Andrews & Kurth Announces New Partners

HOUSTON -- Andrews & Kurth, one of the nation`s leading law firms, announces seven additions to the firm`s partnership. "We are pleased to welcome these fine lawyers to our partnership," said Howard T. Ayers, managing partner of the firm.

Lawyers elected to the partnership in Andrews & Kurth`s Austin office are Jerry Kyle, Jr. and Lino Mendiola. Lawyers elected to the partnership in the Dallas office are Paul Seve and Steve Smith. Lawyers elected to the partnership in the firm`s Houston office are David Buck and Martha Smith. Elected to the partnership in The Woodlands office is William McDonald.

Kyle is in the public law practice group where his practice focuses on public finance where he serves as bond counsel or underwriters counsel in tax-exempt bond transactions. He received his J.D. in 1990 from The University of Texas School of Law and his B.A., cum laude, in 1984 from Colorado College.

Mendiola is also in the public law practice group and his practice focuses on public and administrative law including constitutional litigation, administrative litigation and negotiation electric energy matters. He received his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1994 and his B.A. in 1990 from Brigham Young University.

Seve’s practice focuses on the representation of U.S. and international clients in domestic and Latin American securitizations, mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, and debt securities, financial restructuring and reorganizations and general corporate matters. He received his J.D. in 1991 from Southern Methodist University School of Law, his M.B.A. from The University of Texas in 1977 and his B.B.A. in 1974 from St. Edward’s University located in Austin, Texas. He also attended the University of Chile School of Economics.

Steve Smiths’ practice focuses primarily on business and real estate transactions by representing lenders and financing of commercial real estate, and the owners in drafting and negotiating commercial leases, management agreements and purchase and sale agreements. He also handles real estate related workouts, bankruptcies and litigation. He received his J.D. from Southern Methodist University Law School in 1984 and his B.S., cum laude, and B.A. from the University of Connecticut in 1981.

Buck is in the corporate finance and securities practice where his practice focuses on the representation of issuers, underwriters and placement agents in connection with public and private securitization transactions. He received his law degree from Vanderbilt Law School in 1994 and his B.A. in 1990 from Princeton University.

Martha Smith’s practice includes a range of financing and commercial real estate transactions, where she represents both lending institutions and borrowers in commercial financing transactions. She received her J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law in 1993 and her B.A., cum laude, from Washington & Lee University in 1990.

McDonald’s practice focuses on corporate and securities matters where he has experience in various general business and corporate matters including the negotiations and structuring of mergers, stocks and asset acquisitions and the representation of issuers in public and private offerings of equity and debt securities. He received his J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center in 1985 and his B.B.A., with honors, and B.A. from The University of Texas in 1982.

Andrews & Kurth L.L.P. was founded in Houston in 1902 and has 360 lawyers in offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, London, New York, The Woodlands and Washington, D.C. The firm’s practice areas include appellate, bankruptcy, business transactions, energy, environmental, corporate and securities, labor and employment, litigation, intellectual property, public law, project finance, real estate, structured finance, asset securitization, technology and tax law for U.S. and international clients.