(Main Office)

We have been practicing law and positively impacting our clients in Dallas since Colonel Bill Thompson and Colonel Bob Knight opened their offices in 1887. We were among the first to practice law in Dallas' Old Red Courthouse and, as Dallas became an international center of commerce, finance, energy, and technology, our practice grew far beyond the city limits.

Here, our traditional focus on litigation remains strong, with well over a quarter of our attorneys engaged in trial and appellate work. Clients also benefit from our strength in energy, oil and gas, finance, real estate and banking, corporate reorganization and creditors' rights, corporate and securities, environmental, tax, labor and employment, and intellectual property.

Throughout Thompson & Knight's history, our resilience and our ability and willingness to adapt have fueled our success. Our rankings in prestigious publications such as Chambers USA and The Best Lawyers in America are among the best in the nation. For example, in a recent edition, we had more attorneys listed in The Best Lawyers in America from our Dallas office than any other firm in Dallas. Thompson & Knight trial attorneys have been featured among the top 15 business-defense lawyers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area published in the Dallas Business Journal's "Defenders" publication. And, several of our attorneys have been selected for the "Best Business Lawyers in Dallas" and "Best Personal Lawyers in Dallas" lists by D Magazine.

Thompson & Knight is proud to have been honored since 2004 with the "Best Places to Work" award through an anonymous employee survey conducted by the Dallas Business Journal. Additionally, our summer associate program has regularly been ranked in the Top 5 programs in Dallas and has been the only program from a Texas-based firm to be in the Top 75 rankings in The American Lawyer's annual Summer Associate Survey.

Statement of Practice

Acquisitions and Divestitures, Administrative, Africa Trade, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Antitrust and Trade Regulation, Appellate and Supreme Court, Aviation and Aerospace, Bankruptcy, Biotechnology, Business, Chemicals, China, Class Actions, Climate Change, Commercial Law, Complex and Multi-District Litigation, Computer Hardware and Software, Construction Law, Consumer Products, Contracts, Copyrights, Corporate Finance, Corporate Governance, Corporate Reorganization, Creditors' Rights, Election Campaign and Political Law, Eminent Domain, Employee Benefits (ERISA), Endangered Species, Energy, Energy Finance, Entertainment Law, Environmental Law, Environmental Litigation, Estate Planning and Individual Wealth Management, Executive Compensation, Ethanol, Federal and State Taxation, Finance, Financial Institutions, First Amendment Law, Food and Beverage, General and Tort Litigation in Federal and State Courts, Franchises and Franchising, General Civil Practice, Global Projects and Infrastructure, Government Contracts, Government Relations, Health Law, Hospitality, Immigration, Information Management and E-Discovery Solutions, Initial Public Offerings, Insurance, Intellectual Property, Intellectual Property Litigation, Internal Investigations, International Energy Law, International Investment, International Law, International Trade, Investment Partnerships, Investment and Hedge Funds, Labor and Employment Law, Latin America, Land Use, Legal Malpractice Defense, Litigation, LNG, Lobbying, Manufacturing, Media Law, Medical Malpractice, Mergers, Natural Gas, Natural Resources, Nonprofit and Charitable Organizations, Occupational Safety and Health, Oil and Gas, Oil and Gas Acquisitions, Oil and Gas Contracts, Oil and Gas Exploration, Oil and Gas Finance, Oil and Gas Litigation, Oilfield Drilling, Oil Pollution, Partnership Law, Patents, Petroleum Law, Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices, Pipelines, Probate and Fiduciary Services, Probate Litigation, Products Liability, Professional Liability, Public Capital Markets, Railroad, Real Estate, Real Estate Finance, Refineries, Regulatory Matters, Renewable Energy, Restaurant Law, Retail, School Law, Securities, Semiconductors, Sports Law, Taxation, Technology and Science, Sweepstakes and Contest Law, Telecommunications, Tenancy-in-Common (TIC), Toxic Torts, Trade Secrets, Trademarks, Transportation, Trustee Service, Trusts and Estates, White Collar Crime, and Wills.

Firm Affiliations

INTERLAW: Thompson & Knight is a member of Interlaw, an international alliance of 64 member firms in 118 global business centers, providing access to more than 5,000 lawyers worldwide

Address

One Arts Plaza
1722 Routh Street, Suite 1500
Dallas, TX 75201, (Collin, Dallas & Denton Cos.)

