Houston is the largest city in Texas and a thriving economic center for the nation’s petrochemical and energy industries, including shipping and transportation with the nation’s largest (tonnage) deep-water port. Gardere’s Houston office is at the heart of this active corporate market, providing broad-ranging legal services to corporate and industry-leaders. One of the nation’s largest cities, Houston’s economic strength, size and cultural diversity combine to make it home to 18 Fortune 500 companies. In 2002 Gardere provided legal services to 22 of the 43 Fortune 500 companies headquartered in Texas.