Seyfarth Significantly Boosts Dallas Office with Trio of Real Estate and Corporate Partner Hires

February 26, 2026 – Seyfarth Shaw LLP has bolstered its growing Dallas office with the arrival of three prominent partners: Deborah Ryan, Jonathan Bull, and Jeff Cash. These additions reflect Seyfarth’s strategic investment in Texas and strengthen the firm’s capabilities across real estate development, environmental regulation, and corporate transactions in one of the nation’s fastest‑growing business markets.

Ryan and Bull join Seyfarth’s Real Estate Department, which advises sophisticated clients across a variety of industries on the acquisition, financing, development, leasing, restructuring, and disposition of noteworthy real estate assets and portfolios as well as joint ventures and operational issues.

Ryan advises both international and domestic clients on all aspects of real estate transactions, including development joint ventures, master mixed use and residential condominiums, development, leasing, financing, and structuring.

Bull focuses on environmental matters, counseling clients on regulatory concerns in business transactions, property and resource development, facility operations, and environmental litigation.

Cash moves into the firm’s Corporate Department, deepening its Dallas presence in mergers and acquisitions, strategic alliances, private investments, joint ventures and other corporate matters.

Seyfarth has had an extensive presence in Texas for more than three decades through its Houston office before opening its Dallas office in September 2023, serving clients in corporate matters (including mergers and acquisitions, venture capital and capital markets), real estate, employment, and commercial litigation across industries, including energy and health care.

“Adding three highly regarded transactional partners in Dallas is a significant step as we continue to invest in this important market,” said Amy Simpson, managing partner of Seyfarth’s Dallas office. “Debbie, Jon, and Jeff are well-connected in the regional business community and exemplify our commitment to client service through teamwork and practical, innovative solutions.”

Real Estate & Environmental Strength

Debbie Ryan joins Seyfarth from Squire Patton Boggs, where she was most recently the America’s Chair of the Global Real Estate Practice Group. She has dedicated her practice to all aspects of commercial real estate investments, structuring, development, leasing, and financing. Ryan is a recognized authority on mixed-use and high-rise condominium projects under the Texas Uniform Condominium Act. Utilizing her vast experience, Ryan also acts as “outside General Counsel” for private equity portfolio companies in a wide range of industries.

Jon Bull brings more than 20 years of environmental law experience, most recently at Jackson Walker. Bull’s practice focuses on counseling clients on environmental regulatory requirements and issues affecting their business plans and operations.

The scope of his work includes identifying and managing environmental risk and liabilities in corporate, asset, and real estate transactions; advising clients concerning compliance of planned or ongoing operations with environmental requirements, including permitting; managing environmental cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties; and defending clients in state and federal agency enforcement actions.

“We see Debbie and Jon as key players in continuing the momentum of our real estate practice in Dallas and across the firm,” said Paul Mattingly, national chair of Seyfarth’s Real Estate department. “They are quality lawyers whose breadth of experience, strong work ethic, and deep relationships align directly with our strategic goals. Both will enhance our ability to serve our growing client base, especially our rapidly growing development and data center practice.”

“The depth of Seyfarth’s Real Estate department offers exceptional opportunities for growth and collaboration, particularly within the firm’s flourishing data center practice,” said Bull. “I am excited about joining a firm whose real estate development platform has expanded significantly, and which is deeply embedded in the data center ecosystem.”

"I was attracted to Seyfarth because of its exceptionally strong Real Estate practice, boasting nearly 150 real estate lawyers working across the US, including in some of the most important US cities for my clients," said Ryan. "Seyfarth's commitment to expanding in Dallas, both as a full-service office and a real estate powerhouse, is particularly compelling to me."

Corporate/M&A Expansion

Jeff Cash, joining from Cole Schotz, focuses on complex mergers and acquisitions, private equity, strategic alliances, and joint ventures. He advises clients across a broad range of industries on corporate and transactional matters, with a practice that aligns with Texas’s dynamic mid-market and private equity activity.

“Texas is one of the most active M&A markets in the country right now and Jeff is an ideal complement in Dallas to our well-established Corporate group in Houston,” said Andrew Lucano, who chairs Seyfarth’s national Corporate department. “Jeff’s entrepreneurial approach and broad transactional expertise are fully aligned with the strategic priorities driving our Corporate Department.”

“Seyfarth stood out for me because of its clear growth strategy for Texas but just as importantly, its reputation as an innovation leader,” said Cash. “The way Seyfarth integrates modern tools into its practice fits squarely with what I believe the future of transactional work requires. The firm’s national platform and commitment to Dallas will enable me to help expand our M&A and private equity work here.”

Experience and Practice Focus

• Ryan is a “go-to” real estate lawyer nationally. She is known for her depth of knowledge of the real estate industry and providing excellent outcomes for her clients. She is an accessible, creative, and loyal advisor with a national and international practice. Ryan is widely recognized as a “Best Lawyer” in Real Estate and as a leader in the Dallas community. She received her JD from SMU Dedman School of Law and her BA from the University of Illinois.
• Bull, named as one of D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in Dallas” for environmental law, counsels a broad range of regional and national clients across sectors including residential and commercial development, warehousing and distribution, manufacturing, refineries, foundries, and electroplating facilities. He previously served as Associate Regional Counsel in the Hazardous Waste Enforcement Branch of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, handling administrative and judicial enforcement actions. Bull earned his JD from SMU Dedman School of Law, his MS from the University of Massachusetts, and his BS from Washington & Lee University.
• Cash, a regular selectee to D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in Dallas” list for mergers and acquisitions, has built a reputation for innovative problem-solving and an ability to help clients forge successful unions. He represents companies of all sizes, as well as high-net-worth individuals, in matters ranging from financings to private offerings to mergers and acquisitions. Cash holds a JD from Pepperdine University School of Law and a BS from Louisiana State University.

Seyfarth’s Dallas office is home to a growing team of attorneys focused on delivering creative solutions to legal challenges for a distinguished roster of recognized brands and Fortune 500 companies with headquarters or operations in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Launched in September 2023, the office builds on the firm’s long-standing Texas presence and the team works closely with clients on complex litigation, real estate development and finance, environmental law, corporate matters, and labor and employment matters, combining deep market knowledge with the firm’s nationally ranked practices.

About Seyfarth Shaw LLP

With approximately 1,000 lawyers across 17 offices, Seyfarth Shaw LLP provides advisory, litigation, and transactional legal services to clients worldwide. The firm has gained widespread recognition for its innovative approach to delivering legal services, combining deep industry knowledge with advanced technology and substantive excellence.