It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our founder, William R. Allensworth, who died peacefully in his sleep on March 16, 2026.
When William founded Allensworth in 1995, he set out to build a practice dedicated to professionalism and excellence in construction law—but what he accomplished was far greater: a legacy defined by unwavering integrity, devoted mentorship, and selfless service. Today, we mourn not only a brilliant attorney, but a pillar of our legal community and a truly exceptional, high-quality human being.
Early Years: Service and Scholarship
After graduating from Austin College with a B.A. in history, William volunteered for the Marines in 1968, eventually serving as an artillery officer in Battery K, 4th Battalion, 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division in the former Republic of Vietnam, for which he was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal (with a combat “V”). He declined a regular commission in the Marine Corps, opting instead to attend Texas Tech School of Law, earning his J.D. with high honors. He began his legal career in Dallas as the eleventh attorney ever hired at Haynes and Boone, and proudly claimed Richard Haynes, Michael Boone, and George Bramblett among his many mentors. In 1988, William volunteered to move his family to Austin to help manage Haynes and Boone’s (then) small Austin office. In 1995 he parted amicably to start his own construction law firm, Roller and Allensworth (later Allensworth and Porter), where William practiced law until his retirement in 2016.
William was an experienced litigator and trial lawyer; he was Board Certified in Civil Trial Law and an associate member of the American Board of Trial Advocates. He took dozens of cases through final judgment of all levels of Texas and federal courts. At a pinnacle moment in his career, William personally argued as lead counsel at the U.S. Supreme Court in the landmark case Atlantic Marine Construction Co., Inc. v. U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas (2013).
During his extraordinary service to the profession, William helped lay the foundation for the advancement of construction law in Texas. While practicing in Dallas, he was a founding member of the State Bar of Texas’s Construction Law Section. In Austin, he was the founder and initial chairman of the Travis County Bar Association (now Austin Bar Association) Construction Law Section. William was also a committed educator, teaching courses in Construction Law and Construction Litigation for nearly 30 semesters as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Texas School of Law. He was admitted to the prestigious American College of Construction Lawyers, and in 2016, in recognition of his lifelong contributions to Texas construction law, the State Bar of Texas Construction Law Section bestowed upon William its highest honor, the Pioneer Award.
William took thought leadership seriously and delivered countless papers and speeches on a wide variety of construction-related topics throughout his career. He was particularly proud of co-writing and co-editing the American Bar Association’s Construction Law textbook, now in its second edition fifteen years later and still used in law schools around the country. William provided decades of legislative counsel to organizations serving the construction and design-professional communities—work that along the way earned him honorary membership in the Texas Society of Architects. He remained deeply connected to his alma mater, Texas Tech Law, serving as President of the Law Alumni Association in 1988, and receiving a Distinguished Alumnus recognition in 2025.
William had a difficult time saying “no” when called to help. In addition to taking on countless pro bono matters (often accepted hastily and without any discussion with his partners), he served on a litany of boards and organizations, including three different HOAs, as Chairman of the St. Andrews Episcopal School Board, and volunteer firefighter/Engine Driver (and later Commissioner) of the Travis County Rural Fire District #1.
It was therefore little surprise that William said yes, again, when Governor Greg Abbott appointed him to the Texas Facilities Commission in 2018 and later elevated him to chairman in 2019. Among many other accomplishments, he helped deliver the $750 million Texas State Capitol complex expansion project. His impeccable judgment and steady leadership ensured the project’s on-time, on-budget completion despite the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
William’s Legacy and Carrying It Forward
Above all else, William was known for his tenacious commitment to professionalism in an adversarial legal system. Within the construction law community, he was respected and beloved by teammates and opponents alike, and garnered a reputation as a true gentleman of a lawyer.
William’s impact on this firm, this profession, and countless individual lives cannot be overstated. We are honored to carry forward the work he began and the values he embodied.
Our hearts are with William’s family and loved ones during this difficult time.