© 2014 The Texas Lawbook.
By Mark Curriden, JD
Senior Writer for The Texas Lawbook
(March 10) – The lateral recruiting wars between Houston law firms seem to be heating up.
Akin Gump announced Monday that it has lured prominent M&A lawyer Michael Byrd to join its energy law practice in Houston.
In joining Akin Gump, Byrd leaves the international law firm Baker & McKenzie where he served as the global chair of the firm’s oil and gas practice group.
“No titles in this new position,” Byrd said in an interview with The Texas Lawbook. “I get to do what I love: practice law and work with some great clients.”
Byrd said he was recruited by several large corporate law firms, but he chose Akin Gump because he’s known several lawyers at the firm for more than two decades and he appreciates the culture of a law firm with such long and strong roots in Texas.
“Akin Gump offers the ideal cross-selling opportunity for me,” said Byrd, who is a 1987 graduate of the University of Texas School of Law. “My clients need the firm’s expertise in corporate securities and other practices and several current Akin Gump clients need my expertise.
“In this market, there are a lot of opportunities for lateral movement, including recruiting form large national law firms seeking to expand in Houston,” he said. “Akin Gump has a lot of momentum and I like the firm’s culture.”
Byrd has represented several private oil and gas exploration and development companies in M&A deals in South Texas, Pennsylvania and the Gulf of Mexico. He represented Goodrich Petroleum Corp. in a 2012 divestiture of $95 million of oil and gas assets in East Texas to Houston-based Memorial Production Partners, which was represented by Akin Gump.
Chris LaFollette, partner in charge of Akin Gump’s Houston office, describes Byrd as “a real ‘dirt’ lawyer” who “brings sought-after skills and experience that will mesh exceedingly well with those of our team.”
“The caliber of work he has done throughout his career will make Mike a valuable asset for our clients,” said LaFollette, who heads the firm’s oil and gas practice.
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