Haynes and Boone, LLP is one of the largest and fastest-growing law firms in the U.S. Our firm believes that the world of business belongs to companies keen to compete, quick to adapt, eager to listen and learn and resolved to continually challenge themselves. We measure ourselves by the same standards. Our teamwork culture, our willingness to change quickly to meet the demands of the marketplace and our drive to be the best have been the key factors behind our success. We have grown from a handful of lawyers in 1970 to more than 500 lawyers today, have added more than 35 practice specialties, have expanded to twelve offices worldwide and have become a national leader in the use of technology to deliver legal services. Our reputation in the business world has likewise grown.

We serve a diverse group of clients in a wide array of domestic and global business transactions and litigation matters. Our client base reflects virtually every business industry and includes more than 100 Fortune 500 companies, many major foreign companies and large financial institutions.

We have long served our clients' global business activities by building cross-border practice capabilities, strategically adding international legal expertise and establishing working relationships with leading law firms throughout the world. Haynes and Boone lawyers are fluent in more than 15 foreign languages. Our Mexico City office, opened in 1994, has grown to be one of the three largest in Mexico among U.S. law firms, and our Moscow office was opened in 2005. Our global reach has included more than 100 foreign countries where we assisted clients in cross-border matters ranging from acquisitions and financings to dispute resolution.

Statement of Practice

Antitrust, Appellate, Aviation, Business Litigation, Business Reorganization and Bankruptcy, Commercial Litigation, Clean Tech, Corporate Governance, Corporate/Securities, Emerging Company/Venture Capital, Employee Benefits/ERISA, Energy, Environmental, Finance, Franchise and Distribution, Government Contracts, Government Investigations, Health Care, Intellectual Property/Technology Investment Banking and Broker-Dealer, Investment Funds, Insurance Litigation, International, Labor and Employment, Mergers and Acquisitions, Private Clients and Estate Planning, Private Equity, Real Estate/Projects, Regulatory, Securities Litigation, Tax, White Collar Criminal Defense.

Representative Clients:

Exxon-Mobil
Blockbuster Entertainment
Commercial Metals
Burlington Northern Santa Fe
RadioShack Corporation
Tenet Healthcare Corp.
Bank of America
Hillenbrand Industries
Cellstar Corp.
Sabre, Inc.
Input/Output, Inc.
Panda Energy International
Trilogy Software, Inc.
Dell U.S.A.
Archon Group, L.P.
AMR Corp.
Radiologix, Inc.
Huntsman Petrochemical
Engles Urso Follmer
Dresser Industries
El Paso Energy
Credit Lyonnais
Triton Energy Corp.
Trinity Industries, Inc.
Bank One
pcOrder.com, Inc.
JMB Realty Corp.
IMCO
LaQuinta Inns
USAA
Valero Energy Corporation
Ultramar Diamond Shamrock Corporation.

Address

1 Houston Center
1221 McKinney, Suite 2100
Houston, TX 77010, (Ft. Bend, Harris & Montgomery Cos.)

Phone

Phone: 713-547-2000
Telecopy: 713-547-2600

Website

http://www.haynesboone.com

Firm/Affiliate Offices

(For Complete Biographical Data of other Firm Personnel, see Professional Biographies at Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Richardson and San Antonio, Texas, Washington, D.C., Mexico City, Mexico and Moscow, Russia)

PARTNERS

Brian F. Antweil (Partner) born Fort Worth, Texas; admitted to bar, 1990, Texas; 2009, New York; U.S. District Court, Southern, Northern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; U.S. Supreme Court. Education: University of Texas at Austin (B.B.A., 1977); University of Houston Law Center (J.D., 1990). Twelve years of prior business experience in Commercial Real Estate Development. Author, "E-com Begets Buzzwords for Business on the WWW," Houston Business Journal, August 2, 1999. Frequent Lecturer and Panelist, the Bar and other trade and professional organizations regarding trial presentation. Adjunct Professor of Law, Pretrial Procedure and Trial Advocacy, University of Houston Law School. Instructor, National Institute of Trial Advocacy. Member, Economic Development Advisory Board, Greater Houston Partnership. Aviation/International Advisory Committee for the Greater Houston Partnership. Member, Board of Directors, Counsel and volunteer pilot to Grace Flight of America, recipient of the 2007 President's Award. Member, Alumni Advisory Board, The University of Texas McCombs School of Business. McCombs School of Business Council Representative to The University of Texas Exes. Member, United Way Alexis de Tocqueville Society. Past inaugural Chairman, Houston's Greatest Committee for the Greater Houston Partnership. Past Chairman, University of Texas Business Network - Houston Chapter. Member, Texas Cowboys Alumni Association. Licensed Pilot. Member: Houston and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas. Reported Cases: Bruces Pulp and Paper, LLC v. Tiger Truck, LLC, 282 SW3d 176 (Tex. App. - Beaumont 2009, no writ); HCC Employer Services, Inc. v. Westchester County Surplus Lines Ins. Co., 2006 WL 1663343 (S.D.Tex., 2006); Superior Laminate and Supply Co. v. Formica Corp., 93 SW3d 445 (Tex.App. Houston [14th Dist] 2002, writ denied); Frost National Bank v. Burge, 29 SW3d 580 (Tex. App. Houston, 14th Dist. 2000, no writ); Hou-tex, Inc. v. Landmark Graphics Corp., 26 SW3d 103 (Tex. App. Houston [14th Dist] 2000, no writ); Weingarten Realty Investors, Inc. v. Albertson's, Inc., 66 F.Supp.2d S.D. Tex. September 24, 1999, aff'd. 234 F3d 28 (5th Cir. 2000); Carpenter (Texas) Realty Corp. v. Metropolitan Life Ins. Co., et. al, 974 SW2d 808 (Tex. App. Houston, 14th Dist. 1998, writ denied); Ray v. Metropolitan Life Ins. Co., 858 F.Supp. 626 (S.D. Tex., February 11, 1994). Transactions: 2008 lead counsel for Americas Mining Corporation in the largest fraudulent transfer trial in U.S. history. Case tried in federal district court, Brownsville, Texas. Decision pending; Lead trial and appellate counsel for Tiger Truck, LLC in successful defense of a $4 million real estate contract claim brought by landowner. Bruces Pulp and Paper, LLC v. Tiger Truck, LLC, 282 SW3d 176 (Tex. App. - Beaumont 2009, no writ); Successful defense of Aspen Technologies, a national supply chain software and technology company, against Johns Manville regarding software implementation services. Ten-day arbitration before the American Arbitration Association; Summary judgment in favor of client declaring rights to coverage under errors and omissions insurance policy, HCC Employer Services, Inc. v. Westchester County Surplus Lines Ins. Co., 2006 WL 1663343 (S.D.Tex., 2006); Summary judgment (interlocutory) in favor of insurance company declaring right to reinsurance coverage, Take-nothing judgment for national manufacturer in a jury trial involving termination of a distributorship agreement, Affirmed on appeal, Superior Laminate and Supply Co. v. Formica Corp., 93 SW3d 445 (Tex.App. Houston [14th Dist] 2002, writ denied); Obtained reversal and rendition by court of appeals in favor of bank client for claims against guarantor, Frost National Bank v. Burge, 29 SW3d 580 (Tex. App. Houston, 14th Dist. 2000, no writ); Summary judgment for one of the world's largest oil and gas seismic software development companies in a case of first impression under Texas law involving negligence and warranty issues arising out of a software defect, Affirmed on appeal, Hou-tex, Inc. v. Landmark Graphics Corp., 26 SW3d 103 (Tex. App. Houston [14th Dist] 2000, no writ); Summary judgment for national grocery store chain in case involving lease termination rights arising out of partial taking under State's rights of eminent domain, Weingarten Realty Investors, Inc. v. Albertson's, Inc., 66 F.Supp.2d S.D. Tex. September 24, 1999, aff'd. 234 F3d 28 (5th Cir. 2000); Take-nothing judgment for major life insurance company/real estate owner in a jury trial brought by a real estate broker to obtain $16 million in lease renewal commissions arising out of Enron Corporation's purchase of its 50 story Houston headquarters, Affirmed on appeal, Carpenter (Texas) Realty Corp. v. Metropolitan Life Ins. Co., et. al, 974 SW2d 808 (Tex. App. Houston, 14th Dist. 1998, writ denied); Take nothing judgment in case involving modification of a real estate services contract by course of dealing, Ray v. Metropolitan Life Ins. Co., 858 F.Supp. 626 (S.D. Tex., February 11, 1994). Practice Areas: Business Litigation; Patent Litigation; Technology Litigation; Bankruptcy Litigation; Intellectual Property Litigation; Real Estate Litigation; Aviation and Aerospace; Alternative Dispute Resolution; Energy.Email: Brian F. Antweil

Blaine F. Bates (Partner) born San Pablo, California; admitted to bar, 1994, Nevada; 1996, U.S. District Court, District of Nevada; 2001, Texas, U.S. District Court, Southern, Northern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas; 2003, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. Education: Brigham Young University (B.A., 1990; J.D., magna cum laude, 1994). Order of the Coif. Member, Brigham Young University Law Review, 1992-1994. Law Clerk to the Honorable Robert C. Jones, Judge, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Nevada, 1994-1996. Member: Houston and Fifth Circuit Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas; State Bar of Nevada; American Bankruptcy Institute. (Certified in Business Bankruptcy by the American Board of Certification). Transactions: ATA Airlines, Inc. in a chapter 11 bankruptcy case involving the wind-down and liquidation of its operations and assets Gemini Air Cargo, Inc. in a pre-negotiated chapter 11 bankruptcy involving a debt for equity conversion and emergence under a plan of reorganization within six months Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc., in its successful chapter 11 reorganization Representation of Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in the National Airlines, Inc. bankruptcy Representation of co-chair of the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in the Enron Corp. et al bankruptcy case Representation of an oil and gas exploration and development company in its chapter 11 liquidation Representation of senior secured lender in the chapter 11 bankruptcy of the owner of a portfolio of limited service hotels Representation of bankruptcy trustee in the liquidation of a nationwide manufacturer and retailer of men's custom clothing Representation of worldwide distributor of Class C components in chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization. Practice Areas: Bankruptcy; Energy; Bankruptcy Chapter 11; International Insolvency.Email: Blaine F. Bates

Charles A. Beckham, Jr. (Partner) admitted to bar, 1979, Texas. Education: University of Texas at Austin (B.B.A., 1976); St. Mary's University School of Law (J.D., 1979). Articles Editor, St. Mary's Law Journal. Law Clerk to Hon. Halbert O. Woodward, Chief Judge, Northern District of Texas, 1979-1980. Listed in: Chambers USA as one of the leading practitioners in Texas for Bankruptcy (2005-2009); Best Lawyers in America - Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights, 2010, has been listed for more than 10 years; Super Lawyer - Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights, 2003-2009, Top 100 Houston Super Lawyer, 2003-2009. Chair, Bankruptcy Law Exam Commission, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 2007-2008. Chairman of the Board of Directors, World Trade Center El Paso/Juarez, 1997-1998. Trustee, St. Mary's University School of Law, Law School Foundation. President, St. Mary's University School of Law Alumni Association, 1996-1997. Member: State Bar of Texas (Chair, Bankruptcy Law Section, 2004-2006; Member, Board of Directors, 1990-1993; Chair, Council of Chairs, 2006-2007); Moller/Foltz American Inn of Court (President, 2006-2007); Texas Board of Legal Specialization (Chair, Bankruptcy Law Exam Commission, 2007-2008); United States/Mexico Bar Association (Co-Chair, Board of Directors, 2008-2010); World Trade Center El Paso/Juarez (Chairman of the Board of Directors, 1997-1998); Texas Young Lawyers Association (President, 1991-1992); Border Bankruptcy Bar Association (President, 1990-1991); St. Mary's University School of Law - Law School Foundation (Trustee); St. Mary's University School of Law Alumni Association (President, 1996-1997). Fellow: Houston Bar Foundation; Texas Bar Foundation; American Bar Foundation; American College of Bankruptcy. (Board Certified, Business Bankruptcy, Texas Board of Legal Specialization); (Certified in Business Bankruptcy by the American Board of Certification). Transactions: Represents Lothian Oil, Inc., the Debtor in the Chapter 11 of this independent oil exploration and production company pending in the Western District of Texas. Represents Agent for Bank Group in Chapter 11 of Magnolia Energy, L.P., the owner of a 900mw power plant located in Mississippi. Represents corporate parent of ASARCO, LLP in Chapter 11 proceeding pending in Corpus Christi, Texas. Represented the Co-Chair of the Creditors Committee in Chapter 11 of Enron Corp. Represented Calyon in Chapter 11 proceeding of Yukos Oil Company pending in Houston, Texas. Obtained dismissal of Adversary Proceeding filed against Calyon and other lenders. Represented Agent for Working Capital Lenders in Chapter 11 of Texas Petrochemicals, L.P. Represented Agent for Bank Group in Chapter 11 of MFI Partners, LP, a franchisee of a nationwide chain of limited service hotels. Confirmed Creditor Plan of Reorganization over objection of Debtor. Represented Agent for Bank Group in Chapter 11 of Tri-Union Development Corporation. Recovered full amount of claim in approximate amount of $125 million for Bank Group pursuant to Plan of Reorganization. Represented Agent for Bank Group in the out-of-court restructuring of Darling International, Inc., the largest independent publicly held rendering company in the United States. Represented the Receiver for World Manufacturing Ltd. and Manufacturera del Bravo, Ltd., two British Virgin Island corporations. Assisted the Receiver in the recovery of assets in the United States, Mexico, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands and Switzerland. Has represented secured lenders, unsecured creditors, debtors and trustees in a variety of industries including numerous oil and gas, power and energy related bankruptcies. Has represented numerous debtors and creditors with cross-border bankruptcy and insolvency problems in Mexico. Practice Areas: Bankruptcy; Corporate Reorganization; International Insolvency; Restructuring, Workouts, and Recapitalizations ; Energy; Latin America/Caribbean.Email: Charles A. Beckham, Jr.

Arthur S. Berner (Partner) born New York, New York; admitted to bar, 1967, New York; 1980, Texas; U.S. Supreme Court. Education: City College of the City University of New York (B.A., 1964); New York University (J.D., cum laude, 1967). Associate, Cahill, Gordon & Reindel, 1967-1970. Executive Vice-President and General Counsel, Inexco Oil Company, 1970-1985; Executive Vice-President and General Counsel, United Financial Group, 1985-1991; Shareholder, Winstead Sechrest & Minick P.C., 1991-2000; Partner, Haynes and Boone, LLP, 2000—; Recognized, Chambers USA, Corporate/MA, Texas, 2008; NYU Law Review Research Editor; Member of Board and Executive Committees of numerous Houston and National Cultural, Religious and Philanthropic organizations. Member: Houston, New York State and Federal Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas. [NME]. Transactions: Representing numerous public companies in their initial public offering and follow-up offerings. Handling over 100 mergers, stock and asset acquisitions; Acting as "outside general counsel" to a number of public and private companies; Representing public companies in friendly and hostile tender offers for control. Completing a number of Rule 144A debt financings; Representing public and private venture capital funds in financings and follow-up acquisitions; Representing special committees in stock option and Sarbanes-Oxley reviews. The placing of multi-billion dollars of private and public debt and equity securities in the U.S. and International markets; Represented the company, the audit committee and the special committee in the resolution of government led securities investigations and related derivative and class action law suits. Practice Areas: Corporate Law; Securities; Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures; Venture Capital; Business Law; Sarbanes-Oxley/Corporate Governance; International Law; Energy.Email: Arthur S. Berner

Kenneth E. Broughton, Jr. (Partner) born Dallas, Texas; admitted to bar, 1981, Texas; 1990, California. Education: Baylor University (B.A., cum laude, 1978; J.D., 1981). Delta Theta Phi. Associate Editor, Baylor Law Review, 1980-1981. Co-Author: "Coping with Deregulation: Reduction of Labor Costs in the Airline Industry," 49 Journal of Air Law and Commerce 501, 1984. Member: Houston Bar Association; State Bar of Texas; State Bar of California. Fellow: Texas Bar Foundation. Transactions: Representing companies on breach of contract cases; Representing management in employee disputes including Title VII and ADA; Representing hospitals and health care organizations in disputes with a variety of third persons; Representing construction companies in disputes with subcontractors; Representing shareholders in disputes with other shareholders. Representing companies in securities litigation disputes. Practice Areas: Business Litigation; Employment Litigation; Alternative Dispute Resolution; Energy; Real Estate Litigation; Securities Litigation; Health Care; Labor and Employment.Email: Kenneth E. Broughton, Jr.

