Profile: Fulbright & Jaworski LLP

Fulbright & Jaworski LLP - Who's Who Legal '70'

What is the Who's Who Legal '70'?

Recent expansion has seen offices open in Beijing, St Louis, Riyadh, Dubai and Munich. Fulbright can now call on the services of over over 1,000 lawyers in 16 locations across the US, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The firm provides 29 practitioners in 14 practice areas for the pages that follow.

ENERGY, NATURAL RESOURCES AND FINANCING
Oil and gas is an area in which Fulbright – unsurprisingly considering 70 years’ experience in the area – has a “solid and well-deserved reputation”. The firm adds seven practitioners to the chapter. Brian Bradshaw was rated as “quite exceptional” by one prominent source, as was George Kutzschbach, co-chair of the firm’s energy practice group, who leads in the voting and has an “excellent reputation in Africa and the Middle East”. Steven Pfeiffer chairs the firm’s executive committee from Washington, DC, and has a broad practice. From his base in Hong Kong, Michael Arruda focuses on the Chinese and Central Asian regions and was rated by respondents as “very experienced”.

David Moroney in London boasts “a wealth of experience” and together with Susan Farmer, who joined the firm from Watson Farley & Williams in October, they are an integral part of the impressive Fulbright contingent in this chapter.

The “outstanding” Randel Young recently moved to the Dubai office and comes highly recommended for his work in the oil and gas sector. Young is the only practitioner at the firm to be included in three chapters and is Fulbright’s sole representative in the mergers and acquisitions section. He is also one of the most “senior and experienced” individuals in the project finance chapter and produces “sophisticated work” for high-profile clients. Young is joined in the project finance section by Gregg Harris in Washington, DC.

DISPUTE RESOLUTION
Fulbright’s commercial arbitration expertise is highlighted by the inclusion of the “very active, highly capable and extremely experienced” Mark Baker. Baker is a co-head of the firm’s international department and of the arbitration and ADR practice group. Re-elected in May 2007 as director of the AAA, he will continue to hold the position until 2010. In the commercial litigation chapter, Frank Jones is “a cut above” and a “seasoned commercial litigator”, according to sources. Jones is joined in this chapter by the “extremely able” Lista Cannon, who is based in London.

Product liability defence is also a strong suit for the firm, with three Texan entries in this chapter. Terry Tottenham and Lana Varney from Austin, where Tottenham is partner in charge, feature alongside Otway Denny from Houston. Tottenham heads the firm’s pharmaceutical and medical device litigation practice group and is a “big name” in the market. Layne Kruse co-chairs the firm’s antitrust, marketing, and trade regulation practice group and is Fulbright’s sole entry in the competition chapter. Kruse “enjoys a good reputation” for antitrust litigation and is said to be particularly adept at handling class actions and has represented clients from industries such as oil and gas, health care, insurance and publishing.

Intellectual Property
Christopher Benson gives the firm a presence in the patents chapter. Fulbright has really made its mark, however, in trademark law. Austin boasts “a glittering array of talented lawyers” and partner Shannon Timothy Vale, was praised as “a big name, without question” and “a safe pair of hands when it comes to obtaining and maintaining trademarks”. Richard Groos, a “real all-rounder” with “a flair for creative problem solving”, is joined by Michael Metteauer, who has an “enviable reputation” for trademark clearance, prosecution and licensing. Paul Williamson is the final Fulbright partner in the trademarks chapter and is based in Washington, DC.

FURTHER EXPERTISE
Evelyn Biery heads the firm’s bankruptcy, reorganisation and creditors’ rights department and is an “absolutely superb lawyer”. Biery was particularly admired for her courtroom skills: “She is a very tough opponent,” said one. She is joined in the insolvency & restructuring chapter by John Barrett – “the dean of international bankruptcy work”.

The construction chapter serves to highlight the firm’s increasing international credentials, with Mark Bisch from Dubai featuring prominently. The “first-rate” James Tussing features in the aviation section and is known among his peers as a “very talented […] well-known aircraft finance lawyer”. Tussing heads the firm’s equipment finance practice group.

John Hollyfield features in the real estate section, while John Harper and Barbara D’Aquila feature in the management labour and employment section and round off an impressive showing from one of this publication’s best-respected firms.