Two sources claim that Latham & Watkins has snagged four partners from Vinson & Elkins. Three of them will be stationed in the firm’s new Houston office. Those are as follows: William Finnegan IV, Brett Braden, Charles Timothy Fenn. Partner Charles Carpenter will join the New York office. They are all to join their respective offices in March or April. Latham’s Houston office opened its doors a month ago.

Source:  www.amlawdaily.typepad.com

John Woodruff rejoins Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP. Woodruff was previously with the firm from 2004 to 2008, afterwhich he joined KPMG LLP. He will be stationed in the Houston office as a partner in the tax group. Gardere is an AmLaw 200 firm with offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston and Mexico City.

Source:  www.openpr.com

McKool Smith has boosted its Houston office with the hire of Basil Umari. He joins the bankruptcy practice as a principal. Umari received his juris doctorate from The University of Texas School of Law with high honors.

Source:  www.earthtimes.org

Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith is picking up Adams & Herald, an insurance defense boutique. Adams has 11 attorneys in two office: Houston and Beaumont, which means two new offices for the former. Lewis Brisbois has 19 offices across the nation.

Source:  www.nylj.com

Baker Botts has recently laid off lawyers in Texas due to declining demand.  The last round of layoffs was in March of last year.  The firm states that the incoming first years that were promised positions will still have those positions.

Source:  www.nylj.com

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius has taken David Asmus from Baker Botts to boost its energy practice.  Asmus will be in charge of the Morgan Lewis’ energy transactions practice.  Another Baker Botts partner, Michael King, will join him.

Source:  www.amlawdaily.typepad.com

Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP has acquired a new partner. Hoang Quan Vu joins the firm’s Banking group in Houston. Vu received his JD from Harvard Law School in 1995. He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard’s undergraduate program in 1992.

Source:  www.theopenpress.com

Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP appears to be going on a hiring spree by adding two more to its Houston office. Michael Cash and Wade Howard are joining the firm’s litigation practice group as partners. Senior Attorney Robert Montoya will be joining them. This is a very talented group with much legal experience. Prior to taking their new positions at Gardere, the group practice with Winstead, P.C.

Source:  www.newswiretoday.com

Baker Botts has added energy lawyer, Kevin Keenan, to its Global Projects group. Keenan was previously at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, in both London and Houston. At Baker Botts, he will remain in Houston as Partner. Keenan acquired his Juris Doctorate at Georgetown University Law Center.

www.prnewswire.com

Hunton & Williams has been busy. The firm won over 8 employment lawyers from Akin Gump and is launching an office in San Francisco. Of the 8, four are partners, and four are associates. Laura Franze, joining co-chair of the employment group, will work out of Los Angeles and Dallas. Roland Juarez will also join the Los Angeles office. The San Francisco office will be led by poached partner, Fraser McAlpine, who will also be based out of Houston. Also in San Franisco, Brett Burns joins as partner, and Anna Suh as associate. Justin Smith, Richard Cortez and Jennifer Reith, all associates, will join the Dallas office.

Source: www.thelawyer.com