The 52-year old singer, who lives in Tioga, Texas, was apparently celebrating the Super Bowl and after a night of revelry was found drunk in a parked car outside a Baptist church in Sanger, Texas. Travis had an open bottle of wine with him and was in a fight with his girlfriend when a police officer approached him. Travis was cited with misdemeanor charge and was jailed for a few hours.

Travis is not only a Grammy winner but has also won 7 Dove awards. The Dove awards are given out by the Gospel Music Association for outstanding achievements in the Christian music industry.

Today Travis released a statement apologizing for his behavior. “I apologize for what resulted following an evening of celebrating the Super Bowl. I’m committed to being responsible and accountable, and apologize for my actions.”

• Is ‘Fracking’ A Dirty Word? Pavillion, Wyoming Residents Think So
• Texas Private Equity Firm Reaches Deal to Unload the Troublesome Korean Bank
• Bracewell & Giuliani Adds Two Partners to Austin Office
• Baker Donelson Merges with Spain Chambers; Marks Firm’s Entry Into Texas
• Akin Gump Adds Two Partners to IP Practice

According to the December 8^th latimes.com article, “EPA says ‘fracking’ probably contaminated well water in Wyoming”, per the Environmental Protection Agency, hydraulic fracturing, considered widely to be a controversial natural gas drilling process, most likely has contaminated well water in Wyoming. The report will no doubt add fuel to the fire regarding the debate over increasing gas drilling around the country.

According to the EPA’s new draft report, dangerous amounts of benzene in a monitoring well near the town of Pavillion, in central Wyoming, were found.

The EPA is conducting a comprehensive study about the possible effect of “fracking” on water resources; however, initial results are not expected until late 2012. Because of this, the Pavillion report may not give either side in the fracking debate the conclusive answers for which they’re looking.

However, the EPA report is the first that uses multiple, on-the-ground samples to determine the effect of fracking on underground water sources in areas of oil and gas development.

Per the latimes.com article, the EPA report says of the presence of synthetic chemicals found in the Wyoming water: “Alternative explanations were carefully considered to explain individual sets of data. However, when considered together with other lines of evidence, the data indicate likely impact to groundwater that can be explained by hydraulic fracturing.”

For years, it’s been the oil and gas industry versus the environmentalists over the threat hydraulic fracturing might pose to water, above or below ground. The issue has become more urgent as industry searches to tap into new sources of natural gas, spreading fracking from remote parts of the West to more populated areas in Texas, the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast.

Fracking involves the process of shooting water infused with chemicals and sand at high pressure into shale formations to unlock reservoirs of natural gas.

Douglas Hock, an Encana spokesman for the Canadian company that has 169 producing wells in Pavillion, said of the EPA findings: “They don’t have a conclusion here, they have a probability — and we would argue that it is a very poor probability. Encana didn’t put methane and benzene there in the water, nature did. And the synthetics they have found in the water, we would argue that they were likely introduced by EPA’s own testing procedures.”

However, Amy Mall of the Natural Resources Defense Council was quoted as saying: “Experts, families in Wyoming and communities nationwide have known for some time that fracking poses serious threats to safe drinking water. EPA’s latest acknowledgment of that fact underscores the urgent need to get federal rules and safeguards on the books.”

About a decade ago, people in Pavillion began to notice a strange smell and taste to their well water, as well as illnesses in livestock. Per Deb Thomas, an organizer for the Powder River Basin Resources Council, which is a landowners group, the EPA began the study in 2009 after an estimated 20 well owners asked the agency to study their groundwater. She was quoted as saying: “It smells like a cross between something dead and diesel fuel. It’s a very chemical bad smell.”

The EPA report also made note of, per the article “shoddy drilling practices, and it raises questions about how common these shoddy drilling practices are” within the industry, said Dusty Horwitt, senior counsel for the Environmental Working Group, a watchdog organization.

• Governor Rick Perry To Sue the EPA
• Bracewell & Giuliani Adds Two Partners to Austin Office
• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup

South Korea may be a hot market for US law firms seeking to break new ground in Asia these days, but for several years its been a new legal quagmire for a Dallas-based private equity form that brought a controlling stake in one of the country’s biggest financial institutions for $1.5 billions in 2003.

Now that the private equity shop, Lone Star Funds, appears to be close to resolving its problems. The Lone Star reached a revised agreement this week to sell a 51 percent stake in Korea Exchange Bank, the largest foreign exchange bank is South Korea, to Hana Financial Group for $3.5 billion.

