Archives: Attorneys

John Nixon Fox III (Nick) has been practicing corporate law in Texas for over 25 years, with a focus on private equity and M&A transactions, representing clients engaged in a broad range of industries, including private equity, energy, technology. and life sciences (including cannabis). Nick also has a strong background in the taxation of business transactions, having earned a masters in taxation at NYU in 1985 after graduating from the University of Texas Law School in 1984. Prior to moving back to Texas in 1995, Nick practiced tax and corporate law in Washington DC and Hong Kong.
Nick acts as outside general counsel for a number of privately-held companies, from start-ups to international business ventures, as well as private equity investors, including buyout funds, venture capital funds, and angel investors. Nick advises start-ups on company formation, capital structure, equity incentive plans, executive employment agreements, corporate governance, and other general corporate matters. Nick helps more mature companies and investment funds successfully complete a broad array of M&A and private equity transactions, including fund formations, debt and equity financings (from angel investments to leveraged buyouts), mergers and acquisitions, recapitalizations, joint ventures, and strategic alliances.
Nick holds a BV Distinguished Rating by Martindale-Hubbell, the premier rating service for lawyers based upon peer review, which also has awarded Nick a Very High Rating in Both Legal Abilities and Ethical Standards. Nick has been recognized by The American Registry as one of America’s Most Honored Lawyers – Top 5%, and also has been recognized as one of the top corporate lawyers in Texas by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business and Best Lawyers in America. Nick is recognized annually by Law.com as one of the top corporate lawyers in Austin and was named Austin’s Lawyer of the Year in 2021 for Corporate Law.

Michele practices in the area of estate planning. She received her B.A. degree, with honors, from Texas A&M University and her J.D. degree, with honors, from Duke University where she was a member of the Duke Law Journal and was elected to the Order of the Coif. She is licensed to practice in Texas, New York and Florida and before the U.S. Tax Court. She is Board Certified in Estate Planning and Probate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and is a member of the College of the State Bar of Texas. She has been selected by her peers as a Best Lawyers in America, Woodward/White, Inc. (2006-present), and as a Texas Super Lawyer, Thomson Reuters (2004, 2007-2010) in the area of estate planning and probate. She is AV rated by Martindale Hubbell legal directory. Her practice encompasses a wide range of estate planning subjects, such as wills drafting, trust drafting, estate and trust administration, estate tax, fiduciary income tax, business succession planning, charitable planning and advising non-profits. She has spoken to varied audiences on the subjects of limited liability companies, family limited partnerships, estate planning for the family business owner, planned giving techniques, donor advised funds, legal issues fund raisers face, planning for legacy real estate, planning for retirement assets, and executive compensation.

Matt’s law practice primarily involves construction law, including architect/engineer liability, construction defects, delay claims, mechanic’s liens, and bond claims.  The majority of his practice involves dispute resolution through trial and arbitration, and he also assists clients in construction contract drafting and negotiation.  He serves as the principal legal advisor to several construction, architecture and engineering firms. In addition, he regularly serves as an arbitrator and mediator of complex construction claims and other business disputes.

He is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Texas School of Law where he teaches courses on Construction Law and Construction Litigation.

Prior to entering law school, Matt was employed as a Project Manager for Fluor Daniel, Inc., one of the world’s largest engineering/construction corporations.  He has worked on various types of construction projects, including high-rise office buildings, parking structures, high-tech facilities, warehouses, and manufacturing plants located in Texas, Maryland, and Virginia.

Kelly focuses his practice in the areas of estate planning and general corporate law. His estate planning practice includes wills, trusts, family limited partnerships, and charitable planning.  He also represents clients in probate and estate administration matters.

As part of the general corporate law practice, Kelly provides legal advice to both individuals and business entities in areas including entity formation, contract issues, mergers and acquisitions, and general corporate governance.

Prior to joining the firm, Kelly served as the primary in-house counsel for an international environmental engineering firm with annual revenues in excess of $300 million.  Using his in-house counsel experience, Kelly serves in an outside general counsel capacity for a number of growing companies.

Also, prior to joining the firm, Kelly provided a variety of legal services to one of Central Texas’ largest healthcare providers.

Jefferson focuses his practice on a variety of corporate and transactional matters with an emphasis on acquisitions, private securities issuance, private debt and equity financings, securities law matters, entity formation, mergers, corporate restructuring, and corporate governance issues as well as partnership agreements, investor agreements, stock designations, equity incentive plans, employment agreements and other operational agreements.

Jefferson’s practice also includes general real estate matters involving residential and commercial real estate transactions and related entity formation, acquisitions, financing, leasing/subleasing (tenant and landlord), construction and development of office, industrial, retail, multi-family projects. He also assists in environmental regulatory and litigation matters, including contribution claims and cost-recovery actions under CERCLA and state environmental laws.

