Katten closing two offices after nine partners leave firm

Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP is closing its San Francisco and Austin offices after nine partners left to join Houston-based Baker Botts LLP.

"We have greatly enjoyed working with our departing colleagues over the past several years, and we wish them well in their new endeavors," Katten chairman Roger P. Furey said in a statement Monday. "Katten remains well equipped to support our clients' needs as we will maintain our strong presence in California and in Texas."

Katten also has offices in Century City, downtown Los Angeles and Orange County. Established in 1989, the Century City office deals with high-stakes litigation, entertainment law and corporate finance, among others. The downtown and Orange County practices focus on banking matters.

Larry Watanabe, founder of the Watanabe Nason LLC recruiting firm who is familiar with the situation at Katten, said it's not surprising Katten is closing its San Francisco office.

"They've not been effective and they've not been competitive in California," Watanabe said.

A spokesperson for Baker Botts would not comment on any recent partner additions but said the firm is "always in the market to enhance our premier environmental, health and safety crisis response capabilities," and the firm "will continue to add talent that provides the strategic and cultural fit" for its business.

Watanabe also said Baker Botts has a great environmental practice that it's been trying to grow in Northern California and bringing on the partners from Katten is a "positive" and aligns with its business goals. Katten's place in the market, however, is murky, he said.

"Losing that and closing it makes sense," Watanabe said of the San Francisco office. "They say they're trying to refocus and realign their strategy. I don't know what their strategy is."