Steven A. Buxbaum (Partner) born Jamaica, New York, 1948; admitted to bar, 1973, Texas. Education: Dartmouth College (B.A., cum laude, 1970); University of Texas (J.D., cum laude, 1973). Phi Delta Phi; Order of the Coif. Editor, Texas International Law Journal, 1972-1973. Member: State Bar of Texas (Member, Corporation Laws Committee, Business Law Section). Fellow: Houston Bar Association. Practice Areas: Corporate Law; Partnership; Securities; Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures; Business Law; Financial Restructuring; Mass Tort Bankruptcies; Mass Tort Settlement Trusts; Venture Capital and Private Equity Transactions; Biotech; Energy.Email: Steven A. Buxbaum

Patricia L. Casey (Partner) born Amityville, New York; admitted to bar, 1984, Texas; U.S. District Court, Southern and Northern Districts of Texas; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. Education: Long Island University (B.S., summa cum laude, 1979); College of William & Mary (J.D., 1984). Author, "Electronic Evidence and the Large Document Case: Common Evidence Problems". Member, HBA Gender Initiative Committee. President, Houston Association of Women Attorneys. Member: United Way Women's Initiative; Houston International Arbitration Club, Women in eDiscovery, Houston Chapter. Member: State Bar of Texas; Fifth Circuit Bar Association; American Bar Association; Houston Bar Association. Fellow: American Bar Foundation; Texas Bar Foundation; Houston Bar Foundation. Practice Areas: Litigation; Civil Litigation; Defense Litigation; Trial Practice; Arbitration and Litigation; International Arbitration and Litigation; Alternative Dispute Resolution.Email: Patricia L. Casey

Bernard F. Clark, Jr. (Partner) born Houston, Texas; admitted to bar, 1982, Texas. Education: University of Texas (B.A., 1978; J.D., 1982). Honors: Recognized as one of the Best Lawyers in America - Project Finance Law (2009); Recognized as a Super Lawyer in Energy & Natural Resources by Law & Politics and Texas Monthly (2008). Member: Houston Energy Finance Group; Independent Producers Association of America, Capital Markets Group. Member: State Bar of Texas. Fellow: Houston Bar Foundation. Practice Areas: Energy Finance; Oil and Gas Law; Oil and Gas Finance; International Law; Climate Change and Corporate Sustainability .Email: Bernard F. Clark, Jr.

Thomas D. Cordell (Partner) born Houston, Texas; admitted to bar, 1979, Texas; 1980, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; 1981, U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit; 1984, U.S. Supreme Court; 1987, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas; 1993, U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas; 1996, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas. Education: University of Texas (B.B.A., with honors, 1975; J.D., 1979). Staff, Legal Research Board, University of Texas, 1978-1979. Director, Houston Young Lawyers Association (1988-1989). Member: State Bar of Texas; American Bar Association. Fellow: Houston Bar Foundation; Texas Bar Foundation. Languages: English, Italian and Spanish. Practice Areas: Broker-Dealer Arbitration; Investment Banking ; Business Litigation; Civil Litigation; Civil Appeals; Securities Litigation; Labor and Employment.Email: Thomas D. Cordell

Matthew T. Deffebach (Partner) born El Paso, Texas; admitted to bar, 1999, Texas; U.S. District Court, Southern, Northern, Western and Eastern Districts of Texas and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. Education: Trinity University (B.A., 1993); University of Houston Law Center (J.D., 1999). Named as Rising Star, Labor and Employment, Texas Monthly Magazine, 2005, 2006, and 2007. Intern, Judge Melinda Harmon, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas, 1994-1995. Author: "ALERT - Significant Developments at OSHA as it Steps Up Compliance Efforts," July 3, 2007; "Second-Hand' Harassment: Can an Employer Get Burned?" Houston Business Journal; "Discipline and Discharge: Avoid 'Nearly Identical Employee' Issue"; "May 1, 2002: OSHA Begins Penalizing Employers for Improper Recordkeeping"; "ALERT - Supreme Court Applies OSHA Regulations to Uninspected Vessels"; "Recent OSHA Developments of Interests to Energy Law Practitioners," Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Law Section Report, September 2002. Keynote Speaker, Southwest College and University Professional Association for Human Resources. Authorized General Industry Trainer for Safety and Health Standards. Member: Trinity University Alumni Association; American Society of Safety Engineers. Participant, City of Houston Volunteer Attorney Program. Member: Houston Management Lawyers Forum; American Society of Safety Engineers. (Board Certified, Labor and Employment Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Reported Cases: Hockman v. Westward Communications, L.L.C., 407 F.3d 317 (5th Cir. 2004). Practice Areas: Labor and Employment; Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA); Employment Litigation; Occupational Safety and Health.Email: Matthew T. Deffebach

Paul Hinton Dickerson (Partner) born Lake Jackson, Texas; admitted to bar, 1998, Texas. Education: University of Texas at Austin (B.B.A., Accounting, 1992); South Texas College of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 1998). Assistant Managing Editor, South Texas Law Review, 1998. Law Clerk, U.S. Judge Sim Lake, Judicial Intern. Certified Public Accountant, Texas, 1995. Publications: "Top Energy Official Extols Colorado-Based Federal Lab," Associated Press, Nov. 7, 2007; "U.S. Voices Support For Valley Clean Tech," San Jose Mercury News, Oct. 19, 2007; "Goals of a Federal Energy COO," Earth2Tech, October 18, 2007; "Solar And Private Equity," Piper Jaffray Solar Symposium, Long Beach, California, Sept. 25, 2007; "U.S.-EU Business Technology Roundtable," American Chamber Of Commerce, Madrid, Spain, June 25, 2007; "Biofuels on the World Stage," Eastern Biofuels Conference, Prague, Czech Republic, May 28, 2007; "Delivering Is Called Key For Alternative Fuels," Houston Chronicle, May 19, 2007; "Automotive Industry and Alternatives," Cascadia Transportation Conference, Redmond, Washington, May 7, 2007; "Zero Energy Buildings," Rural Development, Inc., Boston, Massachusetts, May 4, 2007; "Renewable Technology," Clean Energy Technology Trade Mission, China and India, April 16-26, 2007; "Biofuels in Columbia and Latin America," Biofuels Conference, Cartagena, Columbia, March 13, 2007; "Hollywood, Government, Industry and Environmental Groups Join Forces Around Light Bulb to Reduce Global Warming," International News Service, Feb. 22, 2007; "Future of Biofuels in the Caribbean Basin," 30th Conference On The Caribbean Basin, Miami, Florida, Dec. 5, 2006; "Children's Hospital Will Have Its Own Power," News 8 Austin, Oct. 17, 2006. Operating Officer, U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 2006-2008. Chief of Staff, United States and Foreign Commercial Service at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Member: State Bar of Texas. Practice Areas: Clean Tech; Contracts; Energy Tax; Projects.Email: Paul Hinton Dickerson

Sashe D. Dimitroff (Partner) born Skopje, Yugoslavia, December 20, 1961; admitted to bar, 1992, Texas; U.S. District Court, Eastern and Southern Districts of Texas; U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida; U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth, Sixth and Eleventh Circuits. Education: University of Texas at Austin (B.B.A., 1985); University of Houston (M.B.A., with full honors, 1992; J.D., magna cum laude, 1992). Sashe Dimitroff is a partner in the Litigation Practice Group in the Houston office. His practice focuses on complex commercial litigation and intellectual property. He has significant experience in technology disputes, breach of contract and commercial fraud matters, international dispute resolution, oil and gas litigation, environmental disputes, and mass toxic tort. He has also developed "preventative law" strategies for various corporations to avoid future claims and in preparing them to defend various claims should they arise. Member: State Bar of Texas (Member, Standing Committee on Court Rules); American and International Bar Associations; American Society of International Law. Transactions: Defending a large oil and gas equipment manufacturing company from claims of fraud, breach of contract, breach of warranty, and negligence regarding the failure of a deep-water drilling riser while the Plaintiffs were conducting drilling operations in the South China Sea; Representing an investor in an oilfield in arbitration against the operator for breach of contract fraud and gross negligence; Defending a major national engineering company against claims for fraud in developing a process design that allegedly led to a refinery explosion; Representing client who sold electricity that is generated from methane gas produced from decaying waste in landfills; Prosecuted suit against the manufacturer of the engines that burned the methane gas to create electricity; Defending a software development company against claims of deceptive trade practices and fraud. Languages: English, French and Serbo-Croatian. Practice Areas: Trial Practice; Litigation; Intellectual Property Litigation; Energy.

Doug H. Edwards (Partner) born 1969; admitted to bar, 1995, Louisiana. (Not admitted in Texas). Education: Louisiana State University (B.A., 1992); Tulane University (J.D., cum laude, 1995). Member: Louisiana State Bar Association; American Bankruptcy Institute. Practice Areas: Bankruptcy.Email: Doug H. Edwards

Robert D. Eickenroht (Partner) admitted to bar, 1986, Texas. Education: University of Texas at Austin (B.B.A., 1983); University of Houston (J.D., cum laude, 1986). Speaker on several corporate and energy-related topics, including mergers and acquisitions, public utilities (mergers, disaggregation structures and power marketing), and the Public Utility Holding Company Act. Member: American Wind Energy Association; Houston Renewable Energy Network. Member: State Bar of Texas. Transactions: Broad-based practice principally focused on merger and acquisition transactions, general corporate and partnership law, equities and energy; Experience includes: public and private mergers; asset and stock purchases and dispositions; private placements; venture capital and private equity financings; structuring and forming partnerships, joint ventures and strategic alliances; gas transmission, distribution, storage, and marketing activities and derivatives; power generation, transmission, distribution and marketing activities and derivatives; the refining/processing and marketing of oil, gas and natural gas liquids; and the development, acquisition and sale of renewables' businesses; Practice covers industries that include aircraft, automobile dealerships, concrete, energy and energy marketing and trading, environmental, equipment and tools, farm and ranch, hotels and casinos, HVAC, manufacturing, oil and gas, public utilities, real estate, service companies, and telecom. Practice Areas: Corporate; Mergers and Acquisitions; Energy and Power; Project Finance; Securities.Email: Robert D. Eickenroht

Theresa A. Einhorn (Partner) born Sarnia, Ontario, Canada; admitted to bar, 1977, District of Columbia; 1983, Texas. Education: University of Delaware (B.A., with high honors, 1973); University of Wisconsin (M.A., 1974); Georgetown University (J.D., 1977). Phi Beta Kappa; Phi Kappa Phi; Pi Delta Phi. Named a "Texas Super Lawyer," Texas Monthly, 2003-2009. Listed in The Best Lawyers in America, 1983-2009. Lead Articles Editor, Law and Policy in International Business, 1976-1977. Selected Participant, Business and Civic Executive Leadership Forum sponsored by the Center for Houston's Future, Fall 2007. Author: "The Corporate Debt Market and Credit Derivatives," American Bar Association, Business Law Spring Meeting, 25th Annual Review of Developments in Business Financing, March 2007. Member, Executive Committee, Society for the Performing Arts. Member: Houston Bar Association; American Bar Association (Chair, Subcommittee on Annual Review and Programs, ABA Committee on Developments in Business Financing); State Bar of Texas; The District of Columbia Bar; Texas Association of Bank Counsel (Former Director); Houston Commercial Finance Lawyers Forum; Women in Energy; Society for the Performing Arts (Member, Executive Committee); Member, Executive Women's Partnership (Greater Houston Partnership). Practice Areas: Finance; Energy Finance; Real Estate Finance; Financial Restructuring; Commercial Law; International Law; Clean Tech.Email: Theresa A. Einhorn

John R. Eldridge (Partner) born Coral Gables, Florida; admitted to bar, 1980, District of Columbia; 1987, Texas; U.S. Supreme Court. Education: Rice University (B.A., 1975); University of Texas (J.D., 1980). University of Texas Law Alumni Keeton Fellow. Selected by his peers as a "Texas Super Lawyer," in Texas Monthly magazine program each year of its existence. Selected as a Leading Lawyer by Chambers USA since 2004. Author: "Open Door to LNG Imports Closes Bit as Developers Seek New Sites," Houston Business Journal, June 25, 2004. Frequent Speaker, Environmental Conferences. Previous Employment: Conoco/DuPont, 1985-1989. Member, Board of Trustees, Awty International School. Member: Palmer Memorial Church; Alexis de Toqueville Society, United Way. Member: Houston and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas; District of Columbia Bar; Greater Houston Partnership (Member, Environmental Advisory Committee); French-American Chamber of Commerce (Board Member). Reported Cases: Achee v. Port DRum Co., 197 F. Supp. 2d 723 (E.D. Tx 2002); Greaghty and Miller Inc. v. Conoco Inc., 234 F3d 917, (5th Cir. 2001); Fina, Inc. v. ARCO et. al., 16 F.Supp. 2d 716 (E.D. Tex 1998); Briargrove Shopping Center v. Pilgrim Enterprises, 170 F.3d 536 (5th Cir. 1999). Transactions: Has over 25 years of experience in environmental litigation and regulatory practice, with an emphasis on Superfund, property contamination and toxic tort litigation; Has argued several CERCLA appeals before the Fifth Circuit and tried cases in various courts; Frequently represents buyers and sellers of contaminated properties and assists clients in assessing and addressing environmental risks associated with various business transactions; Internal investigations, environmental crimes, enforcement defense, Clean Water Act permitting and risk based "closure" certifications of contaminated real estate are also significant aspects of his practice. Languages: Spanish. Practice Areas: Environmental Litigation; Toxic Tort Litigation; Environmental Regulation; Environmental Business Law.Email: John R. Eldridge

Lawrence D. Finder (Partner) born Chicago, Illinois; admitted to bar, 1976, Illinois (inactive); 1983, Texas; 1984, New York; 1987, Colorado (inactive); U.S. District Court, Southern and Western Districts of Texas; U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois; U.S. Courts of Appeals, Fifth and Seventh Circuits. Education: Northern Illinois University (B.A., cum laude, 1973); Loyola University Chicago School of Law (J.D., 1976). Top Texas Super Lawyers, 2003-2007; Texas Super Lawyers Top 100 Houston Region Super Lawyers-Criminal Defense-White Collar, Texas Monthly Magazine, 2003-2006; International Who's Who Legal of Business Crime Lawyers, 2005, 2006; The Best Lawyers in America, White Collar Criminal Defense, 2007. Author: "Third Verse, Same as the First," Corporate Counsel, March 27, 2007. Co-Author: "Devolution of Authority: The Department of Justice's Corporate Charging Policies," with Ryan D. McConnell, St. Louis University Law Journal, Fall 2006, Vol. 51, No. 1; "Overview of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines for Organizations and Corporate Compliance Programs," ABA's White Collar Crime Newsletter (Aug. 2005) with Michael Warnecke." Author, "Internal Investigations: Consequences of the Federal Deputation of Corporate America", 45 S. Tex. L. Rev. 111 (2003). First Assistant, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, 1991-1993. Chief, Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas, 1991. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Southern District of Texas, 1982-1986; 1988-1990. Assistant States Attorney of Cook County, Illinois, 1976-1982. Former Chairman, Board of Managers, Harris County Hospital District, 1998-2003. Trustee, The Council on Alcohol and Drugs Houston, 2002—. Phi Alpha Delta (Justice, Webster Chapter, 1975-1976). Member: American Bar Association (Member, Criminal Justice Section); The Federalist Society; National Association of Former U.S. Attorneys; Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (Board of Directors). Practice Areas: Business Litigation; White Collar Criminal Defense; Antitrust and Competition; Government Civil Investigations; International Cartels; Litigation; Trial Practice.Email: Lawrence D. Finder

Henry Flores (Partner) born El Paso, Texas; admitted to bar, 1992, Texas. Education: University of Texas at Austin (B.A., 1989; J.D., 1992). Mr. Flores has represented debtors, official committees, secured and unsecured creditors, chapter 11 and chapter 7 trustees in a variety of bankruptcy cases and litigation matters. Mr. Flores is licensed to practice in Texas, and he is admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeal for the Fifth Circuit and the United States District Courts for the Southern, Western, Northern and Eastern Districts of Texas. Mr. Flores has been recognized by Texas Monthly Magazine as a "Texas Super Lawyer" in 2006, 2007 and 2008 and as a "Texas Rising Star" in 2004 and 2005. Member: Houston (Chair, Bankruptcy Section, 2005-2006) and American (Member, Litigation Section) Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas (Member, Litigation Section). Practice Areas: Business Organization; Bankruptcy; Creditors Rights; Litigation; Restructuring, Workouts and Recapitalizations; Airline Reorganization; Bankruptcy Chapter 11 Trustee and Examiner.Email: Henry Flores