Phone

Phone: 214.969.1700
Fax: 214.969.1751

Website

http://www.tklaw.com

Firm/Affiliate Offices

(For biographical data on other personnel, see Professional Biographies at Algiers, Algeria; Austin, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio, Texas; London, England; New York, New York; Monterrey and Mexico City, Mexico; Paris, France; and São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

MANAGING PARTNER

Jeffrey A. Zlotky (Managing Partner) admitted to bar, 1985, Texas. Education: Princeton University (A.B., magna cum laude, 1982); University of Texas School of Law (J.D., with honors, 1985). Associate Editor, Texas Law Review, 1984-1985. Listed in The Best Lawyers in America 2003-2010, Corporate, Mergers and Acquisitions, Securities Law. Listed: Texas Super Lawyers (Securities and Corporate Finance, Mergers and Acquisitions, Business/Corporate), 2003 —; Top 100 Dallas/Fort Worth Region, Texas Super Lawyers, 2009; D Magazine's, Best Business Lawyers in Dallas (Corporate Finance/Mergers and Acquisitions), 2009; D Magazine's Best Lawyers in Dallas, 2005, 2007 and 2008. Member: American Bar Association (Member, Sections of: Business Law; Natural Resources, Energy, and Environmental Law). Practice Areas: Corporate Law; Investments; Investment Partnerships; Energy Finance; Energy Acquisitions.Email: Jeffrey A. Zlotky

PARTNERS

G. Luke Ashley (General Counsel) admitted to bar, 1974, Texas; 1976, U.S. District Court, Eastern and Northern Districts of Texas and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; 1979, U.S. Supreme Court; 1980, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas; 1981, U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit; 1982, U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas; 1995, U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit; 1996, U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit; 1997, U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit; 1998, U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit. Education: Cornell University (A.B., 1967); University of Texas School of Law (J.D., with honors, 1974). Order of the Coif. Note and Comment Editor, Texas Law Review, 1973-1974. Law Clerk, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, 1974-1975. Listed in: The Best Lawyers in America, 2003-2010, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Appellate Law and Personal Injury Litigation; Texas Super Lawyers (Appellate, Class Actions/Mass Torts, Business Litigation), 2003-2009. Member: Dallas (Member and Past Chair, Appellate Law Section; Member, Business Litigation Section; Formerly on Legal Ethics and Unauthorized Practice of Law Committees) and American (Member, Litigation, Tort and Insurance Sections) Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas (Member, Appellate and Litigation Sections); Bar Association of the Fifth Circuit; Dallas Association of Defense Counsel (Past Secretary); Texas Bar Foundation (Life Fellow); Texas Association of Defense Counsel. Dallas Bar Foundation. (Board Certified, Civil Trial Law, Personal Injury Law and Civil Appellate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Practice Areas: Appellate Law; Litigation; Class Action Defense.Email: G. Luke Ashley

Jack Balderson, Jr. (Partner) admitted to bar, 1999, California and U.S. District Court, District of Kansas; 2000, Kansas, U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit and U.S. Court of Federal Claims; 2001, Texas, U.S. District Court, Southern District of California and U.S. District Court, Northern and Eastern Districts of Texas; 2002, U.S. District Court, Northern and Central Districts of California and U.S. District Court, Southern and Western Districts of Texas; 2003, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California. Education: University of North Texas (B.S., 1996); University of San Diego (J.D., cum laude, 1999). Order of the Coif. Lead Articles Editor, San Diego Law Review, 1998-1999. Listed, Texas Rising Stars (Antitrust Litigation, Business Litigation, General Litigation), 2008-2009. Member: Kansas Bar Association; Defense Research Institute; Dallas Association of Young Lawyers. Practice Areas: Litigation; Antitrust and Trade Regulation; Business Law; Commercial Law.Email: Jack Balderson, Jr.

