Katten adds Withers Texas office head in Dallas

Katten adds Withers Texas office head in Dallas

The Company's first Texas office was opened in 2021 by Kevin Keen, who joined from Winstead PC

A Dallas-based partner of Katten Muchin Rosenman has been hired by Withers to launch their private wealth practice in Texas.

After moving to Withers from Winstead PC to launch the company's Houston shop a year ago, Kevin Keen has joined the firm's singular Texas office. Including Katten's new partner, the firm has 24 partners in Dallas, with around 25 other counsel and associates working in the city.

Managing partner Mark Solomon of Katten Dallas LLC says Keen will be working with the firm's network of private wealth attorneys in the US to "establish private wealth as a significant new client offering in North Texas".

Keen is a qualified professional who maintains active practices in both Texas and Florida. He has previously worked for Baker McKenzie, Holland & Knight and PwC. As a tax, structuring, compliance and business advisor to ultra-high-net-worth individuals, family offices and fiduciaries, the bulk of his practice is focused on ultra-high-net-worth individuals, their private businesses and family offices. Keen also has extensive global experience after practicing as an American-qualified private client lawyer in Zurich, where he represented clients in Canada, Europe, Latin America and Asia, according to the firm.

According to Joshua Rubenstein, national chair of Katten's private wealth division, Keen's "cross-border experience, innovative problem-solving skills and ability to ensure some of the world's wealthiest families meet their tax and regulatory compliance obligations will make him an invaluable asset to Katten's globally recognized practice in Dallas."

Dallas is home to Katten's office, which opened in 2018. It provides corporate, healthcare, private credit, litigation and insolvency and restructuring advice. As of their website, the firm's private wealth practice outside Texas is composed of approximately 17 partners along with more than 40 lawyers.

Based on the firm's website, following Keen's departure, Withers' Houston office has three associates with expertise in trusts, estates, international wealth planning and personal tax.

Withers spokesperson expressed congratulations to Kevin and her best wishes. Texas remains a critical jurisdiction both for Withers and its clients, whom we will continue to assist through our team of experienced lawyers. We will announce new hires soon as we invest in expanding our team's size and capabilities.

The top 30 UK firm has been concentrating on strengthening its US presence of late, best known for its private client work. In December, 2021, the firm added trust and estates partner Caryn Young from Day Pitney in New York. This follows the hiring of Hollywood divorce lawyer Samantha Klein from Wasser Cooperman & Mandles in Los Angeles to jumpstart its family law practice in the US.

Last year, the firm opened a Boston office, as well as a Dallas office, employing a group of life sciences and venture capital partners from Burns & Levinson, along with a patent specialist from Hamilton Brook Smith & Reynolds.