology practices with the addition of Erin F. Fonté as partner and co-head of the firm’s financial institutions corporate and regulatory practice. Fonté is based in the firm’s Austin office. More >>

Elizabeth “Heidi” G. Bloch, a prominent Texas appellate lawyer, has joined the Austin office of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP as a shareholder. The addition of Bloch to the firm further extends the depth and experience of Greenberg Traurig’s Texas Appellate Practice while also strengthening the firm’s already robust foothold of more than 125 attorneys in Texas. Bloch previously headed the Appellate Section and served as a partner for nearly three decades at one of Texas’ oldest law firms, Brown McCarroll, which later merged with Husch Blackwell LLP. More >>

Butler Snow is pleased to announce Christopher R. Cowan, Cedric E. Evans, Eric J.R. Nichols, Amanda G. Taylor, and Karson K. Thompson have joined the firm’s Austin office. Cowan, Nichols, Taylor, and Thompson will practice with the firm’s commercial litigation group. Evans will practice with the firm’s pharmaceutical, medical device, and health care litigation group. More >>

Dickinson Wright PLLC is pleased to announce that attorney Stephen A. Mason has joined the firm’s rapidly growing Austin office as a Member. More >>

Akerman LLP, a top 100 U.S. law firm serving clients across the Americas, further expanded its presence in Texas with corporate partners Todd Reed, Bentley Harris and associate Amy Simmons in Austin, Texas. They complement Akerman’s core strengths in M&A and corporate governance across dynamic client sectors, including financial services, real estate, restaurant and retail. A veteran corporate lawyer and advisor to private and public companies, Reed also will serve as Akerman’s Austin office managing partner. More >>