Aaron Ball and Paula Galhardo of Looper Reed & McGraw’s Latin America Projects Group will provide a general review of the many fields that most directly affect agency and distribution from an energy perspective: dealer contracts; relations and termination; and others.  

The Latin America Projects Group brings together lawyers with wide-ranging experience representing U.S. and international clients who do business in Latin America, as well as advising Latin American clients on their business ventures in the United States.  

Speaker - Aaron Ball & Paula Galhardo
Title/Topic - Agency and Distribution in Latin America
Date - February 11, 2010
Time - 7:30 a.m.
Group - Young Professionals in Energy
Place - BHP Biliton Tower, 1330 Post Oak Blvd, 2nd Floor, Houston TX 77056
Registration - http://www.ypenergy.org/en/cev/reg/417/

Darrell's practice focuses on commercial transactions, with an emphasis in the health care industry.  His practice reflects the interplay among Corporate Finance / Securities, Health Law, and Real Estate Law.  He has lent his experience to all aspects of the organization, reorganization, funding, and merger/acquisition of numerous entities, including specifically, hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, physical therapy companies, diagnostic centers, management services organizations, medical and dental practices, and home health agencies.  He also provides guidance on operational and administrative issues.

Speaker - Darrell Armer
Title/Topic - Medical Records Law   
Date - December 2, 2009       
Place - Dallas, TX
Registration - http://www.lorman.com/seminars/seminar_details.php?sku=384463

Travis Crabtree brings a unique perspective to his internet marketing, online media and commercial litigation practice. Travis graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism and spent several years in television news before taking on a law career. Travis explores the emerging legal issues and trends for internet marketing and online media on his blog, eMediaLaw.com. In addition, Travis represents plaintiffs and defendants in complex business matters including cases involving defamation, open records issues, antitrust, RICO, the False Claims Act, shareholder derivatives, minority shareholder oppression, corporate officer/director fiduciary cases, partnership disputes, trade secrets, the DTPA, the UCC, employment and class actions in both state and federal court. He provides advice and counsel to clients at all stages of conflict from avoiding disputes, to alternative dispute resolution, trials and appeals.

Speaker - Travis Crabtree
Title/Topic - HR Sourcing Forensics: Digital Due Diligence in the Era of Social Media
Date - December 2, 2009
Time - 10 a.m.       
Place - Webinar
Registration - TBD

Chris Harris' practice focuses on federal income and estate tax matters.  His practice includes advising clients on tax-efficient structures for corporate mergers, acquisitions, divisions, and reorganizations both domestically and internationally.  He also advises clients on the formation, capitalization, and liquidation of partnerships, s-corporations, and other pass-through entities. Chris also provides tax planning expertise for improving corporate tax efficiencies as well as executive compensation packages. Additionally, Chris represents individuals in all aspects of their business and estate planning needs.  He focuses on the preparation of wills and trusts, the creation of family limited partnerships and other entities, and the analysis of related estate tax, gift tax, and generation-skipping transfer tax issues.

David Gair's practice focuses on taxation with a special emphasis on tax controversy work.  He routinely represents clients in civil and criminal matters stemming from examinations conducted by the IRS.  He has represented numerous clients in the United States District Courts, the Court of Federal Claims, the U.S. Tax Court, and state courts. David's practice also involves tax planning for entrepreneurs and small businesses, including partnerships, limited liability companies, and corporations. His practice involves all aspects of business tax planning, including entity formation, restructuring, acquisitions, and dispositions, as well as various aspects of individual tax planning.

Speaker - Chris Harris and David Gair
Title/Topic - What Cancer Patients Need to Have in Place Today for Tomorrow
Date - November 7, 2009
Time - 11 a.m to 12 noon
Place - Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, TX

Ms. McConnico, a partner with Looper Reed & McGraw, P.C.'s family law section, is Board Certified in Family Law. Her practice focuses on family law litigation, collaborative law, mediation and civil court guardian ad litem appointments for children. Family law experience includes divorce proceedings, property characterization, valuation and division, child support modifications, modifications of visitation and parental rights, enforcement of court orders, pre-marital and post-marital agreements, adoptions, mediations and collaborative law divorce settlements. Ms. McConnico has tried jury and non-jury cases before courts handling family law matters in Harris, Galveston, Montgomery, Brazoria and Fort Bend Counties. Additionally, she has training in alternative resolution techniques and strives to help clients reach amicable, economically wise solutions before resorting to litigation. Finally, she has handled over 150 guardian ad litem appointments in civil court injury cases analyzing and structuring settlements for children.

