Kutak Rock LLP of Omaha, Neb., has recruited two partners and another attorney away from Williams & Anderson PLC in Little Rock.
Joining Kutak Rock’s Little Rock office are former Williams & Anderson partners Jess Askew III and Teresa Wineland and associate Andrew King.
At Kutak Rock, Askew and Wineland will be of counsel and King will be an associate.
Gordon Wilbourn, partner in Kutak Rock’s Little Rock office, said the firm is always on the lookout for “talented lawyers” and recruited the group.
Askew’s practice areas include business and class-action litigation and constitutional, media and appellate law. Wineland has handled commercial, class-action and general litigation cases.
And King’s cases involve real estate matters, professional liability litigation, contract disputes and employment litigation. (King was among the first group of “20 in their 20s” recognized by Arkansas Business in 2010, when he was 29.)
“Our group is a great fit with Kutak Rock,” Askew said in the news release that announced their arrival at the firm. “Kutak is the only national law firm in Arkansas.”
Kutak Rock also has an office in Fayetteville.
Askew and Wineland’s first day at Kutak Rock was last week, and King started the week of Nov. 11.
Askew had been with Williams & Anderson since 2000, Wineland since 2007 and King joined the firm in 2008.
“This addition will bolster and further expand our commercial litigation practice in the state, and our national platform provides these attorneys with an outstanding opportunity to further grow their individual practices,” said Russell Atchley, as head of litigation for Arkansas, in a news release. “We all see the benefits this group provides to the firm.”
Kutak Rock’s Little Rock office now has 22 attorneys.
David Powell, an equity partner at Williams & Anderson, said last week that the firm is looking to replace Askew, Wineland and King.
“They’re fine lawyers, and we’re sorry that they’re leaving,” he said.
