Former Rick Perry Adviser Joins Barnes & Thornburg as Government Services Partner
Barnes & Thornburg LLP has added Bill Jones, former general counsel to Texas Gov. Rick Perry, to its Dallas and Washington, D.C., offices as a partner in the Government Services and Finance Department.
Upon leaving the governor’s office in 2003 and entering private practice, Jones counsels clients on a variety of matters before state and federal agencies and on legislative matters. He has represented numerous clients in the public law arena, including oil and gas companies before the Texas Railroad Commission, landowners before the Texas Public Utility Commission, and various clients before the Texas Office of the Attorney General, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Texas Department of Transportation and other state agencies. He also has represented clients in matters at the U.S. Department of Energy.
In a news release, the firm said:
“Bill’s experience in public service has made him adept in managing complex proceedings and investigations for clients that involve local, state and federal administrative and regulatory agencies,” said Bruce Donaldson, chair of Barnes & Thornburg’s Government Services and Finance Department. “He’s a valuable addition to our multidisciplinary team and also gives us additional boots on the ground in Texas and Washington, D.C., to advise clients on virtually all aspects of government.”
Jones served in the governor’s office from 2000 to 2003, where he advised on all legal, regulatory and legislative matters, including economic development, contract negotiations, policy review and the monitoring of settlements and litigation. He later entered into private practice and worked as a partner at two large law firms before launching his own law practice, The Jones Firm.
“Bill is a self-starter and natural leader, which are qualities we’re seeking for our young, but growing, Dallas office,” said Mark Bayer, managing partner of the firm’s Dallas office. “We’re gaining a premier practitioner in government-related law, including regulatory issues with most Texas agencies, and Bill benefits from the firm’s national platform including our strong Washington, D.C. office.”
With the addition of Jones, Barnes & Thornburg’s Dallas office now has 12 attorneys since opening in 2015, and its roster spans many of the firm’s sophisticated practices, including corporate, intellectual property, labor and employment and litigation, to name a few.
Jones earned his J.D. from Baylor University School of Law and his B.S. from Texas A&M University. He is chairman emeritus of the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents and serves as commissioner of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Commission. He will continue to reside in Austin, Texas.
