GERARD J. SWONKE, a native of Houston, Texas, was born November 29, 1944. He received his B.A. in economics from the University of St. Thomas in 1967 and his J.D. from South Texas College of Law in 1974. Mr. Swonke served as in-house counsel to Aminoil, Inc. from 1975 to 1985, when he became of counsel to the Greenberg Peden Law firm and then later to the McConn Law Firm. Mr. Swonke is a member of the Houston and Texas Bar Associations, as well as the Federal Southern and Eastern District Bar Associations. He is also a member of the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators. His areas of primary concentration are oil and gas, and contract law and can practice in both federal and state jurisdictions.