Recently, Shackelford founding partner Martha Hardwick Hofmeister became a member of the prestigious Commercial Law Group. The CLG is a 20-year-old international consortium of commercial law firms, with members in Malaysia, Mexico, South Africa, and all across Europe. Its constituents provide referrals and efficient legal consultation to one another’s clients, especially on issues that arise in cross-border business, including matters of contract negotiation, real estate purchase, and tax advice. The CLG offers coordinated, efficient legal service across its many member locations, available in multiple languages. Members of the CLG meet twice yearly to stay current on the shifting legal issues arising in represented countries. The CLG prides itself on giving generous access to clients, culminating in thorough, open lines of communication among all involved.
The CLG thoroughly vets any candidates for admittance and requires a personal reference from an existing member for admission. Martha’s nomination came from Tim Collins, a lawyer in Ohio with whom she has frequently interacted in the Federal Bar Association. Tim believed that Martha’s 30-plus years of commercial litigation experience, public speaking proficiencies, people and management skills, and outgoing nature made her a good candidate for CLG, which was looking for a Dallas-based lawyer.
Martha is the third lawyer in the U.S. to be admitted to the CLG, but this endorsement of her legal skills isn’t unique. Martha has been named to the “Best Lawyers” in America list maintained by BL Rankings multiple years, and she’s been listed in Thomson Reuters “Texas Super Lawyers” multiple times as well. Martha is “AV Rated” by the Martindale-Hubbell peer review service, and has been named to the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers. She is also a member of the prestigious American Law Institute.
Martha talked in more depth about the CLG’s process for admittance:
One can’t be admitted without being nominated by a member, and that member must know the prospect more than superficially. A prospect is then required to provide to the CLG membership, at one of its twice-yearly meetings, an overview of both her own skills and experience and those of her law firm’s. I was thrilled to be selected as a member of a group composed of sophisticated, brilliant lawyers with international business and litigation practices.
Martha’s own practice at Shackelford, Bowen, McKinley & Norton, LLP, consists of trying commercial litigation cases in both state and federal courts. Her client list includes professional service firms, real estate developers, manufacturers, health care companies, and financial institutions.
Shackelford would like to congratulate Martha on another impressive endorsement of her skills, and wishes her the best in what promises to be quite an adventurous new chapter of her career.
