Biography
Dorene is a partner in the firm’s Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation practice in Houston and a member of V&E's Talent Management Committee. Dorene joined the firm in 1990 after graduating from the University of Texas School of Law with high honors. Dorene’s practice focuses on employee benefits and executive compensation, including design and administration of all types of employee benefit plans (retirement and welfare) and executive compensation arrangements (employment, severance, and change of control agreements), the employee benefits aspects of mergers and acquisitions and initial public offerings (including stock option transition matters, parachute payment excise tax issues, employment agreements, benefit plan transition matters, and retention bonus arrangements), and ERISA litigation.

Dorene also counsels plan sponsors and plan fiduciaries on the fiduciary requirements of ERISA and minimizing exposure to fiduciary litigation. Dorene represents clients in administrative matters before the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Labor. She also has significant experience in ERISA and employment litigation matters in federal and state court and arbitration. Dorene has represented publicly-traded and privately-held corporations and tax exempt and governmental entities. She works very closely with clients engaging in a wide variety of industries including automotive, energy exploration and production, pipeline, health care, manufacturing, oilfield services, and others.