For a firm founded a quarter-century ago by just two lawyers in their early 30s, Bickel & Brewer has had remarkable success building an outsized reputation.

The fledgling boutique ruffled enough feathers in Dallas after opening its doors in 1984 to quickly earn national media attention for “bare-knuckles” tactics and notoriety as a “Rambo” firm. More recently, a Wall Street Journal style columnist reported that Bickel & Brewer’s disdain for signs of weakness extends to its dress code: Even mailroom clerks are expected to sport a suit and tie.