Firm History

The firm was established in 1995. Sean Breen joined the firm as partner in 1996 from a trial practice at another Austin firm and was made a name partner in 2000. The firm currently includes six attorneys and over 20 support staff.

The mission of HowryBreen is based on the similar ideals and goals of Randy Howry and Sean Breen. Both men benefited from many years of experience and success working for large law firms. They have taken that experience and applied it in a smaller firm setting that focuses on efficient, effective trial preparation and implementation and achieving successful results for clients without extensive overhead.

History of our Office Building
1900 Pearl Street

Our office at 1900 Pearl Street was formerly a residence built circa.1928 by Felix E. and Mary Smith. Felix was the son of Felix E. Smith, Jr., a Tennessee farmer who came to Texas in 1851. After the younger Felix Smith died in 1935, his widow Mary Smith continued to live in the house. When Mary Smith died in 1944, her spinster daughter, Annie M. Smith, inherited the house and lived there until 1972. Herman, Howry & Breen purchased the house in 1997 as space for our law office. The house is near Judge's Hill, The University of Texas campus, and is convenient to downtown and West Austin.

History of our Neighborhood
Judges' Hill

Bounded by 19th Street and San Gabriel, 17th Street and West Avenue, the area know as Judge's Hill is a small, peaceful area in the neighborhood west of the University of Texas campus. It was part of a grant made by the State of Texas to developer Louis Horst. Many of the present houses are the second ones constructed on their lots.

The first house in the area belonged to a famous early Texas attorney and politician, Elijah Sterling Clack Roberton (1802-1879). Mr. Robertson built his limestone Greek Revival style house in 1851 on the site that is currently 1802 San Gabriel. Captain James E. Lucy, a famous Texas Ranger and Austin city marshal, purchased the house in 1878. He lived there until his death around 1930. The Vance family then acquired the house and land, lending their name to adjoining Vance Circle and to the western part of the neighborhood, which became the Vance Park subdivision. The lovely old original house was razed in 1966 by then owner, Mrs. Bob Teten, and the site is now occupied by the home of Judge St. John Garwood.

Perhaps it was Elijah S. C. Robertson who established the Judges' Hill tradition of houses occupied by attorneys, judges and politicians. Another Robertson family also played an important role in the neighborhood. Josh Wesley Robertson, an attorney and mayor of Austin for three terms beginning in 1884, moved from Tennessee in the 1860's and purchased land in the Judges' Hill area where he built a home at 18th and West Avenue.

Other well-known judges and politicians who lived on Judges' Hill included Judge Alexander S. Walker, Colonel E. M. House, Chief Justice James P. Alexander, Few Brewster, Ireland Graves and Judge James McClendon.