Steptoe, Blank Rome Add Litigators to Houston Offices
The firms announced new hires Monday to their Houston offices. Claudia Wilson Frost comes to Steptoe from Orrick, while Audrey F. Momanaee leaves Balch & Bingham for Blank Rome.
Free Speech, Due Process and Trial by Jury
The firms announced new hires Monday to their Houston offices. Claudia Wilson Frost comes to Steptoe from Orrick, while Audrey F. Momanaee leaves Balch & Bingham for Blank Rome.
Scott Nelson will join as the firmwide leader of the labor and employment practice and will also be a partner in the Houston office’s litigation department. He was previously a partner with Hunton Andrews Kurth.
In this Q&A, the Polsinelli Dallas office managing partner weighs in on the challenges associated with succession planning at a law firm, what he is seeing in private equity dealmaking, and the benefits of taking a "generalist" approach as a young attorney. Plus, he shares the classic children's book on repeat at his home.
The M&A attorney has worked on transactions primarily in the energy sector, including representing private equity firms on deals.

Three partners from the Rogge Dunn Group decided the time was right to start their own firm this month.
A group of 10 attorneys have left Alston & Bird to launch their own law firm focused on serving energy industry clients. Rob Vartabedian and Conrad Hester, who have been working together since 2008, will be name partners in the new venture.
Michelle Scheffler, formerly of Haynes Boone, joins Skadden as a litigation partner in its Houston office. Scheffler has led high-profile energy litigation across the country.
The veteran energy tax attorney was involved with several billion-dollar deals in the last few months. He cites STB's "preeminent tax practice and collegial culture" as the reasons behind his move.
In a Q&A with The Lawbook, Bill Mateja shares what shakeups he’s got in store for the bar association and the advice he gave former DBA president Aaron Tobin. The DBA will host an inauguration ceremony Sunday for Mateja, a partner at Sheppard Mullin.

The new lateral additions include Jennifer Ryback, who was head of McGuire Craddock’s litigation practice. Carrington Coleman has also added a senior associate from Winstead.
Willkie Farr & Gallagher has added energy finance and transactions attorney Dale Smith as a partner in its Houston office.
Terra Cothran has spent the past 25 years working on energy and construction projects in-house. She has been across the table from King & Spalding on numerous projects.
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