Carter Dugan, 44, Partner-in-Charge at Norton Rose Fulbright, Houston, Texas

Practice area: Energy and commercial litigation Law school and year of graduation: New York University Law School, 2006 The following has been edited for style. How long have you been at the firm? I have been at Norton Rose Fulbright for 19 years. What year were you promoted/elected to your current role? I was appointed as the Houston office partner-in-charge in December 2024. Were you a partner at another firm before joining your present firm? If so, which one, how long were you there and when did you leave? My entire law career has been at Norton Rose Fulbright. I first started at the firm as a 1L summer associate in the litigation department and never left. I’ve always been drawn to the firm’s culture, amazing colleagues and the clients with whom we work. How would you describe your career trajectory (was it organic or an active pursuit)? Organic. I became a senior associate at Norton Rose Fulbright more than a decade ago. Around that time, my husband and I welcomed twins and a year later, a third child. It was an incredibly busy time for me professionally and personally. I knew I wanted a career as a lawyer and my husband wanted a career as a physician, but it wasn’t always clear how having two busy careers and raising three young children would be possible. My husband and I found creative ways to balance it all: agreeing to different working schedules, having downtown play dates, choosing schools that catered to two working parents and agreeing that perfection wasn’t the standard, but happiness and balance was. On a day-by-day basis, we made it happen. When I made partner, we celebrated as a family, as all five of us contributed. Since I have made partner, the same rules have applied. In 2022, I was promoted to Houston administrative partner, assisting with oversight of the office’s more than 500 people and the office budget. This position prepared me for my current role as the Houston office partner-in-charge. I firmly believe in the philosophy of “being where your feet are.” By excelling in one’s current role and responsibilities, future opportunities unfold naturally. What do you think was the deciding point for the firm in electing/promoting you to your current role? Was it your performance on a specific case? A personality trait? Making connections with the right people? I had an opportunity to serve as the Houston administrative partner prior to my promotion to the office’s partner-in-charge in December. As the Houston administrative partner, I was able to shadow and partner with the then partner-in-charge Kevin O’Gorman. During that time period, Kevin and I had the opportunity to design the Houston office’s new location and also oversee our office move, which was an exciting opportunity and challenge. The firm’s Houston location is the largest firm office by total headcount; ensuring that we had an efficient move that minimally disrupted our people’s daily lives was key to both Kevin and me. I believe we achieved that and our lawyers and business services people are truly enjoying our new offices on Discovery Green. In addition to having the opportunity to serve as administrative partner, the fact that I have spent my entire career at the firm, have deeply invested in relationships within the firm and truly believe in the firm’s collaborative people-first culture made my appointment as partner-in-charge a natural fit and one of which I am especially proud. What unique challenges do you face as it relates to your role? As a dedicated mother of three young children, it can be overwhelming to manage a busy practice and family while also feeling like you are succeeding in both roles. It’s also incredibly important to have the bandwidth to enjoy both. As I struggled to find balance in the beginning of my career, I know how important it is to support other lawyers and the firm in their efforts for a more balanced workplace and flexibility. That is why I am deeply committed to promoting the retention and advancement of qualified women in the workplace and at the highest levels within law firms, corporations and boardrooms. I continually work to develop flexible work programs within Norton Rose Fulbright and in the Houston market and to ensure that qualified women are seen and advanced. I have been the beneficiary of many of those programs and was an early adopter, so it’s easy for me to guide our people through those opportunities. Ensuring all of our employees have opportunities to excel through all stages of life is critically important to me. What’s the best piece of advice you give to someone who wants to rise up the ranks to lead an office? Focus on the present and “be where your feet are.” If you get too caught up in focusing on promotions and climbing the ranks, you will miss the opportunity to truly excel and enjoy where you are. Trust that by dedicating yourself to your present tasks, doors will naturally open for you in the future. Also, take the time to invest in the people with whom you work. Having strong working relationships leads not only to career longevity and a happier career, but also to having the support to be appointed or elected to leadership positions when those opportunities arise. Who had the greatest influence in your career that helped propel you to your current role? My grandfather, James Kerr, was the former head of the Houston office corporate group at Fulbright & Jaworski (the legacy firm that preceded the Norton Rose Fulbright combination). He introduced me to the firm as a child, and that introduction changed the course of my life and career. I grew up in a small town in South Texas and I fondly remember visiting the Houston office. I was mesmerized by every part of the firm. From the sheer size of the office, to all of the lawyers bustling in suits, to the fact that he had so many people who reported to him every day … it all seemed so exciting to me! When I turned 13, my grandfather passed away. Every Fulbright & Jaworski partner was invited to attend his service as an honorary pallbearer, process in together and sit together at the front of the church. I remember looking out at dozens of his partners honoring him during his memorial service. It was a remarkable and beautiful moment to me and my entire family and it was a testament to the respect our firm’s lawyers have for each other. We continue that tradition to this day. I knew then that culture was something of which I wanted to be a part. Serving as the same firm’s Houston office partner-in-charge many decades later is quite a full circle moment. I think my grandfather would be tickled and amazed. How do you utilize technology to benefit the firm/practice and/or business development? We leverage a broad variety of innovative solutions and legal technology to provide the highest value in client service delivery. Norton Rose Fulbright’s e-discovery program was an early adopter of AI. Their use of AI allows them to gain strategic data insights early in disputes, reduce document review costs and quickly summarize deposition transcripts, expert reports and other key documents. Harnessing the power of technology, we generate early directional legal research, extract content from and analyze legal documents and create initial drafts of documents and contracts based on past provisions and precedent. Tech also allows us to create business and operational efficiencies. Our business development team relies on innovative systems to help surface holistic client relationships and insights. Additionally, our pricing and legal practice management teams utilize other tools for budgeting, matter management and data analytics to support the development of fee proposals. Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give to your younger self and/or what would you do differently? I would try to stress less about things outside of my control. Most of the lawyers I know set nearly impossibly high expectations for themselves, stress over issues of every magnitude and have a hard time ever turning off their expanding to-do/worry lists in their minds. To some extent, all of these qualities are what makes a good lawyer. But, these are also qualities that can lead to burnout and people leaving the profession early. Looking back, I would tell myself to focus on those things that are in my control, manage expectations, enjoy the work more (and enjoy vacations more) and trust that generally, everything will work out if you are well-prepared. Do you have a prediction on how the legal industry will evolve over the next several years? I believe AI will become more embedded in legal workflows, particularly in areas like contract review, legal research, discovery, compliance monitoring and due diligence. I also feel confident AI will develop in ways it’s hard to imagine today. As mentioned above, our e-discovery program was an early adopter of AI and we’re continuing to expand how this technology can be implemented throughout the firm. Of course, at the same time, we are also mindful of the limitations of AI; I expect that there will be more specific delineations on what AI should not be used for in the future as well. Please share with us any firm or industry initiatives that you are working on as well as the impact you hope to achieve. The firm is focused on growing in a measurable and sustainable way. Exceeding client expectations is at the forefront, which means we are always seeking high-level practitioners. We are strategic about who we add, and we are well-positioned to expand further, especially within the energy sector. For example, this year the Houston office welcomed partner Thomas Verity, an energy-focused M&A lawyer, as well as an accomplished energy litigation team of four led by litigation partner Graig Alvarez. We look forward to continued growth in the Houston office.