Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP announced today that nine trial lawyers, with diverse civil litigation backgrounds, will join the firm’s Houston office. The attorneys will start at the firm on January 5. Their arrival continues the firm’s expansion in Houston and strengthens Vorys nationally recognized litigation and energy groups.

Dick Schwartz, Monica Oathout, David Finck, Phillip Bechter, Steve Rech and Heather Kabele will join Vorys as partners. Jim Marrow will join as of counsel, and Mark Merrell and Jim Barnish come to the firm as associates. All nine lawyers most recently practiced law at Schwartz, Junell, Greenberg & Oathout LLP in Houston.

“We’re thrilled to welcome this respected group of Texas trial lawyers to Vorys.” said Steve Browning, the managing partner of the Vorys Houston office. “Their culture of integrity and team approach to the practice of law matches ours. We’re committed to long-term growth in Houston and enhancing the services we provide to our energy clients from our Houston office. The addition of these attorneys is illustrative of those strategies.”

The new attorneys will join the 14 lawyers already practicing from the Vorys Houston office, which opened in 2009.

“We are very excited about joining a great firm,” Schwartz said. “Like us, Vorys is committed to getting results through excellence and integrity. We’re proud of the long relationships we have with our clients and this move will allow us to better serve them.”

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