McKool Smith surged in the 2020 edition of Chambers USA, which recognizes the firm as an industry leader across several practice areas, including commercial litigation, intellectual property, insurance recovery, and securities litigation. Additionally, 11 of the firm's trial lawyers are recognized as leaders in their respective areas of practice.
Market commentators noted that the firm "has excellent client service and delivers great results," and the firm's trial lawyers excel in their "ability to formulate strategy and their ability in the courtroom." Another source describes the team as "A+ in every respect."
Nationally, McKool Smith is recognized as a leading law firm for both intellectual property and insurance recovery matters. The publication also recognizes the firm as a leading firm in Texas for commercial litigation and intellectual property, and as a leading firm in California for commercial litigation. In New York, McKool Smith is recognized as a leading firm for representing policyholders in insurance disputes and institutional plaintiffs in securities litigation, mainly RMBS litigation.
The firm's Chambers USA ranked/recognized lawyers include:
- Sam Baxter: Trial Lawyers, Intellectual Property Litigation, and General Commercial Litigation (Texas)
- Douglas Cawley: Intellectual Property Litigation (Texas)
- Kirk Dillman: General Commercial Litigation (California)
- William LaFuze: Intellectual Property Litigation (Texas)
- Lew LeClair: General Commercial Litigation (Texas)
- Mike McKool: Trial Lawyers (Nationwide); Trial Lawyers, Intellectual Property Litigation and General Commercial Litigation (Texas)
- Steven Pollinger: Intellectual Property Litigation (Texas)
- Hugh Ray: Bankruptcy/Restructuring (Texas)
- Robert Scheef: Institutional Investors - Mainly RMBS Litigation (New York)
Chambers USA is compiled by Chambers and Partners, a London-based publisher of guides to the world's leading law firms and lawyers. To compile the 2020 edition, researchers conducted more than 10,000 interviews with attorneys and business leaders from across the U.S. The final list can be viewed here.