Hunton & Williams Promotes Five To Counsel

Hunton & Williams LLP announces the promotion of the following lawyers to counsel. The firm proudly recognizes these talented individuals for their accomplishments and outstanding client service focus.

Amy Sims Bowen (Litigation, Dallas) joined the firm in 2007. She focuses her practice on internal investigations, white collar criminal defense, complex commercial litigation and regulatory and civil enforcement. Bowen has represented clients in matters involving allegations of health care fraud, financial fraud, corruption, money laundering, theft and violations of the civil and criminal False Claims Act. She also provides compliance counseling on a broad range of issues including BSA/AML compliance and regularly represents corporate fiduciaries in trust and estates litigation.

Kirk A. Hornbeck (Litigation, Los Angeles) focuses his practice on class action defense and commercial litigation. He regularly counsels clients on how to minimize litigation risk with a focus on how to comply with wage-and-hour laws. Hornbeck’s pro bono experience includes representing a class of indigent foster care children seeking certain health care services. He joined the firm in 2008.

Dr. Christopher Nichols (Litigation, Washington) joined the firm in 2005 as a patent law clerk. He represents biotechnology, pharmaceutical, chemical, and agricultural companies in patent matters. Nichols’ practice focuses on patentability, infringement, freedom-to-operate, and validity due diligence analyses and opinions. He also drafts and prosecutes US and foreign patent applications. Prior to joining the firm, Nichols was a post-doctoral researcher at the National Institutes of Health and served as a patent examiner at the US Patent and Trademark Office.

Adam R. O’Brian (Energy, New York) focuses his practice on capital markets, with an emphasis on public utilities and energy companies. O’Brian, who joined the firm in 2012, represents both issuers and underwriters in debt and equity offerings, as well as companies and underwriters in dedicated utility rate securitization bonds. He is a coauthor of the chapter VII. Finance, Mergers, and Acquisitions in “Recent Developments in Public Utility, Communications and Transportation Industries,” Section of Public Utility, Communications and Transportation Law, American Bar Association, 2015.

Chumbhot Plangtrakul (Energy, Bangkok) joined the firm in 2007 as an associate, after having spent time with the firm as a senior legal assistant from 2000 to 2004 and a summer associate in 2005 and 2006. Trained in the United States, Plangtrakul maintains both a cross-border and a domestic Thai law practice, focusing on energy, project development and finance, joint ventures and mergers and acquisitions. He has worked on energy, renewable power and infrastructure projects in several countries in Asia, Europe and North America.