Eight attorneys from Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. (Dallas, Texas, USA), a Texas based law firm with over 100 attorneys and offices in Dallas, Houston and Austin, were named “Leaders in
Their Field” by Chambers USA, which published in their June 2011 annual guide. Those honored include William (Chip) T. Cavanaugh, Jr., A. Michael Hainsfurther, Mary W. Koks, Richard O. Kopf, Michael A. Krywucki, E. Lee Morris, Russell L. Munsch and Joseph J. Wielebinski. Munsch Hardt also received recognition in the "Bankruptcy/Restructuring" and "Real Estate" practices.
The annual publication groups attorneys and firms in tiers, or bands, based on independent research, client interviews and interviews with practicing lawyers and in-house counsel across the country. The Munsch Hardt practices and attorneys included in this year’s edition of Chambers USA are:
BANKRUPTCY/RESTRUCTURING (Band 3)
E. Lee Morris (Band 4)
Lee has a broad range of bankruptcy expertise, having been in practice for over 15 years and represented clients in all phases of reorganization and liquidation including debtors, committees, trustees, lenders, insurers, receivers, major creditors and directors and officers in a number of industries and commercial sectors including real estate, oil and gas, food service, retail, telecommunications, health care and financial planning. Lee also has a strong litigation background, having served as lead counsel in a number of complex commercial disputes and appeals involving avoidance action claims and claims for fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment and breach of contract. He received his Juris Doctor, graduating cum laude, from University of Houston Law Center and Bachelor of Arts in Economics from The University of Texas at Austin.
Russell L. Munsch (Band 4)
Russ is one of the firm’s founding partners and the former Section Head of the Insolvency, Restructuring & Creditors’ Rights group, which consists of over 20 attorneys in Dallas, Houston and Austin, Texas. He has also served as the firm’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the firm’s Management Committee. His experience relates to all phases of creditors' rights, insolvency, bankruptcy and commercial law. His primary emphasis during the last several years has been in the representation of major creditors, bank groups and financial institutions in large loan workouts, restructures and bankruptcies. Russ represents trustees and creditors committees in cases throughout the country and has also served as trustee and examiner in cases in Texas. He received his Juris Doctor, graduating cum laude, from University of Houston Law Center and Bachelor of Arts, graduating magna cum laude, from The University of Texas at Austin.
Joseph J. Wielebinski (Band 2)
Joe is the firm's Section Head of the Insolvency, Restructuring & Creditors’ Rights group, which consists of over 20 attorneys in Dallas, Houston and Austin, Texas. His practice focus is on bankruptcy, creditors' rights and financial restructuring for almost 25 years and is active throughout the United States in a variety of complex restructuring, insolvency and bankruptcy cases. Joe received his Juris Doctor from Syracuse University College of Law, Master of Public Administration from Maxwell School of Syracuse University and Bachelor of Arts, graduating magna cum laude, from Temple University.
REAL ESTATE (Band 3)
William (Chip) T. Cavanaugh, Jr. (Band 2)
Chip is the Section Head of the firm’s Real Estate group, which consists of over 25 attorneys in Dallas, Houston and Austin, Texas. His practice focuses on real estate, hospitality and health care companies with respect to a variety of real estate, corporate/securities and general business matters. In his career, Chip has represented investors, developers, private equity funds, Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), management companies, lenders and corporations in the acquisition, financing, development, leasing, management and sale of office, retail, multifamily, industrial, hospitality, health care, seniors' housing and residential properties. Chip has particular experience in the formation of partnerships, joint ventures and funds for the investment of capital in real estate opportunities. He received his Juris Doctor from Notre Dame Law School and Bachelor of Arts and Business Administration, graduating cum laude, from Southern Methodist University.
Richard O. Kopf (Band 3)
Rick was one of the firm's founding partners, is currently the firm's Vice Chairman and has served in virtually every position of responsibility within the firm including Managing Partner, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer for over 12 years and as a member of our Compensation Committee for over 15 years.
Rick's representation of entrepreneurial real estate investors includes acquisition, development, construction, financing, leasing and sale transactions of all types of income and non-income producing real property. That representation has a strong emphasis on the lodging and resort industries, comprising the acquisition and development of mixed-use projects, hotels, condominiums and golf course properties. He has had extensive experience in the structuring of transactions and the preparation, review and negotiation of contracts, management and operating agreements, partnership agreements, leases and conveyancing and financing documentation. The diversity of Rick's practice gives him the ability to see all sides of a transaction and to anticipate and deal with potential issues and problems that may be raised by opposing counsel. He received his Juris Doctor from Wake Forest University School of Law and Bachelor of Science from Bowling Green State University.
Michael A. Krywucki (Band 3)
Michael has a broad base of experience in real estate including development, acquisition/disposition, leasing (landlord/tenant), financing, liquidation, recapitalization and joint ventures. Michael's practice spans all major types of real estate such as office, industrial, retail, multifamily, condominiums (office and residential), hospitality and medical facilities (specialty hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers and medical office buildings). Michael also represents investment funds that acquire or take an equity position in real estate or real estate based companies. His representation of funds often requires the coordination and supervision of large teams of personnel to perform due diligence on the target company and/or assets, the documentation and negotiation of investment, acquisition and financing documents and ultimately serving as an outside General Counsel in most cases. Additionally, he has developed expertise in the hospitality industry through the representation of developers and investors in hotels and restaurants. Over the past several years, he has also represented owners and operators of entertainment based facilities, National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) style racing schools and concert venues. Michael received his Juris Doctor, graduating magna cum laude, from Oklahoma City University School of Law and Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from The University of Oklahoma.
CORPORATE/M&A
A. Michael Hainsfurther (Band 3)
Mike is the Section Head of the firm’s Corporate & Securities group, which consists of attorneys in Dallas, Houston and Austin, Texas. Mike's experience includes corporate mergers, acquisitions, capital raising and reorganizations for public and private companies in a variety of industries structured in various forms. He also has significant securities experience including public and private offerings and the related ongoing reporting obligations of public companies, Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) investigations, National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) arbitrations, broker/dealer registrations, investment advisor registrations, general corporate experience including the negotiation and preparation of licenses, joint venture, shareholder, employment, distribution, covenants not to compete and trade secret agreements. For many clients Mike functions as an outside General Counsel to help find solutions to their legal issues. He received his Juris Doctor from Washington University in St. Louis Law School and Bachelor of Science, graduating magna cum laude, from Centenary College.
ENVIRONMENT
Mary W. Koks (Band 4)
Mary has more than 26 years of experience in a practice focusing on environmental compliance and litigation. She received her Master of Laws in Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Law from University of Houston Law Center, Juris Doctor from South Texas College of Law, Master of Arts in Government from University of South Carolina and Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from University of South Carolina.
Munsch Hardt, a commercial law firm, provides the highest quality legal services and strategic business advice to companies and individuals of all sizes. Whether you’re a big business or a growing company seeking cost-effective results — Munsch Hardt is the … Right Firm. Right Now.® Our practice groups include all aspects of Business Litigation; Corporate & Securities; Employment & Labor; Energy & Environmental; Finance; Health Care; Insolvency, Restructuring & Creditors’ Rights; Intellectual Property; Real Estate and Tax. Munsch Hardt is a multispecialty firm where experienced practitioners work together as a team across disciplinary lines to solve legal problems. For more information, visit munsch.com.