Andrew L. Fono (Partner) born Austin, Texas; admitted to bar, 1993, Texas; U.S. District Court, Northern, Western, Eastern and Southern Districts of Texas; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Military Courts. Education: Texas Tech University (B.A., 1986); South Texas College of Law (J.D., 1992). Langdell Scholar, South Texas College of Law, 1992. Member, Editorial Board and Managing Editor, 1992, CURRENTS, the International Trade Law Journal, South Texas College of Law. Publications: Co-Author, "Federal Environmental Law, The User's Guide" (West, 1997, 2d Ed., 2001); "Flawed Geoscience in Forensic Environmental Investigations: Part II, How Daubert Affects the Scope and Bases for Expert Opinions," paper presented to the 2005 NGWA Groundwater and Environmental Law Conference, Baltimore, MD, July 21-22; "How Daubert is a Surrogate for Ethical Questions Regarding Expert Opinions: Part III," paper presented to the 2005 NGWA Groundwater and Environmental Law Conference, Baltimore, MD, July 21-22; "Indoor Air Quality in Texas," Texas Practice Series, Treatise, Chapter 17 (West Publishing, 2004); "Pandora's Box: Texas Passes Mold Legislation," The Houston Lawyer (Vol. 41, No. 5, April 2004); "Mold: Real Property & New Legislation," Facts and Findings, National Association of Legal Assistants (Nov. 2004, Vol. XXXI Issue 3); "Mold Disclosures and Real Estate Finance," Real Estate Finance Journal, Vol. 19, 2 (West, Fall 2003); "New Laws and Legislation Regarding Asbestos-Related Lawsuits," Houston Business Journal, Oct. 2002; "New Developments in Commercial Insurance Coverage for Mold," Columns Mold Litigation Journal (Harris Martin Publishers, May 2002); "How Mold Impacts Real Property Values and Decisions," Columns Mold Litigation Journal (Harris Martin Publishers, March 2002). Judge Advocate: United States Marine Corps, Environmental and Criminal Divisions, 1993-1997; United States Marine Corps Reserves, Deputy Counsel for the Commandant of the Marine Corps, Environmental Law Specialist, 1998—. Member: Houston (Member, Environmental Law Section) and American (Member, Environmental Law Section) Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas (Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation, State Bar College, Environmental and Litigation Sections); Houston West Chamber of Commerce (Past Chairman, Board of Directors); Texas Apartment Association; Defense Research Institute; Environmental Law Institute. Fellow: Texas Bar Foundation. [Captain, U.S. Marine Corps, 1993-1997; Lt. Colonel, United States Marine Corps Reserves]. Practice Areas: Business Litigation; Toxic Tort Litigation; Environmental Litigation; CERCLA Litigation; Environmental Regulations Counseling; Environmental Compliance Counseling; Mold Litigation; Business Environmental Planning Transactions; Corporate Environmental Planning Transactions; Real Estate Environmental Planning Transactions; Hazardous Waste Cleanups; NEPA Matters; Installation Law Matters.Email: Andrew L. Fono

Felicity A. Fowler (Partner) born St. Louis, Missouri; admitted to bar, 1992, Texas; 1993, U.S. District Court, Western, Northern, Southern and Eastern Districts of Texas; 1995, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. Education: Cornell University (B.S., Industrial and Labor Relations, 1989); Georgetown University Law Center (J.D., 1992). Named one of the "Top 25 Women of Vision 2009" by Hispanic Business Magazine, April 2009. Selected for inclusion in Texas Super Lawyers in Employment and Labor (2003, 2004, 2007 and 2008). Member, Board of Directors, Family Services of Greater Houston, 2005—. Member, Board of Directors, Professional Women of Color. Member, Houston Diversity Council. Member, Journal of Law and Technology, 1990-1991. Co-Author: "Partnerships," SMU Law Review, 1993. Speaker and Author: "State v. Federal in Disability Discrimination: The ADA Versus State Disability Discriminations Laws," ABA State Labor & Employment Law Developments Committee Meeting, 1998. Listed, Texas Super Lawyer, in Employment Litigation, 2003 and 2004. Member: Houston (Member, Employment Section) and American (Member, Sections on: Labor and Employment Law; Litigation) Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas (Sections of Labor and Employment Law; Litigation; Pro Bono College, 1993). (Board Certified, Labor and Employment Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Practice Areas: Employment Litigation; Employment Disability Discrimination; Title VII Discrimination; Sexual Harassment; Equal Employment Opportunity Law; Trade Secrets; Covenants Not To Compete; Labor and Employment; Affirmative Action; Health Care.Email: Felicity A. Fowler

Leigh N. Ganchan (Partner) admitted to bar, 2002, Texas; U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas. Education: University of Alabama (B.A., cum laude, 1991); University of Vienna, Austria (Post Graduate Degree, 1992); American University, Washington College of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1996); Université de Paris-X (Diploma, European and International Legal Studies, 1996). Selected Professional Activities and Honors: Editor-in-Chief for the 2006 edition of "Handbook on Immigration for Entertainers, Artists, Athletes"; International Who's Who in Immigration Law for 2007; American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Member of the National Liaison Committee to USCIS Headquarters; Editor-in-Chief of the Handbook on Immigration for Entertainers, Artists, Athletes 2006 (pending publication). Recent Publications: "Missed Chance: Immigration Reform on Hold" was featured on pg. 38 of the Dec. 1, 2006 edition of the Houston Business Journal; "Certification of Foreign Allied Health Care Professionals," The Houston Medical Journal (March 2005); "New Paperless I-9 Law: Compliance Made Easier," Workforce Management (January 2005); "One-Year Waiver Extension of Healthcare Certification Requirement for Limited Group of Foreign National Nonimmigrants," Health Lawyers Weekly, Vol. 2, Issue 33 (August 6, 2004); "Staying Out of Harm's Way: Employment Eligibility Verification Challenges," AILA Texas Chapter Conf. (2004); "Important Considerations for Employers Using the H-1B Nonimmigrant Visa for Foreign Nationals in Specialty Occupations," Corporate Counsel Review, Vol. 22, No. 2 (2003); "Immigration and Naturalization Service Worksite Enforcement Operations Re-Emerge as National Security Priority," 40 The Houston Lawyer 4 (2003) (received Outstanding Legal Article award from the Houston Bar Foundation); "Protecting Your "L's" During a Reduction in Force," 7 Benders Immigration Bulletin 99 (2002). Recent Speeches: "U.S. Immigration Reforms and International Trade Laws," The French-American Chamber of Commerce-Houston; "Changes to the H-1B Professional Nonimmigrant Visa Category," Houston Forum of Advisors to Internationals Semi-Annual Meeting; "Employer Sanctions Update," AILA 2006 Annual Conference; "Business Basics: Employment Based Nonimmigrant Status," University of Texas 30th Annual Conference on Immigration and Nationality Law, 2006; "Employment Eligibility Verification Compliance Update," AILA Texas Chapter Spring Conference, 2006; "Immigration Issues for Employment Lawyers," University of Houston Employment Law CLE Seminar, 2006; "Strategies for Addressing I-9 Compliance Issues," American Payroll Association, Houston Chapter, 2005; "The Immigration Consequences of Drug and Alcohol Use," The Council on Alcohol and Drugs, Houston Workplace Services. Member: State Bar of Texas; American Immigration Lawyers Association (Chair, Liaison Committee to the Texas Service Center; Member, AILA National Liaison Committee to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services headquarters); French-American Chamber of Commerce; HR Houston; Society for Human Resource Management; Advisory Board of The Russia/Eurasia Executive Guide. (Board Certified, Immigration and Nationality Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Languages: English, French and German. Practice Areas: Immigration Law; Employment Immigration; Labor and Employment; Health Care.Email: Leigh N. Ganchan

Ricardo Garcia-Moreno (Partner) born Brownsville, Texas; admitted to bar, 1994, Texas; 1995, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. Education: University of Texas at Austin (B.B.A., 1991; J.D., 1994). Law Clerk to the Honorable Reynaldo G. Garza, Senior Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, 1994-1995. Member: American Bar Association. Languages: Spanish. Practice Areas: Mergers and Acquisitions; Corporate Law; Securities; Sports Law; Entertainment Law; Telecommunications Law; Latin America and Caribbean Laws.Email: Ricardo Garcia-Moreno

Jesse J. Gelsomini (Partner) admitted to bar, 1987, Texas. Education: Pennsylvania State University (B.S., with honors, Accounting, 1980); University of Houston Law School (J.D., cum laude, 1986). Beta Gamma Sigma; Beta Alpha Psi; Order of the Coif; Order of the Barons. Member, Houston Law Review. Texas Super Lawyer 2003, 2004. Accounting Honors Program Graduate, Pennsylvania State University. Certified Public Accountant, State of Texas, 1982—. Honors: Recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer by Texas Monthly Magazine, as one of Houston's Best Lawyers, Inside Houston, and as one of Houston's Top Lawyers, H Texas Magazine. Listed in The Best Lawyers in America (since 2006) for Employee Benefits Law. Member: Houston and American (Member: Tax Section, Employee Benefits Committee; Sections on: Labor and Employment Law; Health Law) Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas; Southwest Benefits Association; Houston ERISA Industry Group; American Institute of Certified Public Accountants; American Association Attorneys-CPAs. Practice Areas: Employee Benefits; Executive Compensation; Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).Email: Jesse J. Gelsomini

Debra Gatison Hatter (Partner) born New Haven, Connecticut; admitted to bar, 1995, Pennsylvania and Maryland; 1996, District of Columbia; 2000, Texas. Education: University of Pennsylvania (B.S.E., Mech.E., 1991; J.D., 1994). Voted a "Texas Rising Star" and "Texas Super Lawyer" in Mergers and Acquisitions (Texas Monthly, 2004). Editor, University of Pennsylvania Law Review, 1992-1994. Law Clerk to Judge Clifford Scott Green, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 1994-1995. Recent Speeches and Publications: Speaker, "Negotiation Skills for Business Lawyers" (2007); Speaker, "Practical Issues in Commercial Arbitration Agreements" (2007); Speaker, "Negotiating Environmental Indemnity" (2006); Speaker, "Mergers and Acquisitions" (2005); Speaker, "Mergers and Acquisitions" (2005); Speaker, "The Impact of SOX on Transactions" (2005); Moderator, "Institutionalizing Your Private Equity Fund" (2005); Moderator, "Best Practices for Private Company Boards" (2005); Speaker, "Corporate Governance for Private Companies" (2005); Speaker, "Ethical Issues for In-House Counsel under Sarbanes Oxley" (2004); Speaker, "Corporate Governance Update" (2004); Speaker, "Federalizing Attorney Ethics" (2004); Speaker, "SEC's Attorney Conduct Rules" (2003); Speaker, "Sarbanes- Oxley Act of 2002" (2003); Publications: "Audit Committee's Expanded Role May Affect Private Companies, Too," Houston Business Journal (2003); "Eyes Wide Open," The Daily Deal (2003); "Sarbanes-Oxley Act's Provisions to Alter Attorney-Client Relationship," Houston Business Journal (2003); "Proposed Federal Preemption of Rules of Professional Conduct for Attorneys Practicing before the SEC," Texas Bar Journal (2003). Associate, Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton, 1995-1999. Director and Secretary. Member: Houston Bar Association (Immediate Past Chair, Mergers and Acquisitions Section); Houston Area Urban League (Director and Secretary). Practice Areas: Mergers and Acquisitions; Corporate Governance; Private Equity; Securities; Capital Markets; Energy; Emerging Company; Venture Capital; Franchise and Distribution; Public Company Acquisitions and Dispositions.Email: Debra Gatison Hatter

Kenneth Herz (Partner) admitted to bar, 1996, Texas. Education: Rice University (B.A., 1993); Columbia University (J.D., 1996). Winner, Jerome Michael Jury Trial Award for Excellence in Trial Advocacy, 1996. President, Jones College, 1992-1993. Partner, Financial Transactions Group. Selected for inclusion in Texas Super Lawyers - Rising Stars Edition 2009. Member: Houston and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas. Transactions: Concentrates practice in the representation of banks and other financial institutions; Represented agents, lenders, and borrowers in secured and unsecured syndicated loan transactions involving revolving credit facilities, term loans, and letters of credit; Structured syndicated credit facilities to private equity funds secured by the right to call capital from investors; Advised hedge funds in connection with distressed financings; Negotiated loan workouts, restructurings, and debtor-in-possession and exit facilities; Represented lenders and borrowers in asset-backed and reserve-based financings, acquisition financings, and second lien credit facilities. Practice Areas: Financial Transactions.Email: Kenneth Herz

Larry L. Huelbig (Partner) born Fort Worth, Texas, February 14, 1944; admitted to bar, 1969, Texas; 1970, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas; 1971, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth and Tenth Circuits; 1974, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas. Education: Austin College (B.A., 1966); Southern Methodist University (J.D., 1969). Pi Gamma Mu; Delta Theta Phi. Listed in Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. Director, Garland Walker Inn of Court. Member: Houston Bar Association; State Bar of Texas; Texas Bar Foundation. Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Trial Practice; Energy Litigation; Real Estate and Construction Litigation ; Intellectual Property Litigation ; Russia and the CIS .Email: Larry L. Huelbig

Patrick L. Hughes (Partner) born Dallas, Texas; admitted to bar, 1983, Texas; 1994, Colorado; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. Education: University of Texas (B.A., with high honors, 1980); University of Houston (J.D., 1983). Recognized as a Best Lawyers in America - Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights Law (2009). Recognized as a Super Lawyer - Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights (2008). Member, Bankruptcy Committee of the American Bar Association's Litigation Section. Bankruptcy Pro Bono Award, 2000. Former editor-in-chief, Houston Journal of International Law, 1981-1983. Former editor-in-chief for Notes Section of the Texas Bar Journal (the Texas State Bar's monthly magazine). Member: Houston Bar Association (Associate Editor, 1991-1992 and Editor-in-Chief, 1992-1993, Houston Lawyer); State Bars of Texas; The Colorado Bar Association. (Board Certified, Business Bankruptcy Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Practice Areas: Bankruptcy; Civil Practice; Collections; Contracts; Debtor and Creditor; Business Reorganization; Energy; Private Antitrust Litigation ; Bankruptcy and Insolvency Litigation ; Chapter 11 Trustee and Examiner ; Companies Facing Environmental Challenges .Email: Patrick L. Hughes

Donald D. Jackson (Partner) born Dallas, Texas; admitted to bar, 1993, Texas and U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas; 1997, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Education: Southern Methodist University (B.S., magna cum laude, 1981); University of Houston (M.S.Ch.E., 1984); University of Texas at Austin (J.D., with honors, 1993). Order of the Coif; Phi Beta Kappa. Articles and Notes Editor, Texas International Law Journal, 1992-1993. Registered Professional Engineer, Texas, 1990. Member: Houston Bar Association; Bar Association of the Fifth Federal Circuit; State Bar of Texas; Houston Intellectual Property Law Association. Languages: English and German. Practice Areas: Business Litigation; Intellectual Property Litigation; Oil and Gas Litigation; Media Law; Trial Practice; Energy; Energy Litigation; Oil and Gas; Exploration and Production; Oil Field Services ; Media and First Amendment Litigation ; Intellectual Property Litigation .Email: Donald D. Jackson

Kenric Kattner (Partner) admitted to bar, 1988, Texas; U.S. District Court, Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas; U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western District of Arkansas. Education: Southern Methodist University (B.B.A., Finance and Accounting, 1983, B.A., English, 1983); Southern Methodist University, Dedman School of Law (J.D., 1988). Recognized as one of The Best Lawyers in America - Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights Law (2009). Has written numerous articles and has given speeches and lectures for trade groups, CLE courses and other professional associations. Served as an Adjunct Professor of Law, University of Houston Law Center. Member: Houston, Federal and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas (Member, Litigation, Business and Corporate Law Section); Turnaround Management Association; American Bankruptcy Institute. Transactions: Specializes in bankruptcy, insolvency, and litigation matters and has been involved in numerous bankruptcy, reorganization, and litigation cases involving heavily litigated and complex legal issues; Has experience with many reorganization efforts representing debtors, secured and unsecured creditors, committees and asset purchasers in a wide range of cases involving manufacturing companies, airlines, computer and software firms, hospitality businesses, strategic asset acquisitions, retailers, wholesalers, real estate companies, service firms, travel agencies, and individuals. Practice Areas: Bankruptcy; Bankruptcy Reorganization; Restructuring, Workouts, and Recapitalizations .Email: Kenric Kattner

Robert S. Ladd (Partner) born Midland, Texas; admitted to bar, 1980, Texas. Education: Tulane University (B.A., cum laude, 1977); Southern Methodist University (J.D., 1980). Recognized as one of The Best Lawyers in America - Real Estate Law (2009); Recognized as a Super Lawyer - Real Estate (2008). Member: State Bar of Texas (Member, Real Estate, Probate and Trust Section); American Bar Association (Member, Section of Real Property, Probate and Trust Law); National Association of Bond Lawyers. Practice Areas: Real Estate; Real Estate Finance; Restructuring, Workouts, and Recapitalizations ; Health Care ; Projects .Email: Robert S. Ladd

