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 for the firm.

Lawyers elected to the partnership in Andrews & Kurth's Dallas office are Mark W. Harris and Bernard H. Masters. Lawyers elected to the partnership in the firm's Houston office are J. Todd Culwell, Gislar R. Donnenberg, Darren S. Inoff, Douglas G. Walter and Dimitri D. Zgourides.

Harris is in the corporate finance and securities practice in the firm's Dallas office 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 Southern Methodist University Law School and his in B.B.A. in accounting from Southern Methodist University.

Masters is a litigator in the firm's Dallas office where he represents oil and gas companies, insurance companies, railroads and other publicly-traded companies in business and tort litigation in state and federal courts throughout the U.S. He received is law degree from Tulane Law School and his B.A. from St. John's College.

Culwell practices in the business transaction section in the Houston office where he represents developers in connection with domestic and international project development and project financings. He received his law degree from South Texas College of Law and his B.A. in economics from The University of Texas.

Donnenberg is in the corporate finance and securities section in the firm's Houston office where his practice includes a broad range of corporate and securities transactions including public offerings of equity and debt, private placements, publicly-traded limited partnerships and royalty trusts, mergers and acquisitions and the formation of partnerships and limited liability companies. He received his law degree from The University of Texas School of Law and his doctorate and magister der philosophie from the University of Innsbruck.

Inoff is in the business transactions section in the firm's Houston office and his practice involves a broad spectrum of real estate matters, both on a local and national basis, including commercial leasing of downtown and suburban office buildings, industrial warehouses and farm and ranch properties; and the acquisition, dispositions and construction, developments and financing of industrial office, residential shopping mall properties and electric facilities. He received his law degree from The University of Texas School of Law and his B.A. in economics from The University of Texas.

Walter is in the bankruptcy section in the Houston office and his practice focuses on commercial bankruptcy and business reorganization matters. He received his law degree from Pace University and his B.A. from Bucknell University.

Zgourides is a litigator in the firm's Houston office where his practice includes general commercial litigation with an emphasis in insurance litigation including bad faith, ERISA and managed care litigation. He received his law degree from South Texas College of Law and his B.A. from The University of Texas.

Andrews & Kurth L.L.P. was founded in Houston in 1902 and today has 240 lawyers in offices in Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, London, New York, The Woodlands and Washington D.C. The firm's practice areas include appellate, antitrust, bankruptcy, business transactions, energy, environmental, corporate and securities, Internet and technology, labor and employment, litigation, project finance, real estate, and tax law for U.S. and international clients.