(Houston, Texas) – June 24, 2004 – LAWFUEL – The global energy transactions practice continues to gain momentum at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, as the firm today announced the addition of four more partners and seven other attorneys to its already formidable team.
“With a 50-year reputation for doing leading-edge energy work, Akin Gump has long been home to the top energy transactions talent in the world,” said R. Bruce McLean, Akin Gump’s chairman, who notes that the firm’s global energy transactions practice now includes more than 150 attorneys worldwide. “We are delighted to welcome each of these individuals to the team.”
“Akin Gump has a large and growing energy practice,” stated Christine LaFollette, one of the new partners who will be based in the Houston office. “I am enthusiastic to have the opportunity to join an outstanding group of attorneys who are doing some of the most sophisticated work in the energy industry.”
Joining Akin Gump as partners are:
Christine LaFollette – Ms. LaFollette advises clients on the full range of public and private securities transactions, particularly in the energy industry. Her work includes representing issuers and underwriters in public offerings and private placements, restructurings, financings, and federal and state securities matters. She also is involved in mergers, acquisitions and dispositions, both public and private, and has been named as a leading corporate M&A attorney in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2004. Ms. LaFollette is the chair of the Houston Bar Association’s Corporate Counsel section and director of the Houston World Affairs Counsel. She is a graduate of the University of Texas and Loyola Law School in Los Angeles.
Michael Anthony (Tony) Nunes – Also joining the Houston office, Mr. Nunes focuses on international project finance and corporate transactions in the energy and transport industries. He is highly experienced in transactions involving the purchase, sale, financing and chartering of liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers, dry bulk vessels, towing vessels, offshore supply vessels, inland and ocean-going barges, and drill rigs, and has served as counsel in numerous oil and gas lending transactions around the world. He is an arbitrator of commercial disputes for the American Arbitration Association. Mr. Nunes studied law in his native Jamaica and at the College of Law in Lancaster Gate, London, England, and graduated from the University of Houston Law Center.
Mark Zvonkovic – Mr. Zvonkovic is one of a handful of New York City-based attorneys with significant experience in oil and gas acquisitions and financings. He counsels companies, private investment funds, investment banks and financial advisors engaged in a variety of public and private financial transactions, principally for the energy and specialty chemicals sectors. He is a graduate of Boston University and Southern Methodist University’s School of Law.
Kevin Keenan – Currently in the firm’s London office, Mr. Keenan assists public and private entities in securing financing for projects related to the development of hydrocarbon reserves. He focuses on the crude oil and natural gas sectors, negotiating and documenting the long-term purchase and sale of crude oil, crude oil products, natural gas and LNG. He also is involved in the development of crude oil refining and LNG-related transport and infrastructure projects around the world. He is a graduate of Idaho State University and the Georgetown University Law Center.
Also joining the firm’s global energy transactions team, as senior counsel in Houston, are the following:
William Alexander – Mr. Alexander has 30 years of experience advising clients in the energy industry on commercial transactions around the world.
Edward Poitevent – Mr. Poitevent counsels a range of players in the energy field on legal and regulatory matters related to energy exploration, production, sales and marketing, transmission, refining and use.
Sheila R. Tweed – Ms. Tweed’s practice focuses on energy transactions and regulatory matters in connection with power generation, oil and natural gas production, transportation and storage, and infrastructure development projects.
In addition, Michael K. Bolton, Robert Kestelik and Carlos A. Solé III have joined the firm as counsel and Jeremy R. Kennedy has joined the firm as an associate.
Ms. Tweed joins the firm from Kinder Morgan. The others join the firm from King & Spalding.
Earlier this year, Akin Gump announced that John P. Cogan Jr. and Douglas B. Glass had joined the firm. With a focus on LNG projects, Mr. Cogan is considered to be one of the world’s top energy lawyers. He heads the firm’s global energy transactions practice. Mr. Glass, who is known for his experience with energy law in Europe and Russia, heads the firm’s energy projects development team in London and Moscow.
“This is a period of tremendous change and opportunity in the global energy industry,” Mr. McLean said. “With these additions to the firm, we are well-positioned to continue expanding our leadership role going forward.”