Alene Ross Levy (Partner) born Houston, Texas; admitted to bar, 1986, Texas; 1987, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas. Education: University of Texas at Austin (B.A., cum laude, 1963); South Texas College of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1986). Board Member (2000-2003, 2004-2007) and Vice-Chair (2006-2007) Texas Board of Legal Specialization. National Chair, Amicus Briefing, Justice for Children (a child advocacy organization) (2002—). Member, Children at Risk Public Policy & Law Center Advisory Board (2006-2007). Past Chair, Houston Bar Association Appellate Section (2005). Member, State Bar of Texas Grievance Committee (1998-2004). Adjunct Professor, Appellate Advocacy, University of Houston, 1991-1994. Staff Attorney, First Court of Appeals, 1990-1993. Research Attorney, Fourteenth Court of Appeals, 1988-1989. Honors: Best Lawyers in America (2009); Appellate Super Lawyer, Texas Monthly Magazine (2003-2008); Winner of the Harvey R. Houck, Jr. Award for Her Efforts to Protect Abused Children and Their Rights (2007); Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year, Justice for Children (2003); Best Appellate Lawyer, Inside Houston (2002). Member: State Bar of Texas (Litigation and Appellate Practice Sections, 1986—); Houston Bar Association (Council Member, Appellate Practice Section, 1998-1999; Editorial Board, The Houston Lawyer, 1995-1998; Grievance Committee, 1998). Practice Areas: Appellate Practice(80%); Civil Litigation(20%); Trial Practice.Email: Alene Ross Levy

Lynne Liberato (Partner) born Pensacola, Florida; admitted to bar, 1981, Texas, U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas. Education: Sam Houston State University (B.S., 1974); Texas A&M University-Commerce (M.A., 1976); South Texas College of Law (J.D., 1980). Member, Order of the Barristers. Recipient: "The Outstanding Law Review Article Award" for "Summary Judgments in Texas," 2007 and for "Reasons for Reversal in Texas Courts of Appeals," 2004, Texas Bar Foundation; Exemplary Article Award, Texas Center for the Judiciary, 2005-2006; Gene Cavin Award, 2006. Chairman of the Board, 2005-2007, Board of Trustees and Executive Committee Member, 2003-2007, United Way of Greater Houston. Chair, Hurricane Katrina/Rita Task Force. Chair, Law Firm Initiative, Hurricane Katrina/Rita Task Force, 2003-2007. Member, Alexis de Toqueville Society, 2001-2007. Executive Committee Member, Greater Houston Partnership, 2006-2007. Executive Committee Member, Greater Houston Partnership, 2006-2007. Board Member, Greater Houston Partnership, 2005—. Co-Chair, Government Relations Committee, Greater Houston Partnership, 2006. Chair, Local Relations Committee, Greater Houston Partnership, 2004-2005. Member, Planning & Budget Committee, 2006, Executive Committee Member, 2005—, and Trustee, 2005—, South Texas College of Law Board of Directors. Co-Author, Texas Practice Guide (West 1999 and Supp. 2006). Recognized by Chambers USA 2009 as one of the leading practitioners in the United States for Appellate; Named one of the Best Lawyers in America 2009 for Appellate Law and Commercial Litigation; Robert Kneebone Award for Volunteer of the Year (2008) and Woman of the Year (2004), United Way of Greater Houston; Top 100 Texas Super Lawyer; Top 50 Female Lawyer; Top 100 Houston Super Lawyer; Appellate Super Lawyer, Texas Monthly Magazine, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006; Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation and Appellate Law, Woodward/White, Inc., 2005-2007; Top Notch Appellate Lawyer, 2002. Member, American Law Institute. Chief Staff Attorney, First Court of Appeals, Houston, 1981-1990. Member: Houston Bar Association (President, 1993-1994); State Bar of Texas (President, 2000-2001; Director, 1994-1998; Chair, Board of Directors, 1996-1997; Chair, Appellate Section, 1997-1998). Fellow: Texas Bar Foundation; Houston Bar Foundation. (Board Certified, Civil Appellate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Practice Areas: Civil Appeals; Civil Litigation.Email: Lynne Liberato

Bryce D. Linsenmayer (Partner) born West Chester, Pennsylvania; admitted to bar, 1991, Texas. Education: Trinity University (B.A., cum laude, 1988); University of Texas School of Law (J.D., 1991). Phi Beta Kappa. Managing Editor, The Review of Litigation. Member, Texas C-Bar, Board of Directors. Member, Bering Omega Community Services Board of Trustees. Member, British-American Business Council of Houston. Co-Author with Amy C. Moss, "Alternative Capital Markets for Alternative Energy Companies," Oil & Gas Financial Journal, November 2006. Author: "London Calling: AIM IPO Means Texas Company Won't Clash With SEC Over SOX," Texas Lawyer, May 22, 2006; "IPO ALERT: Accessing the Capital Markets," The London Stock Exchange's AIM: The New NASDAQ?, March 2006; "2006 ISS U.S. Corporate Governance Policy Updates," November 28, 2005; "The Impact of the Post-Enron Regulatory Scheme on Key Players in the Public Company Arena," IBA International Business and Energy Law Conference, Nov. 14, 2002. Member: Houston and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas. Practice Areas: AIM Transactions ; Private Clients and Estate Planning ; Corporate Governance ; Emerging Company/Venture Capital ; Russia and the CIS ; Reverse Mergers, SPACs and Rule 144A Transactions ; Public Company Acquisitions and Dispositions ; Clean Tech ; Securities; Corporate Law; Finance; Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures; Energy; Venture Capital.Email: Bryce D. Linsenmayer

Sergei A. Lomako (Partner) admitted to bar, 1988, USSR; 1995, Russia. (Not admitted in Texas). Education: Novorossiysk Higher Marine and Engineering College (B.S., 1982); Institute of State and Law of the USSR Academy of Sciences (Ph.D., International Law, 1988); Academy of Foreign Trade at the Ministry of Foreign Economic Affairs of the USSR (Graduate Degree, 1991); University of Houston Law Center (LL.M., 1995). Member: Association of International Petroleum Negotiators; Board of Directors, Houston-based Russian-American Chamber for Trade and Industry; Houston Mayor's International Affairs and Development Council (Europe). Member: American and International Bar Associations. (Resident, Moscow, Russia Office). Special Agencies: Arbitrator (Russia), approved by the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Order on the List of Arbitrators of the Moscow Chamber's commercial Arbitration court, since 2008. Languages: English, Russian and Ukrainian. Practice Areas: International Law; Russia and the CIS; Mergers and Acquisitions; International Maritime Law; International Dispute Resolution.Email: Sergei A. Lomako

Mark A. Mathews (Partner) born Muskogee, Oklahoma; admitted to bar, 1991, Texas; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Texas. Education: University of Oklahoma (B.B.A., 1984); South Texas College of Law (J.D., 1990). Phi Alpha Delta. Recipient, American Jurisprudence Award for Excellence in Administrative Law. Member: Houston Bar Association (Member, Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Section); State Bar of Texas (Member, Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Section); American Association of Professional Landmen; Texas Trial Lawyers Association. Fellow: Texas Bar Foundation. Practice Areas: Oil and Gas Law; Energy and Environmental.Email: Mark A. Mathews

Michael J. Mazzone (Partner) born Boston, Massachusetts; admitted to bar, 1983, Texas; 1988, Massachusetts and U.S. District Court, Northern, Eastern, Western and Southern Districts of Texas; 1985, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; 1986, U.S. Tax Court; 1990, U.S. Supreme Court. Education: University of South Carolina (B.S. in Business Administration, cum laude, 1977); University of Michigan; Suffolk University Law School (J.D., cum laude, 1983). Adjunct Professor of Law, University of Houston Law School, 1992-1997. Recognized as a Super Lawyer, Civil Litigation Defense, 2008. Member: Houston Bar Association; State Bar of Texas; Association for Objective Law; American Arbitration Association; Texas Oil and Gas Association; Texas Independents and Royalty Owners Association; Defense Research Institute; New Mexico Oil and Gas Association. (Board Certified, Civil Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Reported Cases: Lawther v. Super X Drugs of Texas, Inc., 671 S.W.2d 591 (Tex. App.--Houston (1st Dist.) 1984, no writ); Reliance Universal, Inc. v. Sparks Industrial Services, Inc., 688 S.W.2d 890 (Tex. App.--Beaumont 1985, writ ref'd n.r.e.); Teve Holdings Limited v. Jackson, 763 S.W.2d 905 (Tex. App.--Houston (1st Dist.) 1988, no writ); St. Gelais v. Jackson, 769 S.W.2d 249 (Tex. App.--Houston (1st Dist.) 1988, no writ); Henry S. Miller v. Hamilton, 813 S.W.2d 631 (Tex. App.--Houston (1st Dist.) 1991, no writ); A.P. Keller Development, Inc. v. One Jackson Place, Ltd., 890 S.W.2d 502 (Tex. App.-- El Paso 1994, no writ); Twelve Oaks Tower I, Ltd. v. Premier Allergy, 938 S.W.2d 102 (Tex. App.--Houston (14th Dist.) 1996, no writ); Ludlow v. DeBerry, 959 S.W.2d 265 (Tex. App.--Houston (14th Dist.) 1997, no writ); Phillips v. Washington Legal Foundation, 524 U.S. 156; 118 S. Ct. 1925 (1998)(Texas IOLTA Case) Practice Areas: Energy; Environmental ; Energy Litigation ; Environmental Litigation; Construction Litigation; Litigation/Trial Practice ; Toxic Tort and Property Damage Litigation ; Business Litigation ; Real Estate and Construction Litigation ; Alternative Dispute Resolution.Email: Michael J. Mazzone

Thomas J. McCaffrey (Partner) born New York, New York; admitted to bar, 1985, Texas. Education: University of Texas at Austin (B.B.A., Finance, with high honors, 1982; J.D., with honors, 1985). Phi Kappa Phi. Named a Texas Super Lawyer for 2003-2008 (publication of Texas Monthly and Law and Politics) in the Mergers and Acquisitions area. Named as one of The Best Lawyers in America, 2006-2009. Named in Inside Houston Magazine (May 2002) as one of the Best Lawyers in Houston in Corporate Finance/Mergers. Named as one of Texas' Best Lawyers (2008) by law.com. Presentations and Publications: "Expectations for Buyers Changing in Today's Market," Houston Business Journal, quoted as a panelist at M&A Insight 2009, July 31, 2009; "M&A Insight 2009," Panelist, May 14, 2009, Houston, Texas; Management Buyout / Leveraged Financing Case Study, presented at Columbia Law School, April 16, 2009; "Sale of the Business: Legal Issues from the Seller's Side, March 17, 2005," presentation to Southwest CEO Council Meeting, Houston, Texas. Co-Author and speaker, "Selected Issues in Negotiating Purchase and Sale Agreements: Representations and Warranties, 'As-Is' Clauses and Other Provisions," July 1999, South Texas College of Real Estate Law Conference. Author and Speaker: "Choice of Entity," March 1999, University of Texas Entertainment Law Institute. Member: Houston and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas. (Board Certified, Commercial Real Estate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Practice Areas: Mergers and Acquisitions; Securities/Capital Markets; Public Company Acquisitions and Dispositions; Private Clients and Estate Planning; Family Wealth and Estate Planning; Taxation.Email: Thomas J. McCaffrey

Bruce W. Merwin (Partner) born Houston, Texas; admitted to bar, 1976, Texas. Education: George Washington University (B.A., with distinction and special honors in Political Science, 1973); University of Texas (J.D., 1976). Phi Beta Kappa; Omicron Delta Kappa; Phi Delta Phi. Listed in Best Lawyers in America, Real Estate (2000-2009); Listed in America's Leading Lawyers - Chambers USA - Construction, (2003-2009); Listed in Texas Super Lawyers - Texas Monthly - Real Estate, including top 100 lawyers in Houston (2003-2009); Research Editor, Texas Urban Law Review, 1975-1976. Member: Houston Bar Association (Member, Sections on: Construction Law; Real Estate); State Bar of Texas (Member, Sections on: Construction Law; Real Estate, Probate and Trust); American Bar Association (Member, Sections on: Construction Law; Real Estate, Probate and Trust). (Board Certified, Commercial Real Estate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Practice Areas: Real Estate Development; Real Estate Finance; Climate Change and Corporate Sustainability ; Private Clients and Estate Planning ; Construction Contracts; Architect's Contracts; Condominium Development; Shopping Center Acquisitions; Business Planning; Business Taxation.Email: Bruce W. Merwin

Amy Moss (Partner) admitted to bar, 1997, Texas. Education: Arizona State University (B.F.A., Theatre Performance, 1994); Vanderbilt School of Law (J.D., 1997). Selected for inclusion in Texas Super Lawyers - Rising Stars Edition 2009. Author: "Alternative Capital Markets for Alternative Energy Companies," Oil & Gas Financial Journal, November 2006. Member: Houston and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas. Transactions: Concentrates practice in the areas of corporate and securities law, mergers and acquisitions, venture capital financing and intellectual property transactions; Experience includes the representation of public and privately-held companies in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, private placements of stock and debt, venture capital transactions and joint ventures; Practices also includes the representation of investors in both the formation and restructure of corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies and other entities; Other areas of practice include general corporate governance, securities law compliance, software and intellectual property licensing, internet agreements and employment agreements. Practice Areas: Energy; Clean Tech; Securities/Capital Markets ; Mergers and Acquisitions; Securities; Venture Capital Transactions; AIM Transactions ; Mergers and Acquisitions ; Public Company Acquisitions and Dispositions ; Emerging Company/Venture Capital ; Private Equity .Email: Amy Moss

Arthur M. Nathan (Partner) born Houston, Texas; admitted to bar, 1975, Texas, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, U.S. Tax Court and U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Education: University of Texas (B.A., with high honors, 1972; J.D., with honors, 1975). Phi Beta Kappa; Phi Kappa Phi; Phi Eta Sigma; Order of the Coif. Selected as a Texas Super Lawyer and as one of the top 100 Lawyers in Houston by Texas Monthly Magazine (November, 2003, October, 2004, October, 2005, October, 2006 and October, 2008). Selected as a Best Lawyers in America (2009). Named in Euromoney's 2002, 2004 and 2006 Guide to the World's Leading Tax Advisers in the United States. Selected as a Member of the International Association of Business Leaders in 2002. Selected for inclusion in International Who's Who of Professionals in 2003, 2004 and 2006. Adjunct Professor of Law, Business Planning, University of Houston Law Center, 1981-1987; Advanced Corporate Taxation, 1997—. Member, Texas State Bar Commission on Legal Specialization, Tax Law, 1999-2006. Adjunct Professor of Law, University of Houston Law Center (1981-1987 teaching Business Planning; 1997—, teaching Advanced Corporate Taxation: Taxation of Mergers & Acquisitions). Member, Tax Law Exam Commission, 1999-2005. Member: State Bar of Texas (Tax Section, Chair, Corporate Tax Problems Committee, 1981-1983; Member, Council, 1984-1987; Business Law Section, Member, Venture Capital Committee, 1991—); American Bar Association (Member, Taxation Section, Committee on Corporate Taxation, 1987—; Business Law Section, Committee on Negotiated Acquisitions, 1995—). Fellow: Texas Bar Foundation. (Member, Board of Directors 2002—)(Board Certified, Tax Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Practice Areas: Tax ; Mergers and Acquisitions ; Merger and Acquisition Tax ; Public Company Acquisitions and Dispositions ; International ; Europe, Middle East and Africa ; Clean Tech ; Corporate Tax; Tax Controversy.Email: Arthur M. Nathan

William B. Nelson (Partner) born Wichita, Kansas; admitted to bar, 1997, Texas. Education: University of Texas at Austin (B.S., Math, 1992; J.D., 1997); Brown University (M.A., Economics, 1994). Selected for inclusion in Texas Super Lawyers - Rising Stars Edition 2009. Member, Golden Key. Member: Dickenson Civic Association; Board of Directors, Clear Creek Swim League. Member: Houston and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas; National Association of Business Economist. Transactions: Practice focuses on corporate securities law, including public offerings and private financings, acquisitions, mergers, monetization transactions, securities law compliance and corporate governance; Represented clients based in the United States and Canada in transactions such as: acquisitions, divestitures and mergers of public and private companies in the United States and internationally; capital markets transactions including public, Rule 144A and private placements of common stock, preferred stock and subordinated and senior debt securities; recapitalization and restructuring transactions; asset purchases for oil and gas exploration corporations; and assist with corporate governance issues. Practice Areas: Energy; Oil and Gas; Exploration and Production; Oil Field Services; Securities/Capital Markets; Mergers and Acquisitions; Public Company Acquisitions and Dispositions.Email: William B. Nelson