The announcement comes about a year after Lone Star and Hana first announced a deal under which the latter would acquire the former’s state in KEB, which was founded as a government-owned institution in 1967.

The initial agreement with Hana, which has actually been mored in legal and regulatory proceedings, came after Lone Star’s two previous attempts to unload KEB fell. The failed transactions include a potential $7.3 billion sale to South Korea’s KB Kookim Bank in late 2006 and a $6.3 billion sale to HSBC Holdings in late 2008.

According to The Wall Street Journal, to get the latest deal done, Lone Star agreed to slash the asking price for its KEB stake by 11 percent. Even at the discounted price, Lone Star stands to make a hefty profit from the sale of KEB.
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and South Korean firm Kim & Chang took the lead in advising Lone Star on its initial investment, with additional outside counsel provided by British from Simmons & Simmons and Australian firm Minter Ellison. (A new team of team of lawyers from Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, Bryan Cave, and South Korean firm Shin & Kim advised KEB on its sale to the Lone Star.)

A spokeswoman for Skadden, which represented Lone Star on a related disposition of a US -based KEB subsidiary, told The Am Law Daily in an e-mail on Friday that the firm had to role advising on the current sale of KEB to Hana. Representatives for the Magic Circle firms Allen & Overy and Linklates, which have advised on several other aborted transactions by Lone Star and by KEB, respectively, did not respond immediately to requests for comment on whether their firms were involved in the current deal.

Also, Kim & Chang did not immediately respond to a request for a comment on whether it continues to represent Lone Star, but Asia Legal Business reported last year that the private equity shop had retained the firm for counsel on the ultimately unsuccessful sales to Kookmin and KSBC, and on the proposed sale to Hana.

• Gospel Singer Randy Travis Apologizes for Public Drunkenness
• South Korea Lofts a Little Love to North Korea
• Is ‘Fracking’ A Dirty Word? Pavillion, Wyoming Residents Think So
• U.S. Law Firms can Practice in South Korea in 2012
• Bracewell & Giuliani Adds Two Partners to Austin Office

Bracewell & Giuliani LLP announced that John A. Riley and Christopher C. Thiele have joined the firm’s Austin office as partners. Both join in the environmental strategies practice.

Before joining the firm, Riley was a partner, and Thiele was counsel in Vinson & Elkins LLP’s environmental litigation and regulation practice.

Mark C. Evans, Bracewell & Giuliani LLP’s managing partner was quoted as saying in a press release at the firm’s website: “John and Chris are great additions to our environmental strategies team, particularly in Texas, where there is such strong demand for top environmental legal talent.”

Riley focuses his practice in permitting and enforcement matters in the air, water and waste media. He also advises entities in the power generation, hydraulic fracturing, manufacturing and waste disposal sectors in matters before the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

From 1994 to 1998, Riley was the Director of the Litigation Division at the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (now TCEQ). During that time, he was directly responsible for overseeing the agency’s environmental crimes unit and the development and implementation of the Texas Environmental, Health and Safety Audit Privilege Law and other legislation, rulemaking, and policies.

Thiele’s focuses his practice mainly on the regulation of air pollution under the federal Clean Air Act and related state and local laws and regulations, notably in Texas. He also represents industrial clients in a wide range of air permitting, rulemaking, compliance auditing, enforcement, and litigation matters, including contested permit proceedings.

In 1999, Thiele began his legal career at Bracewell. Before practicing law, he was an engineer at an environmental consulting firm, where he represented the oil and gas, petrochemical, surface coating and wood-products industries, and was a senior engineer for a major electric utility.

Timothy A. Wilkins, head of Bracewell & Giuliani’s environmental practice was quoted as saying: “John and Chris further strengthen our ability to represent the energy, manufacturing, upstream shale, refining and waste industries in Texas and across the nation. In particular, we are pleased to bring aboard their extensive experience in contested case hearings for industrial c

Riley earned his juris doctorate from Boston University, and his B.S. from Cornell University. Thiele earned his juris doctorate from the University of Texas School of Law and his B.S. from Texas A&M University.

International law firm Bracewell & Giuliani LLP has over 470 lawyers in Texas, New York, Washington, D.C., Connecticut, Seattle, Dubai, and London. The firm represents Fortune 500 companies, major financial institutions, leading private investment funds, governmental entities and individuals concentrated in the energy, technology and financial services sectors worldwide. The firm’s primary areas of practice include business law, finance, litigation, government relations and regulatory policy.

