Bracewell LLP is an international law firm based in Houston, Texas, that began in 1945. The firm has approximately 350 lawyers, and has United States offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., San Antonio, Seattle, Dallas and Austin, as well as offices in Dubai, Paris and London. The firm works primarily in the energy, infrastructure, finance and technology sectors, with practices in transactional, litigation, regulatory and government relations matters.

History

The firm was founded on November 1, 1945, when J. S. Bracewell and his two sons, J. Searcy Bracewell Jr. and Fentress Bracewell, joined with Bert H. Tunks to practice together in Houston under the name of Bracewell & Tunks. Searcy Bracewell was elected to the Texas Senate in 1946, representing Harris County, and ultimately becoming the Majority Leader of the Senate. Fentress Bracewell led the development of the firm, serving as the firm’s first managing partner. Fentress was appointed Houston Port Commissioner in 1968 and chaired the Port of Houston Authority for 15 years. Bert Tunks was appointed a district court judge in 1957 and was later named chief justice of the First Court of Appeals. Harry W. Patterson joined the firm in 1951, and was made name partner in 1966 as Bracewell & Patterson prospered from the commercial growth of Houston. National expansion began during the 1970s, followed by international expansion later. On March 31, 2005, former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani joined the firm as a name partner, with the firm becoming known as Bracewell & Giuliani. He helped the firm in establishing its New York office. In January 2016, Giuliani left the firm by “amicable agreement,” and the firm was renamed Bracewell LLP.

Client base

The firm's clients include major energy and natural resource concerns, from conventional energy sources to renewable energy such as solar power, wind power, hydrogen, hydropower, energy storage and renewable natural gas. The firm also has a multidisciplinary carbon capture utilization and sequestration practices in the U.S. In 2009, Bracewell's energy practice ranked as the largest in the U.S., according to Law360, with 117 dedicated energy attorneys. According to one source, because of its broad-based energy experience, "Bracewell has earned a reputation as one of the most powerful law firms in the energy sector."

Notable clients and cases

Awards and honors