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From Beaumont Beginnings to Statewide Recognition

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Since the firm’s inception in 1946, MehaffyWeber has proudly represented clients across various industries through its Beaumont office. As the firm grew over the years and demand for its services increased, the need for expansion became clear. The firm now has active offices in addition to Beaumont in Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. The attorneys try cases throughout the state and mediate and arbitrate cases nationally.

Humble Beginnings

MehaffyWeber began serving clients on January 1, 1946 in Beaumont, Texas under the name of Cecil and Keith. Founding lawyers Lamar Cecil and Quentin Keith were both heavily involved in the legal field before starting the firm. Cecil was one of the founders of the American College of Trial Lawyers, while Keith served as Judge of the Jefferson County Criminal District Court in 1945 after he was discharged from the U.S. Army following World War II.

Cecil and Keith quickly expanded as Jim Mehaffy joined the firm just a year after its inception in 1947, changing the firm name to Cecil, Keith & Mehaffy. Several years later, Lamar Cecil left the firm upon his appointment to serve as a United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Texas. O.J. Weber and Dewey Gonsoulin joined the firm shortly thereafter. Keith went on to serve for fourteen years as an appellate judge on the Ninth Court of Appeals. Since then, the law firm has grown substantially in size and experience.

The Beaumont location has a long history of excellence, and has been recognized for its legal prowess by U.S. News & World Report as a Tier 1 law firm for Commercial Litigation, Healthcare Law, Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants. It’s been additionally recognized for Trusts & Estates Law and Real Estate Law.

A Texas Powerhouse

The longstanding success of MehaffyWeber’s Beaumont office created the blueprint for the firm’s future as a legal powerhouse representing clients in venues across Texas. The firm’s Houston office found a permanent location at 500 Dallas, housing many important and well-known shareholders, including former State Bar President Robert “Bob” Black, past TADC President Michele Smith, and lead MDL counsel Barbara Barron.

The Houston office has been recognized as a Tier 1 law firm for its work in Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants by U.S. News & World Report.

With two large locations under its belt, the successes of the firm only continued to grow with time. MehaffyWeber opened its third location in Austin, Texas on October 1, 2010, allowing the firm’s team members to operate out of three offices, depending on client needs. The Austin office is listed as one of the Best Law Firms in the area for Arbitration.

The firm continued to expand its reach. In 2017, MehaffyWeber completed a merger with San Antonio law firm O’Connell & Avery LLP, which allowed them to open a fourth office in the city that September. This successful merger led to MehaffyWeber’s adoption of shareholder and past TADC President Keith O’Connell, who had founded and managed O’Connell & Avery LLP.

With MehaffyWeber’s extensive reach, the firm was proud to expand its growing list of accolades with several state and national rankings. The Best Lawyers in America honored MehaffyWeber as the “Top-Listed” law firm in Texas for Litigation – Insurance, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, and Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants in 2021. The “Top-Listed” designation is given to the firm that has the most recognized lawyers in a particular location and practice area. The firm was ranked in Chambers & Partners as a top Texas law firm for Litigation: General Commercial, and shareholder MC Carrington was individually recognized by the organization as an outstanding Texas litigator for general commercial litigation.

Additionally, the firm received national recognition for Managing Shareholder Bob Black’s work as a Mediator by Chambers & Partners in 2021, and was ranked nationally as a Best Law Firm for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants by U.S. News & World Report.

Longstanding Legal Success Across Texas

With 75 continuous years in practice, MehaffyWeber continues its longstanding success in the Texas legal industry. As the needs of clients have expanded, so has the firm’s broad-based approach to litigation. Today MehaffyWeber continues to take an advanced and proactive approach to law.

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