Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC has merged with the Houston law firm of Drucker, Rutledge & Smith, L.L.P., marking Baker Donelson’s third merger, and its second one in Texas, in less than four months.

The international law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP announced that John P. McMullan has joined its Houston office as a shareholder in the Corporate & Securities Practice.

Bracewell & Giuliani LLP is representing Apache Corporation in its acquisition of Cordillera Energy Partners III LLC, a privately held company, for $2.85 billion.

Today marks the formal launch of Bracewell & Giuliani LLP’s new public finance practice, with the addition of 24 attorneys, formerly of Vinson & Elkins LLP.

Jones Walker is pleased to announce that Cortlan H. Maddux and Lauren J. Harrison have joined the firm’s Houston office. Both Mr. Maddux and Ms. Harrison will practice in the Business and Commercial Litigation Practice Group, and both were elected to partnership effective January 1, 2012.

Fulbright represented Sinopec International Petroleum Exploration & Production Corporation, a unit of China’s Sinopec Group, in connection with its purchase from an affiliate of Devon Energy Corporation of an undivided 33.3% interest in, and the development of, approximately 1.2 million acres of oil and gas properties located in the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale in Mississippi, the Niobrara in Colorado and Wyoming, the Mississippian in Oklahoma, the Utica Shale in Ohio and the Michigan Basin.

Fulbright represented TOTAL E&P USA, INC. in connection with its purchase of an undivided 25% interest in, and the joint development of, 619,000 net mineral acres of oil and gas properties located in the Utica Shale of eastern Ohio from Chesapeake Exploration L.L.C. and certain affiliates of EnerVest Ltd.

Jackson Walker is pleased to welcome new partner Jay Strimel to the firm.

Bracewell & Giuliani LLP represented Shell Oil Company in the renewal of its corporate headquarters lease for two buildings in downtown Houston. The lease amounts to 1.2 million square feet, including 804,491 square feet at One Shell Plaza (910 Louisiana Street), and 471,934 square feet at Two Shell Plaza (777 Walker Street). The lease starts retroactively on January 1, 2011 and expires in 2025.

Bracewell & Giuliani LLP is currently serving as Chapter 11 counsel to Athens-based Omega Navigation Enterprises, Inc.  In what industry observers are calling a “landmark victory” after more than 5 months of “bet the company” litigation, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas has rejected motions to dismiss or convert Omega’s chapter 11 cases or for relief from stay filed by Omega’s Senior Lenders and supported by Omega’s Junior Lenders and Unsecured Creditors’ Committee.