Gardere Welcomes Prominent Tax Attorney James Howard

James Howard has joined the Houston office of Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP as a partner in the firm’s Tax Practice Group.

Houston (I-Newswire) October 1, 2012 - Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP is pleased to announce the addition of James Howard, formerly of Locke Lord LLP, as a partner in the Firm’s Houston office. Mr. Howard’s practice will focus on international and business tax, securities, and finance.

As a member of Gardere’s Tax Practice Group, Mr. Howard will provide the full range of international and domestic tax services to clients in the oilfield service, private equity, and real estate industries, among others. His primary focus will be evaluating tax consequences for companies and individuals, including those related to debt restructuring, repatriation, and the formation of companies, partnerships, and joint ventures.

“We are very excited that James decided to join Gardere,” says Gardere Managing Partner Steve Good. “We are especially fortunate to have his depth of tax knowledge related to energy, private equity, and real estate matters, three thriving practices at the Firm.”

On the international front, Mr. Howard has significant experience with equity and debt investments both into and out of the United States, including issuing investments to foreign funds, and domestic and international companies disposing of domestic and foreign operations, most recently a foreign organized company having operations in seven countries on four continents. He also assists foreign-owned businesses investing and operating in the United States in various industries, with a particular focus in exploration and production and the oilfield services industry.

Mr. Howard provides tax advice to domestic clients on securities offerings, portfolio investments, reorganizations, developments, and mergers and acquisitions. Residing in the “Energy Capital of the World” for more than 20 years, he is well-versed in matters concerning oil and gas and consistently provides thoughtful advice on these matters to leaders in the energy sector. Mr. Howard has represented a number of management teams in the energy industry in their negotiations with private equity sponsors and their relationships with customers, vendors, banks, and other financing sources.

Mr. Howard’s Tax Law practice earned him inclusion in The Best Lawyers of America® 2013, published by Woodward/White, Inc. He is a member of the Taxation Section of the State Bar of Texas, previously serving as chair of its Partnership & Real Estate Tax Committee, as well as a member of its International Tax Committee and Subcommittee on Corporate Tax Shelters.

Mr. Howard earned his law degree from the South Texas College of Law and his undergraduate degree from Oklahoma State University.

Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP, an Am Law 200 firm founded in 1909 and one of the Southwest’s largest full-service law firms, has offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and Mexico City. Gardere provides legal services to private and public companies and individuals in areas of corporate, litigation, energy, tax, real estate, financial services, government affairs, hospitality, intellectual property, labor and employment, and environmental. For more information, contact Kristin Butler at 214.999.4843 or kbutler@gardere.com.