Speaker - Kate McConnico
Title/Topic - How to Assist Your Attorney in Effectively Trying a Property Case - Family Law   
Date - Friday, Oct. 16, 2009
Time - 9:40 to 10:40 a.m.            
Place - South Shore Harbor Resort, League City, TX
Group/Organization - Texas Advanced Paralegal Seminar
More information - http://www.txpd.org/

You've all heard it!  No lawyer or law firm in today's environment can be competitive without taking advantage of the Internet and its myriad resources.  Taking advantage of the Internet and its blogs, social media, and lawyer review sites, however, raises numerous ethics issues for lawyers.  In this interactive session, Travis Crabtree of Looper Reed & McGraw, P.C., describes (in layman's terms) some of the Internet tools attorneys can use to their advantage and the ethical issues that surround them. 

Travis Crabtree brings a unique perspective to his internet marketing, online media and commercial litigation practice. Travis graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism and spent several years in television news before taking on a law career. Travis explores the emerging legal issues and trends for internet marketing and online media on his blog, eMediaLaw.com, which you can visit by clicking here. In addition, Travis represents plaintiffs and defendants in complex business matters including cases involving defamation, open records issues, antitrust, RICO, the False Claims Act, shareholder derivatives, minority shareholder oppression, corporate officer/director fiduciary cases, partnership disputes, trade secrets, the DTPA, the UCC, employment and class actions in both state and federal court. He provides advice and counsel to clients at all stages of conflict from avoiding disputes, to alternative dispute resolution, trials and appeals.

Speaker - Travis Crabtree
Title/Topic - The Ethics of Lawyers on the Internet
Date - October 9, 2009       
Place - South Texas College of Law

Latin America has just experienced six years of the highest GDP growth it's had in more than 40 years.  The recent downturn demonstrates, however, that the Latin American nations' economic performance has not been completely decoupled from developed economies. Nonetheless, the process of economic reform undertaken in Latin America has been extremely worthwhile.  As a result, some Latin American countries will be among the first to rebound from the downturn and are the subject of keen interest for investment and increased domestic consumption.  As more countries move into the Latin American economy one of their first steps is to develop a local presence in the form of an agent or distributor.

Aaron Ball and Paula Galhardo of Looper Reed & McGraw's Latin America Projects Group will provide a general review of the many fields that most directly affect distribution: Foreign Corrupt Practices Act; dealer contracts; relations and termination; and others.  

The Latin America Projects Group brings together lawyers with wide-ranging experience representing U.S. and international clients who do business in Latin America, as well as advising Latin American clients on their business ventures in the United States.  

Vernon helps businesses avoid and resolve commercial disputes through negotiation, alternative dispute resolution and litigation, with an emphasis on construction and government contract law.  For fifteen years, Vernon has  represented construction owners, contractors, subcontractors and suppliers in claims and dispute avoidance, resolution and litigation arising from public and private heavy civil, industrial, telecom, and commercial project contracts, including claims related to changed work, extra work, differing site conditions, defective specifications, suspensions and delays. Vernon has also presented or defended various bid protests related to federal, state and local government contracts and defends OSHA citations for workplace safety violations

In addition to dispute related work, Vernon has significant experience with construction contract document preparation, negotiation, and risk analysis.  He also represents small, disadvantaged, minority and women owed businesses in certification disputes and government contractors / vendors denied DBE / MBE / WBE participation credits.

Speaker - Vernon Howerton
Title/Topic - Legal issues related to construction scheduling and delays
Date - Sept. 22, 2009
Group/Organization - Texas Department of Criminal Justice

Aaron's practice is concentrated in the manufacturing and oil & gas industries.  Aaron structures, negotiates and manages complex business transactions such as acquisitions and the planning and organization of business ventures. These transactions frequently involve corporate and tax planning issues in many different countries. Aaron is experienced in working with foreign counsel and other professional advisors to plan sophisticated transactions and business structures such as holding companies, joint ventures, and other commercial arrangements.  In, addition to his admissions to practice in numerous U.S. jurisdictions, Aaron is also admitted to the Law Society of England and Wales as a Solicitor. Aaron often serves as outside general counsel to his clients, advising them on a wide range of matters as an integral part of the management team. Aaron provides services to numerous businesses including oil & gas exploration companies, oil field services companies, oilfield parts and equipment manufacturers, oil & gas syndicators and investment funds, and the leading technology standards organization to the oil & gas industry.

Speaker - Aaron Ball
Title/Topic - The Marcellus Bottom Line: Take-Away, Well Results, New Tax & Water Issues
Date - September 10, 2009 @ 10 a.m.CST

In a career spanning over 23 years of litigation, Jim has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in the trial and appeal of complex civil business cases in state and federal courts. He has successfully prosecuted and defended anti-trust actions and breach of contract claims as well as business tort, personal injury and insurance cases. He has led the defense of several clients in actions caused by oil spills and pipeline ruptures.

Speaker - Jim McGraw
Title/Topic - Which Ones Do You Want on the Jury? And Which Ones Do You Strike
Date - August 13, 2009         
Place - Houston, Texas
Group/Organization - The University of Houston Law Foundation "The Jury Trial 2009" CLE
More information - http://www.law.uh.edu/cle/description.asp?CID=2659