Steptoe has launched a Houston office with a team of over 40 lawyers and business personnel originally from Smyser, Kaplan & Veselka (SKV), a move that provides the Washington, DC-based law firm a strategic position in the rich Texas energy market. Jarod Stewart, previously a partner at SKV, has been assigned as the managing partner of the new office, a decision that has received unanimous vote from partners of both firms, as revealed in Steptoe’s official statement.
In the statement, founding partner Craig Smyser of SKV noted that while the firm has declined numerous partnership offers in the past from national and international firms, the case with Steptoe was different. He believes that Steptoe’s emphasis on various facets of litigation, including civil, regulatory, and white-collar work, aligns perfectly with SKV’s clientele and practice.
This strategic development implies a significant expansion opportunity for Steptoe, a firm founded over a century ago, housing more than 500 legal professionals and generating a revenue of $434 million in 2022. It will help the firm grow its transportation and energy practices.
Established in 1995, SKV boasts a focus on trials, arbitrations, and appeals. Joining forces with Steptoe expands SKV’s reach in the US as well as around the globe. Beyond capital, Steptoe has offices in different locations including Beijing, Brussels, Chicago, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco.
Steptoe’s chair, Gwen Renigar, expressed her admiration for SKV and its team, reminiscing her time as a law clerk in the Southern District of Texas. The appreciation extended over years as she continued to collaborate with them through shared -client work.
This partnership places Steptoe among the global law firms eyeing the thriving Houston energy market, which has routinely surpassed deals in other sectors in recent years. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison are reportedly in discussion to open an office in Houston, marking their first in Texas.
While the leading local Texas firms—Vinson & Elkins, Baker Botts and Norton Rose Fulbright—maintain a solid foundation in the region, national firms like Latham & Watkins, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and Kirkland & Ellis have made successful strides in the market as well.
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