"One American Center's downtown location and prestige made it the optimum location for our entrance into the Austin business community," Steve Good, the law firm's managing partner, said in a statement.

Chicago-based Equity Office Properties Trust owns and manages the building, which has 506,000 rentable sf. Equity Office acquired the building in 1995. Equity Office's Mark Miller represented the company in direct negotiations with Gardere. Its 7,857-sf lease is in the north--and tallest--tower of the three-tiered building, which is about 84% occupied.

Austin's office market would be a lot quieter if not for the activity of law firms. Vinson & Elkins left One American Center earlier this year for space at Terrace VII in the southwest submarket. More recently, Fulbright & Jaworski renewed its lease at the building. The first two tenants at 300 West Sixth in the CBD were law firms and law firms also have signed to move into Cousins Properties' Fourth and Congress building, now under construction.