Ira focuses his practice primarily on tax law with tax controversy matters a substantial part of his practice.  Specific practice areas include:

• Tax Litigation in State District Court, State Appellate Courts and U.S. Tax Court
• Representation in contested tax controversy proceedings before the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Texas State Office of Administrative Hearings, Internal Revenue Service and other government agencies
• Ad valorem property tax controversy work in Texas from appraisal review board proceedings through litigation
• Negotiations with taxing authorities
• Advises clients on federal and state tax issues in mergers, acquisitions and restructuring

Howard concentrates his practice in corporation and securities law, with particular emphasis on representation of private emerging growth companies and public corporations in public and private financings (equity and debt), negotiation of acquisitions and mergers (involving both public and private companies), negotiation of venture capital transactions and advising clients on intellectual property protection (including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets) and the licensing of such rights.  Mr. Nirken’s practice also includes:  general corporate, business, and securities counseling to corporate and technology clients; preparation of stock options plans, shareholder agreements, non-competition agreements, employment agreements, software license agreements; and negotiation of various transactional agreements a company may face in its everyday ordinary course of business.

Mr. Nirken is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Texas School of Law who teaches a class focused on transactional drafting.  

Chris brings an extensive construction background to his practice as an attorney.  Before entering law school, he obtained a degree in Architectural Engineering from the University of Texas and spent several years working in the construction industry on interstate highway, oilfield, water, wastewater and corrections projects in Texas, Wyoming, Utah and New Mexico.  His practice is divided between drafting and negotiating complex design and construction contracts and litigating disputes that arise in the construction industry.  In over 15 years of practice as an attorney, he has:

• Developed and negotiated design, construction, construction management, design-build and project management contracts and master contracts for over 500 construction projects in 36 states, Washington D.C., Canada, Latin America and the United Kingdom, encompassing both public and private projects in the commercial, industrial, education, technology, utility and single and multi-family residential sectors.
• Developed and negotiated subcontract and sub-consultant agreements for builders and design professionals working on public and private projects in Texas.
• Represented owners, developers, contractors, architects, landscape architects and engineers in dozens of design and construction defect suits on residential, commercial, and public projects. These defect claims included allegations of foundation and other structural failures, water infiltration, stone veneer and curtain wall failure, retaining wall collapse, storm water diversion, catastrophic roof failure, sound suppression, and mold and “sick building” cases.
• Litigated commercial and consumer disputes—in both federal and state courts—involving claims for breach of contract and warranty; fraud; Building Code, Water Code and DTPA violations; materialmen’s liens; delay claims; cost overruns; and statutory and common law bond claims.
• Negotiated payment bond settlements and performance bond “takeover” and “tender” agreements.
• Represented nationally recognized hotel owners and restaurateurs in franchisee disputes and public interest suits over compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• Compiled an impressive record successfully defending design professionals in disciplinary proceedings before the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners and Texas Board of Professional Engineers.

Mr. Lee focuses his practice on corporation, business and tax law matters.  Mr. Lee’s corporate and business law practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions; private equity and venture capital investments and fund formation; recapitalizations; private security offerings; partnerships, limited liability companies, and other joint venture arrangements; and general company counseling and contract work, including entity formation, buy-sell agreements, equity compensation plans, and employment agreements.  Mr. Lee has represented companies as well as investors and executives in a wide variety of industries, including technology (software, hardware, and services), medical device, health care, oil and gas, real estate and retail.

Mr. Lee’s tax practice focuses on federal income tax structuring and planning for a wide variety of domestic and international transactions.  Mr. Lee has substantial experience in the taxation of corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, corporate reorganizations, real estate, and equity compensation.

Mr. Campbell focuses his practice on general corporate, real estate and oil & gas law matters, providing legal advice to both individual and corporate clients. His corporate and business law practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructurings, private equity and venture capital investments and fund formation, recapitalizations, private security offerings, partnerships, limited liability companies and other joint venture arrangements. He also provides general company counseling and performs general contract work, including entity formation, buy-sell agreements, equity compensation plans, employment agreements, real estate lease transactions, distributor and dealer arrangements, dispute resolution, employment and other corporate-related matters.  Mr. Campbell has represented companies as well as investors and executives in a wide variety of industries including oil and gas, waste services, construction, marine services, retail, analytical instrumentation, healthcare and real estate.

Mr. Campbell’s oil & gas practice focuses on representing upstream independent energy companies, oil field service companies and private equity funds in connection with a wide variety of corporate transactions, including oil, gas and mineral leases, joint operating agreements, purchase and sale agreements, financing agreements and other energy related documents.  He also regularly represents land and mineral owners with respect to leasing of mineral interests, family interests management and estate planning related to mineral ownership.