In addition, the firm has significant bench strength in all requisite practice areas including government relations, strategic communications, tax, trial, labor and employment law, intellectual property, real estate, government contracting and school and public law.

• Morning Roundup
• Crowell & Moring Adds Two Attorneys to Environmental Practice
• Morning Roundup
• Van Ness Feldman and GordonDerr Announce Merger
• Is ‘Fracking’ A Dirty Word? Pavillion, Wyoming Residents Think So

The law firm of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC has merged with the law firm of Spain Chambers, based in Houston. The move, a part of the firm’s strategic growth, marks Baker Donelson’s entry into the state of Texas.

The merger brings the Firm’s total number of attorneys and advisors to over 620, in 17 offices in six states and Washington, D.C. The firm will continue under the name of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC.

Ben C. Adams, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Baker Donelson was quoted as saying in a press release at the firm’s website: “For both Baker Donelson and Spain Chambers, the driving force behind this merger is our commitment to serving our clients. Expanding into the Texas market enhances Baker Donelson’s ability to serve the needs of existing clients who have substantial interests in Houston and throughout Texas. And with our already established presence in Louisiana, Texas was a logical market for growth, given its economic vitality, geographic proximity and economic connection with Louisiana. The timing and decision to move into Texas now just made sense for us, and with their strong reputation and solid experience, Spain Chambers is a great fit for our clients’ needs.”

Bradley E. Chambers of Spain Chambers was quoted as saying: “Merging with a firm with the national reputation of Baker Donelson offers our clients an expanded platform with international reach while receiving outstanding professional service. In addition to the vast resources and state-of-the-art technologies that Baker Donelson brings, we felt the firm’s culture of commitment to clients, employees and community presents an excellent fit for us, as well.”

Spain Chambers, a full-service law firm, represents businesses throughout Texas, including Fortune 500 clients as well as entrepreneurs, privately-held companies and multinational corporations. The firm serves clients across a broad range of industries, including energy and oil field services, manufacturing, engineering, real estate, construction, health care and information. In addition, its practice areas include litigation in a wide variety of industries and specializations, and corporate and real estate transactions, and tax and estate planning.

Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz had its beginnings as the firm of Baker, Worthington, Crossley & Stansberry, which was founded in 1888. As the 73rd largest law firm in the U.S., Baker Donelson gives clients access to a team of over 600 attorneys and public policy advisors representing over thirty practice areas. All are connected across 17 offices to serve virtually any legal and policy need.

The firm has received numerous accolades and recognition over the years. These include being ranked by FORTUNE as not only one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in 2010 and 2011, but as one of the top ten public policy firms in Washington, D.C. , and being ranked in the “Top 100 U.S. Law Firms For Diversity” by Multicultural Law magazine every year since 2005.

• Morning Roundup
• Law Firm Merger Numbers Closing in on Pre-Recession Levels
• DLA Piper Adds Pair of Attorneys to Beijing Office
• Bracewell & Giuliani Adds Two Partners to Austin Office
• Jones Walker Adds Ten New Attorneys

The law firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP recently announced that Chad Everingham, a former U.S. magistrate judge, joined as a partner in its intellectual property practice in the firm’s newly established office in Longview, Texas. In this role, he will advise clients on a variety of intellectual property litigation matters, focusing on patent litigation.

Along with the addition of Everingham is David M. Stein, who joined the firm’s intellectual property practice in the firm’s Los Angeles office.

Everingham has legal experience in both public service and private practice. For four years, he served as a magistrate judge in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas; this is one of the busiest patent litigation courts in the federal system.

Formerly, Stein was a partner at a large international law firm. There, he served as the chief operating officer of its East Texas practice group. He has significant experience litigating patent cases in jurisdictions all over the country.

Steven Zager, head of Akin Gump’s firm wide intellectual property practice was quoted as saying in a press release at the firm’s website: “The addition of these talented attorneys who have such a deep and impressive set of patent litigation skills is a tremendous addition to our team. Chad literally helped write the book on patent litigation in one of the country’s IP litigation hotspots. Both have intimate familiarity with, and knowledge of, patent litigation that will be a boon not only for our clients, but also for our entire team.”

Everingham was quoted as saying: “These are exciting times for me. Akin Gump enjoys an international reputation for excellence in the handling of complex intellectual property matters. I am delighted to team up with such an experienced complement of trial lawyers. The chance to join one of the country’s top IP litigation practices was a tremendous opportunity that I could not pass up. I’m looking forward to establishing my practice at Akin Gump and bringing over a decade of experience in patent law to bear on behalf of the firm’s clients.”

