Baker Botts LLP - Who's Who Legal 70

What is the Who's Who Legal 70?

Baker Botts LLP in Who's Who Legal

	Oil & Gas
	14

	Real Estate
	3

	Corporate Governance
	2

	Trademarks
	1

	Business Crime Defence
	4

	Patents
	3

	Project Finance
	5

	Mergers & Acquisitions
	3

	Commercial Litigation
	3

	Project Finance
	5

	Commercial Litigation
	3

	Management Labour & Employment
	1

	Life Sciences
	3

	Arbitration
	4

	Competition
	5

	Capital Markets
	2

	Corporate Tax
	1

	Product Liability Defence
	2

	Franchise
	2

	Environment
	8

One practice area stands out – Baker Botts has 14 entries from six countries in the oil and gas chapter. In Houston, the “highly respectable” Hugh Tucker is head of the global projects department and leader of the firm’s oil and gas section while Thomas Eastment features in Washington, DC, and heads the firm’s energy regulatory section. The firm’s international credentials are demonstrated by the inclusion of Sean Korney in Dubai, Steven Wardlaw in Russia, Antony Higginson in London and David Renton in Hong Kong.

The firm’s environment practice receives great praise, with a wealth of expertise at clients’ disposal. Nine lawyers are featured in Washington, Austin and Houston. The firm’s Austin office has five lawyers featured. Pamela Giblin is a senior partner and is “truly outstanding”. In Washington, DC, William Bumpers heads the firm’s global climate change practice and is included alongside Steven Leifer and Daniel Steinway.

Baker Botts’ competition practice has been strengthened by the addition within its ranks of ex-Howrey partners James Rill, John Taladay, Sean Boland and Christopher MacAvoy in Washington, DC. This team features prominently in the research and is regarded by clients as “top notch” and “world class”.

Baker Botts has a “first rate” project finance practice. Four lawyers from the firm are listed in the corresponding chapter. In Hong Kong, David Renton is well respected. Nigel Thompson in Dubai is considered a “real asset” for the team. The firm’s clients include Asian Development Bank, Hong Kong and China Gas Company, Barclays and Citigroup.

Four partners at the firm’s Washington DC office appear in the business crime defence chapter. Stan Mortenson recently represented Liberty Media in the successful defence of a claim alleging US$4 billion in damages. The “client-focused” William Jeffress is identified as a leading lawyer in this field and also appears in the commercial litigation chapter, alongside Rod Phelan in Dallas and Irvin Terrell in Houston. Baker Botts’ arbitration practice is also very strong, with Alejandro Escobar appearing in London with Jay Alexander. Michael Goldberg is based in Houston, while Dominic Pellew in Moscow is also recognised for his arbitration expertise.

In the capital markets chapter the firm’s Houston and Dallas offices are represented. In Dallas, Roderick Goyne is head of the finance section of the corporate department and in Houston Joshua Davidson is head of the firm’s master limited partnerships practice. Three US partners are listed in the M&A chapter. David Kirkland is chair of the corporate practice and advised Schlumberger Limited in its US$11 billion acquisition of Smith International. Charles Szalkowski and Neel Lemon are also recognised.

Real estate has also been a strong area for Baker Botts with four lawyers listed in Houston and Dallas. Robert Wright is “superb” and appears alongside Fred Dunlop, Marley Lott and Patricia Stanton.

Lawyers from the firm appear in several other chapters and this emphasises the depth of expertise Baker Botts has to offer across a full range of industries.