Jeffrey J. Nichols (Partner) born Chicago, Illinois; admitted to bar, 1996, Texas; 2008, New York. Education: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (B.A., 1992); Southern Methodist University School of Law (J.D., 1996); Cox School of Business, Dallas (M.B.A., 1996). Member: State Bar of Texas. Transactions: Represented a hedge fund with the investment in a gas compressor company consisting of warrants, subordinated debt, term loans and revolving loans, which refinanced numerous lease financing vehicles for gas compression equipment. Represented a large commercial bank with a term and revolving loan to an oil & gas exploration and production company secured by oil & gas reserves; Represented a hedge fund with the investment in a seismic gathering company consisting of term loans and warrants, acting as a bridge financing until the initial public offering of the company; Represented a large chemical company with the securitization of its receivables financed by a commercial paper conduit; Represented a large, international company with the acquisition of the premier provider of special purpose entity and structured finance services, which required extensive collaboration with accountants concerning generally accepted accounting principals (GAAP) and international accounting standards (IAS) relating to the non-consolidation rules, including FASB Interpretation No. 46, Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities (FASB 46), and the IAS 27, Consolidated Financial Statements and Accounting for Investments in Subsidiaries, for special purpose entities holding billions of dollars of assets; Represented venture capital investors with the acquisition and restructuring of the equity and debt of a refining and waste processing facility used to extract metals from heavy oil waste from refineries; Represented a large, natural gas power plant project with the outage and refurbishment of its turbine and transformers, which involved the extensive negotiation of engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) agreements and master service agreements (MSAs); Represented a large, coal-fired power plant project with contracts relating to the re-processing of bituminous coal ash; Represented a Hong Kong company with the acquisition from a Japanese venture capital fund of debt and warrants in a US company holding Chinese oil & gas concession rights, and subsequent restructuring of the investment; Represented a large real estate management company in negotiating an electricity purchase contract from a retail electricity provider (REP), lowering the cost of power for its properties by less than half; Represented an investor in an alternative energy project that will use renewable biogas energy sources to sell natural gas and carbon credits; Represented a hedge fund in a combined loan and purchase of mineral interests to fund an oil & gas development program. Practice Areas: Electric Power; Alternative Energy; Finance; Energy; Renewable Energy; Natural Resources; Oil and Gas Exploration; Leveraged Financings ; Energy Trading ; Power and Power Plants ; Oil and Gas; Exploration and Production; Oil Field Services.Email: Jeffrey J. Nichols

Stan Perry (Partner) admitted to bar, 1990, Texas; U.S. District Court, Eastern, Southern, Western and Northern Districts of Texas. Education: Baylor University (B.A., 1987); University of Virginia (J.D., 1990). Listed: Super Lawyer, Texas, 2006; Super Lawyer for Environmental Litigation, Texas, 2008. Member: Houston (Member, Litigation Section) and American (Member, Litigation Section) Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas (Member, Litigation Section); Defense Research Institute (Member, Toxic Tort and Environmental Committee). Practice Areas: Environmental Law; Litigation and Trial Practice; Toxic Tort and Property Damage Litigation ; Environmental Litigation .Email: Stan Perry

Michael T. Powell (Partner) born Houston, Texas; admitted to bar, 1974, Texas; U.S. District Court, Southern, Eastern, Western and Northern Districts of Texas and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; 1977, U.S. Supreme Court. Education: University of Houston (B.B.A., 1970); South Texas College of Law (J.D., 1974). Delta Theta Phi. Member, Order of Barristers. Listed in: "Best Lawyers in America" - Construction Law (2009); Business Litigation Super Lawyer, Texas Monthly (2003-2008); Texas Super Lawyer, Law and Politics (2003-2008). Frequent Speaker on various aspects of Civil Trial Practice, Arbitration, and Mediation. CLE Presentations: "Cross Examination," Litigation and Trial Tactics CLE, sponsored by University of Houston Law Foundation; "Business and Public Records: When the Documents Really Speak for Themselves," How to Offer and Exclude Evidence CLE, sponsored by University of Houston Law Foundation; "Rule 42 Class Actions: Recent Developments," Advanced Personal Injury Course, sponsored by the State Bar of Texas. Adjunct Professor, Remedies, Civil Procedure, Evidence and Civil Trial Advocacy, South Texas College of Law, 1977+. Chair, Litigation Section, Houston, Austin, San Antonio and Mexico City offices of the firm. Member: Alexis de Tocqueville Society; United Way of Greater Houston. Member: Houston and American (Member, Litigation Section) Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas (Member, Litigation Section); Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists; American Arbitration Association. (Board Certified, Civil Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Transactions: Appellate experience includes appeals before the Texas Courts of Appeals, Texas Supreme Court, U.S. Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court; Represented both Plaintiffs and Defendants in litigation involving the following topics, among others: Class Actions; Business Torts; Oil and Gas/Energy; Breach of Contracts; Securities; Corporate Ownership and Control; Products Liability and Personal Injury; Domestic and International Arbitration; Jurisdiction of Texas courts over foreign defendants. Practice Areas: Litigation; Trial Practice; Alternative Dispute Resolution; Environmental Litigation; Toxic Tort and Property Damage Litigation; Financial Transactions Litigation; International Law; Banking and Financial Services Litigation; Business Litigation; Energy Litigation; Government Contracts Disputes; Securities Litigation; Real Estate and Construction Litigation; Records Management; Internal Corporate Investigations; Financial Crisis Advisory and Litigation.Email: Michael T. Powell

Bradley J. Richards (Partner) born Tacoma, Washington; admitted to bar, 1984, Texas. Education: Brown University (A.B., with honors, 1980); University of Iowa (J.D., with distinction, 1984). Listed in Texas SuperLawyers (International), 2004-2005; Best Lawyers in America, Corporate (Corporate, Project Finance, Technology), 2005-2007, 2009; Guide to the World's Leading Energy and Natural Resource Lawyers, 2005-2007. Symposium Editor, Iowa Law Review, 1983-1984. Adjunct Professor, International Business Transactions and International Financial Transactions, University of Houston Law Center, 1990-1994. Junior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 1980. Chairman, International Studies Advisory Board, University of St. Thomas. Member: Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship Advisory Board, Rice University; Board of Directors, Brown Club of Houston; Houston Committee on Foreign Relations. Member: State Bar of Texas (Chairman, International Section, 1994-1995); Union Internationale des Avocats (National Vice President USA, 2003-2005); Japan-America Society of Houston (President, 2003-2005). Fellow: Houston Bar Foundation; Texas Bar Foundation. Languages: English, German and Spanish. Practice Areas: Energy; LNG; International Business Law; International Energy Law; International Trade; Oil and Gas; Exploration and Production; Oil Field Services; Regulatory; Mergers and Acquisitions; Asia; Brazil; Export Controls and Trade Compliance; Europe, Middle East and Africa; Import Relief; Latin America/Caribbean; Cross-Border Transactions; Public Company Acquisitions and Dispositions; Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.Email: Bradley J. Richards

Kent Rutter (Partner) born Ames, Iowa; admitted to bar, 1996, Texas and U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas; 1997, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. Education: Duke University (B.A., 1993); University of Michigan (J.D., cum laude, 1996). Law Clerk, Honorable David Hittner, United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas. Named one of "Houston's Top Appellate Lawyers" and one of "Houston's Top Lawyers for the People" by H Texas magazine (2009). Selected for inclusion in Texas Super Lawyers - Rising Stars Edition (2004-2009). Recipient, Texas Bar Foundation Award for Outstanding Law Review. Publications/Presentations: "Results of the 2009 Judicial Survey," State Bar of Texas Civil Appellate Practice Course (September 2009); "Drop the Lifetime Tenure for Justices on High Court," co-author with Mark Trachtenberg, Houston Chronicle (July 17, 2009); "Results of the 2009 Judicial Survey: A Sneak Preview," State Bar of Texas Appellate Advocate (July 2009); "2008 Year in Review: Texas Supreme Court," January 2009; "2007 Year in Review: Texas Supreme Court," 71 Tex. B.J. 38 (January 2008); "How to Succeed in Your First Trial or Transaction: Keys to Victory in the Courtroom or in the Boardroom," New Lawyer Course, State Bar of Texas (September 2007); "Practice Before the Texas Supreme Court," Appellate Boot Camp Course, State Bar of Texas (September 2007); "2006 Year in Review: Texas Supreme Court," 70 Tex. B.J. 38 (January 2007); "Gauging the Odds on Appeal," Appellate Boot Camp Course, State Bar of Texas (September 2006); "The Impact of Appellate Review on Case Evaluation," Houston Trial Lawyers Association (January 2006); "2005 Year in Review: Texas Supreme Court Changes," 69 Tex. B.J. 49 (January 2006); "From Initial Interview to Engagement Letter: Handling the Appellate Client and the Trial Lawyer," Dallas Bar Association (June 2005); "Predicates and Objections, Appeals, and Mandamus," Advanced Evidence and Discovery Course, State Bar of Texas (May 2005); "Appellate Minefields," Houston Bar Association Civil District/Appellate Bench Bar Conference (April 2005); "From Initial Interview to Engagement Letter: Handling the Appellate Client and the Trial Lawyer," Houston Bar Association (February 2005); "Changes on the Supreme Court of Texas," 68 Tex. B.J. 66 (January 2005); "Reversals in 2004," Litigation Update, State Bar of Texas (January 2005); "Protecting Your Client's Case for Appeal," Houston Bar Association (November 2004); "Why Appellate Courts Reverse," Houston Bar Association Appellate Practice Institute (May 2004) (with Justice Evelyn Keyes); "Who's Winning and Who's Losing: An Analysis of Appellate Court Decisions," Travis County Bench Bar Conference (April 2004); "Broad-Form Submission Narrowed," 67 Tex. B.J. 21 (January 2004); "Why the 1st & 14th Courts of Appeals Reverse," Houston Bar Association Litigation Section (January 2004); "Reasons for Reversal in the Texas Courts of Appeals," 44 S. Tex. L. Rev. 431 (2003). Special Assistant Disciplinary Counsel, Texas Commission for Lawyer Discipline. Member: State Bar of Texas (Appellate Practice Section—Membership Committee Chair, 2006-07; Judicial Reception Committee Chair, 2005-06; Speakers Committee Chair, 2004-05); Houston Bar Association (Appellate Practice Section—, Chair-Elect, 2009-2010; Member Services Committee Co-Chair, 2008-2009; Treasurer, 2007-08; Membership Committee Chair, 2006-07; Judicial Reception Committee Chair, 2005-06, Speakers Committee Chair, 2004-05); Texas Commission for Lawyer Discipline (Special Assistant Disciplinary Counsel); United Way of Greater Houston (Member, Alexis de Tocqueville Society); Association for the Advancement of Mexican-Americans (Member, Board of Directors). Fellow: Texas Bar Foundation; Houston Young Lawyers Foundation. (Board Certified, Civil Appellate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Practice Areas: Appellate Practice; Litigation/Trial Practice .Email: Kent Rutter

Dean J. Schaner (Partner) born Sioux City, Iowa; admitted to bar, 1987, Nebraska and U.S. District Court, District of Nebraska; 1988, Texas; U.S. District Court, Northern, Eastern, Western and Southern Districts of Texas and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth, Eighth and Ninth Circuits and U.S. Supreme Court. Education: Texas Tech University (B.A., cum laude, 1984); Creighton University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1987). Student Articles Editor, 1985-1986, Creighton Law Review; Board of Editors, Creighton Law Review, 1985-1987. Judicial Law Clerk to Nebraska Supreme Court Justice Thomas Shanahan, 1987-1988. Author: Editor-in-Chief, Texas Employment Law Desk Reference (4th Ed. 2006); Employment Law Commentary for the Houston Business Journal's "Business Survival Guide" (2001-2005); "Closing Your Doors on a Sixty-Day Hinge: Complying with the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act," Texas Bar Journal, June 1992; "Workplace Romance: Should Employers Act as Chaperones?" 20 Employee Relations Law Journal 47, Summer 1994; "When Faith and Work Collide: Defining Standards for Religious Harassment in the Workplace," 21 Employee Relations Law Journal, Summer 1995; "Have Gun Will Carry: Concealed Handgun Laws, Workplace Violence and Employer Liability," 22 Employee Relations Law Journal, Summer 1996. Member, Exam Committee for the Texas Board of Legal Specialization Labor and Employment Law Exam Commission, 2005-2009. Exam Coordinator, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Labor and Employment Specialization Exam Committee, 2008-2009. Member, National Finance Industry Employment Law Committee. Member, Board of Directors, Houston West Chamber of Commerce. Named as a Texas Super Lawyer in Texas Monthly Magazine in Employment Litigation Defense from 2003-2008. Member: State Bar of Texas; State Bar of Nebraska; Fifth Circuit Bar Association; Texas Association of Business. (Board Certified, Labor and Employment Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Reported Cases: Amos v. Wheelabrator Coal Services Co., 47 F. Supp. 2d 798 (N.D. Tex. 1999); Green v. Industrial Specialty Contractors, 1 S.W.3d 126 (Tex. App.-Houston [1st Dist.] Mar. 25, 1999); Krug v. Caltex Petroleum Corporation, No. 05-96-0079-CV, 1999 WL 652495 (Tex. App.-Dallas 1999); Patitu v. NationsBank, N.A., 90 F. Supp.2d 781 (S.D. Tex. 2000); Tiemeyer v. Quality Publishing, Inc., 144 F. Supp. 2d 727 (S.D. Tex. 2001); Burgos v. Tex. Trude, et al., 286 F. Supp. 2d 812 (S.D. Tex. 2003); Bodine v. Employers Casualty Co., et al., 352 F.3d 245 (5th Cir. 2003); Bourgeois v. The Pension Plan for the Employees of Santa Fe Int'l Corps., 308 F. Supp. 2d 761 (S.D. Tex. 2004); Costello v. Bank of America, N.A., 2007 WL 4303499 (Tex. App.-Houston [14th Dist.] 2007); St. John v. NCI Bldg. Systems, Inc., 537 F. Supp. 2d 848 (S.D. Tex. 2008). Practice Areas: ERISA Litigation; Employment Litigation; Labor Law; Unfair Competition; Wrongful Termination Defense; Whistleblower Litigation.Email: Dean J. Schaner

Alison L. Smith (Partner) born Brownsville, Texas; admitted to bar, 1977, Texas. Education: University of Texas (B.J., summa cum laude, 1974; J.D., with honors, 1977). Chancellors; Order of the Coif; Phi Kappa Phi; Friar Society. Listed in: Best Lawyers in America, Antitrust Law, 2009; Chambers USA America's Leading Business Lawyers; Who's Who Legal, The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers; Guide to the World's Leading Competition and Antitrust Lawyers; Texas Super Lawyer, Business Litigation, 2008. Note and Comment Editor, Texas Law Review. Partner, co-head antitrust practice group: Dewey Ballantine LLP, 2004-2005; Vinson & Elkins LLP, 1977-1989, 1991-2004. Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Antitrust Division of the United States Department of Justice, 1989-1991. Adjunct Professor of Law, The University of Texas School of Law, 1992 and 1993 spring semesters. Member, City of Houston Ethics Committee, 1988-1989. Member: American Law Institute; American Bar Association (Member, Antitrust Section; Chair, Transportation Industry Committee; Co-chair, Private Antitrust Litigation Committee; Member, Economic Evidence Task Force; Member, Long Range Planning Committee; Editorial Board, State Antitrust Practice and Procedure (Fourth)); American Bar Association (Member, Litigation Section); Houston Bar Association (Member, Antitrust Section; Chair; Animal Law Section; Co-Founder and Chair); Houston Renewable Energy Network; Texas Bar Foundation. Practice Areas: Antitrust and Trade Regulation; White Collar Criminal Defense; Securities Litigation; Antitrust and Competition ; Antitrust Counseling and Compliance ; Government Civil Investigations ; International Cartels; Merger Clearance ; Private Antitrust Litigation ; U.S. Criminal Investigations and Prosecutions ; Litigation/Trial Practice ; Securities Litigation ; Mergers and Acquisitions .Email: Alison L. Smith

Mark A. Tidwell (Partner) admitted to bar, 1993, Texas; 1994, Wisconsin; registered to practice before U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Education: Texas A & M University (B.S.M.E., 1989); South Texas College of Law (J.D., 1993). Mark A. Tidwell is a partner in the Intellectual Property Practice Group in the Houston office. He focuses his practice on prosecution, acquisition, licensing, divestiture and enforcement of patent rights, trademark rights, trade secrets and copyrights. Mark has filed and prosecuted hundreds of patent, trademark and copyright applications. Member: Houston and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas; Houston Intellectual Property Law Association; American Intellectual Property Law Association. Practice Areas: Intellectual Property; Intellectual Property Litigation; Intellectual Property Licensing.

