Paul Hastings Adds Elite 8-Partner Band 1 Finance Team in Texas

DALLAS and HOUSTON – In a move that significantly strengthens its presence in Texas and overall global platform, Paul Hastings LLP announced today that an elite eight-partner global finance team from the Band 1 practice at Vinson & Elkins LLP, including the current and former practice co-chairs, has joined the firm.

Brian Moss, Erec Winandy, Christopher Dewar, Guy Gribov, Bailey Pham, James Longhofer, Rafael Alvarado, and Alex Cross provide banks, private credit funds, private equity funds, and borrowers with unparalleled energy finance representation. The group’s clients include JPMorgan, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Citibank, Apollo, HPS, Goldman, Nuveen, Kayne Anderson, Sixth Street, Cibolo, Talos Energy, EIG, Texas Capital Bank, and Ares.

“We are incredibly excited to welcome this exceptional group who will expand the capabilities of our market-leading global finance practice while also creating a formidable presence for us in Texas,” said firm Chair Frank Lopez. “Our existing client base and strong practices are highly synergistic with this premier team as we look to grow market share in Texas at the top of the market.” 

Coming from a banking and finance practice ranked Band 1 in Texas, six of the new partners also are recognized individually by Chambers USA. They now join the market-leading Paul Hastings finance platform that has added premier talent on both sides of the Atlantic, including, in the United States, a premier three-partner group from Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP and elite New York finance partner Morgan Bale from Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, and, in London, a Band 1 team from Latham & Watkins LLP as well as high-yield partner Patrick Bright, also from Weil. 

In Texas, this new finance team builds on momentum generated by the firm’s recent additions of the leading corporate team of David Elder, Christopher Centrich, and Patrick Hurley, who joined earlier this month, and complex commercial litigator Paul Genender, who joined last fall as chair of the firm’s Texas commercial litigation practice and co-chair of the Houston office.

The group has deep experience in diverse transactions ranging from preferred equity investments, bank, mezzanine, and structured financings to convertible debt, distressed situations, and restructuring representations. The lawyers have broad experience in matters involving energy and oil and gas, though they work across various sectors.

“The firm’s commitment to a market-leading global finance practice and strong presence in both the direct lending and commercial syndicated lending markets were big factors in deciding to make the move to Paul Hastings,” said Moss.

“We’re excited to further expand the leading Paul Hastings global platform while also introducing its many leading practices and talented lawyers to our clients,” added Winandy.

About Paul Hastings

With widely recognized elite teams in finance, mergers & acquisitions, private equity, restructuring and special situations, litigation, employment, and real estate, Paul Hastings is a premier law firm providing intellectual capital and superior execution globally to the world’s leading investment banks, asset managers, and corporations.