ENERGY STAR Challenge Participant Story

Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP
Dallas, Texas
Date Joined: January 16, 2008

For nearly 100 years Gardere has been regarded as a leading Texas law firm. From beginnings in Dallas in 1909, to Gardere & Wynne's merger with Houston's Sewell & Riggs in 1995, Gardere has expanded its services to meet client needs and to ensure stability and longevity. In 1996, Gardere formed a joint venture with a Mexico City law firm, expanding business services on both sides of the border and throughout Latin America. In 2002, Gardere opened offices in Austin, Texas to provide legislative and regulatory services. Through internal growth, mergers, joint ventures, and strategic alliances with other leading law firms, Gardere now has nearly 300 attorneys and is one of the largest firms in Texas serving regional, national and international clients.

An industry leader, Gardere is promoting energy conservation among its offices and its people, as well as urging other firms to follow its lead.  Thus far, Gardere has issued a press release and message on its website, doing its part to spread awareness of the ABA-EPA Law Office Climate Challenge among Texas audiences and the national legal field.  During Spring 2008, Gardere will hold employee training sessions in its three Texas offices to highlight its partnership with the EPA and to align everyone in the Firm with its mission.  The sessions will equip staff with ideas and tools for reducing their energy and paper usage.  Gardere will also seek ways to display the ENERGY STAR logo in its offices.

Gardere is working with its building management in Dallas to make its offices more energy efficient.  The Firm has recently undergone an energy audit for its Dallas office and is considering installing lighting retrofits to save on energy costs and to reduce carbon emissions.  The Houston office building has already earned an ENERGY STAR rating.

Gardere's next goal is to work toward implementing best practices in office paper management.  Gardere plans to join the EPA Wastewise program during 2008.

Contact Information:
Sandy Robertson
214-999-4247 (phone)
srobertson@gardere.com (email)