Mark Ryan Trachtenberg (Partner) born Houston, Texas; admitted to bar, 1998, Texas; 1999, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas; 2002, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; 2003, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas. Education: University of Pennsylvania (B.A., summa cum laude, 1994); Yale Law School (J.D. 1998). Selected for Inclusion in: Texas Super Lawyers - Rising Stars Edition, 2004-2009; "Top Lawyer," 2009; "Top Professional on the Fast Track," 2005; "Lawyer on the Fast Track," H Texas Magazine, 2004. Editor, Yale Law Journal, 1993-1994. Awarded Colby Townshend Prize at Yale Law School for best paper by a second-year student. Judicial Clerk to The Honorable Lee H. Rosenthal, U.S. District Judge (S. D. Tex.), 1998-1999. Selected Professional and Community Activities: Member, American Law Institute; Board Member, The Houston Lawyer Editorial Board, 2005—; "Young Leader," United Way of Texas Gulf Coast; Executive Board, Civil Rights Committee, and Co-Chair, Discrimination Subcommittee, Anti-Defamation League; Executive Board, Community Relations Committee, Jewish Federation of Houston. Member: Houston and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas. Fellow: Texas Bar Foundation. Reported Cases: Neeley v. West Orange-Cove C.I.S.D., No. 04-1144, 2005 WL 3116298 (Tex. Nov. 22, 2005); BMG Direct Marketing, Inc. v. Peake, No. 03-0547, 2005 WL 3077425 (Tex. Nov 18, 2005); National Collegiate Athletic Ass'n v. Yeo, 171 S.W.3d 863 (Tex. 2005); West-Orange Cove C.I.S.D., v. Alanis, 107 S.W.3d 558 (Tex. 2003); Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Lopez, 93 S.W.3d 548 (Tex. App. Houston [14th Dist.] 2002, no pet.); Rodgers v. Commission for Lawyer Discipline, 151 S.W.3d 602 (Tex. App.--Fort Worth 2004, pet. denied); Kubala Public Adjusters, Inc. v. Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee for Supreme Court of Texas, 133 S.W.3d 790 (Tex. App.--Texarkana 2004, no pet.). Practice Areas: Appellate.Email: Mark Ryan Trachtenberg

Joseph A. Vilardo (Partner) born Mt. Ephraim, New Jersey, September 17, 1953; admitted to bar, 1982, Texas. Education: Rutgers University (B.S., Chem. Eng., and B.A., Finance, magna cum laude, 1976); South Texas College of Law (J.D., with high honors, 1982). Order of the Lytae. Recognized as a Super Lawyer, Banking, 2008. Member: Houston and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas. Practice Areas: Energy; Energy Trading ; Commercial Loans; Loan Restructuring; Corporate Finance; Energy Finance; Commercial Real Estate Finance; Pipelines and Gathering ; Restructuring, Workouts and Recapitalizations; Financial Crisis Advisory and Litigation .Email: Joseph A. Vilardo

Odean L. Volker (Partner) born Springfield, Missouri; admitted to bar, 1990, Texas; U.S. District Court, Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; U.S. Supreme Court. Education: University of Texas at Austin (B.B.A., 1986; B.A., 1987); University of Houston (J.D., 1990); Beijing Foreign Language Normal College, Beijing, People's Republic of China. Member: Houston (Litigation Section) and American (Litigation, International Law and Practice Sections) Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas (Litigation Section). Practice Areas: International ; Asia ; Iraq Transactions and Claims ; Russia and the CIS ; Litigation/Trial Practice ; Alternative Dispute Resolution ; Business Litigation ; Records Management ; Securities Litigation ; Securities/Capital Markets; White Collar Criminal Defense ; Foreign Corrupt Practices Act ; Government Investigations ; Internal Corporate Investigations ; SEC Enforcement .Email: Odean L. Volker

Casey T. Wallace (Partner) admitted to bar, 1996, Texas; U.S. District Court, Southern, Northern, Western and Eastern Districts of Texas and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. Education: University of Houston (B.S., with honors, 1989); South Texas College of Law (J.D., summa cum laude, 1995). Lead Investigator in a series of Governmental Investigations. General Counsel, Harris County Children's Assessment Center, and actively involved in a number of community philanthropic organizations. Board of Commissioners, Harris County Housing Authority. General Counsel, Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation. Represented: Corporate clients and individuals in a broad spectrum of business and employment disputes and litigation; Clients in the industries of health care, banking, oil and gas, technology, construction, government, and real estate among others; Harris County, Texas, its elected and appointed officials in all civil actions in state and federal and state court; Harris County Flood Control District in direct and inverse condemnation matters; Private land owners in eminent domain proceedings; Prosecution and defense of governmental community ordinances and regulations; Defense of civil rights cases, including land use, free speech, due process and equal protection. Member: Houston and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas; Texas District and County Attorneys Association. Practice Areas: Business Litigation; Litigation; Trial Practice.Email: Casey T. Wallace

Christian (Chris) E. Wolfe (Partner) born Sioux City, Iowa; admitted to bar, 1984, Texas. Education: University of Texas (B.A., with honors, 1975; M.B.A., 1984; J.D., with honors, 1984). Order of the Coif. Articles Editor, Texas International Law Journal, 1983-1984. Member: Department of Energy - National Energy Laboratories EIR Merit Review Committee; Department of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative - Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Services and Finance Industries. Speeches and Articles: University of Houston - Oil, Gas and Energy Law Taxation of Energy Projects - 2007; University of Houston - Advanced Oil and Gas Short Course: Oil and Gas Taxation - 1999¿2009; "An Overview of the History of Foreign Legal Consultants between the United States and Mexico," South Texas Law Review, Co-Author, Spring 2006; Greater Houston Partnership 2004 - Legal Aspects of Exporting; "The Deregulation of Electricity: Nature of the Industry and Taxes," The Electricity Journal, Co-Author, August-September, 2001; International Association of Geophysical Contractors - Spec Data Conference: "Capital, Technology and Resulting Issues in Seismic Licensing," presented October 31, 2000 in Houston, Texas; Dallas Bar Association, Energy Law Section: "Issues in Seismic Licensing," presented September 20, 2000 in Dallas, Texas; Houston Bar Association, Oil and Gas Section: "Seismic Licensing - Has Technology Outstripped the Forms?" presented April 25, 2000 in Houston, Texas. Member: State Bar of Texas. Practice Areas: Clean Tech; Energy; Taxation; Russia and the CIS; Energy Tax ; Merger and Acquisition Tax .Email: Christian (Chris) E. Wolfe

Kirk L. Worley (Partner) born Houston, Texas; admitted to bar, 1996, Texas; U.S. District Court, Southern, Eastern, Northern and Western Districts of Texas and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. Education: Texas A & M University (B.B.A., 1993); University of Houston (J.D., magna cum laude, 1996). Order of the Coif; Order of the Barons. Selected for Inclusion in Texas Super Lawyers - Rising Stars Edition, 2004-2009. Member: Houston (Member, Sections on: Litigation; Oil, Gas and Minerals Law) and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas (Member, Sections on: Litigation; Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Law); Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation; Aggie Bar Association; Institute for Energy Law of the Center for American and International Law (Member, Advisory Board). Fellow: Houston Bar Association. Practice Areas: Business Litigation; Energy; Electric Power; International Law; Litigation/Trial Practice ; Energy Litigation ; Real Estate and Construction Litigation ; Securities Litigation ; Financial Transactions Litigation ; Alternative Dispute Resolution; International ; Oil and Gas; Exploration and Production; Oil Field Services.Email: Kirk L. Worley

George G. Young, III (Partner) born Easton, Pennsylvania, October 17, 1955; admitted to bar, 1981, Texas. Education: George Washington University (B.A., with special honors, 1977); Tulane University (J.D., magna cum laude, 1981). Order of the Coif. Named Texas Super Lawyer, Securities and Corporate Finance, 2008. Managing Editor, Tulane Law Review. Member: State Bar of Texas. Practice Areas: Energy; Securities/Capital Markets; Mergers and Acquisitions; Oil and Gas; Exploration and Production; Oil Field Services; Corporate Governance; Cross-Border Transactions; Public Company Acquisitions and Dispositions; Proxy Contests; Reverse Mergers, SPACs and Rule 144A Transactions.Email: George G. Young, III

OF COUNSEL

Marco A. Castilla (Of Counsel) admitted to bar, 1990, Mexico (Not admitted in the United States). Education: Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City (J.D., summa cum laude, 1990); Harvard Law School (LL.M., 1995); Harvard Business School (Corporate Finance and Management Diploma, 1995). Of Counsel, Winstead, Sechrest & Minick, 2005-2006. Vice President and Corporate Counsel, Telscape International, 1999-2001. Senior Associate, Swidler & Berlin, 1998-1999. Foreign Associate, Rogers & Wells, 1996-1998. Board Member, Boy and Girls Club of Greater Houston, 2006. Supervisory Board Member, Greater Houston Partnership, 2006. Corporate Advisory Board, Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, 2005-2006. Co-Chair, Harvard Immigration Law Center, 1995. Chair, Mexico Refugee Law Center, 1992-1994. Member: American Bar Association; Inter-American Bar Association; Mexican Bar Association; Harvard International Law Society; U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce. Languages: Spanish and English. Practice Areas: International Law; Latin America/Caribbean; Securities; Mexico.Email: Marco A. Castilla

Marilyn Doolittle (Of Counsel) born Buffalo, New York; admitted to bar, 1994, Texas. Education: State University of New York at Buffalo (B.S., Business Management, 1976); South Texas College of Law (J.D., 1994). Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS), Certified Pension Consultant (CPC) and Qualified Pension Administrator (QPA) designations, American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries. Member, Southwest Benefits Association. Founding Member, Benefits Council, Texas Gulf Coast Chapter and Member, American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries. Member, International Society of Certified Employee Benefits Specialists. Member, The National Center for Employee Ownership. Member, National Association of Stock Plan Professionals. Member: Houston and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas; International Pension & Employee Benefit Lawyers Association. Practice Areas: Employee Benefits; Executive Compensation; ERISA; Government Audits and Investigations; Health and Welfare Plans.Email: Marilyn Doolittle

Jill L. Groff (Of Counsel) born Belvidere, Illinois; admitted to bar, 1988, Texas; 2005, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas. Education: University of Texas (B.A., Plan II, 1985); University of Texas School of Law (J.D., with honors, 1988). Member: Houston and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas. Practice Areas: Antitrust; Securities Litigation; Antitrust and Trade Regulation; Securities; White Collar Crime; Complex and Multi-District Litigation; Personal Injury; Government Civil Investigations ; International Cartels; Merger Clearance ; Private Antitrust Litigation ; U.S. Criminal Investigations and Prosecutions ; Foreign Corrupt Practices Act .Email: Jill L. Groff

Arthur A. Howard (Of Counsel) admitted to bar, 1990, Texas. Education: Northeastern Oklahoma State University (B.S., 1987); University of Arkansas, Fayetteville (J.D., 1990). Phi Delta Phi. Member, Arkansas Law Review, 1989-1990. Advisory Board Chairman, Mickey Mantle Museum Trust. Former Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Operating Officer, General Counsel and Director in the manufacturing, construction, investment advisory, pension consulting and financial services industries. Member: Houston and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas; International Council of Shopping Centers; National Native American Bar Association. Transactions: Acquisition of an engineering and construction company; Nationwide light industrial staffing industry consolidation IPO; Syndication of collateralized debt instruments; Delivery of legal opinions on energy and pipeline financing transactions; Podiatry practice consolidation IPO; Development of planned IMAX complex in Puerto Rico; Acquisition of a clean room design and manufacturing company; Acquisition of a shipyard management and construction company; Acquisition of a special food processor and distributor; Acquisition of an information technology staffing company; Management-led LBO of pipeline heat-tracing company; Development of intellectual property and negotiation of licensing transactions; Transactions related to the sale, financing and construction of golf courses; Management-led reorganizations and stockholder disputes; Multiple real estate acquisition, development and leasing transactions; Syndicated credit facilities and interest rate swap agreements; Private placements for securities in privately-held businesses; SEC and state securities board investigations and enforcement matters; Multiple turnaround management and acquisition integration plans; Has a diverse background, blending experience in business management and law with organizations ranging from start-up ventures to industry leaders, including highly regulated industries; Practice emphasis has been on corporate, securities, finance, mergers, acquisitions, business transactions, and advisory services; Served as an advisor to boards of directors and executive management on day-to-day management issues, strategic development, structuring routine business transactions and complex mergers and acquisitions, banking, finance, securities offerings, joint ventures and real estate transactions in domestic and international transactions; Served as chief executive officer, president, chief operating officer, general counsel and director in the manufacturing, construction, investment advisory, pension consulting and financial services industries. Practice Areas: Mergers and Acquisitions; Securities; Compliance; Business Law; Corporate Law; Labor and Employment; Finance; Real Estate; Contracts; Investment Funds.Email: Arthur A. Howard

Melissa S. LaBauve (Of Counsel) admitted to bar, 1998, Louisiana and U.S. District Court, Eastern, Western and Middle Districts of Louisiana; 2002, Texas and U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. Education: Louisiana State University (B.A., 1994); Loyola University, New Orleans School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1998). Recipient, LSBA Young Lawyers Section Awards Committee Member, 2005-2006. Member, Loyola Law Review. Selected for inclusion in Texas Super Lawyers - Rising Stars Edition, 2006-2009. Speaker, "Developments in Trade Secret Law with an Impact on Licensing," Law Seminars International: 2009, Austin, Texas. Chair, INTA U.S. Roundtables subcommittee and Programs Committee 2008. Member, INTA Roundtable Subcommittee, 2006—. Member: Houston and Louisiana State Bar Associations; American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA); Houston Intellectual Property Association (HIPLA); International Trademark Association (INTA). Practice Areas: Intellectual Property; International and Domestic Intellectual Property Strategic Counseling and Management ; Trademarks, Advertising and Brand Management .Email: Melissa S. LaBauve

Judithe H. Little (Of Counsel) born Chicago, Illinois; admitted to bar, 1990, Texas. Education: University of Virginia (B.A., 1987); University of Virginia School of Law (J.D., 1990). Dillard Fellow. Editorial Board, Virginia Journal of International Law. Member: State Bar of Texas. Transactions: Represented NYSE and NASDAQ listed companies in connection with capital markets transactions, both in the United States and internationally (including Rule 144A offerings and exchange offers); Represented investment banking firms in connection with underwritten equity and debt offerings; Represented large Canadian energy companies and royalty trusts in connection with capital raising activities and hostile and friendly take-overs under the Multi-Jurisdictional Disclosure System. Practice Areas: Energy; Securities/Capital Markets.Email: Judithe H. Little

John W. Menke (Of Counsel) born Brenham, Texas; admitted to bar, 1985, Texas. Education: University of Texas at Austin (B.B.A., Accounting, with highest honors, 1982,); University of Texas School of Law (J.D., with honors, 1985). Member: State Bar of Texas. Transactions: Has more then 20 years experience in corporate securities transactions, including public and private offerings of debt and equity securities, securities laws compliance, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions and monetization transactions. Practice Areas: Energy; Mergers and Acquisitions ; Oil and Gas; Exploration and Production; Oil Field Services ; Corporate Law; Securities/Capital Markets ; Public Company Acquisitions and Dispositions .Email: John W. Menke

Jeffery Nobles (Of Counsel) admitted to bar, 1986, Texas. Education: Princeton University (A.B., History, 1980); Baylor University School of Law (J.D., 1986). North American Ministerial Fellow, Master of Divinity Program, Union Theological Seminary, New York City, 1981. Named, Texas Super Lawyer, Civil Appellate Law, Texas Monthly Magazine, 2003-2008. Fellow: Houston Bar Foundation. (Board Certified, Civil Appellate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Practice Areas: Litigation/Trial Practice; Appellate Practice; Business Litigation ; Media and First Amendment Litigation .Email: Jeffery Nobles

Michael A. Stafford (Of Counsel) born 1951; admitted to bar, 1980, Texas; U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; U.S. Supreme Court. Education: University of Texas at Austin (B.A., with honors, 1975); South Texas College of Law (J.D., 1980). Mike Stafford brings 22 years of public service to his litigation practice at Haynes and Boone. As Harris County Attorney from 2001-08, he oversaw significant public sector and commercial disputes. He supervised more than 96 attorneys handling cases in all areas of government law including administrative, appellate, regulatory compliance, real property, trial, appeals, and legislative relations. In 2007 alone, the Harris County Attorney's Office handled more than 20,000 matters. Member: Texas District and County Attorneys Association; National Association of Counties. Member: Houston Bar Association. Transactions: Represented a hospital district in a condemnation action acquiring property for a hospital expansion project; Served as lead counsel for a county government against a challenge to the constitutionality of a monument containing an open Bible on the grounds of a county courthouse, including personally arguing the case in Fifth circuit en banc hearing; Represented a county government before the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission to successfully challenge a mandatory 55 miles-per-hour speed limit in a limited and specific geographic district. Practice Areas: Trial Practice.Email: Michael A. Stafford

