Ike Destroys at Least Half of Locke Lord’s Offices in Houston Tower
Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell is scrambling to lease temporary office space for about 75 lawyers and 80 staff members after Hurricane Ike battered at least half its office space at the JPMorgan Chase Tower in Houston.
Broken windows primarily on the west side of the 75-story tower sent office furniture, computers and shards of glass to the street below, prompting one police officer to observe, “It looks like a bomb went off over there.”
Building managers informed Locke Lord that at least half of its space could not be occupied for the near future, but had better news for Andrews Kurth, Texas Lawyer reports. All of its space is habitable and its lawyers and staffers are expected to be back at work on Wednesday. Offices of Vinson & Elkins at First City Tower also suffered little damage. Many of its lawyers returned to the air conditioned offices yesterday even though the firm was officially closed, Texas Lawyer reports in a separate article.
Locke Lord managing partner Jerry Clements told Texas Lawyer that the firm’s lawyers have set up practice in a number of temporary settings until new office space is leased. Many are working in Locke Lord’s offices in Austin and Dallas, staying at night at the homes of firm lawyers who live there. Another group is stationed in the Houston home of one Locke Lord lawyer who is lucky enough to have power.
“We are having a lot of togetherness,” Clements told the publication.
Lawyers at Andrews Kurth are also working in a variety of settings, ranging from their homes to the firm’s Austin office to its IT facility. In addition, Bracewell & Giuliani is allowing about 40 Andrews Kurth lawyers to work there until they can return to the office.
