Texas firm Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr PC has selected two of its construction shareholders to co-lead their practice group.
Mason Hester in Houston and Logan Adcock in Dallas are now tasked with overseeing the development and recruitment of attorneys, as well as with maintaining "effective and responsive" service to clients, according to the firm's announcement last week.
"It's a chance to lead a great practice group at a firm that I'm obviously very biased towards. I've been here for several years now, and it's a firm with a lot of talent," Hester said in an interview with Law360 Pulse on Monday, adding, "You get high-quality service in all these different legal areas, and you don't get sticker shock when you get the bill. We've got a great real estate group, bankruptcy group, so now the ability to lead this group with Logan … is just something I couldn't pass up."
Hester is the immediate past chair of the Houston Bar Association's construction law section and previously served on the State Bar of Texas' construction law section governing counsel, the firm said. He was also among the first class of Texas attorneys to earn board certification in construction law.
Among Hester's clients are design professionals, owners, general contractors, subcontractors, sureties, and suppliers that need help with construction disputes and contract negotiations.
A graduate of the University of Texas School of Law, Hester earned his bachelor's degree from the same university.
He's been with Munsch Hardt for the last eight years, according to his LinkedIn profile.
In his practice, Adcock advises owners, general contractors, and subcontractors on a range of commercial construction matters, the firm said. He handles dispute resolution and offers project counseling.
Active in the Dallas Bar Association, he served on its construction law counsel for the last two years. He is also active with a construction organization called the Texo Association and is a fellow at the Texas Bar Foundation.
Adcock earned his law degree from Baylor Law School and also received his bachelor's from Baylor University.
He has been with Munsch Hardt for four years, according to his LinkedIn profile.
"We are in different offices. We've worked together on cases. That's one thing that has been really good for me at Munsch, [and] that was attractive when I was coming over, is this idea that we can work across offices well together. We've done a really good job of that. So, the opportunity to continue doing that more officially, with Mason and the attorneys down in Houston and our team in Austin, was very attractive," Adcock said in an interview with Law360 Pulse on Monday.
Munsch Hardt's construction practice offers full-service counseling at every point in the process, including contract documents and dispute resolution, the firm said. Its clients include public and private owners, developers, lenders, design professionals, general contractors, subcontractors, sureties, and suppliers.
Recent additions include shareholder Brad Smith in Dallas and associate Connor Rose in Houston.
"This new leadership appointment is part of the firm's continued commitment to identifying and nurturing talent that will ensure Munsch Hardt's future success and help us meet the evolving needs of our clients," said CEO Dave Coligado in a statement Wednesday. "As the industry continues to evolve, from legislative shifts to the surge in Texas development, Mason and Logan's forward-thinking, team-oriented approach, and unmatched qualifications and experience, position the team well to support the practice's long tradition of legal excellence."
Hester and Adcock are tasked with growing the practice organically. The duo said that, while there is plenty of work, it's important for them to not just grow the practice areas for growth's sake.
"It's harder to find economically stronger cities right now than Houston, Dallas, Austin, in the world. So, for the group, [we want] smart growth, because we keep growing. The law firm is doing very well, which is nice," Hester said. "Logan and I were talking earlier today about a candidate we like, and so looking for the type of person that meets the high standards we have but values everything this firm has to offer, which is a lot."
Aside from smart growth, Adcock said it's important that clients understand the quality of work his practice group can provide, especially when so many new firms are moving into the state.
"Every big firm in the country obviously wants to be in Texas. They're all moving here, trying to find opportunities here. One priority moving forward is making sure that our clients, especially in Texas, understand what we can do for them. Whether they're contractors, owners, developers, whoever they might be, any industry participant in the construction industry, [we're] making sure they understand and are aware of the services we can provide as a Texas firm, a firm that's been here since the rush to get to Texas and the firm that's going to be here for a long time," Adcock said.
To read the full article, click here.