Weil Gotshal to Close Austin Office

Weil Gotshal has announced plans to close its Austin, Texas office, which has been open since 2003. The office contains one partner, 16 associates and 11 administrative staff. The partner, Kevin Kudlac, will relocate to the firm’s Houston office – the other attorneys and staff will be given the option of relocating to another Weil Gotshal office or taking a severance package.

The firm claims the closure is part of an effort to consolidate the firm’s Texas offices due to economic considerations – the lease on the Austin office is up for renewal in 2010, so the firm decided not to renew the lease and close the office instead. Weil Gotshal recently fired about 80 staffers, and has deferred the start dates for some of its incoming first years until 2011.