New York — February 12, 2009 (LAWFUEL) — Hunton & Williams LLP is pleased to announce that nationally known litigator Edward F. Fernandes has joined the firm as a partner and will be resident in its Houston and Austin offices.
“We are continuing to strategically expand our strong litigation practice both nationally and in Texas, and we are thrilled to have Ed join us,” said Wally Martinez, Hunton & Williams managing partner. “He is one of the best-known litigators in the country and is well regarded in high-stakes litigation.”
Fernandes comes to the firm from Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, where he maintained a national litigation practice. He represents some of the country’s largest companies in complex litigation, including Bank of America, Citicorp Venture Capital, and Ernst & Young. After winning a series of jury trials, Fernandes was named by the National Law Journal in its 2004 “Winning” ranking that profiles the nation’s top 10 litigators. Recognized nationally for his successful trial work, he was also named by the National Law Journal in 2008 to its “Profiles in Power: The 50 Most Influential Minority Lawyers in America.”
With more than 20 years of trial experience, his practice focuses on complex business litigation, including financial services transactions, legal and accounting malpractice, patent litigation and trade secrets, securities, and bankruptcy disputes in both state and federal courts across the United States, a complement to the firm’s national litigation capabilities.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for both the clients I serve and for me personally,” said Fernandes. “I am excited about the opportunity to build on the firm’s strategic commitment to Texas. Additionally, Hunton & Williams offers great synergies among industries and clients, and the opportunity to team with top litigators across the country.”
Fernandes currently serves on the board of trustees and is the secretary-treasurer for the Texas Bar Foundation. He previously served as a director of the State Bar of Texas from 2005 to 2008 and was a director of the Houston Bar Association. In addition, he founded one of the largest minority-owned law firms in Houston. He holds a J.D. from Columbia University School of Law and a B.A. from Dartmouth College.
