Press Release

HOUSTON—Jones Walker announced today that Michael B. Donald, Joshua A. Norris, Amy L. Vazquez,and Nicole M. Duarte have joined the firm and will practice from the firm's Houston office. The four attorneys joined the firm from the Houston office of Lemle & Kelleher, L.L.P., and the move adds four litigation attorneys to Jones Walker's Houston office.

William H. Hines, Jones Walker's Managing Partner, said, "The addition of these four excellent attorneys to our Houston office offers our Texas clients greater depth in litigation matters, particularly in the area of energy, oil and gas, and other areas of business and commercial litigation. We are thrilled to have them join our Houston practice. Mike, Josh, Nicole, and Amy are a great team of talented litigators."

"We chose to move to Jones Walker because the firm offers us the opportunity to expand our practices while continuing to work with our existing clients in Texas," added Mr. Donald. "Jones Walker is an excellent law firm and is well-respected across the Gulf South, particularly in the areas of energy and oil and gas. With the firm's involvement in working with clients on sustainability and alternative energy, including the sequestration of carbon dioxide, this is a particularly satisfying move for me."

Mr. Donald has practiced for nearly 25 years since earning his juris doctor degree from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State University, in 1985. He received his undergraduate degree from Tulane University. Mr. Donald has focused his career on complex civil litigation and energy, environmental, and utilities law. He has a specific strength in geological sequestration of carbon dioxide, having drafted Act 512 that was signed into law by Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal in 2009. Mr. Donald is licensed in both Texas and Louisiana.

Mr. Norris received his juris doctor degree, magna cum laude, from Tulane University Law School. He is a 1997 graduate of Davidson College, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts. His practice ranges from commercial litigation and class actions to environmental and toxic torts, and he has tried more than 40 cases in both federal and district courts.

Ms. Vazquez earned her juris doctor degree from Tulane University Law School, magna cum laude, after receiving her Bachelor of Arts from Georgetown University. She practices in the areas of business litigation, class action, energy, oil and gas, and public utility law.

Ms. Duarte's litigation experience spans from complex litigation and class actions to an appellate practice as well as environmental, toxic torts, transportation, and casualty law. She received her juris doctor degree from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State University, and received her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees from Louisiana State University. She is licensed to practice in Alaska as well as in Louisiana.

Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carrère & Denègre L.L.P. (www.joneswalker.com) provides a comprehensive range of legal services to a national and international corporate client base through offices in Alabama, Arizona, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas.

# # #