The global law firm of Thompson & Knight LLP is pleased to announce that Anna Marie Dempsey has rejoined the Firm as a Partner in its Corporate and Securities Practice Group in Houston.

Longtime corporate and securities attorney Robert Eickenroht has joined the Houston Office of Locke Lord as a Partner in its growing Corporate Energy Practice Group. Eickenroht has practiced law for more than 25 years and has a broad-based corporate securities practice focused on general corporate and partnership law, merger and acquisition transactions, joint ventures, equities and energy.

Porter Hedges represented Noble Energy, Inc. (Noble Energy) in an agreement announced today to create a joint venture partnership with CONSOL Energy, Inc (CONSOL Energy) for the development of CONSOL Energy’s Marcellus Shale properties in southwest Pennsylvania and northwest West Virginia. For an aggregate value of approximately $3.2 billion, Noble Energy will acquire 50% of CONSOL Energy’s Marcellus Shale interest including a 50% interest in the existing Marcellus Shale wells. This joint venture establishes a new position for Noble Energy in the Marcellus shale.

The highly regarded, Chambers-rated, Houston intellectual property trial firm of Slusser Wilson & Partridge, L.L.P. has joined forces with the internationally regarded firm Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P. Bill Slusser, Mike Wilson and Jayme Partridge have extensive jury trial experience in patent cases. Each has an engineering degree and excels at making technical issues understandable.

BHP Billiton and Petrohawk Energy Corporation (“Petrohawk”) announced late yesterday that the companies have entered into a definitive agreement for BHP Billiton to acquire Petrohawk for $38.75 per share by means of an all-cash tender offer for all of the issued and outstanding shares of Petrohawk, representing a total equity value of approximately $12.1 billion and a total enterprise value of approximately $15.1 billion, including the assumption of net debt.  Morgan Lewis served as co-counsel to BHP Billiton, along with Sullivan & Cromwell.

Law firm Winstead PC has officially hired the 39th lateral attorney for 2011, surpassing their Texas lateral hiring total from 2010 by 18 lateral hires already, and the firm isn’t finished hiring yet. This week, Winstead welcomes shareholders Jay W. Brown, Hilary C. Borow, and Steve Wedemeyer to the commercial litigation practice group. The three shareholders were previously with Beirne, Maynard and Parsons, L.L.P, and are joined by eight associates and eight support staff.

King & Spalding advised Drayton McLane, Jr., and the Houston Astros Baseball Club in its sale to a group headed by Houston businessman Jim Crane, chief executive officer of private equity fund Crane Capital. The sale of the baseball franchise will be finalized once it is approved by Major League Baseball ownership.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP announced today that it plans to open an office in Houston, Texas and that Robert R. Rabalais will be joining that office as a partner in the Banking and Credit Practice Group. Establishment of a Houston office will enhance the Firm’s ability to serve clients in the energy sector, including financial institutions, corporate clients and private equity firms involved in oil and gas transactions. In addition, the Houston office’s focus on the energy sector will provide synergies with the Firm’s global offices.

Winston & Strawn, LLP announced today that it is being joined by more than 40 Howrey intellectual property and commercial litigation attorneys whose groups complement Winston’s own global IP and litigation practices.