February 25, 1990 — Dallas Life Magazine publishes an article titled "The Rambo Boys," which states that John Bickel and William Brewer, "proud masters of legal 'hardball,' seem to be toning down the guerilla style that has rankled much of the Dallas legal community." But, the article states, neither Bickel or Brewer are about to "apologize for the tactics that sealed their reputations."
The article refers to Bickel & Brewer's lawyers as "unyielding" — with the firm taking advantage of "every opportunity to erect stumbling blocks for the opposition. Matters that once were resolved by phone or over breakfast at the City Club now are often handled before a judge."
The article discusses how the firm burst into the Dallas legal scene in the mid-1980s, assembling a "top-notch legal team" and wooing "some of the most high-profile clients from established firms." Just years later, the firm has branches in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington, D.C., and its attorneys are the highest paid in the nation.
According to the article, lawyers who have gone up against the firm "agree that Bickel & Brewer attorneys are exceptionally well-prepared and adroit in the courtroom."