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Corporate Deal Tracker

M&A Newsmaker: Term Sheet to Triumph, Pillsbury’s Andy Smetana Fuels Startup Successes

Andy Smetana took what he considers an unconventional path to transactional law. After graduating from Boston University School of Law, he sensed that the conditions weren't favorable for dealmaking. He patiently worked as a litigator while waiting for corporate and market opportunities to improve. Once they did, Smetana quickly transitioned into the transactional sector and has not looked back since, he told The Texas Lawbook.

Nick Peck

CDT Roundup: Final Deadline for Submitting Deals for Lawbook’s 1Q CDT Rankings

In this edition of the CDT Roundup, we take a look at a more robust deal week than we've seen recently, while the first-quarter deadline for being included in the rankings is later today. Plus, a helpful guide is now available for all things Corporate Deal Tracker. That and more in this week's CDT Roundup, our regular feature highlighting the work Texas dealmakers are doing inside and outside the state.

Nick Peck

Brookfield Infrastructure Announces Acquisition of Colonial Enterprises for $9B

Brookfield Infrastructure Partners, the infrastructure company of New York's Brookfield Asset Management, and its institutional partners announced on April 3 that it had entered an agreement to acquire 100 percent ownership of Colonial Enterprises and its midstream asset portfolio for $9 billion. Lawyers from Kirkland & Ellis and Simpson Thacher are advising on the deal.

Nick Peck

Middle-Market PE Report Reflects a Sense of Optimism Undermined

The 2025 Katten Middle-Market Private Equity report released Thursday was based on bullish post-election December business optimism. But the early and aggressive moves by the Trump Administration forced the report sponsor, Katten, to reassess its data — to the point of authorizing a "flash survey" to gauge whether optimism had survived.

Allen Pusey

M&A Newsmaker: Michael King and His Crowning Achievements at Latham

Drawn by Latham & Watkins' dominance in oil and gas transactions and its legal reputation he described as akin to playing for the New York Yankees, Michael King joined its Houston office as a partner in 2012. Over 13 years at Latham, King has been involved in a number of notable energy deals and more. He recently discussed his path to becoming a lawyer, his deep experience in the O&G sector and his expectations for the rest of the year with The Texas Lawbook.

Nick Peck

CDT Roundup: Deadline for Submitting Deals for M&A Rankings is Next Week

In this edition of CDT Roundup for the week ending March 29, there were 21 Texas-related transactions valued at a total $8.2 billion. The week prior had seen 19 deals for $6.5 billion. It was the third straight week of volume uptick since the 2025 low of seven deals for $2.2 billion for the week that ended March 8. This time last year, there were 12 deals for $9.3 billion. Also, The Texas Lawbook has new 2025 quarterly deadlines for deal submissions to qualify for its quarterly and annual firm and lawyer deal rankings. Firms and lawyers who wish to be considered for the first quarter and year-end Lawbook leaderboards for M&A and CapM must submit all of their first-quarter deals by April 7 at 5 p.m.

Nick Peck

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