Dykema Doubles Houston Office Headcount With the Addition of Seven Attorneys

Dykema, a leading national law firm, announced the addition of seven attorneys to the firm’s Houston office, doubling the office’s lawyer headcount. This expansion strengthens the firm’s capabilities in key practice areas, including energy, bankruptcy and restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, business taxation and planning, corporate and finance, labor and employment, and business immigration.

The firm welcomes Arthur Nathan, William Hotze, Kari Lutringer, James Prappas, and Michael Twomey, who all join Dykema from Kane Russell Coleman Logan PC, as well as Michael Durrschmidt and Kim Lewinski, who each come to the firm from Hirsch and Westheimer P.C.

“Our expansion in Houston exemplifies our strategic commitment to growth in key markets that matter to our clients,” said Len Wolfe, Dykema’s Chair and CEO. “The legal landscape in Texas—particularly in Houston—continues to evolve as a hub for energy, finance, and corporate transactions, drawing national and international attention. By adding this talented group of attorneys, we’re enhancing the firm’s ability to serve businesses nationally across industries with sophisticated counsel to help them thrive in today’s environment.”

Dykema opened its Houston office in 2022, marking the firm’s fourth location in Texas after Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio, further strengthening its presence in and commitment to the Lone Star State. The seven attorneys joining Dykema in Houston bring decades of combined experience representing major financial institutions, energy companies, private equity firms, real estate developers, and Fortune 500 corporations.

“This expansion marks an exciting new chapter for our Houston office and reinforces our dedication to serving businesses in Texas and beyond,” said Isaac Villarreal, Managing Member of Dykema’s Houston Office. “Houston is the largest legal market in Texas and a commercial powerhouse influencing industries nationwide. With this exceptional group of attorneys, we significantly enhance our capabilities in critical practice areas, allowing us to better serve the dynamic needs of our clients. Each of these lawyers brings a wealth of experience that aligns perfectly with our strategic vision for growth while maintaining the culture of excellence that defines Dykema.”

Arthur Nathan – Member, Mergers and Acquisitions, Business Tax, Corporate and Finance

Focusing on corporate and partnership transactions, Nathan brings to his practice more than four decades of experience and creative, often cutting-edge strategies in counseling clients in buying, selling, combining, and dividing businesses, as well as in business taxation and planning. He also advises on transactions and matters nationwide. Nathan was previously a partner in Jones Day and Haynes and Boone.

He advises clients in structuring, negotiating, managing, and documenting all types of mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, leveraged buyouts, management buyouts, family business planning, tax-free reorganizations, corporate divisions, fund structures, acquisitions, and dispositions involving ESOPs, private equity transactions, partnership and limited liability company transactions, and advising on shareholder and business owner disputes.

Nathan, who has been ranked in Chambers USA in the area of Corporate/M&A, earned a J.D., with honors, and a B.A., magna cum laude, from The University of Texas at Austin.

Michael Durrschmidt – Senior Counsel, Restructuring and Bankruptcy

Durrschmidt spent nearly 40 years with Hirsch and Westheimer, including serving in the past as his prior firm’s President. He primarily practices in the areas of creditors’ rights, bankruptcy, and banking. Durrschmidt represents lenders, suppliers, landlords, and lessors in cases related to workouts, debt restructures, bankruptcy, state and federal collection and lien priority litigation, real and personal property foreclosures, and repossessions.

His extensive experience in business bankruptcy includes acquisitions and disposition of business lines and assets in bankruptcy cases, prosecuting numerous contested stay litigation matters, and successfully contesting or confirming plans of reorganization. Durrschmidt has also prosecuted and defended numerous trials involving discharge/dischargeability and exemption issues and prosecuted trials regarding various financial matters in state and federal courts.

He earned a J.D., cum laude, from the South Texas College of Law and a B.A. in Political Science and Economics from American University.

William Hotze – Member, Restructuring and Bankruptcy

Hotze’s practice focuses on a variety of bankruptcy and restructuring matters, including representation of debtors, official committees of unsecured creditors, bankruptcy trustees, creditors, purchasers of assets, and other parties in interest, both in court and out of court. He has extensive experience in bankruptcy-related litigation and appeals, including prosecuting and defending fraudulent transfers, preferences, and other bankruptcy matters.

Hotze has spent his career advocating for parties in all types of bankruptcy matters, developing a diverse background of legal skills through first-hand experience appearing frequently in court on behalf of his clients, first chairing contested evidentiary hearings, negotiating in and out of court transactions, conducting depositions, and engaging in written advocacy on complex legal issues.

He earned a J.D. from the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law and a B.B.A. from Texas A&M University.

Kim Lewinski – Member, Restructuring and Bankruptcy

Lewinski focuses her practice on complex Chapter 11 business bankruptcy and creditors’ rights for the secured, under secured, and unsecured. She represents financial institutions, suppliers, and landlords in protecting their assets prior to and in bankruptcy. Lewinski has represented Fortune 500 oilfield services companies and their subsidiaries as creditors in their various vendor bankruptcy filings, both domestic and international, and advised and updated clients on the status of bankruptcy cases with recommendations for potential recovery of debt.\

She has also helped clients as plaintiffs or defendants in state and federal civil litigation cases, including breach of contract, suit on sworn account, and foreclosure suits. Additionally, Lewinski is skilled in assisting mortgage servicers in foreclosing on defaulted mortgages, including residential and commercial properties.

She earned a J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center and a B.A. in Human Development from The University of Texas at Austin.

Kari Lutringer – Member, Corporate and Finance

Lutringer represents buyers and sellers in connection with mergers and acquisitions, dispositions, corporate restructurings, capital transactions, and other commercial matters. She has also represented borrowers, lenders, and investors in connection with senior, mezzanine and subordinated debt financing transactions. In addition, she advises various clients with respect to corporate governance, general commercial and/or contractual matters, including joint venture arrangements and business structuring and planning. She has significant experience representing clients across multiple sectors, including energy, oilfield services, real estate, banking and financial services, and private individuals.

Lutringer earned a J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center and an M.S. and a B.S., summa cum laude, from Texas A&M University.

James Prappas – Member, Labor and Employment Business Immigration

Prappas has more than 30 years of experience representing businesses, families, and individuals concerning employment-based immigration, family-based immigration, and naturalization matters. He regularly assists corporate clients in securing the best talent from around the globe to achieve business goals. Prappas advises Fortune 500, middle-market, and emerging companies in U.S. immigration matters relating to the energy, manufacturing, and service industries.

He has extensive experience in nonimmigrant visas, including B, E-1, E-2, E-3, H-1B, H1B1, L, O, P, R, and TN. Prappas advises clients on the international transfer of key personnel, employment and family-based immigration, worksite enforcement and I-9 matters, naturalization, and derivative citizenship.

Prappas, who has been ranked in Chambers USA in the area of Immigration, earned a J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center and an A.B., with honors, from Davidson College. He currently serves as the U.S. Chair of the U.S. Mexico Bar Association.

Michael Twomey – Member, Labor and Employment

Twomey is an experienced litigator who also counsels companies on employment and business-related issues, including data privacy and protection. He is Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Twomey advises employers on day-to-day employment issues and represents them in litigation. He regularly advises on employment issues involving key personnel, competitors, and expansions into new markets when protecting a client’s investment and competitive posture is essential. Twomey has litigated all of the typical employment-related claims and tried cases to verdict involving discrimination, retaliation, restrictive covenants, and trade secrets. A portion of his practice also involves representing corporate clients in important, non-employment-related disputes.

Twomey earned a J.D. from South Texas College of Law and a B.A. from The University of Texas at Austin.