Stephen T. Zamora (Of Counsel) admitted to bar, 1972, California; 1974, District of Columbia. (Not admitted in Texas). Education: Stanford University (B.A., 1966); University of California, Berkeley (J.D., 1972). Member: Houston Bar Association (Member, International Law Section); State Bar of California; American Law Institute; American Society of International Law; American Society of Comparative Law; Hispanic Bar Association of Houston; Houston World Affairs Council; U.S. - Mexico Law Institute. Languages: English, French and Spanish. Practice Areas: International Law.Email: Stephen T. Zamora

ASSOCIATES

Chris Barnes (Associate) born Baton Rouge, Louisiana; admitted to bar, 2005, Texas; U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas. Education: Louisiana State University (B.A., magna cum laude, 2002); Tulane University (J.D., cum laude, 2005). Ms. Barnes is a member of the Labor and Employment Practice Group. She has experience in a variety of areas. Selected Client Representations include: Representation of clients in employment litigation matters involving age, sex, race, national origin, disability, retaliation, Fair Labor Standards Act, and covenants not to compete. Arbitrations for employers involving stock option agreement disputes. Representation of employers in negotiations and/or proceedings with the Department of Labor, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Texas Workforce Commission. Assist in fact investigation and counseling for cases involving harassment, discrimination complaints, covenants not to compete, and preparation for injunction proceedings. Practice Areas: Labor and Employment; Unfair Competition; Affirmative Action; Employment Litigation; Restrictive Covenants.Email: Chris Barnes

Al Benoit (Associate) admitted to bar, 2008, Texas. Education: University of Phoenix (B.S., 2004); Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 2008). 2007 Henry Doyle Moot Court Champion (Best Oral Advocate and Best Brief). Associate, Securities/Capital Markets and Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Groups, Haynes and Boone, Houston Office. Practice Areas: Corporate Law.Email: Al Benoit

Jennifer Brand (Associate) admitted to bar, 2008, Texas. Education: Indiana University (B.S., Business, 2005); South Texas College of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 2008). The Order of the Lytae. Fred Parks Scholar. Member, South Texas Law Review. Associate, Corporate Practice Group, Haynes and Boone, Houston Office. Practice Areas: Corporate Law; Corporate Governance; Securities Law.Email: Jennifer Brand

Karl D. Burrer (Associate) admitted to bar, 2004, Texas; U.S. District Court, Eastern, Western and Northern Districts of Texas. Education: University of Houston (B.S., 2000; J.D., cum laude, 2003). Member, The Honorable Arthur L. Moller/David B. Foltz, Jr. American Inn of Court. Member, Firm's Business Reorganization and Bankruptcy Practice Group. Selected for inclusion in Texas Super Lawyers - Rising Stars Edition 2009. Member: Houston Bar Association; State Bar of Texas; Turnaround Management Association. Transactions: Represents corporate parent of ASARCO, LLC in multi-billion fraudulent transfer adversary proceeding pending (filed in Corpus Christi, Texas); Represented the DIP Agent and Pre-Petition Second Lien Agent in the chapter 11 case of Marcal Paper Mills, Inc. (filed in Newark, NJ) on behalf of the secured lenders who were owed collectively over $140 million; Represented the Pre-Petition Agent in the chapter 11 case of Amcast Industrial Corp. (filed in Indianapolis, Ind.) on behalf of the secured lenders who were owed over $83 million; Represented MAIR Holdings, Inc. in the Chapter 11 of Mesaba Aviation, Inc. (filed in Minneapolis, MN). Represents hedge funds and other special situation investors in pursuit of distressed assets and DIP financings around the country; Represents secured lenders, unsecured creditors and debtors in a variety of industries including oil and gas, power and energy related bankruptcies. Practice Areas: Business Reorganization; Bankruptcy.Email: Karl D. Burrer

Christopher Castillo (Associate) admitted to bar, 2008, Texas. Education: Rice University (B.A., 2004); Columbia Law School (J.D., 2008). Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, 2005-2008. Practice Areas: Bankruptcy.Email: Christopher Castillo

Joshua S. Chaffin (Associate) admitted to bar, 2006, Texas. Education: Trinity University (B.A., Economics and Business Administration, 2002); Baylor University School of Law (J.D., 2006). Briefing Attorney to The Honorable Terry Jennings, First Court of Appeals, Houston, Texas (2006-2007). Member: Houston Bar Association; State Bar of Texas; Houston Young Lawyers Association. Transactions: Josh Chaffin is an associate in the Corporate/Securities section in the Houston Office of Haynes and Boone, LLP; His practice focuses on the representation of publicly traded and privately held companies, as well as individuals, in connection with general corporate and securities law matters, including mergers and acquisitions, public and private equity offerings, debt financing, the formation and restructuring of business entities, corporate governance, and SEC reporting and compliance. Practice Areas: Business Litigation.Email: Joshua S. Chaffin

Katie Chatterton (Associate) admitted to bar, 2009, Texas. Education: University of East Anglia (LL.B., with second class honors, 2006); South Texas College of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 2008). The Order of the Lytae; International Law Society (Member, 2004-2005). Editorial Board, Note and Comment Editor, South Texas Law Review, 2007-2008. Languages: French. Practice Areas: Labor and Employment; Employment Litigation; Immigration Law.Email: Katie Chatterton

Christina F. Crozier (Associate) admitted to bar, 2005, Texas; U.S. District Court, Southern and Western Districts of Texas; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. Education: University of Texas (B.S., with highest honors, 2001); University of Houston (J.D., 2005). Publications: "Trial Court Arbitrability Decisions," Hot Topics for Trial Lawyers, The Litigation Section of the State Bar of Texas (October 2008); "Estoppel Doctrine Allows Arbitration Provisions To Be Enforced By and Against Non-Signatories," The Houston Lawyer (July/August 2008); "Compelling Arbitration in the Trial Court," State Bar of Texas Litigation Section (March 2008); "Things to Consider Before Filing a Petition to Vacate an Arbitration Award," State Bar of Texas Litigation Section (January 2008); "The Intersection Between Arbitration and Litigation in Texas," Advanced Civil Trial Course, State Bar of Texas (Fall 2007); "Risky Business: Altering the Scope of Judicial Review of Arbitration Awards by Contract," Texas Bar Journal (October 2006); "Arbitration-Related Litigation and Appeals," Advanced Civil Appellate Practice Course, State Bar of Texas (September 2006). Member: Houston Bar Association; State Bar of Texas. Practice Areas: Appellate Practice; Civil Appeals; Litigation; Trial Practice.Email: Christina F. Crozier

Katharine D. David (Associate) born Freeport, Texas; admitted to bar, 2004, Texas. Education: University of Texas at Austin (B.B.A., 2000; J.D., 2004). Professional Recognition: Selected for Inclusion in Texas Super Lawyers - Rising Stars Edition, 2009. Co-Author: "Texas Supreme Court Update," The Appellate Advocate, Fall 2007 and Winter 2008; "Summary Judgments in Family Law Cases," 69 Tex. B.J. 444, May 2006. Moderator, Appellate Boot Camp Course, State Bar of Texas, 2006. Speaker, Appellate Case Update, Houston Bar Association Appellate Practice Section, 2005. Member: United Way of Texas Gulf Coast's Young Leaders; Young Texans Against Cancer. Member: Houston Bar Association; State Bar of Texas; Houston Young Lawyers' Association. Transactions: Concentrates practice in the areas of federal and state civil appeals; Assisted clients in a variety of appellate matters, including: Briefed and argued to the Fourteenth Court of Appeals a family law appeal concerning construction of a pre-nuptial agreement. The decision is pending; Briefed to Texas Supreme Court a family law mandamus of first impression construing the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA). The case settled after oral argument; Successfully defended on appeal the trial court's summary judgment, sanctions order, and fee award for interpleading party. Practice Areas: Appellate; Trial Practice.Email: Katharine D. David

Jeff S. Dinerstein (Associate) born Houston, Texas; admitted to bar, 2003, Texas. Education: Tulane University (B.S.M., 1999); Washington University (J.D., 2002); New York University (LL.M., Tax, 2003). Adjunct Professor, Advanced Corporate Tax, University of Houston Law Center, Spring Semester, 2007. Member, Board of Directors, Fire Fighters Foundation of Houston. Member, City of Houston, Citizen Review Committee. Recognized as a "Texas Rising Star Super Lawyer," Law and Politics, Texas Monthly, 2007. Author and Speaker: "Tax Free Mergers, Acquisitions and Divisive Reorganizations," State Bar of Texas Webcast, May 2007; "Final Regulations Regarding Disregarded Entities Released," Texas Tax Lawyer, May 2005; "Business Will Bear Brunt of Shifting Tax Load," Houston Business Journal, May 2006. Member: Houston Bar Association; State Bar of Texas; Houston Young Lawyers Association; The College of the State Bar of Texas. Practice Areas: Tax; Business Estate Planning; Clean Tech; Taxation; Mergers and Acquisitions; Private Client and Estate Planning; Real Estate Tax; Energy Tax.Email: Jeff S. Dinerstein

Jacob Fain (Associate) admitted to bar, 2007, Texas. Education: Texas A & M University (B.S., Journalism, 2000); Texas Tech University (M.A., Mass Communications, 2002); South Texas College of Law (J.D., cum laude, 2007). Judicial Internship Justice Sam Nuchia, First Court of Appeals, Houston, Texas, May-July 2005. Member: State Bar of Texas. Practice Areas: Business Litigation.Email: Jacob Fain

Brian Giovannini (Associate) admitted to bar, 2008, Texas. Education: Università per Stranieri di Siena (Certificate in Italian, 1994); University of Houston, Honors College (B.A., cum laude, 2005); The University of Texas School of Law (J.D., with honors, 2008). Member, Board of Advocates. Semifinalist, Gardere Novice Mock Trial Competition, 2006. Associate, Employee Benefits/Executive Compensation Practice Group, Haynes and Boone, LLP, Houston Office. Member: State Bar of Texas; American Bar Association; SouthWest Benefits Association. Languages: English and Italian. Practice Areas: Employee Benefits; Counseling for Plan Fiduciaries ; ESOPs and Other Stock-Based Plans ; Executive and Incentive Compensation; Retirement Plan Design and Counseling ; Health and Welfare Plans .Email: Brian Giovannini

Polly Graham (Associate) admitted to bar, 2009, Texas. Education: Brown University (B.S., Chemistry, 2004); Harvard Law School (J.D., 2008). Harvard Journal on Legislation, Supervising Editor. Law Clerk for Judge R. Lanier Anderson, Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Member: State Bar of Texas. Practice Areas: Appellate Practice.Email: Polly Graham

Kraig Grahmann (Associate) admitted to bar, 2008, Texas. Education: Rice University (B.A., Political Science and Managerial Studies, magna cum laude, 2005); University of Houston School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 2008). Order of the Barons. Notes and Comments Editor, Houston Law Review, 2007-2008. Associate, Energy Practice Group, Haynes and Boone, Houston Office. Member, Houston Producers' Forum. Member, Young Energy Professionals Committee. Member, Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation. Member, CAIL Institute for Energy Law. Member: Houston Bar Association (Member, Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Section); Texas Bar Association (Member, Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Law Section). Practice Areas: Energy; Oil and Gas; Exploration and Production; Oil Field Services; Pipelines and Gathering; Refining, Processing, Storage and Marketing.Email: Kraig Grahmann

Amy R. Granoff (Associate) born Toronto, Ontario, Canada; admitted to bar, 2000, New York; 2003, Texas. Education: University of Texas at Austin (B.A., with highest honors, 1995); New York University School of Law (J.D., 1999). Member: Houston and New York State Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas. Practice Areas: Secured Finance; Loans; Loan Syndication; Financial Restructuring; Capital Commitment Subscription Financings .Email: Amy R. Granoff

Pierre Grosdidier (Associate) born Douala Caultroom, Africa; admitted to bar, 2007, Texas. Education: McGill University (B.Eng., Chemical Engineering, 1980); California Institute of Technology (Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, 1986); University of Texas School of Law (J.D., with honors, 2007). Member, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Chairman, Legal and Banking Committee and the Membership Committee of the French-American Chamber of Commerce (FACC). Member, International Awty School Finance Committee. Member: State Bar of Texas. Languages: English and French. Practice Areas: Business Law; Litigation/Trial Practice ; Climate Change and Corporate Sustainability .Email: Pierre Grosdidier

Brooks Hamilton (Associate) born October 5, 1978; admitted to bar, 2004, Texas. Education: Loyola University, New Orleans (B.A., summa cum laude, 2001); University of Texas (J.D., with honors, 2004). Member: Houston Bar Association (Member, Bankruptcy Section); State Bar of Texas; Houston Young Lawyers Association; Houston Downtown Alliance Emerging Leaders; International Women's Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC); The Honorable Arthur L. Moller/David B. Foltz, Jr. American Inn of Court. Practice Areas: Bankruptcy; Business Reorganization.Email: Brooks Hamilton

Sandy D. Hellums (Associate) admitted to bar, 2002, Texas. Education: Wellesley College (B.A., American Studies, cum laude, 1995); University of Houston (M.A., Political Science, 1999); College of William & Mary (J.D., 2002). Managing Editor, William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal. Author: Note, "Bits and Bytes: The Carnivore Initiative and the Search and Seizure of Electronic Mail," 10 William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal 827, 2002. Briefing Attorney to the Honorable Leslie Brock Yates, Fourteenth Court of Appeals, Houston, Texas, 2002-2003. Represented an array of clients including energy companies and governmental, banking and other commercial entities. Member, Greater Houston Partnership Government Relations and Transportation Committee. Member, United Way of Texas Gulf Coast's Young Leaders. Member, Houston Zoo Asante Society. Member: Houston and American (Member, Sections on: Public Contract Law; State and Local Government Law) Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas; Texas Young Lawyers Association; Houston Young Lawyers Association. Transactions: Obtained favorable trial outcome for local governmental entity in public stadium construction contract dispute; Defeated class certification and obtained dismissal of Fair Labor Standards Act action on behalf of local public hospital district; Counseled local governmental entity regarding Texas Public Information Act and access to employee e-mails; Advised candidate for county wide office on ballot validity and related election law issues; Advised construction company on federal funding and bonding requirements for metropolitan transportation project ; Advised construction company on transportation regulations and financing for county wide toll road project; Obtained dismissal of wrongful prosecution claims against former Department of Justice employees represented governmental entities, prosecutors, officers, and animal welfare organization against constitutional tort claims; Advised municipality regarding planning and zoning restrictions on natural gas pipeline; Advised oil production company in inverse condemnation action against home-rule city involving municipal ordinances regarding drilling; Prosecuted code violations and misdemeanors for the City of Houston Municipal Courts as a volunteer prosecutor. Practice Areas: Business Litigation.Email: Sandy D. Hellums

Kendall Hollrah (Associate) admitted to bar, 2005, Texas. Education: Trinity University (B.A., 1999); University of Houston (J.D., magna cum laude, 2005). Order of the Coif. Managing Editor, Houston Law Review. Member: Houston and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas. Practice Areas: Corporate Law; Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures; Public Company Acquisitions and Dispositions .Email: Kendall Hollrah

Teshia Judkins (Associate) admitted to bar, 2005, Texas; U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas. Education: Rice University (B.A., 1996); University of Texas (J.D., with honors, 2005). Board Member, New Hope Housing, Inc. Board of Directors, 2006—. Intern for Justice Wallace B. Jefferson, Supreme Court of Texas, Spring 2004. Member: Houston Bar Association; State Bar of Texas. Practice Areas: Litigation; Trial Practice.Email: Teshia Judkins

Elizabeth Klingensmith (Associate) admitted to bar, 2004, Texas. Education: Rice University (B.A., English Literature, 1999; B.M., Music History, 1999); University of Houston Law Center (J.D., 2004). Member: Houston Young Lawyers Association; Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts. Practice Areas: Business Litigation; Trial Practice.Email: Elizabeth Klingensmith

Christopher S. Kulander (Associate) born Hornell, New York; admitted to bar, 2005, Texas; 2006, New Mexico. Education: Wright State University (B.S., 1993; M.S., 1995); Texas A & M University (Ph.D., 1999); University of Oklahoma (J.D., 2005). Joined Haynes and Boone in August, 2007. Member of the CAIL Institute for Energy Law. Previously worked for the United States Geological Survey as a Geophysicist on projects related to the National Petroleum Reserve—Alaska (NPRA) and the Alaskan National Wildlife Preserve (ANWR), and as a Field Geologist and Seismic Interpreter on oil, gas and coal assessment projects in the Appalachians. Member: Houston and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas; State Bar of New Mexico. Practice Areas: Energy; Energy Litigation.Email: Christopher S. Kulander

Alan A. Lanis, Jr. (Associate) admitted to bar, 2007, Texas. Education: Brown University (A.B., 2004); University of Texas School of Law (J.D., 2007). Member, Texas Journal of Oil, Gas & Energy Law. Member: American and Houston Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas. Practice Areas: Corporate Law; Securities; Mergers and Acquisitions; Public Company Acquisitions and Dispositions .Email: Alan A. Lanis, Jr.

