K&L Gates Adds Maritime Lawyer in Houston

Global law firm K&L Gates LLP has added Felisa Sanchez as of counsel in the maritime and finance practices. She joins the firm’s Houston office from Foley & Lardner LLP.

Sanchez focuses her practice on a wide variety of corporate, finance, and commercial matters for domestic and international clients in the financial services, maritime, transportation, and energy sectors. She has nearly 20 years of experience representing public and private companies in complex transactions, including maritime financings and restructurings; transactions, contracts and regulatory compliance involving vessels and maritime assets; and Jones Act and other coastwise trade matters. Sanchez is a member of the Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association, the State Bar of Texas, and the Houston Bar Association.

Anil Patel, managing partner of K&L Gates’ Houston office, commented, “We’re excited to welcome Felisa to the Houston office and the firm. Felisa is a highly regarded diverse practitioner with an established reputation in maritime finance and transactions. Her 20 years of representing public and private companies in complex transactions will allow her to provide high-quality service to existing firm clients and future clients. Her addition also demonstrates our continued commitment to providing diverse legal counsel.”

Sanchez’s arrival follows the addition of intellectual property partner Collin Rose and restructuring and insolvency partner Brian Kilmer in Houston in the past year. They are among nearly 120 new partners and of counsel who have joined the firm globally since the beginning of 2020.

“We are thrilled to welcome Felisa to our global maritime practice,” said Steven Sparling, co-leader of K&L Gates’ energy, infrastructure, and resources practice area. “She brings a breadth and depth of experience that will immediately support not only our traditional maritime clients, but our broader energy industry clients as well.”

K&L Gates offers the U.S. and international maritime industry comprehensive legal, transactional, legislative, and regulatory capabilities. The lawyers’ combined knowledge and experience, along with the firm’s global presence, enables the maritime group to assist clients seamlessly with their legal service needs, including, among others, corporate, vessel finance, trading activities, insurance coverage issues, charter parties, cargo claims, casualty, admiralty, ship building, and Jones Act issues.