© 2016 The Texas Lawbook.
By Brooks Igo
(Dec. 6) – Akin Gump announced today that energy transactions specialist David Sweeney has joined the firm’s Houston office as a partner.
Sweeney lateraled over from K&L Gates. During the past 11 years, he has advised on energy-related M&A deals with an aggregate transaction value of more than $60 billion, according to a press release issued by the firm.
Sweeney says he has known the Akin Gump team a long time, and it was a move that “made a lot of sense.
“Akin Gump is very well positioned to serve clients no matter how they are viewing the market,” he said. “It is a fantastic opportunity and I am thrilled to be here.”
The University of Texas School of Law graduate focuses his practice on U.S. and non-U.S. oil and gas, coal, and other natural resource and infrastructure transactions, including acquisitions and divestitures, project development and finance, and anti-corruption compliance matters.
“David is a smart, savvy oil and gas lawyer who is very highly regarded throughout the industry,” Christine LaFollette, partner-in-charge of Akin Gump’s Houston office, said in a statement.
“As someone with an extensive background both in private practice and as in-house counsel, including as a former landman, he knows how to negotiate the most complex deals, and his experience will be invaluable.”
Prior to returning to private practice in 2014, Sweeney served in two different in-house positions. He was vice president, legal and general counsel of Van Dyke Energy Company for 10 months and assistant general counsel and chief compliance officer of a U.S. subsidiary of LUKOIL for 14 months.
Sweeney says continued uncertainty is the topic du jour in the energy industry with prices where they are.
“This is a new world we are in,” he said. “This is not a pre-2014 world.”
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