FROM THE EDITOR

By John S. Gray Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP

That Ever-changing Legal Environment

One of the goals of The Houston Lawyer is to help Houston Bar Association members fulfill their obligation to keep current with the changes taking place in the legal environment by publishing articles on topics or issues that we believe are important. Most of the articles printed in The Houston Lawyer or available online at www.thehoustonlawyer.com were chosen because they help hone our practice skills, increase our knowledge of the corpus of the law, assist us in maintaining our workloads, help develop client relationships, provide assistance to those in need in our communities or teach us where we have been and perhaps where we should be heading. Given that Houston is the nation's energy center, it is important that Houston lawyers keep abreast of the ever-changing legal environment we are facing; not only for the energy, refining and petrochemical industries, but all other industries you may represent, as well as the people working and living in Houston.

In this issue, we strive to achieve that goal by focusing on two topics of substantive law—corporate and taxation. Towards that end, we bring you five feature articles that not only provide insightful perspectives on the corpus of the law, but also focus on timely issues and legal changes that will affect many practices in Houston as the government reacts and responds to the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig and resulting oil spill. Included in this issue are articles on complying with the recently enacted Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, a discussion of problems associated with using boilerplate contractual provisions, proposed taxation changes that may affect your client's choice of corporation/partnership, the offshore drilling moratorium, and the resultant transformation of the MMS into the BOEMRE (you will have to read the articles to learn what these acronyms mean).

In addition to these substantive articles, be sure to read our Legal Trend on exemplary damages, Spotlight on the HBA's Law and the Media Committee, Off the Record on attorney Ned Barnett and Media Review on Houston attorney Charles Foster and the compelling film Mao's Last Dancer, about a promising young ballet dancer from China, Li Cunxin, who joined the Houston Ballet in the 1980s for three months as part of a cultural exchange program and decided he did not want to return to China. The film focuses on his efforts to stay in Houston and the lawyering of Charles Foster to help him realize his dream.

Tamara Stiner Toomer, an associate editor of The Houston Lawyer, has done an excellent job of coordinating this issue as our guest editor. She deserves our gratitude and thanks for her efforts. Without her assistance and the work of all the members of The Houston Lawyer editorial board, the continued publication of this fine magazine would not be possible. Likewise, we are grateful for the continued commitment of the advertisers that support this magazine. Due to the efforts of the editorial board; dedicated HBA staff such as managing editor, Tara Shockely and executive director, Kay Sim; our publisher, Quantum/SUR Inc.; and the many companies and individuals who advertise in The Houston Lawyer, we are able to provide the nearly 12,000 Houston Bar Association members with a professional, award-winning publication. Please take a few moments to look at the advertisers in this magazine, give them a call, and then use their products and services when possible. Your patronage will keep our journal alive and growing.

< BACK TO TOP >