Erin Le Baron (Associate) born 1981; admitted to bar, 2007, Texas. Education: University of Texas (B.A., English, cum laude ampla et magna, 2003; J.D., 2006). Phi Beta Kappa; Rhodes Scholar Candidate. Executive Editor, Texas International Law Journal. Practice Areas: Litigation; Trial Practice.Email: Erin Le Baron

Kourtney Lyda (Associate) admitted to bar, 1999, Texas. Education: Texas A & M University (B.S., cum laude, 1996); University of Tulsa (J.D., 1999); University of Houston (LL.M., Taxation, 2000). With Business Reorganization and Bankruptcy Practice Group of Haynes and Boone, LLP. Member, The Honorable Arthur L. Moller/David B. Foltz, Jr. American Inn of Court in Houston. Judicial Clerk to Honorable William Greendyke, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, 2000-2002. Member: Houston Bar Association (Member, Bankruptcy Section); State Bar of Texas (Member, Bankruptcy Law Section); American Bankruptcy Institute; International Women's Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC); Houston Young Lawyers Association. Practice Areas: Bankruptcy and Business Restructuring .Email: Kourtney Lyda

Yasser Madriz (Associate) born 1975; admitted to bar, 2002, Texas. Education: McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (B.Sc., honors, 1998); University of Houston Law Center (J.D., 2002). Selected for inclusion in Texas Super Lawyers - Rising Stars Edition 2009. Member: Houston and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas; Texas Young Lawyers Association; Houston Young Lawyers Association.Email: Yasser Madriz

J. Gregory McEldowney (Associate) born Galveston, Texas; admitted to bar, 1997, Texas. Education: University of Texas at Austin (B.A., 1994; J.D., 1997). Member: Houston Young Lawyers Association; Texas Young Lawyers Association; Texas Association of Defense Counsel; Defense Research Institute. Chair, Young Leaders Council for the Gulf Coast United Way, 2008-2010. Member, Justice for Children program. President and Board Member of the John S. McEldowney Scholarship Fund. Member, Steering Committee of the Museum of Fine Arts Houston's Art Crowd; Texas Lawyer Rising Star, 2006 (Law & Politics and Texas Monthly). Member: American and Houston Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas. Practice Areas: Business Litigation; Litigation/Trial Practice ; Alternative Dispute Resolution ; Energy Litigation ; Real Estate and Construction Litigation ; Health Care ; Labor and Employment .Email: J. Gregory McEldowney

Julian R. Mithani (Associate) admitted to bar, 2007, Texas. Education: Texas A & M University (B.S., Industrial Distribution, cum laude, 2004); University of Houston Law Center (J.D., cum laude, 2007). Order of the Barons. Intern for the Honorable Frances H. Stacy, United States District Court, Southern District of Texas, Spring 2006. Member: Houston and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas; Houston Young Lawyers Association. Practice Areas: Finance; Capital Commitment Subscription Financings .Email: Julian R. Mithani

Trace Morrill (Associate) born 1976; admitted to bar, 2005, Texas. Education: Stephen F. Austin State University (B.S., Environmental Science, 1999); South Texas College of Law (J.D., cum laude, 2005). Phi Alpha Delta; Order of the Lytae. Recipient: Lindsey Haid Memorial Award, 2005; Pro Bono Honors Program Certificate. Editor-in-Chief, South Texas Law Review. Practice Areas: Litigation; Trial Practice.Email: Trace Morrill

Lam Nguyen (Associate) admitted to bar, 2006, Texas. Education: University of Texas (B.S., Computer Science, 2000); University of Houston (J.D., 2006). Editor, Houston Law Review. Author: "Law Firms Look Abroad to Outsource Legal Analysis," Houston Business Journal, June 1, 2007; "Doing Business with Indian Legal Process Outsourcing Service Providers," Texas Transnational Law Quarterly Volume 20, Number 2 (2007); "A Postmortem of the Digital Television Broadcast Flag," Houston Law Review Volume 42, Number 4. Member, Intellectual Property Group, Houston Office, Haynes and Boone, LLP. Member: State Bar of Texas; Houston Intellectual Property Law Society; Asian American Bar Association of Houston. Transactions: Practice focuses on software agreements, services agreements, computer law, outsourcing, and patent law; Other areas of practice include trademark, copyright, and trade secret law. Languages: Vietnamese. Practice Areas: Intellectual Property; Information Technology and Business Process Outsourcing ; Computers and Software; Contracts; Patents; Trademarks; Copyrights.Email: Lam Nguyen

Tammi Niven (Associate) admitted to bar, 2002, Nebraska; 2007, North Carolina. (Not admitted in Texas). Education: Grand Valley State University (B.S., Psychology, magna cum laude, 1999; B.S., Sociology, magna cum laude, 1999); University of Nebraska at Lincoln, Lincoln College of Law (J.D., with highest distinction, 2002). Order of the Coif. Associate, Finance Practice Group, Haynes and Boone, LLP., Houston office. Member: Mecklenburg County, North Carolina State and Nebraska State Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Finance.Email: Tammi Niven

Michael J. Pancherz (Associate) admitted to bar, 2007, Texas. Education: University of Texas (B.A., History and Government, university honors, plan I honors, 2001; J.D., 2007). Phi Beta Kappa. Practice Areas: Tax ; Mergers and Acquisitions ; Public Company Acquisitions and Dispositions ; Clean Tech ; Corporate Tax ; Energy Tax ; Merger and Acquisition Tax .Email: Michael J. Pancherz

Jason R. Payne (Associate) admitted to bar, 2005, Texas. Education: Texas A & M University (B.A., Finance, summa cum laude, 2002); University of Houston, (J.D., magna cum laude, 2005). Member: State Bar of Texas; Houston Bar Association. Transactions: Representation of lenders and borrowers in oil and gas reserve-based financings; Representation of private equity funds in connection with structuring, negotiating and documenting transactions; Representation of hedge funds in connection with distressed financings; Representation of foreign banks in structuring and documenting credit facilities secured by oil and gas assets in the United States. Practice Areas: Finance; Energy; Power; Capital Commitment Subscription Financings .Email: Jason R. Payne

Mike Raab (Associate) admitted to bar, 2008, Texas. Education: University of Texas at Austin (B.A., 2005); Baylor University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 2008). Order of Barristers. Technical Editor, Baylor Law Review, 2007-2008. Associate, Business Litigation Practice Group, Haynes and Boone, LLP. Transactions: Ongoing representation of Latin American clients in international/cross-border disputes; Ongoing defense and prosecution of franchisors in franchise-related disputes; Representation of secured creditors in litigation and collection matters; Representation of energy companies in complex commercial disputes; Managed large scale e-discovery projects in numerous complex commercial disputes. Languages: Spanish. Practice Areas: Litigation/Trial Practice; Business Litigation.Email: Mike Raab

Francisco Rivero (Associate) born Mexico City, Mexico; admitted to bar, 2004, Texas. Education: Rice University (B.A., cum laude, 2000); Columbia University Law School (J.D., 2003). Associate, Business Litigation Practice Group. Managing Editor, Columbia Human Rights Law Review, Spanish JLM. President, Latina/o Law Student Association. Liaison, Human Rights Initiative. Member, United Way Young Leaders. Member: Houston Bar Association (Member, Sections on: Litigation; International Law); State Bar of Texas (Member, Litigation Section); Texas Young Lawyers Association; Mexican American Bar Association of Houston; Houston International Arbitration Club; ICC Young Arbitrators Forum. Languages: English, Spanish. Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation; Civil Litigation; Litigation/Trial Practice ; Latin America/Caribbean ; Russia and the CIS ; Iraq Transactions and Claims .Email: Francisco Rivero

Peter C. Ruggero (Associate) admitted to bar, 2004, Texas; U.S. District Court, Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas. Education: University of Texas at Austin (B.A., 2001); South Texas College of Law (J.D., 2004); St. John's University School of Law (LL.M., Bankruptcy, 2008). Author: "Binding Effect of Claim Estimation Under Bankruptcy Code §502(c)," Norton Annual Survey of Bankruptcy Law (2009); "Contracts for Commodities: Forward Contract or Commodity Contract," Norton Journal of Bankruptcy Law and Practice (2009). Member: State Bar of Texas (Bankruptcy Law Section); Houston Bar Association; Hispanic National Bar Association; Houston Association of Young Bankruptcy Lawyers; American Bankruptcy Institute. Languages: Spanish. Practice Areas: Bankruptcy and Business Restructuring .Email: Peter C. Ruggero

Karim K. Shehadeh (Associate) born Milan, Italy; admitted to bar, 2002, New York and District of Columbia; 2007, Texas. Education: Ithaca College (B.A., 1994); American University, Washington College of Law (J.D., 2001). Senior Articles Editor, The American University International Law Review, 2000-2001. Member: Houston, New York State and American Bar Associations (Member, Business Law Section); The District of Columbia Bar; State Bar of Texas. Languages: English, Spanish. Practice Areas: Corporate Law; Securities; Mergers and Acquisitions ; Securities/Capital Markets .Email: Karim K. Shehadeh

Justin V. Switzer (Senior Attorney) admitted to bar, 1998, Texas. Education: University of Nebraska (B.S., with highest honors, 1995); University of Houston (J.D., summa cum laude, 1998). Beta Gamma Sigma; Order of the Barons; Order of the Coif. Chief Publications and Marketing Editor, Houston Law Review, 1997-1998. Honors: Named as one of Houston's "Top Lawyers" for real estate in H Texas Magazine's June 2009 edition; Listed in Texas Super Lawyers - Rising Stars Edition, 2005-2009. Member, Real Estate Legislative Affairs Committee of the State Bar's Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law Section: Member for 78th Texas Legislature; Co-Vice Chair for 79th and 80th Texas Legislatures; Chair for 81st Texas Legislature; United Way Young Leaders. Member: Houston Bar Association; State Bar of Texas; Texas College of Real Estate Attorneys (Member, Board of Directors). (Board Certified, Commercial Real Estate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Practice Areas: Real Estate; Real Estate Contracts; Commercial Real Estate.Email: Justin V. Switzer

Heidi K. Thomas (Associate) admitted to bar, 2005, Texas; U.S. District Court, Eastern, Northern and Southern Districts of Texas. Education: University of St. Thomas, Houston (B.B.A., Business Administration and Marketing, magna cum laude, 1999); South Texas College of Law (J.D., 2005). Member, South Texas Law Review; 2004. 2004 Spurgeon E. Bell Memorial Moot Court Competition, Third Best Brief; 2004. Gallagher, Lewis, Downey & Kim Intramural Mock Trial Competition, Semi-Finalist. First Court of Appeals: Judicial Law Clerk to Justice Tim Taft August 2005-August 2006; Summer Intern for Chief Justice Sherry Radack, Summer 2004. Memberships: Houston Young Lawyers Association 2007-2008 Leadership Academy. Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity; The Federalist Society; Garland Walker Inn of Court (2004-2006); Saint Thomas More Society; Houston Downtown Alliance Emerging Young Leaders. Member: Houston Bar Association; State Bar of Texas; Houston Young Lawyers Association. Languages: English and Spanish. Practice Areas: Business Litigation; Litigation; Trial Practice.Email: Heidi K. Thomas

Rikiya Thomas (Associate) admitted to bar, 2008, Texas. Education: Alabama State University (B.A., summa cum laude, 2004); Texas Southern University, Thurgood Marshall School of Law (J.D., summa cum laude, 2008). Lead Articles Editor, Thurgood Marshall Law Review, 2007-2008. Associate, Securities/Capital Markets Practice Group, Haynes and Boone, LLP. Practice Areas: Securities/Capital Markets.Email: Rikiya Thomas

Marty E. Thompson (Associate) admitted to bar, 2004, Texas and U.S. District Court, Southern and Eastern Districts of Texas. Education: University of St. Thomas (B.A. in International Studies, magna cum laude, 1999); University of Texas School of Law (J.D., 2002). Recent Publications: Bulletin from the Discovery Wars, The Houston Lawyer, September/October 2004; Texas Legislature Hammers Out Massive Tort Reform Bill, The Houston Lawyer, July/August 2003; Significant Session: Other Historic Measures in the State Legislature, The Houston Lawyer, July/August 2003. Alumni Board Member, University of St. Thomas. Member: Houston Bar Association (Member, Night Court Production); Texas Association of Defense Counsel; Houston Downtown Alliance (Board Member; Member, Emerging Leaders Steering Committee); Houston Young Lawyers Association. Languages: English and Spanish. Practice Areas: Business Litigation; Environmental Litigation; Environmental ; Litigation/Trial Practice ; Transactions and Corporate Matters ; Toxic Tort and Property Damage Litigation ; Remediation and Brownfields Developments ; Environmental Litigation ; Climate Change and Corporate Sustainability .Email: Marty E. Thompson

Teresa Tien Lin (Associate) admitted to bar, 2006, Texas. Education: University of Texas (B.B.A., 2002); University of Houston (J.D., 2006). Languages: Chinese (Mandarin). Practice Areas: Environmental Law; Litigation; Trial Practice; Transactions and Corporate Matters ; Toxic Tort and Property Damage Litigation ; Remediation and Brownfields Developments ; Climate Change and Corporate Sustainability .Email: Teresa Tien Lin

L. Paige Woodard (Associate) born Shreveport, Louisiana; admitted to bar, 2005, Texas; 2007, U.S. District Court, Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan. Education: Louisiana State University (B.A., 2000); South Texas College of Law (J.D., cum laude, 2005). Order of the Barristers. Note and Comment Editor, South Texas Law Review. Student Bar Association Outstanding Female Graduate. TYLA State Bar Moot Court Competition Champion, 2004. Louisiana Board of Regents Scholar. Judicial Clerkships: The Honorable Carl E. Stewart, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; The Honorable Tim Taft, Court of Appeals of Texas, First Circuit. Member: Louisiana State University Alumni Association; Junior League of Houston; Chi Omega Sorority Alumni Association of Houston. Adjunct Professor, Advocacy, South Texas College of Law. Author: Shipping directly to consumers wine not?, 32 W. St. U. L. Rev. 63 (2004). Member: State Bar of Texas; Texas Young Lawyers Association. Practice Areas: Labor and Employment.Email: L. Paige Woodard

Steven P. Woods (Associate) born Colorado Springs, Colorado; admitted to bar, 2002, Texas; U.S. District Court, Southern and Western Districts of Texas. Education: United States Air Force Academy (B.S., 1994); Central Michigan University (M.S.A., 1998); Texas Tech University (J.D., cum laude, 2002). Texas Tech Law Review, Articles Editor, 2000-2002. Beckmann Dunlap Woody Award for outstanding Law Review Member, Vol. 33. Author: "A System Under Seige: Clemency and the Texas Death Penalty After the Execution of Gary Graham," 32 Texas Tech L. Rev. 1145, 2001. Board of Editors: Houston Lawyer Magazine, 2003. Co-author: "Accident Reconstruction Experts," Deposition/Expert Program, University of Houston Law Foundation, 2004. Member, Board of Editors, Houston Lawyer Magazine (2003). Member: Houston (Member, Committees on: IDEA, 2007-2008; Law and Media, 2006-2007; Professionalism, 2003-2005; 2007-2008) and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas; Houston Young Lawyers Association (Graduate, HYLA 2005 Leadership Academy); Defense Research Institute (Member, Products Liability Committee, 2005-2006). [Captain, U.S. Air Force 1994-1999; Major, U.S. Air Force Reserve]. Practice Areas: Real Estate; Real Estate Finance.Email: Steven P. Woods

John R. Wright (Associate) born Houston, Texas; admitted to bar, 2004, Texas. Education: Texas A & M University (B.S.M.E., 1994); University of Houston (J.D., magna cum laude, 2004). Order of the Barons; Order of the Coif. Member: State Bar of Texas; American Bar Association; Houston Intellectual Property Law Society. Practice Areas: Intellectual Property.Email: John R. Wright