Mayer Brown has made a partner addition to its Houston office.  Dallas Park has joined the firm in the Corporate & Securities practice. He most recently managed the Houston office of Thompson & Knight.

Source:  www.ogfj.com

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Blank Rome LLP has gained a partner with 35 years of litigation experience under his belt. Joseph F. Speelman has joined the firm’s Houston office. He joins from LyondellBasell where he was an associate General Counsel.

Source:  www.businesswire.com

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Bryan Cave has recently hired Chris Gilbert in Dallas as its newest partner. Gilbert specializes in intellectual property litigation but also practices in corporate litigation. He joins the Property and Commercial Litigation Client Service Groups.

Source:   www.dallas.citybizlist.com

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Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP has added Jay Kelley to its Houston office. Kelley joins the energy & infrastructure project practice. He earned his JD from University of Houston Law Center and graduated summa cum laude.

Source: www.ogfj.com

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Greenberg Traurig, LLP has hired a new Head of IP Litigation in Texas. Dwayne L. Mason has just joined the firm in Houston. Mason previously practiced at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP.

Source:  www.earthtimes.org

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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

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In the span of a year from January 1, 2009 to January 1, 2010, 25 out of the 26 largest firms decreased headcount by 5.7 percent. Firm’s took steps to counteract the affects of the economy downward turn via lay-offs and first year deferrals and sticking strong to a mandatory retirement age.

Source:  www.law.com

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Haynes and Boone has greatly boosted its Austin office with the hire of Michael Jewell. Jewell is taking the firm’s new government affairs counsel position. Before joining Haynes, Jewell served as a director of Texas government and regulatory affairs at Reliant Energy and RRI Energy.

Source:  www.lawfuel.com

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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

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