R. Bruce LaBoon

Bruce LaBoon has been practicing in corporate, banking, and public law for over 40 years, and has offices in both Austin and Houston. He has extensive experience representing corporate clients in legislative, financing, mergers and acquisitions, and regulatory matters. Bruce has also represented clients regarding proposed legislation and public companies in defense of unsolicited tender offers. In December 2005, he was recognized for representing "the very best of the legal profession, exemplified through 30 years of practice in corporate, banking and public law" by the State Bar of Texas. He serves on the Board of Directors of Sterling Bancshares, Inc. (Executive Committee, Corporate Governance Committee and Strategic Planning Committee) and as an Advisory Director of Sterling Bank (Director Loan Committee). He has previously served as a member of the Boards of Directors of JPMorgan Chase Bank, and its predecessor, Texas Commerce Bancshares (NYSE), Big Three Industries (NYSE) and Gamma Biologicals (AMEX).

He currently serves as Chair of the Mickey Leland National Urban Air Toxics Research Center and as a director of the Texas Medical Center (Officer and Executive Committee), The Texas Heart Institute (Trustee), the Greater Houston Partnership (Executive Committee and 2001 Chair), The Cenikor Foundation and the Nimitz Foundation. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of Texas Children's Hospital and Texas Christian University. He is a member of the Texas Bar Association, Houston Bar Association, American Law Institute, The Philosophical Society of Texas, the Texas Association of Bank Counsel and the Independent Bankers Association of Texas. He is a fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation and the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel.

In the community, Bruce has held leadership positions with a number of prominent organizations, including First Vice Chair of the National American Red Cross Board of Governors, a director of the American Red Cross Greater Houston Area Chapter (2001-2003 Chair), and on the Boards of the Houston Symphony Society, the Society for the Performing Arts, The Lighthouse of Houston (Chair), Retina Research Foundation, The Houston Club (President), The Houston International Festival (Chair), Communities in Schools Houston, the Houston Bar Foundation, The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research (TIRR), Greater Houston Community Foundation, Texas Environmental Research Consortium (Chair), Bio-Houston (Chair), the Board of Visitors of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center-University Cancer Foundation, and The Kayser Foundation. He has been a speaker and attendee at dozens of institutes and seminars on banking and corporate law.

• Represented clients with respect to proposed legislation.
• Represented public companies in defense of unsolicited tender offers.
• Represented issuers and directors in connection with public offerings of securities.
• Provided advice to management and directors of public companies in merger and acquisition transactions.