Former Baker Hughes Chief Legal Officer William D. Marsh Joins Bracewell’s Houston Office

HOUSTON – Bracewell LLP announced today that William D. Marsh has joined the firm’s Houston office as of counsel in the corporate and securities group. Marsh comes to the firm after 20 years with Baker Hughes, most recently as its chief legal officer.

“We are thrilled to have Will join the firm,” said Bracewell Managing Partner Gregory M. Bopp. “Will knows firsthand the challenges facing in-house counsel. His experience strengthens our ability to serve the needs of our corporate clients.”

Marsh advises public and private companies on various transactional and corporate governance issues, including international mergers and acquisitions, enterprise risk management, and environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. Marsh joined Baker Hughes as internal counsel in 1998, rising to the position of general counsel in 2013 and chief legal officer in 2017. During his tenure with Baker Hughes, Marsh oversaw several prominent transactions, including the 2017 merger of Baker Hughes Incorporated and GE Oil & Gas and Baker Hughes’ $6.9 billion acquisition of BJ Services in 2011.

“Will has overseen some of the most significant transactions in the oil field services sector. His deep knowledge of the energy industry, combined with his understanding of the inner workings of a corporate legal department, gives him a unique perspective that clients will find invaluable,” said G. Alan Rafte, head of Bracewell’s business and regulatory section.

Marsh served on the board of directors of People Utah Bancorp from 2015 to 2017, and BJ Services from 2016 to 2020. Within the Houston community, he serves on the board of directors of Houston World Affairs Council and the advisory board of the University of Houston Center for US and Mexican Law.

Marsh is the latest senior-level attorney to join Bracewell’s global energy team within the last 15 months. Recent lateral partner hires include Theodore F. Duver, Danielle Garbien and Frank Lee in New York; Danielle M. Varnell in Washington, DC; and Alistair Calvert, Tom Jamieson, Ronen Lazarovitch and Gordon Stewart in London.

“I am excited to return to private practice and work with my new colleagues,” said Marsh.

Marsh earned his J.D. from the J. Rueben Clark Brigham Young University Law School and his B.S. in Accounting from Brigham Young University. He is fluent in Spanish.