Andrew Gratz’s first big assignment at LyondellBasell a decade ago was to work on the multinational petrochemical company’s complex bankruptcy. Now, he’s leading the $35 billion corporation’s strategic growth efforts, including last year’s $2.25 billion acquisition of A. Schulman Inc. The Association of Corporate Counsel’s Houston Chapter and The Texas Lawbook have named Gratz a finalist for the 2019 Houston Corporate Counsel Senior Counsel of the Year Award for a Large Legal Department. The Lawbook has a complete profile.
TLB Exclusive: Dozens of Texas Law Firms Experience Cyber Incidents/Data Breaches
At least 42 corporate law firms operating in Texas have experienced a “cyber incident” or an actual data breach during the past two years, according to an exclusive new Texas Lawbook survey. But 90% of law firms report that one of the vendors they use has been the victim of a cyber attack. GCs, including those at Match Group and Halliburton, say they are concerned about the safety of client information and law firms, according to the survey, are finally paying attention to cyber threats.
More Corporate Law Firms, Fewer Texas Lawyers in 2018
The number of out-of-state law firms that opened new offices in Texas grew significantly in 2018, but the actual number of lawyers working at big corporate firms operating in the state declined last year. The result is that nearly half of all corporate lawyers in Texas are employed at out-of-state law firms. The Texas Lawbook has exclusive numbers and analysis.
Dallas Trial Lawyer Mark Werbner Joins Winston & Strawn
Mark Werbner, the trial lawyer who engineered a historic billion-dollar jury victory against a Middle Eastern bank accused of aiding terrorists, has joined the Dallas office of Winston & Strawn. The Texas Lawbook has an exclusive interview.
Halliburton GC Robb Voyles – GC of the Year for a Large Legal Department
Robb Voyles faced a mountain of legal issues when he became Halliburton’s GC in 2014. There was a securities class-action lawsuit seeking billions of dollars in damages, an SEC investigation into alleged misconduct at its operations in Nigeria, a nine-figure tax dispute with its former KBR subsidiary and scores of lawsuits with billions of dollars at stake related to the deadly Deepwater Horizon explosion. Voyles successfully disposed of all of those risks to Halliburton’s balance sheet during a time when the industry faced significant financial pressures.
The Texas Lawbook has an in-depth profile of Voyles, who is the 2019 Houston Corporate Counsel Award’s General Counsel of the Year for a Large Legal Department.
Inside the $3 Billion Legal Industry Battle for M&A Dealmaking in Texas
Law firms in Texas are engaged in a fierce battle to represent businesses, private equity funds and banks involved in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures – and an estimated $3 billion in legal fees are at stake.
Three Texas GCs Offer Advice on Becoming GCs
What does it take to become a corporate general counsel in Texas? The chief legal officers at Toyota, J.C. Penney, Match Group and a leading corporate executive headhunter gave their advice this week to a group of 130 members of the Association of Corporate Counsel’s DFW Chapter. The Texas Lawbook was there and has the exclusive details.
Buc-ee’s to Shell Oil – 2019 Houston Corporate Counsel Awards Finalists Announced
GCs from Apache, ConocoPhillips, Halliburton, CenterPoint, LyondellBasell and 18 other Houston area businesses have been selected as finalists for the 2019 Houston Corporate Counsel Awards, which are hosted by the Houston Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel and The Texas Lawbook. The awards recognize the successes of corporate in-house counsel.
Few Lawyers Seek Top SEC Enforcement Job in Texas
The number of people who applied for the SEC’s regional director’s position in Fort Worth can be counted on one hand. The reason: the SEC’s Fort Worth enforcement budget has been slashed, staffing has been dramatically reduced and the ability to investigate and prosecute complex cases against corporations and financial institutions involved in illegal and fraudulent conduct has been significantly weakened. The Texas Lawbook has insider details.
Katten Celebrates Dallas Anniversary, Signs Lease at PwC Tower
Katten Muchin opened in Dallas a year ago and has grown to three-dozen attorneys in Dallas. Now, the Chicago-based firm has signed a new long-term lease agreement for two floors at the PwC Tower at Park District in Uptown Dallas – a move that will give the firm space to double in size in the future.