Missouri-based Am Law 200 firm Lathrop Gage has made an entrance into the Texas market and added to its West Coast presence, hiring seven toxic tort and mass tort litigators from Hawkins Parnell Thackston & Young in Dallas and Los Angeles.

Partner Robert Thackston will head the four-lawyer Dallas office, which opened Thursday. Others joining in Dallas are associates Samuel Garcia, Ryan Hale and Lanita Morgan.