Adams and Reese is pleased to announce that energy and oil and gas attorney Derek José Anchondo has joined the firm’s Houston office as Special Counsel and as a member of the Special Business Services practice group.

Anchondo previously practiced at Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle law firm in Houston, where he was a member of both the International law and Energy/Oil and Gas practices. Practicing law since 1999, Anchondo has the unique perspective of having practiced law at several law firms throughout Texas and New York, including Vinson & Elkins and Andrews & Kurth, as well as having practiced in-house at two large public companies – Pride International, Inc. and Hanover Compressor Company.

“Derek’s work on the corporate side, and as of counsel for one of the largest international offshore drilling companies in the world, will be a strong benefactor for our energy and oil and gas law clients,” said Chris Derden, Partner in Charge of the Adams and Reese Houston Office. “His legal experience, both locally and internationally, will both supplement and complement our existing practices, and we are excited Derek is joining Adams and Reese.”

At Pride International, Anchondo served as chief counsel where he was first responsible for overseeing all legal support for the company’s Western Hemisphere operations and was later responsible for overseeing global legal support for all of the company’s international marketing, contractual, business development, asset management and engineering activities. Through a span of six months in 2008, Anchondo worked and lived in Macaé, Brazil, where he was embedded in the operations group of the company.

At Hanover Compressor Company in Houston, Anchondo served as counsel to the U.S. operations for one of the largest natural gas compression companies, offering products, services, solutions and manufacturing for compression, production and processing.

Anchondo’s oil and gas practice experience covers both domestic and international transactions, including upstream exploration and production activities, offshore drilling, the purchase or supply of crude oil or natural gas, joint operating agreements, the procurement of equipment or services, and engineering, procurement and construction. Anchondo has served as counsel for operators, national oil companies, contractors, manufacturers, suppliers and vendors, pipeline companies and refiners. He has negotiated high-level commercial transactions with U.S., international and national oil companies, and with oilfield services vendors and suppliers, in the upstream, midstream and downstream segments.

His energy law experience covers complex domestic and international transactions, including mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, financing transactions, joint ventures, construction, international law related to maritime/offshore and shipping matters in the energy industry, U.S. regulatory filings, environmental regulatory compliance, and corporate compliance.

Anchondo is an advisory board member of the Institute for Energy Law, where he is also active in various committees. He is a frequent lecturer and author, and he has presented at numerous U.S. and international conferences on topics related to commercial contracts, contracting techniques and international law practice in the oil and gas sector. He is an active member of several legal and industry organizations.

Anchondo received his juris doctorate at University of Houston Law Center in 1999, and earned his bachelor of arts in history and political science at Trinity University in 1996.

Anchondo is a first-generation American with both of his parents successful physicians originally from Mexico. He is fluent in Spanish.

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