Bracewell

With approximately 350 lawyers across 10 offices—including two international posts—Bracewell LLP is a global firm with a range of practices. But the firm’s roots in the Lone Star state are still strong as is demonstrated by its four Texas locations and its strength in energy.

Hailing from Houston

Bracewell started as a glimmer in the eyes of four Houston attorneys (three of whom bore the surname Bracewell) in 1945. J.S. Bracewell, his sons Searcy and Fentress, and Bert H. Tunks established a practice that was quickly associated with Texas movers and shakers—Searcy Bracewell himself was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1947 and Senate in 1949. Harry Patterson joined in 1951 and ascended to name partner in 1966. Originally a litigation shop, the firm established a corporate practice in 1971 to better serve the many commercial clients drawn to the state’s booming economy.

Branching Out

Over time, the firm has continued to add niche practices in response to Houston’s growth as a regional business hub. That said, Houston’s sprawling growth has benefited Bracewell above all else by driving the creation of one preeminent specialty: energy work. Bracewell represents such companies as Kinder Morgan, Inc., Apache Corporation, Phillips 66, and Cheniere.

Meanwhile, Bracewell has grown strategically since the mid-1970s when it opened offices in Washington, DC, and Austin to advise clients on state and federal regulatory matters. The firm’s London office provides a vital platform from which attorneys serve energy clients in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. And the Dubai office serves as a base for U.S. and foreign clients involved in P3, infrastructure, EPC, and power and renewables deals, as well as general corporate work. Further expansion stayed close to home—with the opening of offices in Dallas and San Antonio—and branched out to other U.S. locales like New York and Seattle, strengthening the firm’s banking and finance, government enforcement and investigations, and IP litigation platforms.

• Bracewell represents Navigator CO2 Ventures in connection with Heartland Greenway, one for the first large-scale, commercially viable CO2 pipelines and storage facilities in the United States.
• Bracewell represented Equinor in its first foray into the US offshore wind market and continues to represent Equinor in connection with the Empire Wind and Beacon offshore projects.
• Bracewell represented Kinder Morgan in the development of $2 billion Permian Highway Pipeline Project, including successfully defending it against litigation challenges.
• Bracewell represented The Trevor Project in establishing 9-8-8 as the National Suicide Prevention Hotline and ensuring that LGBTQ+ youth have access to specialized services.