Olson & Olson

What Olson & Olson does

Olson & Olson LLP is a Houston-based law firm that has represented exclusively Texas local government entities for over 50 years. The firm traces its roots to 1950, formally became Olson & Olson in October 1974, and is structured as a Texas limited liability partnership. It serves as outside general counsel for more than 30 cities and other units of local government in southeast Texas, with additional special project services provided to municipalities statewide.

The firm's practice is organized into three principal areas: litigation representing governmental entities and their officials; general counsel and special project services to cities, counties, special districts, and risk pools; and special litigation counsel for appraisal districts, including the Harris Central Appraisal District for which the firm handles more than 1,000 lawsuits per year. Its service portfolio spans appraisal district representation, labor and employment, land acquisition and eminent domain, zoning and land use regulation, development agreements, economic development, collective bargaining under Chapter 174, employment investigations and training, hotel occupancy tax collections under Chapter 351, legal reviews, and defense of land use regulations. Practice areas are delivered by approximately 30 attorneys, many of whom previously served as city attorneys, county attorneys, or senior in-house counsel for major Texas governments.

The firm earns revenue through professional services fees, including annual general counsel retainers, project-based engagements, fee-for-service litigation, and a no-risk contingent fee arrangement for hotel occupancy tax collections. It has no disclosed external funding, parent company, or technology platform; growth is driven by relationship-based sales, professional organization participation, and its Annual Local Government Seminar, which is in its 22nd year as of 2026. The firm is recognized as Tier 1 in Municipal Litigation in the Houston Metro Area by U.S. News & World Report, consecutively from 2010 through 2017.

Name

Olson & Olson

Legal name

Olson & Olson LLP

Website

https://olsonllp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Olson & Olson LLP is a Houston-based Texas law firm that has represented exclusively local government entities for over 50 years, serving as outside general counsel for 30+ southeast Texas cities and handling 1,000+ ad valorem tax lawsuits annually for the Harris Central Appraisal District.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (54111), Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Family & Private Client (Trusts & Estates) Law (BPAHAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Eminent Domain / Condemnation & Litigation Support Valuation (BPAJAKAJ)

Keywords

• Municipal law services
• Government legal counsel
• Ad valorem tax litigation
• Land use regulation
• Labor employment law

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Legal Services - General Counsel: The firm serves as outside general counsel for cities, counties, special districts, and other local government entities, providing ongoing legal representation and advisory services.
2. Special Project Legal Services: Provides legal services on a special project basis to municipalities and local governments throughout Texas for specific legal matters.
3. Ad Valorem Tax Litigation: Handles more than 1,000 lawsuits per year for the Harris Central Appraisal District and other appraisal districts on tax valuation and exemption matters.
4. Hotel Occupancy Tax Collection: Provides delinquent hotel occupancy tax collection services under a no-risk contingent fee agreement, where the firm receives payment only upon successful collection.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Olson & Olson LLP is a Houston-based law firm providing legal services exclusively to local government entities throughout Texas. The firm's practice is organized into three principal areas: (1) litigation representing governmental entities in lawsuits and disputed matters, including more than 1,000 ad valorem tax lawsuits per year for the Harris Central Appraisal District; (2) outside general counsel and special project services to cities, counties, and special districts in southeast Texas; and (3) special litigation counsel for appraisal districts.

