Top 60 national US law firm BakerHostetler has opened for business in Dallas, unveiling a 16-lawyer team recruited from an array of rival practices.

The office –  the firm’s 16th nationwide and second in Texas — is led by investigations specialist Shawn Cleveland, who joined last September from Winston & Strawn.

Eight other partners have been brought on board: an additional recruit from Winston, four from regional firm Wick Phillips; and one each from Baker Botts, Barnes & Thornburg and Kirkland & Ellis.

Cleveland  said: “The long-planned opening of our office has coincided with the Covid-19 health crisis unfolding around the world. But in these challenging times, it is important that we carry on doing all we can for our clients and our community.”

Chairman Paul Schmidt added: “Dallas presents a logical next step for us given our 30-year history in Houston and our long-standing commitment to Texas.

“We have a host of important client relationships in Dallas, and we have several clients who have moved their headquarters there in recent years and others with meaningful business needs in Dallas.”

BakerHostetler, which opened a San Francisco office earlier this month, joins Shearman & Sterling and Perkins Coie in this year opening offices in the Texas triangle - a region of more than 20 million people encompassed by Dallas, Austin, Houston and San Antonio.

The other founding partners of the office – alongside Cleveland — are: litigators David Anderson, who has joined from Wick Phillips, and Tamara Baggett (Barnes & Thornburg); corporate advisers Ryan Gorsche (Kirkland & Ellis), Robert Schroeder (Wick Phillips), Jordan Bethea (Wick Phillips) and Todd Thorson (Winston); tax expert Matt Hunsaker (Baker Botts); and finance specialist Patrick Rose (Wick Phillips).