Last week’s 24 deals were plentiful and diverse: software for company benchmarking, energy distribution in Brazil, a Turkish mobile provider, recycled aggregates, carbon capture, aerial firefighting and even an upstream deal or two. But eyes are still on SPAC deals, which are facing some investor headwinds, and there were a few of them as well. The CDT Roundup explains and, as usual, names lots of names.
Devon Energy Scoops Up Validus, Expanding Position in Eagle Ford
Vinson & Elkins represented Validus while Kirkland & Ellis advised Devon on a deal that came as a surprise to analysts. Claire Poole has more on the transaction.
K/G’s Ryan Gravelle: “We’re a startup; we just sell legal widgets.”
Kastner Gravelle founding partner Ryan Gravelle wasn’t always a tech lawyer, but he says he got there as fast as he could. In this Q&A, the Austin corporate lawyer talks about the climate for startup funding and M&A for tech companies, competitors that have moved to Austin and how a potential recession will affect Austin’s tech community.
CDT Roundup: 8 Deals, 9 Firms, 78 Lawyers, $6.9B
There are two energy deals this week — the week’s two largest deals, in fact — that are both more, and less, than they seem. While on the surface they involve the mergers of large energy corporations, they are simply simplifications of two large corporate structures. What’s going on here? The Corporate Deal Tracker Roundup has the details, as well as the names of all of the Texas lawyers behind this week’s deals.
CDT Roundup: 11 Deals, 10 Firms, 92 Lawyers, $801M
Rumblings of a couple of deals in the offing involving properties owned by ConocoPhillips and Shell provided a touch of piquance to a week that was otherwise bland to the taste. The Roundup offers a few hints at what those deals might be, as well as its weekly run-down of the deals that actually happened, including the names of the Texas lawyers they involved.
Clifford Chance Lands Veteran V&E Tech Partner
The Magic Circle law firm has recruited Devika Kornbacher to be the co-chair of its global technology group. Kornbacher, who had a hand in almost every tech deal at V&E, started her career at the Houston-based firm and practiced there for 15-plus years.
CDT Roundup: 14 Deals, 10 Firms, 122 Lawyers, $3.7B
The value of upstream energy deals is down in the second quarter of 2022, according to Enverus; down compared to the first quarter of 2022 and down dramatically from the same period a year ago. The reason seems simple: an abundance of caution in a volatile economic climate. The CDT Roundup has the numbers and the analysis, as well as the weekly roll call of the Texas lawyers behind last week’s deals.
Dealmaker Hugh Tucker Joins Haynes Boone
Tucker, who helped open Shearman & Sterling’s office in Houston after 35 years at Baker Botts, has advised on a host of big deals in the energy space.
CDT Roundup: 11 Deals, 8 Firms, 71 Lawyers, $3.58B
In a generally weak week for dealmaking, it was easy to notice that Kirkland & Ellis partner Rahul Vashi has been on a tear of late with four deals in the past week or so. The CDT Roundup has Vashi’s view on how to keep multiple deal streams in order, and what he expects in the near future from a volatile deal market, as well as the usual list (however short) of the other lawyers who have been making things happen.
Stonepeak Picks Up Part of CoreSite from American Tower for $2.5B
Sidley Austin advised the private equity firm, including partner Tim Chandler, who also led its sale of thermal power generation projects in New England to Japan’s JERA in May for undisclosed terms.