P. Jefferson Ballew (Partner) admitted to bar, 1987, Georgia; 1988, Texas, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas, U.S. District Court, Western District of Tennessee and U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit; 1990, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; 1992, U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas and U.S. District Court, Northern District of California. Education: Rhodes College (B.A., 1982); Emory University (J.D., with distinction, 1987). Notes and Comments Editor, Emory Law Journal, 1986-1987. Law Clerk to Hon. Robert M. McRae, Jr., U.S. District Court, Western District of Tennessee, 1987-1988. Author: "Courts, Psychologists, and the EEOC's Uniform Guidelines: An Analysis of Recent Trends Affecting Testing as a Means of Employee Selection," 36 Emory Law Journal 203 (1987); "Oil and Gas Valuation Revisited: The Ad Valorem Property Tax Cases," Proceedings of the Institute on Oil and Gas Law (2004). Speaker: "Managing Litigation Under the New Texas Civil Discovery Rules," American Corporate Counsel Association, February, 1999; 55th Annual Program on Oil and Gas Law, The Center for American and International Law, 2004. Member: State Bar of Texas (Member, Oil, Gas & Energy Resources Law Section); State Bar of Georgia; American Bar Association (Member, Litigation, Business Law, and Environment, Energy and Resources Sections); Bar Association of the Fifth Circuit; Defense Research Institute. Fellow: Texas Bar Foundation. Life Fellow, Dallas Bar Association. Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation; Business Litigation; Energy Litigation; Class Actions; Complex and Multi-District Litigation.Email: P. Jefferson Ballew

William L. Banowsky (Partner) admitted to bar, 1983, Texas; 1984, U.S. District Court, Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. Education: Texas Tech University (B.B.A., 1980); Southern Methodist University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1983). Order of the Coif; Phi Delta Phi; Beta Alpha Psi. Editor, Southwestern Law Journal, 1982-1983. Listed, Texas Rising Star (Business Litigation, Securities Litigation, Class Action/Mass Torts), 2003-2004, 2008. Selected for inclusion in 2005-2010 editions of The Best Lawyers in America (Commercial Litigation). Listed, Texas Super Lawyers (Business Litigation), 2009. Member: Federation of Insurance and Corporate Counsel, Defense Research Institute, Texas Association of Defense Counsel; Texas Bar Foundation; College of the State Bar of Texas; National Association of Corporate Directors. (Board Certified, Civil Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Practice Areas: Class Action Defense; Commercial Litigation; Commercial Torts; Complex Business Litigation; Securities Class Actions; Government; School Law; Environmental Law; Energy; Electronic Discovery.Email: William L. Banowsky

Ted M. Benn (Partner) admitted to bar, 1986, Texas. Education: Mankato State University (B.S., with highest honors, 1983); Baylor University (J.D., cum laude, 1986). Lead Articles Editor, Baylor Law Review, 1985-1986. Member: National Association of Office and Industrial Properties; Turnaround Management Association; Real Estate Council. Practice Areas: Real Estate; Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures; Golf Course Development; Hospitality Law; Leases and Leasing; International Law; Climate Change and Renewable Energy.Email: Ted M. Benn

David M. Bennett (Partner) admitted to bar, 1986, Texas; 1988, U.S. District Court, Northern and Western Districts of Texas and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; 1993, U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit; 2002, U.S. District Court, Southern and Eastern Districts of Texas. Education: University of Texas at Austin (B.A., with high honors, 1983; J.D., with high honors, 1986). Order of the Coif; Phi Delta Phi; Phi Beta Kappa. Named one of five "Top" Bankruptcy Lawyers in Texas, Texas Lawyer Magazine, October, 2002. Named to: "America's Leading Lawyers for Business" (Bankruptcy/Restructuring Law) Chambers & Partners, Chambers USA, 2004—. Listed, Texas Super Lawyers (Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights), 2003-2009. Selected for inclusion in 2005-2010 editions of The Best Lawyers in America (Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights Law). Member: American Bankruptcy Institute; The Turnaround Management Association. Practice Areas: Reorganization and Bankruptcy.Email: David M. Bennett

