Law Firm Initiative Kicks Off Campaign
More than 45 members of Houston’s legal community gathered at the offices of Vinson & Elkins LLP on September 24 to kick off the United Way Law Firm Initiative’s annual campaign. Now in its eighth year, the Law Firm Initiative brings leaders from Houston’s corporate and legal communities together to support those facing life’s toughest challenges. Bill Lowrey, senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary for Shell Oil Company and co-chair of this year’s Law Firm Initiative, welcomed guests on behalf of himself and Co-Chair Marie Yeates, partner at Vinson & Elkins LLP. Lowery thanked guests for their strong support of United Way and talked about how the growth of the Law Firm Initiative has helped keep United Way, our community’s social safety net, strong. Lowery announced the Law Firm Initiative’s 2009-10 goal of $3.2 million and the importance of reaching that goal in this challenging year. Anna M. Babin, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Houston, expounded on those challenges, painting a picture for guests of the growing and changing needs in our community. This year’s United Way Community Campaign Chair, Tom Ryan, president of Service Corporation International, talked to guests about the importance of leaders standing up for our community and why he believes United Way is the best way to make the biggest difference in the Houston area. Also on the docket was E. Chris Kaitson, general counsel for Enbridge Energy Partners. Kaitson laid out an aggressive strategy for this year’s Law Firm Initiative campaign, including creative collaboration, a focus on leadership giving and making our community’s well-being a personal responsibility. Early results are in for United Way's Law Firm Initiative. Vinson & Elkins, LLP is the first firm to report their 2009-10 campaign results, raising more than $501,600 for United Way this year, an 8 percent increase over last year's results. We thank our friends at Vinson & Elkins for running an outstanding campaign! We thank the members of the Law Firm Initiative for doing something about it. We know that you will continue to raise the bar this year in support of United Way. Other General Counsel sponsors in attendance included Bobby Reeves, Anadarko Petroleum Corporation; Jim Neath, BP; Scott Rozzell, CenterPoint Energy; Janet Langford Kelly, ConocoPhillips; Jennifer Vogel, Continental Airlines; Jeffrey Carr, FMC Technologies; Bill Schwind, Marathon Oil Company; Bernard Duco, Memorial Hermann Healthcare System; John Wombwell, Plains Exploration & Production Company; and Mike Jines, RRI Energy, Inc. Houston’s law firms were represented by Diana Hudson of Andrews Kurth LLP; Maria Boyce of Baker Botts, L.L.P.; Mark Evans, Carrin Patman and Peggy Brenner of Bracewell & Giuliani, L.L.P.; Peggy Heeg of Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.; John Eldridge and Sashe Dimitrov of Haynes and Boone, LLP; Bobby Meadows and Tracie Renfroe of King & Spalding LLP; Bill Swanstrom of Locke, Lord, Bissell & Liddell LLP; John Ale of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP; Harry Reasoner, Joe Dilg and Marie Yeates of Vinson & Elkins, LLP; and Greg Erwin of Winstead, PC. Our special thanks go to Andrews Kurth LLP; Baker Botts L.L.P.; Bracewell & Giulliani LLP; Haynes and Boone, LLP; King & Spalding LLP; and Vinson & Elkins, LLP for underwriting this event. For more information about United Way of Greater Houston’s Law Firm Initiative, contact Amy Sonnenberg at 713-685-2823. View a photo gallery of this event. |
