Andrews & Kurth's Austin Office Receives Highest Rating from Minority Bar Associations

AUSTIN, Texas -- In their third annual report evaluating the progress of Austin's largest firms in hiring minority lawyers, The Hispanic Bar Association of Austin (HBAA) and the Austin Black Lawyers Association (ABLA) have presented Andrews & Kurth's office with their highest rating. Out of all the firm's surveyed by the two organizations, Andrews & Kurth received an "A+" for their work - one of only two firms to receive such distinction.

The report compiled by the HBAA and the ABLA surveyed 1,191 attorneys employed by the 26 largest law firms in Austin. Of that number 126 - or 10.6 percent - are minorities. According to the State Bar of Texas, only 12.5 percent of the 69,200 attorneys in Texas are Hispanic, African American, Asian or Native American. In Travis County, only 11 percent of the licensed attorneys are minorities. Using the statewide average as a guide, the HBAA/ABLA report card awarded an "A" grade to any Austin law firm with more than 12.5 percent minority lawyers. Andrews & Kurth's Austin office employs a total of 20 lawyers with 15 percent being minorities. In terms of the firm's effort to hire and retain minorities, Andrews & Kurth was rated as "Excellent" on the HBAA/ABLA effort scale. In the final tally, only two of the 26 firms received the highest grade.

Andrews & Kurth L.L.P. was founded in Houston in 1902 and has 360 lawyers in offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, London, New York, The Woodlands and Washington, D.C. The firm's practice areas include appellate, bankruptcy, business transactions, energy, environmental, corporate and securities, labor and employment, litigation, intellectual property, public law, project finance, real estate, structured finance, asset securitization, technology and tax law for U.S.and international clients.