Simpson Thacher & Bartlett is opening an office in Houston later this year with the addition of Vinson & Elkins capital markets partner Robert Rabalais, reports The Am Law Daily.

"Opening in Houston is a natural outgrowth of our already strong and longstanding energy practice," firm chairman Philip Ruegger said in a statement. "The Houston office, with a resident partner as talented as Robert, will provide a tremendous benefit to our clients active in the oil and gas space."

Rabalais will join the firm once the Houston office officially opens. He has represented clients including UBS, Credit Suisse and BNP Paribas.

Simpson Thacher is the latest Am Law 100 firm targeting the Houston market after Latham & Watkins made a big push in February last year when it hired four corporate partners from Vinson. Gibson Dunn & Crutcher subsequently took on four more Vinson partners this January to bolster its own Houston operations.

Winston & Strawn opened an office in Houston last month after recruiting 40 lawyers from Howrey. The group represented the bulk of the now defunct firm's operations in the city. Meanwhile, in January, Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft announced plans for a Houston office after adding a nine-partner energy team from McDermott Will & Emery.

Simpson expects its new Houston office to be staffed with eight to 10 professionals, according to the statement announcing Rabalais's addition to the firm.

The Am Law Daily is a US affiliate title of Legal Week.