Houston litigator Kenneth Held has departed Thompson & Knight for Skadden.
Held focuses his practice on securities litigation, energy litigation and class action defense. He said he has had the opportunity to work with a number of Skadden litigators over the last few years.
“I have been particularly impressed with their creativity in solving complex litigation issues,” Held said in the statement. “I am excited about the opportunity to work across the firm’s platform in advising clients on challenging litigation issues and providing superior client service.”
Prior to his two-year tenure with T&K, Held practiced at the Houston litigation boutique Schiffer Odom Hicks & Johnson (now Schiffer Hicks Johnson). Before that, he spent more than a decade of his career at Vinson & Elkins.
Skadden is not the first elite New York law firm that Held has practiced at. The Yale Law graduate started his career in New York City at Sullivan & Cromwell.
One of Held’s most high profile matters was his representation of Blockbuster in litigation that arose out of the company’s split-off from Viacom. Held successfully obtained a dismissal of Rule 10b-5 and Section 11 claims against the Dallas video rental company and certain of its officers and directors.