Baker Botts L.L.P. is a major United States-based international law firm of around 725 lawyers, with a long, prominent history and significant political connections, claiming more than half of the Fortune 100 companies among its clients. Headquartered in One Shell Plaza in Downtown Houston, Texas, the firm has a major list of energy related clients. It is said to be the second-oldest law firm west of the Mississippi.
History
The firm traces its history to 1840 in the Republic of Texas, with the beginning of legal practice by founding partner Gray represented the Allen Brothers, founders of the city of Houston. Confederate Colonel Walter Browne Botts joined the firm in 1865, and it became Gray and Botts. In 1872, James Addison Baker joined the firm and the name was changed to Gray, Botts & Baker. Gray left the partnership in 1874, to join the Supreme Court of Texas, and the two remaining partners, Walter Browne Botts and Judge Baker, renamed the firm Baker & Botts. Peter Gray also died in 1874. Judge Baker's son, also joined the firm as a clerk in 1877, a lawyer in 1881, and became partner in 1887, at which time the name became Baker, Botts and Baker. In 1896, Captain Baker, personal attorney for Texas millionaire William Marsh Rice, drew up a new will for Rice and was the will's executor. In 1900, Rice was poisoned in his bed by his valet, Charles F. Jones, and his New York City lawyer, Albert T. Patrick—a sensational crime that made national headlines. Captain Baker was a key witness and helped investigate the murder after Patrick produced a will that gave him control of five million dollars in 1904. Baker got the will he drew up entered as evidence in the case, and it was subsequently proved that Patrick had forged Rice's signature on the will he submitted. The case was not settled until 1910, and by that time the estate had grown to almost 10 million dollars. When the intent of Rice's will was finally executed, it led to the establishment of the William Marsh Rice Institute for the Advancement of Literature, Art, and Science, which is now called Rice University. Captain Baker was the first chairman of the Rice Board of Trustees. Rice University has maintained ties to Baker Botts since that time. Jules Henri Tallichet joined the firm in 1909, bringing with him Southern Pacific Railroad, his major client at Sam R. Fisher in Austin, Texas. Captain Baker's son, James Addison Baker, Jr., also joined the firm in 1919 and his classmate and friend Henry Malcolm Lovett joined in 1924. Walter H. Walne served as managing partner from 1926 to 1933. James Addison Baker, III, former Chief of Staff in President Ronald Reagan's first administration and United States Secretary of State , joined the firm as a senior partner in 1993, after leaving public service. He maintained two offices in Washington, being also affiliated as a partner at the Carlyle Group. In 2000, the firm renamed itself Baker Botts. Dutch quality newspaper NRC investigated Baker Botts representation of Rosneft, in a Dutch court case dealing with the Russian state's appropriation of Yukos. The two oil giants were embroiled in a bitter feud between Putin and an opponent of his, Khodorkovsy, the controlling shareholder of Yukos. Khodorkovsky was subsequently jailed, and Rosneft picked up the pieces of Yukos' bankruptcy. Journalist :nl:Joep Dohmen |Joep Dohmen of NRC wrote that Baker Botts helped its client Rosneft forge Armenian court rulings, to shore up Rosneft's claims in Dutch courts. NRC, claiming possession of the actual court papers, found that Baker Botts partner Ryan Bull, and his Moscow associate Izabella Sarkisyan were co-authors of the verdict in Case 1494, which, according to NRC, was handed to Armenian judge Dremeyan on a USB drive. According to NRC, the text included the Armenian coat of arms. The NRC article has been translated into English. The article stated that Rosneft and Baker Botts denied NRC's allegations. The article also stated that Yukos settled out of court, after the Dutch court admitted the proofs of these actions.
