Gardere Wynne Sewell has recruited tax partner James Howard to its Houston office.  The partner focuses his practice on international tax matters for a variety of energy and real estate clients.
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Law firm Winstead PC has hired an impressive group of energy, environmental, and commercial litigation attorneys, led by Richard (Rick) M. Simses and Paul M. Lavelle, former partners at Beirne, Maynard and Parsons who each have over 30 years of litigation experience, much of which is Louisiana-based. Simses, Charles Miers and Jon Vicklund are joining the firm’s office in The Woodlands, Texas. Lavelle will open the New Orleans Winstead office, serving as its managing shareholder.

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Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP is pleased to announce the addition of James Howard, formerly of Locke Lord LLP, as a partner in the Firm’s Houston office. Mr. Howard’s practice will focus on international and business tax, securities, and finance.

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On Aug. 30, 2012, Jackson Walker obtained a key victory for its client, Bankcard Processing International L.L.C., when the Court of Appeals for the First District of Texas overturned a $1.5 million judgment against the company and other defendants.

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Bracewell & Giuliani LLP is representing SWEPI LP, a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, in its agreement to purchase Chesapeake Energy Corporation’s assets in the southern Delaware Basin portion of the Permian Basin. Shell has agreed to pay Chesapeake $1.9 billion for 618,000 net acres in the Permian Basin that produce approximately 26,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

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The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLP is pleased to announce that Jennifer S. Sickler has joined the Firm as a Partner in the Intellectual Property Practice Group in Houston.

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Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP represented BP in its sale, announced on Sept. 10, 2012, of interests in a number of oil and gas fields in the deepwater U.S. Gulf of Mexico to Plains Exploration and Production Company for a total of $5.55 billion. BP is selling its interests in three BP-operated assets: the Marlin hub, comprised of the Marlin Dorado and King fields; Horn Mountain; and Holstein. The deal also includes BP’s stake in two non-operated assets: Ram Powell and Diana Hoover. Completion of the sale remains subject to regulatory approvals, certain pre-emption rights, and customary conditions. The acquisition is expected to close by the end of 2012.

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Bracewell & Giuliani LLP is representing Plains Exploration & Production Company (PXP) in the acquisition financing related to PXP’s agreement to acquire Gulf of Mexico interests from BP Exploration & Production Inc. and BP America Production Company (BP) and from Shell Offshore Inc. (Shell). PXP will acquire from BP all of their interests in certain deepwater Gulf of Mexico oil and gas properties for $5.55 billion. PXP will also acquire from Shell its 50% working interest in the Holstein Field for $560 million.

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Plains Exploration & Production Company (PXP) has announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire from BP Exploration & Production Inc. and BP America Production Company (“BP”) all of their interests in certain deepwater Gulf of Mexico oil and gas properties for $5.55 billion, as detailed in the press release below issued by PXP.

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Daniel Nossa joins the Energy practice and the Derivatives group in the Houston office at Jackson Walker.

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