NewsWire

Chapter 11 Confirmed in Less Than 30 Days
A Chapter 11 reorganization can take months or even years to gain creditor and court approval. But Baseline Oil & Gas Corp. recently concluded a bankruptcy plan in just 25 days, one of the fastest on record. "Through the use of a pre-packaged Chapter 11 plan and a concentrated effort, we were able to receive confirmation of this reorganization plan in less than a month, with the confirmation hearing lasting only 60 minutes, which is truly extraordinary for this type of transaction," says  Rhett Campbell of Thompson & Knight, who led Baseline's legal team. A publicly traded company that controls energy-producing properties in Texas and Indiana, Baseline's bankruptcy confirmation hearing was held and the order of confirmation was signed on the same day. To interview Mr. Campbell, contact Barry Pound at 800-559-4534 or barry@androvett.com.

Texting Behind the Wheel: There Oughta Be a Law
The Obama administration last week outlawed federal workers from text messaging while driving on the job, and a related proposal currently under consideration would withhold federal highway funds from states that don't have anti-texting traffic laws. Attorney Steve Laird of The Law Offices of Steven C. Laird in Fort Worth says he's seen too many examples of the dangers caused by distracted drivers, particularly commercial truck drivers using smartphones or other communication devices while driving. "Studies show that distracted drivers are dangerous drivers," Laird says. "The popularity of smartphones has greatly increased the threat from distracted drivers, and it's time for employers to take a stand on this issue and perhaps get new laws enacted to address this practice." To interview Mr. Laird, contact Robert Tharp at 800-559-4534 or robert@androvett.com.

U.S. Companies Seeking Overseas Shale
As lower industrial usage and domestic gas prices have combined to deflate the domestic natural gas market from its 2008 highs, production companies are increasingly turning their attention overseas. "We're seeing significant interest from U.S. producers in developing unconventional gas resources in Europe and Asia," says Scott Schwind of the Houston office of Thompson & Knight. "Exploration and production is cranking up in China, India, Poland and France, in many cases using the imaging and extraction technologies developed in Texas and Pennsylvania." He notes that the number of accessible natural gas resources around the world is rising sharply, and development could be less costly and bring higher gas prices than in the current U.S. market. "Until demand and prices increase, pursuing new domestic reserves may not be a sound fiscal decision. However, overseas investments may be a different story." To interview Mr. Schwind, contact Barry Pound at 800-559-4534 or barry@androvett.com.

The Lanier Law Firm Expands International Presence
The Lanier Law Firm, one of the nation's premiere trial law firms, is expanding globally. The firm recently launched an International Arbitration and Dispute Practice, and has announced plans for a London office in 2010. The new practice group is led by firm founder Mark Lanier and Dana Taschner, Managing Attorney of the firm's Los Angeles office, and will partner with Dallas attorney Lisa Blue. "Our clients are facing a growing number of international disputes, so this new group is designed to better assist them," says Lanier. "We'll also step in and help other law firms that want to guard against conflicts with their corporate clients." To interview Mr. Lanier, contact Alan Bentrup at 800-559-4534 or alan@androvett.com.

ABA President-Elect Looks to Improve Civics Education
The next leader of the American Bar Association says he wants the group to get behind an effort to teach American high school students about the role of government. President-Elect Stephen N. Zack vowed to make civics education a hallmark of his tenure as head of the ABA, the largest voluntary professional organization in the world, during an interview for the Legal Broadcast Network conducted by Dallas attorney Luis Bartolomei of Dallas-based Reyes Bartolomei Browne. "Mr. Zack is a dynamic individual, with a very firm idea of what he intends to accomplish during his tenure at the ABA, primarily in the area of education and in regards to improving diversity, and that is evident in this interview," says Bartolomei. The interview can be found at the Justicia Para Todos blog, http://justiciaparatodos.squarespace.com/web-site-en-espaol/. For more information, contact Mark Annick at 800-559-4534 or mark@androvett.com.