Winston & Strawn LLP announced today that J. Laurens Wilkes has joined the firm’s Houston office as a partner in the Litigation Department and member of the Complex Commercial Litigation Practice. Laurens will serve as the chair of Infrastructure & Projects – Global Disputes. Wilkes arrives at the firm from Jonest Day LLP.
Laurens’s practice focuses on international arbitration and complex civil litigation in state and federal courts, with an emphasis on infrastructure, fiduciary duty, and products liability disputes. He regularly advises clients in the transportation, energy, construction, and financial industries. His infrastructure experience includes representing both contractors and owners/sponsors as well as lenders.
“Winston has an extremely talented and experienced litigation team with a well-earned reputation for effectively counseling and defending clients in a broad array of litigation matters,” said Laurens. “The synergy between my practice and the firm’s nationally recognized project finance work is a huge benefit, and I look forward to serving and expanding the firm’s client base across the infrastructure and other key industries.”
He also handles matters involving breach of contract, product liability, fraud and fiduciary duty, trade secret, restructuring, and tort matter issues, as well as internal and governmental investigations. Laurens has led numerous trial and arbitration matters involving multibillion-dollar disputes, from preliminary restraining orders and injunctions to jury trials and final hearings.
“Laurens is an exceptionally talented partner who will add additional service capabilities to our litigation team,” said Mike Blankenship, Houston office managing partner. “His deep experience with infrastructure and project disputes strengthens our bench and will be key to helping our clients in this vital industry.”
“The addition of Laurens confirms Winston’s commitment to bringing high-caliber talent to the firm in general and to Texas in particular,” said Winston Chairman Tom Fitzgerald and Chair-Elect Steve D’Amore. “His arrival reinforces our ability to represent the complex and varied interests of our clients on a global scale.”
