In his decades in the legal department for Plains All American Pipeline, Lawrence Dreyfuss worked through 62 completed acquisitions and divestitures with an aggregate value of over $8 billion. He oversaw the legal work for Plains’ capital projects totaling more than $7 billion. He was directly involved or supervised the handling of more than 3,000 legal claims. And during his tenure, Plains’ EBITDA grew from $89.1 million in 1999 to $2.684 billion in 2018. So, it’s no surprise that he will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Corporate Counsel Houston Chapter and The Texas Lawbook. Mark Curriden has his story.
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Fermeen Fazal of UniversalPegasus: ‘The Ferminator’
Fermeen Fazal is chief counsel and chief administrative officer for Houston-based UniversalPegasus International. She’s so nice, that colleagues say it’s easy to forget that she can be a very fierce advocate. The company president has nick-named her “The Ferminator.” But she’s approachable, team-oriented and has a history as a very fine litigator. She’s also a finalist for GC of the Year for a Small Legal Department in the 2019 Houston Corporate Counsel Awards.
Kraton’s Jennie Howard – A Rookie with Securities Experience and a Huge Heart
Jennie Howard’s first day in the legal department at Houston-based Kraton Corp. began with her assignment to a $1.7 billion acquisition. She had to hit the ground running. Three months later, the deal was closed and she got REALLY busy overseeing a wide variety of corporate responsibilities. As a result she’s a finalist for Rookie of the Year in the 2019 Houston Corporate Counsel Awards.
Two Dallas Strasburger Partners Leave to Open Data Privacy Law Boutique
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Locke Lord Welcomes Back Ex-Dallas Court of Appeals Justice Elizabeth Lang-Miers
Lang-Miers practiced at the firm for nearly 30 decades before being appointed to the Dallas Court of Appeals in 2003.
Tim Johnson – A Plane Crash and a Painful Turnaround
When Tim Johnson’s friend and boss – the founder of the company he worked for – died tragically in a plane crash, it was a “punch in the gut.” But things were about to get worse. In the wake of his friend’s death, Johnson uncovered a massive fraud at his company. The skill and determination with which he approached that problem, as well as others that emerged at Peak Completion Technologies, has resulted in his nomination as GC of the Year for a Small Legal Department in Houston’s 2019 Corporate Counsel Awards.
Grammer Defamation Trial Pits Real Housewife vs. ‘Real Life’
The legal battle stems from an October 2013 incident in which Camille Grammer alleges her ex-boyfriend assaulted her in a Houston hotel room after they got in an argument. The defamation trial is U.S. District Judge Karen Gren Scholer’s second jury trial since joining the bench last year. Natalie Posgate is in the courtroom.
Section 199A: A Brief Introduction
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DBJ: Property Owners, Dallas Developer Battle on Shores of Possum Kingdom Lake
With the help of a deep-pocketed backer, property owners are duking it out with the owner of the resort, who says he has been unfairly targeted.
Precision Drilling’s Veronica Foley: ‘A Superstar in All Respects’
Precision Drilling GC Veronica Foley is fluent in Spanish, fluent in French and talented in ways that her colleagues regard her as “a superstar.” From unique legal projects to everyday functions she helps keep the company out in front of issues. And now she is a finalist for GC of the Year for a Mid-sized Legal Department in the 2019 Houston Corporate Counsel Awards.