W. Mark Bennett (Partner) admitted to bar, 1997, Texas. Education: Stephen F. Austin State University (B.A., with honors, 1994); Texas Tech University (J.D., with honors, 1997). Phi Delta Theta. Member, Texas Tech Board of Barristers. Articles Editor, Texas Tech Law Review. Author and Presenter, "The Effects of Bankruptcy on Litigation 101". Listed, Texas Rising Stars (Business Litigation, Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights, General Litigation), 2004-2009. Member: State Bar of Texas (Member, Sections on: Litigation; Oil and Gas); American Bar Association (Member, Trial and Environmental Sections); Defense Research Institute; Texas Association of Defense Counsel; Association of Defense Trial Attorneys. Reported Cases: Albertson's, Inc. v. Sinclair, 984 S.W.2d 958 (Tex. 1999). Practice Areas: Corporate Governance; Energy Litigation; Bankruptcy; Commercial Litigation; Government Contracts; Contracts; Partnership Dissolution; Banking Law; Alternative Energy; Trusts and Estates; Contested Trusts and Estates; Estate Litigation; Fiduciary Law; Fiduciary Liability; Fiduciary Litigation; Trust Litigation.Email: W. Mark Bennett

L. James Berglund, II (Partner) admitted to bar, 1992, Texas. Education: University of Kansas (B.S., 1986; J.D., 1992). Order of the Coif; Phi Kappa Phi. Member, Kansas Law Review; Associate Editor, Kansas Criminal Law Review. Recipient, American Jurisprudence Awards (Contracts I, Property I, Torts II). Listed in: D Magazine, "Best Lawyers Under 40," 2002; 2010 edition of The Best Lawyers in America (Antitrust Law). Member: Dallas Bar Association (Member, Sections on: Antitrust Section; Health Law Section; Business Litigation Section; Chair, Antitrust Section, 2005; Chair, Speaker Committee, 2007); State Bar of Texas (Member, Antitrust and Business Litigation Section, Council Member, 2008-2011); American Bar Association; Texas Association of Defense Counsel; Defense Research Institute (DRI). Practice Areas: Litigation; Antitrust; Health Law.Email: L. James Berglund, II

Gregory D. Binns (Partner) admitted to bar, 2000, Texas and U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas; 2001, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas. Education: DePauw University (B.A., Economics, 1996); Washington University (M.B.A., 2000; J.D., 2000). Order of the Coif; Phi Delta Phi. Associate Editor, Washington University Law Quarterly, 1999-2000. Listed, Texas Rising Stars (Business Litigation, Antitrust Litigation), 2005 and 2008-2009. Named as one of Best Lawyers in Dallas Under 40, D Magazine, 2006. Member: Dallas Association of Young Lawyers; Texas Association of Defense Counsel. Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation; Antitrust; Trade Secret Misappropriation.Email: Gregory D. Binns

Jane Politz Brandt (Partner) admitted to bar, 1986, Louisiana; 1988, Texas, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas, U.S. District Court, Western District of Louisiana and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; 1993, U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit; 1994, U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas; 1999, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan; 2001, U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit; 2003, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas and U.S. Supreme Court; 2004, District of Columbia; 2005, New York. Education: Louisiana State University at Shreveport (B.A., summa cum laude, 1983); Louisiana State University Law Center (J.D., with honors, 1986). Order of the Coif; Phi Kappa Phi; Omicron Delta Kappa. Member, Louisiana Law Review, 1984-1986. Law Clerk, U.S. District Court, Western District of Louisiana, 1986-1988. Member, LSU's National Alumni Board of Trustees, 1999-2003. Life Member: Kingston's National Registry of Who's Who in 2000; Strathmore's Who's Who in 2002. Member, Defense Research Institute: E- discovery sub-committee; Sub-committee liaison to the DRI Diversity Committee. Member, Madison's Who's Who of Executives and Professionals, 2006-2008. Listed in 2010 edition of The Best Lawyers in America (Intellectual Property Law). Listed, Texas Super Lawyers (Intellectual Property Litigation, Securities Litigation, Business Litigation), 2006-2008. Member: Dallas (Chair, Speaker's Committee, 2004; Co Vice-Chair, Continuing Legal Education Committee, 2000 and 2001; Chair, Judicial Investiture Committee, 1999, Vice-Chair, 1998), Eastern District of Texas, Louisiana State, Fifth Circuit and Federal Circuit Bar Associations; Texas Center for Legal Ethics and Professionalism; Congress of Fellows of the Center for International Studies. Fellow: Texas Bar Foundation (Sustaining Life Fellow); Dallas Bar Foundation (Life Fellow). Practice Areas: Intellectual Property Litigation; Complex Commercial Litigation; Electronic Discovery.