Product overview

Olson & Olson LLP is a law firm offering a comprehensive portfolio of legal services exclusively for local government entities. The firm's services are organized into three principal practice groups: (1) litigation representing governmental entities and their employees/officials in lawsuits and disputed matters; (2) general counsel and special project services to cities and special districts; and (3) special litigation counsel for appraisal districts. Core services include Appraisal District Representation, Labor & Employment (with two board-certified specialists), Land Acquisition & Eminent Domain, Zoning & Land Use Regulation, Development Agreements, Economic Development, Collective Bargaining, Employment Investigations, Employment Training, Hotel Occupancy Tax Collections, Legal Reviews, and Defending Land Use Regulations. The firm also hosts the Annual Local Government Seminars (ALGS) as an educational offering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Appraisal District Representation Legal representation for appraisal districts, focusing on ad valorem property tax disputes, commercial and industrial valuation, residential valuation, exemptions, and defending local ad valorem tax rolls. The firm handles more than 1,000 lawsuits per year for the Harris Central Appraisal District.
• Collective Bargaining Legal counsel for municipalities on employment and operational issues in the collective bargaining process for police officers and firefighters under Chapter 174 of the Texas Local Government Code.
• Zoning & Land Use Regulation Legal assistance for municipalities in developing and enforcing land use regulations, including comprehensive plans, zoning ordinances, platting, development agreements, and land use litigation.
• Defending Land Use Regulations Defense of local government land use regulations against legal challenges, including zoning classifications, subdivision regulations, sign regulations, building codes, and flood plain regulations.
• Development Agreements Negotiation and drafting of development agreements for Texas municipalities, including municipal utility agreements, annexation agreements, development standards agreements, infrastructure agreements, and strategic partnership agreements for master-planned communities.
• Economic Development Legal guidance on economic development tools including development corporations, Chapter 380 Agreements, special districts, tax increment financing, management districts, and local sales tax issues.
• Employment Investigations Internal investigations into employment matters for local government clients, providing direction and advice on resolving personnel issues while complying with statutes applicable to public employers.
• Employment Training Training services for local government employers on employment law issues including diversity, discrimination, investigations, discipline, hiring procedures, and performance evaluations.
• Hotel Occupancy Tax Collections Collection of delinquent hotel occupancy taxes through no-risk contingent fee agreements under Chapter 351 of the Texas Tax Code, including correspondence, civil suits, settlement negotiations, and collection of court-ordered payments.
• Labor & Employment Legal representation for local government on labor and employment matters including supervisor training, personnel policies, collective bargaining agreements, civil service hearings, drug testing, harassment, and EEOC complaints.
• Land Acquisition & Eminent Domain Legal assistance for municipalities in acquiring land, easements, and rights-of-way through negotiation or eminent domain proceedings for public projects including utility lines, streets, parks, and drainage infrastructure.
• Legal Reviews Focused legal reviews designed to identify and correct legal deficiencies in client organizations and operations, covering areas such as employment policies, budgeting, insurance, ordinances, procurement, and utility services.

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Husch Blackwell LLP: Multi-state law firm with a Texas public sector and municipal law practice serving cities, counties, and special districts. Comparable municipal law capabilities but as part of a much larger broad-practice firm.
• Jackson Walker LLP: Large Texas-based full-service law firm with a government and public law practice serving municipalities and special districts. Comparable in serving similar government clients but as part of a much broader corporate and litigation portfolio.
• Bracewell LLP: Major Texas-headquartered law firm with a state and local government practice. Comparable in serving government clients on regulatory and litigation matters, but operates as a broad full-service firm with energy and corporate practices.
• Norton Rose Fulbright: Global law firm with significant Texas presence and a state and local government practice group. Comparable in serving municipal clients but as a much larger, multi-national, full-service firm with broader capabilities.

Direct peers

• Brown & Hofmeister, L.L.P. Texas municipal law firm serving cities, counties, and special districts across the state. Directly comparable to Olson & Olson's exclusive municipal/government representation model with similar scope of practice areas.
• Lloyd Gosselink Rochelle & Townsend, P.C. Texas-based law firm serving water utilities, special districts, and municipalities with a focus on utility district and local government law. Comparable to Olson & Olson's special district and municipal representation work.
• Bickerstaff Heath Delgado Acosta LLP: Texas-based law firm focused on school district and local government representation, including special education, governance, and litigation. Comparable niche focus on government entities in Texas with similar institutional client base.
• Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP: Texas-based law firm specializing in government tax collection, including delinquent property tax and hotel occupancy tax collections on a contingent fee basis for counties and municipalities across Texas. Directly comparable to Olson & Olson's tax collection and appraisal-related litigation practices.
• Walsh Gallegos Treviño Kyle & Robinson P.C. Texas-based law firm serving public schools and governmental entities, including labor/employment and general counsel services. Comparable in providing legal services to Texas public entities with overlapping practice areas in employment law and governance.
• McCall, Parkhurst & Horton L.L.P. Texas-based law firm focused on public law, public finance, and government entity representation. Directly comparable to Olson & Olson as a specialty firm serving cities, counties, school districts, and special districts in Texas with similar institutional client base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/olsonllp

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Olson & Olson