Richard J. "Rex" Burch

David Castro Jr. is a corporate partner in the Houston office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. David’s practice focuses on mergers & acquisitions and the formation of joint ventures involving energy assets across the value chain, including traditional and renewable energy sources. David has represented clients in connection with the purchase and sale of a broad range of assets, including upstream and midstream oil and gas assets and companies, processing and fractionation facilities and...

Paul Genender is a partner in the Complex Litigation and Arbitration practice, chair of the Texas Commercial Litigation practice, and co-chair of the Houston office at Paul Hastings. Mr. Genender is a seasoned trial lawyer with an established track record of courtroom success representing plaintiffs, defendants, debtors, and creditors. Mr. Genender represents clients in a wide range of business disputes, including antitrust, breach of contract, business fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, unfair...

Attorney Trey Yates has served the people of Houston and surrounding southeastern Texas since 1984. In 1986, he founded his law firm, Trey Yates Law, where he has focused his practice on assisting clients who face family law challenges, particularly divorces involving complex marital property division. In 2010, he created the popular educational seminar known as The Guide to Good Divorce?. Mr. Yates earned his law degree from St. Mary's University School of Law in 1984, and the State Bar of T...

David Merkley is a board-certified trial lawyer and Co-Chair of the firm’s litigation group and trial team. He is frequently retained in high-profile catastrophic accident cases to assume the defense or to navigate through complicated discovery issues leading to trial. He has tried dozens of cases to verdict and has been involved in several record-setting settlements for companies seeking to avoid the publicity of a jury trial. David is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates ...

Darren S. Skyles is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Health Care Law. Darren S., who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Darren S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Allen D. Hemphill is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Admiralty and Maritime Law. Allen D., who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Allen D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Paul Mitchell is an experienced trial lawyer with a diverse litigation practice. He focuses primarily on representing companies in the energy sector in commercial litigation, arbitration, corporate investigations, and similar matters, but has also handled a wide range of contested matters. For two decades prior to joining Hicks Thomas, Mr. Mitchell was a partner at Baker Botts LLP and Andrews Kurth LLP, two of the oldest and most respected law firms in Texas, and he brings that big-firm exper...

Jesse Pierce has more than fifty years of litigation experience and has tried many types of cases in state and federal courts of Texas and other states. He is licensed to practice in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. He specializes in trials of complex energy and commercial cases. Mr. Pierce is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Mr. Pierce is a member of Litigation Counsel of America, a trial-lawyer honorary society composed of less...

Melissa R. Lanier is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law. Melissa R., who practices law in Humble, Texas, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Melissa R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Stephanie Jeane is an executive compensation partner in the Houston office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Stephanie’s practice focuses on executive compensation and benefits matters in connection with mergers and acquisitions, spin-offs and divestitures and public offerings. Stephanie also advises clients on a wide range of compensation and associated tax, securities and corporate governance matters, including the design, disclosure and implementation of equity and cash incentive programs...