Paul Hastings LLP, a leading global law firm, announced today that Rick Burleson has joined the firm to head the Oil and Gas practice group out of the firm’s Houston office. He joins from Burleson LLP, an energy-focused firm which he founded and led.

“Rick is a major player in the energy industry, one of the most experienced oil and gas lawyers in this market and we could not be more pleased that he’s starting the next phase of his career at Paul Hastings,” said Greg Nelson, chair of the Houston office.

Mr. Burleson has been practicing law in the oil and gas industry for more than 30 years. He has a broad business practice in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and energy that centers on complex oil and gas acquisitions, divestitures and other strategic transactions. His clients include independent oil and gas companies, private equity groups, senior and mezzanine lenders, and other oil and gas focused companies.

His arrival follows other recent additions to the Houston office and is another indication of the firm’s investment in the energy sector. In December, Will Burns joined the Houston office of Paul Hastings from Vinson & Elkins as a boost to the office’s energy capital markets and MLP focus. His arrival followed the relocation of Finance partner Lindsay Sparks, who moved from the firm’s Orange County office. The firm also announced in late 2015 that Roberta Bassegio, a New York and Brazil qualified energy and infrastructure partner, joined to lead a proposed new office in São Paulo, Brazil, which is subject to regulatory approval.

In 2015, the firm advised clients on several notable deals out of the Houston office including Crestwood Midstream Partners $7.5 billion public-to-public merger with Crestwood Equity Partners, Vanguard Natural Resources public-to-public mergers with Eagle Rock Energy Partners and LRR Energy, and Tall Oak Midstream’s $1.55 billion sale of its subsidiaries to EnLink Midstream.

www.paulhastings.com