(Austin) January 18, 2006 — Vinson & Elkins LLP is significantly expanding and strengthening its Public Policy Group with the addition of a prominent Texas government relations lawyer and the creation of a new alliance with a group of some of the best known lobbyists in Texas.

V&E; is pleased to announce that Bill Jones, the former General Counsel to Texas Governor Rick Perry, has joined the firm as a partner in the Austin office.

A 1985 graduate of Baylor University Law School, Jones is experienced in public policy, government affairs and legislation in Texas. After law school, he spent 15 years as a trial and appellate lawyer practicing in state and federal courts. He was president of the Texas Young Lawyers Association in 1997, served as General Counsel to Governor Perry from December 2000 until November 2003, and is currently the vice-chair of the Texas A&M; University System Board of Regents.

"Bill Jones is a bright, talented lawyer," says former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk, who joined V&E;'s Public Policy Group in February. "Bill's experience in public service and legal skills will be of real benefit to our clients. His addition immediately positions V&E; to take our public policy team to the next level."

"Vinson & Elkins is committed to building a great public policy practice based on integrity and professionalism," says Jones. "I am very excited about joining a team that shares my philosophy of getting the job done effectively and efficiently."

Vinson & Elkins also is proud to announce that the firm has formed an alliance with The Texas Capitol Group. The Group is led by Mike Toomey, who was the chief of staff to Texas Governors Rick Perry and William P. Clements, Bill Messer, the former state Representative who chaired the Texas House Calendars Committee and chaired the transition team for Rep. Tom Craddick when he became Speaker of the House and Walter Fisher who has almost three decades of experience at the Texas Capitol including serving as Director of Legislative Services for the Texas Municipal League and Parliamentarian of the Texas Senate under Lieutenant Governors Bullock, Perry, Ratliff and Dewhurst. Texas Monthly magazine recently named Toomey and Messer as two of only four lobbyists listed in the "top 25 most influential people in Texas politics."  While V&E; and the Texas Capitol Group will remain separate institutions and practices, V&E; looks forward to the opportunity to work with the Texas Capitol Group.

"These moves will enable us to offer our clients access to a team with valuable experience in Austin as well as traditional Vinson & Elkins legal ability to address client's needs in the Legislature, the Executive Branch, independent agencies and the courts," said Joe Bill Watkins, who has led the Vinson & Elkins Public Policy Practice for more than 10 years. "I am delighted that our partners have agreed to take these actions."

"We expect that the combination of adding Bill Jones and teaming up with the Texas Capitol Group will further strengthen Vinson & Elkins' growing public policy practice," says V&E; partner John Howard, who joined the firm in 2004. Howard served as President Bush's Federal Environmental Executive from 2002 through 2004, and was Environmental and Natural Resources Policy Director for then-Gov. Bush from 1996 to 2000.

V&E;'s Public Policy Group includes 20 lawyers, including Ron Kirk in Dallas, John Howard, Bill Jones, Elizabeth Rogers and Joe Bill Watkins in Austin, and Barron Wallace and Susan Harris in Houston. The group is led by Dallas partner Monty Humble, who is the past president of the National Association of Bond Lawyers.  "We are very happy that we have been able to recruit partners such as Bill Jones, Ron Kirk and John Howard to join our team," says Humble. "They have the high ethical standards and personal integrity that fit V&E;'s culture. They will allow us to further integrate our agency and legislative practices to meet our clients' needs. Our alliance with the Texas Capitol Group will add another dimension to our ability to help our clients in Texas."

For more information about Vinson & Elkins' Public Policy Group and the addition of Bill Jones as a partner, please contact Monty Humble at 214.220.7746 or via e-mail at mhumble@velaw.com. You also may contact Ashley Battelle in the Vinson & Elkins communications department at 713.758.2052 or at abattelle@velaw.com.

Vinson & Elkins was established in 1917 and is one of the world's largest international law firms. The firm has more than 700 lawyers practicing in Austin, Beijing, Dallas, Dubai, Houston, London, Moscow, New York, Shanghai, Tokyo and Washington D.C. Vinson & Elkins offers a wide range of legal services. Clients include public and private companies, financial institutions, municipalities, governments of sovereign nations, entrepreneurs, families and individuals.