In 1984, Haynes Boone saw an opportunity to both expand its regional scope and serve fast-growing clients in the thriving Fort Worth market. April marks 40 years since the firm opened its Fort Worth office, its first outside of Dallas.
Brian Barnard served as the office’s managing partner for 23 years. He credits the office’s first two partners, Mark Hill and Bill Ratliff, with being the driving force behind its initial growth. Hill was the office’s big personality and highly regarded trial lawyer who shepherded the administrative functions while Ratliff was a “jack-of-all-trades” attorney who worked all hours to provide service to clients.
While banking and Fort Worth firm client InterFirst Bank were part of the office’s initial focus, it quickly expanded. Today, the firm’s presence in the city provides broad-based legal services, including corporate, litigation, appellate, tax, bankruptcy, employment defense, intellectual property and other legal services.
“We have always had very skilled lawyers who are deeply involved, not only in our local bar association, but also in our community,” Barnard said.
The Fort Worth office lawyers are currently involved with Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, Casa Mañana, Fort Worth Public Library Foundation and Community Healthcare of Texas among others.
After originally opening its doors in Burnett Plaza, Haynes Boone later moved its Fort Worth office to the Wells Fargo Tower in 1997, and it’s now across the street from there in the Bank of America Tower on Commerce Street.
“I have been blessed during my more than 20 years in this office to be surrounded by some wonderful lawyers, who are just good people focused on helping others,” Karen Denney, the office’s current managing partner said. “We are committed to continuing to serve the Fort Worth community and our clients for many years to come.”
Barnard says the half-joking initial vision for the firm’s second office was to be able to see the Fort Worth office from the Dallas office to ensure close collaboration and continuation of the firm’s teamwork culture. Forty years later, its Texas roots have spread to six other states and three countries, growing to nearly 700 attorneys around the world and ranking as an American Lawyer top 100 firm.
“This law firm has always been focused on how the firm should be structured to best serve clients and support our lawyers,” Barnard said. “Those priorities are especially important to this office and our culture as a whole.”