During his service on the bench, Everingham handled nearly 80 Markman proceedings and tried over twenty complex patent cases. He presided, with the consent of all parties, over more than 200 civil cases, many of which were intellectual property disputes involving industries including medical devices, computer hardware and software, recreational equipment, advanced electronics and semiconductors, automotive and telecommunications. Everingham made significant contributions to the measures designed to facilitate the disposition of complex cases, regarding docket control, discovery and protective order measures.

Stein has been involved in major patent cases involving semiconductor devices and processing, medical devices, sporting goods and various business methods. He has also tried many cases in jurisdictions all over the country. Ranked by The Legal 500 United States (2010) as a leading patent litigation lawyer in the hi-tech, electronics and IT sectors, Stein has also handled many pro bono matters.

Stein was quoted as saying: “Akin Gump has long been a recognized leader in the intellectual property space, and it’s exciting to join its team of accomplished lawyers. I’m very much looking forward to the opportunities this move will present to our clients.”

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP has over 800 lawyers in the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, and was founded in 1945.

• Jones Day Adds Six Partners to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Offices
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• Morning Roundup
• Leading Patent Litigator Joins Sheppard Mullin as Co-Chair of IP Practice Group
• Baker Botts Continues International Expansion of IP Practice

In 2000, the Texas Board of Law Examiners confirmed that Kastner lacked the moral character required for admission to practice law. In 2006, the 4th Court wrote, Kastner sued the law firm and the lawyers for legal malpractice and breach of fiduciary duty. In 2008 Kastner filed his second suit but the court dismissed his appeal and later he filed a third suit. The court granted the motion filed by the defendants which declared him a vexatious litigant. The court dismissed Kastner’s suit with prejudice and now he awaits a case pending at Austin’s 3rd Court of Appeals.

Read the original article here:

Law Grad Declared Vexatious Litigant After Third Suit Against Lawyers, Firm

• Gospel Singer Randy Travis Apologizes for Public Drunkenness
• Is ‘Fracking’ A Dirty Word? Pavillion, Wyoming Residents Think So
• Texas Private Equity Firm Reaches Deal to Unload the Troublesome Korean Bank
• Bracewell & Giuliani Adds Two Partners to Austin Office
• Baker Donelson Merges with Spain Chambers; Marks Firm’s Entry Into Texas

52- year old Sandra Rawline, an ex-employee with a real estate firm in Texas believes she was fired for having gray hair. Sandra, who was working as an escrow officer and branch manager, says she was told to dye her hair, wear more fancy clothes and more jewellery to keep up with the firm’s new look.  She then claims that on refusing to change her natural look, she was replaced by a woman 10 years younger than her. However, the firm’s CEO says that he himself has gray hair and is ready to hire a 150- year old if that person is fit for the job.

Read the original article here:

WORKING: A price to pay for being gray?

• Gospel Singer Randy Travis Apologizes for Public Drunkenness
• Is ‘Fracking’ A Dirty Word? Pavillion, Wyoming Residents Think So
• Texas Private Equity Firm Reaches Deal to Unload the Troublesome Korean Bank
• Bracewell & Giuliani Adds Two Partners to Austin Office
• Baker Donelson Merges with Spain Chambers; Marks Firm’s Entry Into Texas

Lisa Murkowski won her bid to be returned to Washington as Alaska’s Senator…

Boies Schiller let three female associates go late last week…

Sidley Austin’s Matthew Sheridan was promoted to practice Co-Head…

Mintz Levin Co-Chairs will be the featured speakers at MIT Conference…

McGuire Woods finalized an agreement to combine operations with the Houston-based firm of Nickens Keeton Lawless Farrell & Flack LLP…

Hogan Lovells added two partners to its firm, one in Philadelphia, and one in Washington, D.C….

• Murkowski Wins in Alaska
• Hogan Lovells Adds Two Partners to Firm
• Three Down at Boies Schiller
• McGuireWoods Expands Into Texas
• Morning Roundup

Founded in 2002, Nickens Keeton focuses on civil litigation, with Texas litigator J.C. Nickens as its lead name  partner. Nickens and partners Richard Keeton, Tom Farrell and Paul Flack are among the most respected trial lawyers in Houston, the firm said in a press release.

