James Matthew Vaughn is a partner in the bankruptcy and corporate sections of Porter & Hedges, and has represented clients in numerous Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases in Texas and across the country. He has been named a “Texas Rising Star” in surveys conducted by Texas Monthly magazine from 2004-2008.  Mr. Vaughn's practice focuses on corporate reorganizations and restructurings, acquisitions within the bankruptcy context, and creditors' rights. He has experience in representing large, publicly traded entities in their Chapter 11 cases and institutional and corporate creditors in some of the country's largest Chapter 11 cases to date. His practice also includes general civil litigation in both federal and state courts.

Prior to beginning his law practice, Mr. Vaughn served as a judicial intern to the Honorable A. Jay Cristol and Robert A. Mark of the United States Bankruptcy Court the Southern District of Florida and to the Honorable Charles F. Baird, formerly of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Mr. Vaughn participated in a one-week trial program sponsored by the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) in San Diego, California, October 2002.

Representative Experience

• Representation of several upstream and midstream energy companies in the Reichmann Petroleum Corp. and Freedom Pipeline, LLC bankruptcy cases.
• Representation of several midstream and upstream energy companies in the bankruptcy case of Calpine Corp. and its affiliates.
• Debtor's counsel in the reorganizations of Philip Services Corporation, Easy Gardener Products, Ltd., TransCom USA Management, Inc., Contour Energy Co., Equalnet Communications Corp., and Doctors Hospital 1997, L.P.
• Representation of secured creditors and debtor in possession lenders in the reorganization of TEC Resources, LLC and numerous others.
• Counsel for senior secured lender of armored vehicle company.
• Representation of Equus Capital Management Corp. and affiliates as the postpetition lender and purchaser of substantially all of the assets in the Chapter 11 case of Reliant Building Products, Inc.
• Representation of numerous purchasers of assets in such cases as Lothian Oil, Inc., Transcoastal Marine Services, Inc., Enron Corp., Encompass Services Corp. and TIC United.
• Counsel for numerous creditors in the reorganization cases of Rand Energy, Texas Petrochemicals Corp., Enron Corp., Entergy New Orleans, Tri-Union Resources (I and II), Stages Stores, Inc., American Homestar, Pioneer Resources, Payless Cashways, Paracelsus Healthcare Corp. and Agrifos Fertilizer, LP.
• Counsel for CenterPoint Energy, Inc. and its affiliates in numerous bankruptcy cases.
• Counsel for indenture trustee, property trustee and member of the unsecured creditors' committee in the Chapter 11 case of Mirant Corporation, et al, EOTT Energy Partners, L.P., et al. and LJM2 Co-Investment, L.P.
• Representation of major energy company in connection with pre-filing negotiations with PG&E Corp. and the Chapter 11 cases of US Gypsum and LTV Steel.
• Mr. Vaughn has also represented Chapter 11 and 7 trustees and litigating trustees in various cases.

Professional / Civic Affiliations

• Member of the Houston Bar Association
• Member of the American Bar Association
• American Bankruptcy Institute
• Turnaround Management Association

News

• Porter & Hedges' Attorneys Selected as 2008 Texas Rising Stars (3/18/2008)
• 26 Porter & Hedges' Attorneys Selected as Rising Stars in 2007 Survey (3/1/2007)
• 22 Porter & Hedges’ Attorneys Selected as Rising Stars in 2006 Survey (3/1/2006)
• Ten Porter & Hedges' Lawyers Named Rising Stars in 2004 Survey (7/1/2004)

Publications

• Associate editor, Inter-American Law Review (1996-1998).
• Bankruptcy's "Free And Clear" Assets May Include Unwanted Luggage (2/6/2004)
• Management's Duties When A Company Faces Bankruptcy (6/6/2002)

Articles

• NuCoastal Purchases Enron's CrossCountry Energy (6/7/2004)

Events

• "Gas Sales and Purchase Contracts from a Producer's Perspective" (2/21/2008)