4 min read December 2023 — In an interview with Invest:, Chris Hodge, partner at Langley & Banack, discussed the firm’s unique approach to legal services in San Antonio, emphasizing its diverse offerings and cost-effective rates. Hodge also addressed the local legal industry and shared insights on common legal pitfalls and the firm’s strategies to navigate economic challenges.
How does Langley & Banack’s unique approach to legal services benefit San Antonio?
We are the largest law firm in San Antonio with over 50 lawyers here locally and approximately 78 lawyers across Texas. We offer a diverse range of civil legal services. Unlike some larger firms, we are not affiliated with national or regional firms, which allows us to maintain more reasonable hourly rates, especially when compared to places like Dallas and Houston. These cities can handle higher rates due to their wealthier population, but their cost of living is also higher. We aim to provide cost-effective legal services in San Antonio, where the cost of living is comparatively lower. Our size enables us to collaborate and provide better legal solutions by tapping into the collective expertise of our attorneys. This approach benefits our clients and sets us apart from smaller practices with lower hourly rates.
What opportunities do you see for the firm, given the state of the industry in San Antonio?
There’s still a lot of work to be done if you want to work hard. There is no shortage of legal work right now. From estate planning to transactional business to litigation of all types, there is more than enough work to go around. With the ever-increasing influx of people and businesses to South Texas, areas like real estate, municipal, and litigation are continuing to be in high-demand. My field, inheritance litigation is as busy as ever. I think this is partly because of the COVID shutdowns, and now clients are eager to resolve their long-standing issues. Overall, it seems like everyone is busy, and I don’t see this changing for at least the next couple of years.
What are the common legal mistakes in estate planning and how can they be prevented?
In my practice, I’ve observed various mistakes in estate planning. It’s crucial to recognize that everyone’s family situation is unique, making it challenging to pinpoint specific errors. Generally, estate planners can fall into a routine and overlook critical details in someone’s estate plan. This oversight can lead to legal disputes. Another issue that arises frequently is the disclosure of information. In today’s information-rich world, estate plans have historically been considered private, but discussing them with family members can foster understanding and prevent conflicts during challenging times like a person’s passing. While there may be exceptions, overall, open communication about estate plans is a beneficial approach.
How is the firm navigating the economic landscape, with factors like shifting interest rates, inflation and labor challenges in mind?
In the next few years, there might be a slowdown, considering the rising costs of living and the lack of substantial salary increases to keep up with inflation. It’s a common trend in many businesses. The increased prices of goods and everyday expenses, such as energy and water bills, make you wonder how people can afford to maintain their current lifestyles. Higher interest rates and reduced borrowing also contribute to this potential slowdown.
As for how this affects us, our firm handles various areas of law, so when companies go out of business and file for bankruptcy during economic downturns, our bankruptcy practice thrives. Additionally, changes in legislation related to estate planning and administration impact our work, as they affect the amount individuals can leave tax-free to their heirs. This necessitates periodic reviews and adjustments to estate plans for wealthier individuals. In terms of litigation and divorce cases, those tend to remain steady regardless of economic conditions. If certain areas like business transactions slow down, other aspects of our practice will pick up. It all balances out, and despite potential fluctuations, we continue to have successful years in our business.
How does Langley & Banack approach mentorship in a hybrid work environment?
We continue to value having a physical office space because we believe it enhances productivity. When our lease renewal comes up, we’ll consider whether we need as much space or if we can downsize. As lawyers, we still deal with a lot of physical paperwork, though we’re making efforts to go paperless. Ideally, we could have more employees work from home, potentially allowing us to hire more people. Currently, when hiring younger employees, the question of remote work hasn’t come up much, but we are open to it under the right circumstances as long as they remain productive.
We’ve adapted to a hybrid work environment where flexibility is key. Our IT team and management have enabled most of us, especially on the attorney and upper staff side, to work from home when needed. However, being fully remote as a law firm hampers collaboration, which is essential. We need to be together to bounce ideas off each other. Yet, depending on your practice area, like appellate work with strict guidelines, some prefer working from home. We can seamlessly switch between home and the office. It won’t be a full-time work-from-home situation; it’s about working from home when necessary and being here at the office as much as possible.
Where do you foresee the legal sector in San Antonio and your firm’s position within it in the next three to five years?
I believe we will remain the largest law firm in San Antonio. Despite other firms trying to grow, we’re significantly larger. San Antonio will continue to thrive due to the influx of people moving here and the development all over the city. San Antonio is constantly growing and expanding in various ways, so there won’t be a shortage of needed legal services. I don’t foresee a slowdown in the legal sector because people are still faced with various legal matters like estates, divorce, family and business issues.
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