John A. Schmidt Email & Phone Number

I joined the professional corporation now known as McFatridge, Baker & Schmidt, P.C., in an "Of Counsel" position in June 2001 with the intent of becoming a shareholder for the purpose of again being permanently associated with a larger firm. After some personnel changes occurring after my becoming associated with the firm, in January 2003 I became a shareholder in what has been a long-term mutually beneficial relationship.

Worked extensively in the international area, including representing Russian and Nigerian seismic acquisition companies, with sales and processing of such information occurring with companies located in Houston, Texas. Representation included successful negotiations which culminated in the sale of a gold mine in Kamchatka, Siberia, Commonwealth of Independent States (f/k/a USSR), by a Russian company to a Canadian publicly traded company. [Note: The Russian entities involved were affiliates of Laboratory of Regional Geodynamics, Inc.] Areas of practice included commercial litigation and Chapter 11 reorganizations under the Bankruptcy Code for business debtors.

Laboratory of Regional Geodynamics, Inc., was then involved in the acquisition of seismic data in the Gulf of Mexico and West Africa, which was processed and marketed by Houston-based companies. My responsibilties as General Counsel included negotiating contracts for those purposes, and in representing the company in various other transactions as well as in several litigation-related matters, some of which were filed outside of the USA. Notes: (1) By 2002 the company ceased operations within the USA, with operations of its Russian affiliates continuing thereafter in London, England, UK. (2) Although 79% of the stock in the company's Russian affiliates was acquired by Yukos Oil Company in 2002, its Russian affiliates were as of June 2009 still in active operation following Yukos's legal problems, which included the acquisition of off-shore seismic data in the Indian Ocean for the government of India.

Hired to work in the probate and business section of MAPA, I became involved more in litigation which led to my meeting the principal shareholder of Laboratory of Regional Geodynamics who offered me a challenging position as its General Counsel which was accepted.

Areas of practice included (1) the preparation of private placements in real estate, and oil and gas; (2) limited commercial litigation (e.g., real estate, breach of contract, and securities); and (3) bankruptcy from the creditor's perspective.

Then known as Dibrell, Dibrell, Greer & Brown, my areas of practice included principally transactional work (e.g., real estate, and federal income and estate taxation), with limited commercial litigation and bankruptcy representation from the creditor's perspective. I left the firm to open my own practice, concentrating in the area of private placements of securities.

Areas of practice included choice and formation of entities, real estate transactions, trusts and estates, and limited commercial litigation and bankruptcy representation from both the debtor's and creditor's perspective. [Note: Smith & Herz, P.C., merged with Dibrell, Dibrell, Greer & Brown in March 1980.]

Hearings examiner for the Texas Water Development Board, and the Texas Railroad Commission, which included practice in administrative and contract law.

Now known KPMG, I worked in the audit department of the company's Houston office at a time when bank mergers were rapidly occurring, spending most of my time in the commercial loan department, though I was also involved during this time in the audits of various closely held, and publicly traded corporations besides financial institutions.