Professionals

James Matthew Vaughn is a partner in the bankruptcy and corporate sections of Porter Hedges. His experience includes representation of clients in numerous Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases in Texas and across the country, and he has been consistently recognized for his work as a “Texas Rising Star” by Texas Monthly magazine since 2004.

Matt’s practice focuses on corporate reorganizations and restructurings, acquisitions within the bankruptcy context, and creditors' rights. – with extensive experience 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.

Matt graduated cum laude from the University Of Miami School of Law in 1998, and prior to beginning his law practice, served as a judicial intern to the Honorable A. Jay Cristol and Robert A. Mark of the United States Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of Florida and to the Honorable Charles F. Baird, formerly of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.

• Representation of several producers and members of the Official Producers’ Committee in the Chapter 11 cases of SemCrude, L.P., et al.
• Representation of several upstream and midstream energy companies in the Chapter 11 cases of Lyondell Chemical Company, et al., Reichmann Petroleum Corp., Freedom Pipeline, LLC, Pisces Energy LLC, Palm Energy Partners, Calpine Corp., MSB Energy, Inc., Mirant Corporation, et al., Enron Corp. and others.
• Representation of senior secured creditors and debtor in possession lenders in Chapter 11 cases of Bigler, L.P., BPI Energy, Inc., Zounds, Inc., BNP Petroleum and numerous others.
• Debtor’s counsel in the reorganizations of Scotia Pacific Company LLC, Southwest Grain, Philip Services Corporation, Easy Gardener Products, Ltd., TransCom USA Management, Inc., Contour Energy Co., Equalnet Communications Corp., and Doctors Hospital 1997, L.P.
• Counsel for mezzanine lender to upstream energy borrowers in connection with foreclosure, restructuring and out of court workouts in multiple states.
• Counsel for senior secured lender of armored vehicle company.
• Representation of stalking horse bidder for purchase of stock in pre-negotiated Chapter 11 case of Edge Petroleum Corp., et al.
• Representation of numerous purchasers of assets in such cases as Crusader Energy Group Inc., Zounds, Inc., BPI Energy, Inc., Mirant Corporation, et al., BNP Petroleum Corp., Lothian Oil, Inc., Transcoastal Marine Services, Inc., Enron Corp., Encompass Services Corp. and TIC United.
• Representation of multiple oil and gas exploration and production companies in connection with crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquid marketing agreements.
• Representation of indenture and property trustees in several energy cases.
• Representation of senior and subordinated lenders in the negotiation and execution of intercreditor and subordination agreements.
• Representation of multiple borrowers and lenders in restructuring and refinancing transactions.
• Representation of officers and directors in fraudulent transfer and breach of fiduciary duty lawsuits.

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