Honored and Grateful - sworn in as a Texas lawyer!
Honored and grateful to share that, nearly 20 years after being sworn in as a New York lawyer, I was officially sworn in as a Texas lawyer today.
It’s a meaningful milestone — both personally and professionally — as Texas continues to emerge as a leading hub for business in the US. With the introduction of dedicated business courts, the attraction and development of new stock exchanges, and a regulatory and tax environment that supports innovation and growth, Texas is clearly charting a bold path forward. Since starting my career on Wall Street in 2004, I have completed 100’s of deals valued at over $100 billion. I look forward to brining my experience home to Texas. I am very excited for what lies ahead.
For those wondering what this actually means (beyond the obvious geographic shift), let me break it down. This isn’t just about coming home, changing letterhead or updating my bar admissions. It’s about positioning myself, and by extension my clients, to be at the epicenter of what’s becoming the most exciting business environment in the country (dare I say, the world?!).
Why Texas? Why Now?
Twenty years has taught me plenty about complex transactions, sophisticated clients, and high-stakes deals. But Texas? Texas is where the future of American business is being written.
The numbers tell the story. Texas has led the nation in corporate relocations for years running, with companies like Tesla, Oracle, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise making the move. But it’s not just the Fortune 500 crowd. Main Street businesses are flooding into or being formed in Texas at unprecedented rates, drawn by policies that actually support business growth rather than throttle it.
The New Texas Business Courts: A Game Changer
Here’s something most people don’t realize: Texas just launched specialized business courts designed specifically for commercial disputes. These aren’t your typical overcrowded county courts where your breach of contract case sits behind a dozen criminal matters. These are purpose-built venues with judges who understand business, timelines that respect commercial realities, and procedures that prioritize efficiency.
Having practiced in New York courts for two decades, I can tell you this matters enormously. When disputes arise: and they always do in business: you want a forum that understands the stakes and moves accordingly. Texas business courts represent a massive competitive advantage for companies operating here.
The Texas Stock Exchange Revolution
But perhaps the most exciting development is the forthcoming Texas Stock Exchange. While New York has dominated public markets for over a century, Texas is positioning itself as the alternative for companies tired of excessive regulation and bureaucratic red tape.
This isn’t just symbolic. The Texas Stock Exchange represents a fundamental shift in how American capital markets operate. For my clients considering going public or raising significant capital, having a legitimate alternative to NYSE and NASDAQ changes the entire equation. It means more options, better terms, and frankly, a regulatory environment that treats business as a force for good rather than something to be contained.
What This Means for Pro-Business Policies
Texas didn’t become America’s business destination by accident. The state has systematically built the most business-friendly regulatory environment in the country. No state income tax. Reasonable regulatory burden. Employment laws that recognize the realities of running a business.
After decades of watching New York pile regulation upon regulation on businesses: often with minimal actual benefit: Texas feels like a breath of fresh air. Here, the default assumption is that business creates value, jobs, and prosperity. Policy flows from that assumption.
The Main Street Advantage
While everyone focuses on the big corporate relocations, the real story is what’s happening with Main Street businesses. Small manufacturers, tech startups, service companies, family enterprises: they’re all finding Texas offers something increasingly rare: a state government that actually wants them to succeed.
This translates into practical advantages across the board:
Faster permitting processes for expansions and new locations
Streamlined licensing requirements that don’t require armies of consultants to navigate
Employment laws that balance worker protections with business flexibility
Tax structures that let companies keep more of what they earn to reinvest in growth
For businesses considering expansion or relocation, Texas isn’t just competitive: it’s often the obvious choice.
What This Means for My Clients
Being admitted to practice in Texas (and New York) opens up significant new opportunities for the businesses I work with. It’s not just about serving Texas companies (though that’s certainly part of it). It’s about providing a more comprehensive service to all my clients.
Local Expertise and Connections
Texas business law has its own nuances, its own key players, its own informal networks that make deals happen. Having boots on the ground here means I can navigate these relationships more effectively. When you’re structuring a transaction or negotiating a partnership, local knowledge isn’t just helpful: it’s essential.
The business community here is remarkably interconnected. The same names appear across industries, on multiple boards, in various investment groups. Understanding these relationships and having credibility within these networks can mean the difference between a deal that gets done and one that languishes.
Enhanced Resources and Opportunities
Being licensed in Texas also means accessing a broader network of co-counsel, experts, and resources for complex transactions. Texas has developed sophisticated legal infrastructure to support its booming business environment. This translates into better outcomes for clients across the board.
For companies with operations in multiple states, having counsel admitted in both New York and Texas provides significant strategic advantages. We can structure transactions more efficiently, handle multi-state regulatory issues more seamlessly, and provide a level of coverage that single-state practitioners simply can’t match.
The Future is Multi-State
Frankly, the most successful businesses today operate across state lines. Having legal counsel that can move fluidly between jurisdictions isn’t just convenient: it’s becoming essential. Whether you’re expanding operations, pursuing acquisitions, or just planning for growth, having trusted counsel in multiple key markets provides enormous strategic value.
Looking Forward: Part of the Texas Business Ecosystem
What excites me most about this transition isn’t just the professional opportunities (though those are substantial). It’s the chance to be part of building something new and significant.
Texas is in the early stages of what could be a generational shift in American business. The infrastructure is being built, the networks are forming, the policies are being refined. Being here now, as this transformation accelerates, means the opportunity to help shape how it develops.
The business community here has an energy and optimism that’s infectious. People believe in growth, in opportunity, in the power of business to solve problems and create prosperity. After years of practicing in environments where business was often viewed with suspicion, this attitude is refreshing and energizing.
Gratitude and Recognition
I want to specifically thank Judge Shane Stolarczyk for conducting my swearing-in ceremony with such dignity and warmth. These moments matter more than we often recognize: they mark real transitions, real commitments to community and profession.
Judge Stolarczyk’s thoughtful remarks about the responsibilities that come with bar admission resonated deeply. This isn’t just about expanding practice opportunities; it’s about contributing meaningfully to Texas’s legal and business communities.
The Road Ahead
As I write this, I’m struck by how much has changed in just the past few years. Texas has evolved from a business-friendly state to the business destination. The infrastructure, the policies, the culture – everything is aligning to create unprecedented opportunities for companies of all sizes.
For my existing clients, this means expanded capabilities and deeper insights into one of America’s most important business markets. For potential Texas clients, it means access to decades of transaction experience combined with local knowledge and connections.
But more broadly, it means being part of something bigger than any individual practice or client relationship. Texas is redefining what it means to be business-friendly in America. The rest of the country is watching, and in many cases, following.
I’m excited to be part of this transformation, to help businesses navigate these opportunities, and to contribute to building the infrastructure that will support American enterprise for decades to come.
The future of American business is being written in Texas, and I’m honored to be part of that story. Here’s to new beginnings, expanded opportunities, and the continued success of the businesses that drive our economy forward.
Whether you’re considering Texas opportunities or just want to understand how these changes might affect your business, I’m here and ready to help navigate what comes next.