Ron Franklin, currently with the Houston firm of Franklin Cardwell & Jones, will join Nickens Keeton on  Dec. 1, thus becoming part of McGuireWoods once the transaction is complete.  Franklin has handled high profile civil cases for more than 30 years..

Collectively, the five partners who will practice out of the Houston office will bring more than 160 years of combined experience  handling complex civil cases of all types in Texas and across the country.

“Establishing an office in Texas is a key part of the firm’s strategic plan, as our clients and McGuireWoods Consulting’s clients frequently have needs there,” said Richard Cullen, chairman of McGuireWoods.  ”But expansion is never a decision we make lightly.  We first wanted to find the right firm to partner with. In Nickens Keeton and Ron Franklin, we not only found a group with incredibly talented lawyers, but one with similar values and  culture.”

Said Nickens: “We have had a good run practicing in a small firm environment, and are energized by the opportunity to continue representing clients from the enhanced platform that McGuireWoods provides.”

“The partnership with McGuireWoods gives us the ability and capacity to represent clients in any litigation, regardless of size, complexity, or urgency. “

McGuireWoods, said  this is its firm’s fifth expansion in as many years. In 2009,  the firm expanded its international presence by partnering with Grundberg,  Mocatta & Rakison in London; in Charlotte in 2008 by merging with Helms,  Mullis & Wicker; and in 2006 by expanding its offices in Chicago and Los  Angeles, after mergers with two separate law firms.

McGuireWoods LLP is a full-service law firm with  approximately 900 lawyers in 17 offices worldwide.

• Morning Roundup
• Winstead Names New Lateral Hiring Boss
• Gospel Singer Randy Travis Apologizes for Public Drunkenness
• News Corp. Hires Williams & Connolly Partner as Counsel
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Austin-based labor and employment shareholder Peyton Smith was named Winstead PC’s new firm-wide lateral hiring shareholder…

McKool Smith ranked high in the “Top 100 Workplaces in Dallas/Fort Worth”…

Crowell & Moring launched the Retail Law Observer, a blog covering legal issues and key trends facing the retail industry…

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• Crowell & Moring Blog to Offer Retail Industry Legal Advice
• Ropes & Gray Adds Former Practice Head in New York

Smith enters the position following a three-year term as one of youngest members of the firm’s executive committee. He said he will work “on recruiting outstanding attorneys who are looking for opportunity, innovation and energy in the law firm they work for.”

According to a firm press release, Winstead has added laterals at five different offices in the last 12 months, including 15 attorneys in Dallas and 13 in Houston.

Smith holds various leadership positions in the legal and civic community and was recently named a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America (LCA) and a charter member of the LCA Diversity Law Institute.  He received his J.D. from Baylor Law School where he was a member of Phi Delta Honor Society.

Winstead has offices in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, and The Woodlands, Texas; Charlotte, North Carolina and Washington, D.C.

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• Greenberg Traurig’s William Clayton Enters Select Company
• Winstead Expands Real Estate Development & Investments Practice Group
• WilmerHale Names its New Co-Managing Partners
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Best Lawyers, established in 1983, is universally known as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers ratings are based on exhaustive peer-review surveys in which thousands of attorneys cast more than two million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas.

Winstead is among the largest business law firms in Texas. The firm’s attorneys and consultants serve as trusted advisors to mid-market and large businesses, providing a core range of legal services that are critical to their operation and success. From its well-known reputation in real estate and financial services to its corporate and high-stakes litigation practice, Winstead delivers practical knowledge and responsive service. Winstead has offices in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, and The Woodlands, Texas; Charlotte, North Carolina and Washington, D.C

• Winstead Expands Real Estate Development & Investments Practice Group
• The Best Lawyers in America Gives Jones Walker High Rankings for Fourth Year in Row
• 48 Winstead PC Attorneys Selected as Texas Super Lawyers
• Morning Roundup
• Winstead Names New Lateral Hiring Boss

Dinsmore & Shohl welcomed former Deputy General Counsel for EPA…

A former Kennedy Chief of Staff Returned to WilmerHale…

A Thompson Hine Partner was reappointed to the Cincinnati State Technical and Community College board of trustees…

A Greenberg Traurig partner was named co-chair of the ABA Committee…

Cadwalader announced the launch of the Cadwalader International Law and Litigation Center…

48 Winstead PC Attorneys were selected as Texas Super Lawyers…

• Dinsmore & Shohl Welcomes Former Deputy General Counsel for EPA Mary Ann Poirier
• Morning Roundup
• 48 Winstead PC Attorneys Selected as Texas Super Lawyers
• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup

Those named are chosen via a four-part selection process. The process includes a ballot and point system established by the publishers of Law & Politics magazine followed by a panel review, interviews, independent research and a final selection process.

