Over the last several years, general counsel Rishi Varma and associate general counsel Jude Andre have implemented a number of diversity initiatives at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, whose corporate legal department is known for its innovation, welcoming culture and commitment to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in the legal profession. The result has been a more engaged workforce around DEI issues and recognition by the Association of Corporate Counsel’s Houston Chapter and The Texas Lawbook. They have named HPE — with Varma and Andre at the helm — as finalists for the 2023 Houston Corporate Counsel Award for Achievement in Diversity and Inclusion award.
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Q&A: Rishi Varma, GC, Hewlett Packard Enterprise
In this Q&A, Varma discusses with pro bono, public service & diversity writer Natalie Posgate that role diversity plays when hiring outside counsel, 2022 diversity and inclusion successes at HPE and tips for creating a broader pool of diverse candidates when hiring.
Q&A: Jude Andre of Hewlett Packard Enterprise
In this Q&A, Andre discusses with pro bono, public service & diversity writer Natalie Posgate how law firms can broaden the diversity pipeline, the importance of legal departments encouraging employees to come as they are to work, and tips for law firms on retaining minority associates.
Q&A: Will Marsh, GC, Cactus Inc
For Premium Subscribers Will Marsh is general counsel at Cactus, Inc., a Houston-based company that manufactures and sells pressure-control equipment. On the final day of 2022 he cemented for Cactus
Will Marsh: This Son-of-a-Son-of-a-Lawyer Deals in the Complex
On what he later described as his best day as GC of Cactus Inc., a Houston-based wellhead and pressure-control provider, Will Marsh brought in the $621 million acquisition of tubing manufacturer FlexSteel Technologies Holdings.
The transformational deal marked a pretty good day for Cactus, as well. And now Marsh, Cactus and Bracewell, their outside counsel, are finalists in the 2023 Houston Corporate Counsel Awards for M&A Transaction of the Year.
Baker Botts’ Aaron Streett Details Recent Pro Bono Supreme Court Oral Argument
In Groff v. DeJoy, Streett represents Gerald Groff, a devout Christian and former Pennsylvania-based Postal Service mail carrier who was disciplined by USPS for skipping Sunday shifts to observe the Sabbath instead of delivering Amazon packages.
Eleox GC Becky Gottsegen Helps Energy Giants Work Toward a Common Goal
In the fall 2021, six large North American energy companies that vigorously compete against each other formed a joint venture that used real-time digital technology that would help them resolve certain operational inefficiencies in natural gas post-trade processing. But the new JV, Eleox, needed a GC. They chose Becky Gottsegen.
“One of my strengths is building. I like making things happen,” Gottsegen said. And that is an understatement. She has done everything during her first 16 months — negotiating contracts with business partners, handling antitrust concerns, ensuring cybersecurity and data protection, getting the six energy giants to agree on SaaS agreement terms, filing patent applications, helping pick brand colors and even “finding hip Heights office space.” Gottsegen is also a finalist for the 2023 Houston Corporate Counsel Award for General Counsel of the Year for a Solo Legal Department.
Premium Subscriber Q&A: Eleox GC Becky Gottsegen
When they needed a GC for their new joint venture to solve mutual operational inefficiencies, the six energy companies who created Eleox chose Becky Gottsegen. The choice was so successful that Gottsegen is a finalist for the 2023 Houston Corporate Counsel Award for General Counsel of the Year for a Solo Legal Department.
Texas Lawbook founder Mark Curriden had the opportunity to ask Gottsegen a few questions about the unusual venture, and what she looks for when hiring outside counsel.
Mark Lanier, On the Record
W. Mark Lanier, founder of The Lanier Law Firm, is recognized nationally for winning big personal injury and product liability claims against major corporations. But he also has represented clients in fraud, breach of contract and other forms of business litigation, the type of lawsuits that could be steered to a new system of business courts being considered by Texas lawmakers this year.
Lanier recently discussed his decision to publicly oppose the business court bill with The Texas Lawbook.
Lee Yeakel Joins King & Spalding
The announcement of his move to the firm’s Austin office came Monday, the day his retirement from the Western District of Texas became official. He served on the federal bench for more than 20 years.