Jackson Walker is pleased to announce William R. Jenkins has assumed the role of General Counsel of the Firm, effective March 1, 2022. As General Counsel, William will serve as the Firm’s chief legal officer.
Prior to being named General Counsel, William served as managing partner of the Fort Worth office since 2014. In that role, he built on the office’s growth and involvement in the Fort Worth community. In addition, he had served on the Management, Compensation, and other committees integral to the management of the Firm.
Firmwide Managing Partner Wade Cooper said, “William has done a phenomenal job as our Fort Worth managing partner for the past seven years. He is truly a lifer at Jackson Walker, and I am confident he will do a great job serving the best interests of our Firm and our lawyers.”
“I am confident he will do a great job serving the best interests of our Firm and our lawyers.”
“I am very excited about the new opportunities ahead,” William said. “I am honored to have been offered this opportunity to serve the Firm and our people.”
A trial and appellate attorney with over 25 years of experience, William has earned the respect of clients and opponents alike for being a dedicated problem solver. He has handled many significant cases, including defending several shareholder suits related to the merger of a Texas real estate investment trust with a New York investment company; successfully representing a major league baseball club against a claim of violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); and successfully arguing an appeal to the United States of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit after obtaining dismissal of a lawsuit involving nine guarantees of real estate leases, absolving his client from over $8 million in claimed damages.
While maintaining a successful business litigation practice, William has served as a Board Member of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce and The Cliburn, and as a Co-Chair of the Zoning and Land Use Subcommittee of the American Bar Association’s Real Estate Litigation and Condemnation Committee. In 2021, William ended a five-year term as a Master of the Elden B. Mahon Inn of Court. Fort Worth Business Press honored him with a C-Suite Award in 2018 in recognition of his contributions to the Firm and the local community. He has also been recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters since 2019 and a “Top Attorney” in Fort Worth by 360 West (since 2018) and Fort Worth Magazine (since 2004), a “Power Attorney” by Fort Worth Business Press in 2013, and an inaugural member of the Texas Verdicts Hall of Fame by The Texas Lawyer.
A fourth-generation Texan, William was raised in Fort Worth, attended Arlington Heights High School and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a dual degree in Real Estate and Urban Land Development, and Finance. He received his J.D. from SMU Dedman School of Law.
Meet JW
Founded more than 130 years ago, Jackson Walker helps businesses of all sizes navigate the increasingly complex legal landscape. With more than 400 attorneys across seven Texas-based offices, the Firm represents Fortune 500 companies, multinational corporations, major financial institutions, insurance companies, and a wide range of public companies and private businesses around the globe. The Firm is ranked nationally in 27 practice areas in the U.S. News’ “Best Law Firms” rankings, and has 14 Chambers-ranked practices.
