Polsinelli welcomes experienced attorney Gemma L. Descoteaux to the firm’s Dallas office as a shareholder where she will concentrate her practice on corporate matters, including acquisitions, divestitures, strategic alliances and joint ventures, technology and outsourcing arrangements and other sophisticated commercial transactions in a wide variety of industries. Prior to joining Polsinelli, Descoteaux worked for several major technology firms, including Texas Instruments.
“Gemma’s practical, hands-on business experience as a corporate attorney brings another unique perspective to our clients,” said Corporate and Transactional Practice Chair Jon Henderson, who practices in Dallas with Descoteaux. “Polsinelli is committed to the recruitment of attorneys like Gemma who understand business and possess the legal savvy to lead our clients to the best possible solutions for their complex business needs.”
Descoteaux joins a national team of more than 200 corporate lawyers representing thousands of businesses throughout the U.S. and abroad. The group works collaboratively on complicated mergers and acquisitions in a variety of industries, working in concert with attorneys from the firm’s Tax, Corporate Finance, Securities and related practices.
The American Lawyer Magazine featured Polsinelli in its June 2013 issue and recognized it as the fastest-growing law firm in America over the past five years. This year, the firm moved up to the 69th position from 78th in The National Law Journal’s ranking of the largest U.S. based law firms.
Dallas has been a major part of that growth. The Dallas office relocated to Saint Ann Court in March 2012 after opening the original Dallas office in 2011. The office originated with three attorneys bringing corporate, health care and private equity capabilities to the firm. Currently, there are 19 attorneys, including former Dallas Congressman Martin Frost, who also operates out of Washington D.C.
Descoteaux represents participants in complex international joint ventures and partnerships, buyers and sellers in public and private mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, and providers and customers of outsourcing services, as well as issuers and underwriters in public securities offerings in a wide range of industries, including health care, steel manufacturing, business process outsourcing, pharmaceuticals, technology, entertainment, transportation and energy. She has worked on the business side at Texas Instruments as in-house counsel at EXE Technologies and on a seconded basis at Computer Sciences Corporation and ACS.
“Polsinelli’s resources and culture will be beneficial in growing my practice,” Descoteaux said. “I’m excited to be a part of this talented team of business attorneys who are committed to maintaining a client-oriented, service-based, value-added approach to the practice of law.”
Descoteaux earned her law degree, magna cum laude, from Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law in 1998. She earned a B.A. degree in Economics from Grove City College in 1986.
Descoteaux was selected for inclusion in Texas Super Lawyers, Rising Star in 2004, 2005 and 2006 and recognized in 2008 by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business as “Up and Coming” in the area of Corporate/M&A. She was selected by D Magazine in 2010 as one of the Best Women’s Lawyers in Dallas in the area of Corporate Finance/Mergers.