Lawyers nominated are evaluated by evidence of peer recognition, professional achievement and service to the community as a lawyer, including pro bono work.

The list of 2010 Texas Super Lawyers is available online at www.superlawyers.com.

Winstead is among the largest business law firms in Texas. The firm’s attorneys and consultants serve as trusted advisors to mid-market and large businesses, providing a core range of legal services that are critical to their operation and success. From its well-known reputation in real estate and financial services to its corporate and high-stakes litigation practice, Winstead delivers practical knowledge and responsive service. Winstead has offices in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, and The Woodlands, Texas; Charlotte, North Carolina and Washington, D.C.

• Morning Roundup
• The Best Lawyers in America Features 58 Attorneys from Winstead
• Winstead Expands Real Estate Development & Investments Practice Group
• Winstead Lays Off 20 Employees
• Winstead Poaches Real Estate Team from Bracewell

Chambers USA recognized Monteleone & McCrory in the area of construction law in California…

Highly-regarded commercial trial and appellate attorney Thomas Gilbertsen joined Venable LLP…

Former Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer joined Akin Gump…

• Former Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer Joins Akin Gump
• Highly Regarded Commercial Trial and Appellate Attorney Joins Venable LLP as Partner
• Chambers USA Recognizes Monteleone & McCrory
• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup

Amb. Schieffer will advise clients in the global energy, trade, transportation, defense and intelligence industries.

In the press release at PR Newswire, James C. Langdon Jr., senior executive partner at Akin Gump, was quoted as saying: “Tom Schieffer has long been well-respected – both in the U.S. and abroad – for his political acumen and business expertise.  A diplomat with significant foreign policy experience in the Pacific Rim as well as a highly accomplished lawyer and businessman in his native Texas, he will be a tremendous asset to our clients, whether they are doing business domestically or internationally.”

Elected at age 25, Amb. Schieffer served three terms in the Texas Legislature before returning to law school at the University of Texas. In 1979 he began a legal and business career focusing on oil and gas and investment matters.  

An early investor with George W. Bush and Edward W. (Rusty) Rose in the group that bought the Texas Rangers Baseball Club in 1989, Amb. Schieffer was named partner-in-charge of ballpark development in 1990, and in that capacity he negotiated a public-private partnership with the city of Arlington, Texas. In 1991, he was appointed president of the Texas Rangers Baseball Club. He served in that role until 1999, when he returned to practicing law and managing investments and oil and gas properties.  

In 2001, President George W. Bush appointed Schieffer as U.S. ambassador to Australia. Confirmed unanimously by the U.S. Senate, he served for four years, during which time the United States negotiated a free-trade agreement with Australia and deepened the intelligence ties between the two countries. In 2005, he was appointed by President Bush, and again unanimously confirmed, as U.S. ambassador to Japan. During his four-year tenure, Amb. Schieffer was a principal negotiator on the 2006 Force Transformation Agreement, the most substantive revision of the security agreement between the United States and Japan since 1960, and was actively involved in the Six Party Talks, which centered on North Korea’s attempts to become a nuclear power.  

Amb. Schieffer has been recognized consistently at home and abroad for his leadership and organizational skills, particularly in the area of intelligence. He received the Order of Australia, which is the highest award that can be presented to a foreigner by the Australian government , for his work in strengthening the Australian-American Alliance, and the Distinguished Public Service Award – the Pentagon’s highest civilian recognition – for his work in strengthening the U.S.-Japan Alliance. In addition, he has received awards from the CIA, the FBI, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.  

Founded in 1945, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP has grown to be one of the world’s largest law firms, with more than 800 lawyers in 14 offices. A frequent recipient of industry recognition for its strength in litigation and high-stakes appellate work, its leadership in groundbreaking transactions and its depth in public policy, Akin Gump provides a comprehensive suite of services for global companies and local individuals.

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Smith’s practice focuses on state and federal legislative and administrative matters. He has been active in politics for more than 30 years. Smith was first elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1980 and later served as chairman for two House committees. He also served as legislative director for then Gov. George W. Bush from 1996 to 2001.

Smith most recently served as chief of staff to the speaker of the Texas House of Representatives.

