Bracewell Elects Five New Partners

Bracewell LLP is pleased to announce the election of five lawyers to the firm’s partnership, effective January 1, 2021. The newly elected partners include Nancy McEvily Davis, Timothy R. Geiger, Benjamin J. Martin, Julie Melton Partain and Derek A. B. Speck.

“I am excited to welcome these exceptional lawyers to our partnership,” said Bracewell Managing Partner Gregory M. Bopp. “Each has demonstrated a commitment to client service excellence and collaboration that are hallmarks of our firm. Together, their diverse backgrounds and experiences strengthen our ability to serve the complex litigation, regulatory and transactional needs of our clients.”

Meet Bracewell’s 2021 Partner Class

Nancy McEvily Davis, Houston – Davis is a commercial trial lawyer with jury trial experience, who advises US and international companies in healthcare, energy, banking and other sectors. She was named “One to Watch” in Houston healthcare law in 2021 by The Best Lawyers in America. Davis earned her B.S. from University of Notre Dame, and graduated magna cum laude with a J.D. from University of Houston Law Center, where she was a member of Houston Law Review, Order of the Coif and Order of the Barons.

Timothy R. Geiger, Houston – Geiger represents clients in litigation and at trial, with an emphasis on patent, trademark and trade secrets matters. He has represented clients in patent infringements and other intellectual property disputes involving a range of technologies in federal district courts throughout the United States. Geiger graduated with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University, and magna cum laude with a J.D. from University of Houston Law Center, where he was an editor of Houston Law Review, Order of the Coif and Order of the Barons.

Benjamin J. Martin, Houston – Martin advises clients throughout a legal entity’s life cycle, from its incorporation and establishment of governance procedures to its termination through merger, conversion or other business combinations. He was named “One to Watch” in Houston oil and gas law in 2021 by The Best Lawyers in America, and a “Rising Star” by Texas Super Lawyers in 2018-2020. Martin earned his B.A., magna cum laude, from Louisiana State University, and his J.D. from University of Virginia School of Law, where he was a member of Virginia Law & Business Review.

Julie Melton Partain, Dallas – Partain concentrates on public debt offerings and business transactions involving cities, counties, school districts, universities, economic development corporations and water districts. She serves as bond counsel, underwriter’s counsel and disclosure counsel in financings for all types of public entities. Before entering private practice, Partain was a judicial clerk to Texas Supreme Court Judge Nathan L. Hecht. Partain earned her B.A. with honors from The University of Texas, her M.P.A. from University of North Texas and her J.D. with honors from The University of Texas School of Law.

Derek A. B. Speck, Houston – Speck advises clients on corporate formations, mergers and acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, securities offerings, corporate restructurings and private equity transactions, most notably in the energy sector. Prior to his legal career, he was an auditor with a major natural resources company. Speck was named “One to Watch” in Houston energy law in 2021 by The Best Lawyers in America. He earned his B.S. from Tulane University, his M.B.A. from University of Tulsa Collins College of Business and his J.D. with highest honors from University of Tulsa College of Law, where he was editor of Tulsa Law Review.

In addition to internal promotions, Bracewell expanded its partnership in 2020 with the addition of lateral hires in its litigation and disputes, power and renewables, and tax practices in London, New York and Washington, DC. They include Alistair Calvert, Danielle Garbien, Vince E. Morgan, Timothy J. Urban and Danielle M. Varnell.

Meet Bracewell’s 2020 Lateral Partner and Senior Principal Hires

Alistair Calvert, London – Calvert joined Bracewell in November 2020 as a partner in the firm’s international energy disputes practice. He advises clients on the management of legal risk during pre-action negotiations, managing litigation and international arbitration, mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution, including expert determination and early neutral evaluation. He has extensive experience acting on major energy disputes in Africa, Europe and the UK. Calvert is a graduate of University of Cambridge – St. Catharine’s College and the London College of Law.

Danielle Garbien, New York – Garbien joined Bracewell in March 2020 as a partner in the firm’s power practice. She represents energy and commodities companies, financial institutions, private equity companies, developers and hedge funds in a wide range of complex energy financing, investments, power purchase agreements, and commodity and hedging transactions, with a focus on power and renewable energy. Garbien has experience negotiating and drafting EPC contracts, REC purchase agreements, turbine supply agreements, operating and management agreements and other procurement agreements for energy and infrastructure projects. She also advises on structuring hedges for the financing and acquisition of energy facilities; energy storage arrangements; transactions involving carbon capture and sequestration; renewable energy transactions, including solar and wind development and offtake arrangements; long-term supply and credit facilities for retail and wholesale energy contracts; and prepaid natural gas and electricity transactions. Garbien earned her B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Boston College and her J.D. from American University, Washington College of Law.

Vincent E. Morgan, Houston – Morgan joined Bracewell in July 2020 as a partner in the firm’s insurance recovery practice. He has extensive experience representing corporate policyholders in complex disputes and has helped clients obtain billion-dollar recoveries for catastrophic claims. He is ranked as one of the country’s leading insurance lawyers by Chambers USA and The Legal 500 United States, and is a past chair of the Insurance Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. Morgan graduated summa cum laude from The University of Texas at Dallas with a B.A. in Economics and Finance, and with honors from The University of Texas School of Law.

Timothy J. Urban, Washington, DC – Urban joined Bracewell in January 2020 as a senior principal in the firm’s Policy Resolution Group and head of the tax policy practice. He previously served for over 20 years as a principal at EY in its Washington Council tax lobbying practice. Urban has represented a broad variety of clients on tax issues, with a focus on the energy sector. He has worked on conventional, alternative and renewable energy tax proposals involving income and excise tax; production, blending and investment credits; accelerated depreciation provisions; and various carbon tax proposals for energy facility investors, developers and operators. Urban earned his B.A. from The George Washington University.

Danielle M. Varnell, Washington, DC – Varnell joined Bracewell in June 2020 as a partner in the firm’s power practice. She represents a broad range of clients on M&A transactions and project development in the energy and infrastructure sectors, with a particular focus on renewable energy. Over the course of her career, Varnell has advised strategic and financial buyers and sellers on the purchase, sale or development of more than 8,000 MW of wind generation, 6,000 MW of solar generation and 4,000 MW of nuclear generation assets, with an aggregate value over $40 billion. Varnell graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with an A.B. from Ripon College, and earned her J.D., cum laude and Order of the Coif, from University of Wisconsin Law School.