“Terral is one of the wise men of the Texas Capitol,” said Demetrius McDaniel, head of the Greenberg Traurig’s Texas Governmental Affairs practice.  ”His experience as a state representative and a senior staff member to a Texas governor and speaker of the house gives him an extraordinary understanding of how Texas government functions.”

Greenberg Traurig is an international, full-service law firm with approximately 1,800 attorneys serving clients from more than 30 offices in the United States, Europe, and Asia.

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• Attorney In Keller Case Wants To Take Less, But Says He Can’t

The girls’ mother is now looking to change the custody agreement with the court, which may allow Farren some latitude in his child endangerment case against the father.

Randall County, in the Texas Panhandle, has 65 religious congregations serving it’s 114,000 residents.  While the area is conservative and has voted Republican since 1954, they also tend not to want government intervention into what they deem as private matters.  Farren might just be more successful in his prosecution of the father if he charges him with being stupid.

• Gospel Singer Randy Travis Apologizes for Public Drunkenness
• Man Sentenced To Death For Developing Pornography Website
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• Is ‘Fracking’ A Dirty Word? Pavillion, Wyoming Residents Think So
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The judge’s opinion in this case as reported by Law.com says that Pennsylvania’s law  ”represents a reasonable protection and a proper and lawful exercise of the police power of the Commonwealth, which is available to preserve the public health, safety, welfare, and morals of its citizens.”

This is not the first time that same-sex divorce has come up.  Other couples who were married in Massachusetts have been seeking divorces in their home states for a few years already.  Angelique Naylor and Sabina Daly were married in Massachusetts in 2004 and recently filed for divorce in Texas.  Naylor and Daly have a four year old son.  The question of voiding the marriage came up in the Texas court as well, but District Judge Scott Jenkins granted the divorce citing the full faith and credit clause of the U.S. Constitution.

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• Massachusetts Challenges Defense of Marriage Act
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The “meat” of Perry’s argument is based upon the “ClimateGate” emails leaked to the public months ago. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott charges that the emails are “tainted” evidence used by the EPA to determine in December that heat trapping gasses are a health threat that can be regulated by the United States government and the agency specifically.

Perry and other Texas officials submitted a “Petition for Review” to the EPA. In the overview section of the report the petition questions the conclusions of the United Nations International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a body considered generally to be a reliable and important source of information regarding climate change.  The petitions states in part:

“Previously private email exchanges among top IPCC climatologists reveal an entrenched group of activists focused less in reaching an objective scientific conclusion than on achieving their desired outcome. These scientists worked to prevent contravening studies from being published, colluded to hide research flaws, and collaborated to obstruct the public’s legal right to public information under open records laws.”

• Is ‘Fracking’ A Dirty Word? Pavillion, Wyoming Residents Think So
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• Blockbuster Hires Kirkland And Ellis For Financial Issues
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Texas Supreme Court Justice Scott Brister joins Andrews Kurth as a partner in its Austin office, to lead the appellate practice. He will focus on litigation and alternative dispute resolution. Brister was previously with Andrews Kurth in the 1980s. He was also a district court judge in Harris County; a justice on the First Court of Appeals in Houston; and chief justice of the Fourteenth Court of Appeals in Houston. His law degree is from Harvard Law School.

David Whittlesey joins in Austin as a partner in the litigation group. Whittlesey will focus his practice on complex commercial, business and technology litigation. He is is President-Elect of the Austin Bar Association; a former president of the Austin Young Lawyer’s Association; and an active member of the Admissions & Disciplinary Committee for the Western District of Texas. He earned his JD magna cum laude from the University of Houston Law Center, where he was a member of Order of the Coif.

Andrews & Kurth LLP was founded by Frank Andrews and Congressman Thomas Henry Ball in 1902, and later joined by Melvin Kurth in 1913. The firm currently has over 400 attorneys internationally, including offices in London and Beijing.

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We now believe that six associates and four staff were laid off in Los Angeles; 10 staff in San Antonio; 8 staff in New York; 24 staff in Dallas; and 12 secretaries 29 in Houston.

And a JDJournal tipster warned us that more layoffs were coming today.

Now, from the tip line: “Fulbright & Jaworski has laid off staff in Austin, TX – starting this morning at 10:00 a.m.”

C’mon, people! Who? How many? How were those targeted informed?

If you know anything about layoffs today at Fulbright & Jaworski, please — send us a confidential tip!

Founded in 1919, Fulbright & Jaworski LLP employs over 1,000 lawyers in 16 locations in Austin, Beijing, Dallas, Denver, Dubai, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Munich, New York, Riyadh, San Antonio, St. Louis and Washington, DC.

UPDATE

From a JDJournal Tipster:

Your numbers re Houston are incorrect. F&J laid of an additional 17 staff members on Friday in Houston. That’s on top of the 11 or 12 let go on Thursday, for a total of 28 or 29. I haven’t heard numbers from Austin either.

Thanks for the tip!

UPDATE 2

Now a tipster informs us that F&J Austin has lost four staff –  two floaters, one secretary and one recruiting assistant.

Thanks!

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Partners Richard Andreano and John Socknat join in Washington DC, along with associates Reid Herlihy, Heather Hutchings and Haydn Richards. Partner Michael Waldron joins in Dallas.

In April, Patton Boggs has hired away a three-person bankruptcy team from Foley & Lardner.

Patton Boggs LLP is a full service law firm with more than 600 lawyers and professionals in nine locations in the United States and the Middle East.

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Elyse M. Farrow and Lee Keller King will represent business law clients in Sugar Land, Fort Bend County, and Harris County, in business law, trademark, copyright, trade secret, and business litigation matters.

Farrow and King both earned their JD’s from the South Texas College of Law.

The Vethan Law Firm is a business law firm offering corporate law, business litigation, intellectuall property protection, family law, and estate planning representation to clients throughout Texas and the United States.

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Winstead

No additional information, such as whether lawyers were affected, is available. If you know anything about layoffs at at Winstead, please send us a confidential tip.

Winstead PC has offices in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, and The Woodlands, Texas; and in Washington, DC.

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Glasgow joins Pillsbury as a partner in the energy practice. He was an energy partner at Morgan Lewis for 14 years. Glasgow was formerly with the Atomic Energy Commission, the Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Asmus will lead Morgan Lewis’ Energy Transactions Practice. He focuses his practice on oil and gas development projects and energy-based financing.

King represents oil and gas companies in upstream transactional matters, with a focus on acquisitions and divestitures of oil and gas properties and project development.

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP is an international law firm with offices located throughout the US and globally, including key financial centers New York, London, Tokyo and Shanghai.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP is a law firm that was founded as Morgan & Lewis in Philadelphia in 1873. It has 1,400 lawyers in 22 offices worldwide.

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Frank Ruttenberg joins Winstead in San Antonio as a shareholder. Elizabeth Breazeale joins as of counsel, and D. Farr Nolen joins as an associate.

All three join the real estate development and investment practice.

Winstead PC has offices in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, and The Woodlands, Texas; and in Washington, DC.

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The layoffs targeted the real estate and corporate practices.

The firm has also pushed back start dates for its incoming associates to January 2010.

Thompson & Knight was founded in 1887. It employs approximately 400 attorneys between its Texas and New York offices. It has global offices in Algeria, Brazil, France, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.

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The Katy office will assist individuals and businesses with bankruptcy law, and all aspects of debt consolidation and consumer bankruptcy. The office will handle divorces as well.

Houston’s Busby & Associates is a bankruptcy and family law firm, and a member of the National Association of Bankruptcy Attorneys and the National Association of Consumer Advocates.

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Those lawyers receive a supplemental payment. Those who do not will not be penalized.

The firm made the announcement via e-mail Friday evening.

In early March, the firm laid off 47 associates and 57 paralegals & staff.

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP was founded in Dallas in 1945 by Robert Strauss and Richard Gump. The firm now numbers more than 900 attorneys and advisors in the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

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The fired attorneys are being offered a three-month severance package.

The firm imposed a hiring freeze last year.

Do you know how many people Baker Botts laid off today? Send us a confidential tip!

Founded in 1840 in the Republic of Texas, Baker Botts LLP is an international law firm of around 800 attorneys. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, the firm has a major list of energy related clients.

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The Am Law 200 firm is offering $5,000 each to the 2Ls who are left without summer employment.

Winstead has offices in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, and The Woodlands, Texas; and in Washington, DC.

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The lawyers were given several weeks notice. At least seven were from the firm’s corporate department.

The firm has declined to comment.

If you have more information about these layoffs, please send us a confidential tip!

Andrews & Kurth LLP was founded by Frank Andrews and Congressman Thomas Henry Ball in 1902, and later joined by Melvin Kurth in 1913. The firm currently has over 400 attorneys internationally, including offices in London and Beijing.

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