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The Texas Lawbook

Free Speech, Due Process and Trial by Jury

  • Appellate
  • Bankruptcy
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Corp. Deal Tracker/M&A
  • GCs/Corp. Legal Depts.
  • Firm Management
  • White-Collar/Regulatory
  • Pro Bono/Public Service/D&I

CDT Roundup: 18 Deals, 9 Firms, 182 Lawyers, $9.5B

February 3, 2021 Caroline Evans

Unless you live under a very large rock you have probably noted the large number of deals involving special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) over the past few months.

Just last week, the Texas Lawbook recorded five SPAC mergers, which will take the targeted companies public without the expense and longer timeline of a traditional initial public offering.

The setup is ideal for nascent companies that want to access public capital to grow quickly, though just this week hospitality behemoth Fertitta Entertainment also jumped on the SPAC bandwagon with a $1.4 billion merger with New York-listed FAST Acquisition.

The increase in activity is good for the M&A market, but it also raises the question of whether the boom could eventually turn into a bust.

As part of their mandate, SPACs must make an acquisition within a set amount of time, usually 24 months, or return their cash to investors. That rule could squeeze some SPACs to make a sub-optimal deal as they approach their deadline.

“The longer it takes for a SPAC to deploy funds, the more pressure it is under to consummate a transaction at, potentially, any cost,” Opportune partner Lynn Loden and managing director Josh Sherman wrote in a recent blog post.

Somewhat forebodingly, Loden and Sherman also compared the recent SPAC frenzy to the shale boom, which went pear-shaped following a sustained drop in oil prices that began in 2014. The pair noted that energy-focused private equity funds raised more than $100 million in funds that needed to be invested.

“The result was an overinvestment in oil and gas acreage and asset development that either never materialized into a public vehicle or may have been brought to market too early…” they write. “Fast forward to today and it appears that an influx of new capital from SPAC IPO proceeds in 2020 may be helping to artificially escalate (price to earnings) ratios across all market sectors.”

Fortunately for SPAC skeptics, there were plenty of traditional deals last week. We saw the return of hydrocarbon deals as consolidation looms in the exploration and production sector with Enerplus’ $465 million takeover of Bruin E&P, which emerged from Chapter 11 last fall.

The oilfield services sector also saw some activity, with TETRA Technologies offloading its controlling stake in CSI Compressco to privately held Spartan Energy Partners.

Technology also got a boost from Austin-based Khoros’ acquisition of Flow.ai and from a $50 million investment led by Riverstone in EV charging specialist FreeWire.

The final week of January ended with a bang-up 18 transactions worth $9.449 billion. Those included M&A transactions worth $8.8 billion and three capital markets transactions worth $695 million. The work involved 182 lawyers at nine different firms.

Weekly Corporate Deal Tracker Roundup Stats

A compilation of weekly stats from The Lawbook's CDT Weekly Roundup
(Deal Values in Millions)

Week Ending
Deal CountAmountFirmsLawyersM&A CountM&A Value $MCapM Count
CapM Value $M
03-May-202511$4,249139011$2,226.52$2,022.5
26-Apr-202512$8,78791689$6,0113$2,776
19-Apr-202511$8,09771389$7,9852$112
12-Apr-202513$2,392815210$2,0653$327
05-Apr-202519$27,7621518816$25,4733$2,289
29-Mar-202521$8,1881025816$4,1255$4,064
22-Mar-202519$6,4851423115$4,1284$2,857
15-Mar-202513$13,7371315110$9,9324$3,805
8-Mar-20257$2,2345665$2242$2,100
1-Mar-202511$3,05087510$2,5501$500
24-Feb-2512$16,39771496$6,6356$9,862
17-Feb-2517$12,1361313410$9,4112$2,725
10-Feb-2514$7,15491799$4,9505$2,204
3-Feb-2516 $10,068720011$7,5535$2,515
25-Jan-2514$10,261101259$2,2075$8,054
18-Jan-2519$7,3821531612$2,3007$5,082
11-Jan-2521$33,5601618716$32,5215$1,039
4-Jan-259$6,8279809$6,82700
21-Dec-2411$2,79811928$2,2293$570
14-Dec-2415$5,3231218612$3,8123$1,511
07-Dec-2416$4,7661023111$2,32152,445
30-Nov-2410$10,29191034$8,2906$2.001
23-Nov-2415$4,5531515311$3,3794$1,174
16-Nov-2417$11,4881124513$10,1864$1,303
09-Nov-2414$2,1101213912$1,4102$700
02-Nov-2412 $52,788 1110711$52,7381$50
26-Oct-248$3,1608657$3,0651$75
19-Oct-2412$5,3041113611$4,5541$750
12-Oct-2417$8,4381215015$8,1162$322
05-Oct-2422$23,1811218915$19,9807$3,201
28-Sep-2411$2,35671447$534$2,303
21-Sep-2412$9,568101695$4,1017$5,467
14-Sep-2424$10,9881223516$7,1758$3,813
7-Sep-2412$20,4201616811$20,3071$112.9
31-Aug-2413$20,631913412$14,7751$5,856
24-Aug-2419$8,4522132516$7,1023$1,350
17-Aug-2425$49,1961630411$39,38614$9,810
10-Aug-2420$12,2641531216$9,7944$2,470
03-Aug-2426$16,4981633418$8,1378$8,361
27-Jul-2419$16,4422127115$13,8384$2,604
20-Jul-2415$16,0161418410$14,2325$1,784
13-Jul-2420$17,220 1426518$7,146 2$10,074
6-Jul-2411$3,941 11958$2,650 3$1,291
29-Jun-2414$6,296 152248$6,296 6$1,927
22-Jun-2412$5,679 81375$210 7$5,469
15-Jun-2413$9,895 1621410$5,280 3$4,615
8-Jun-2419$23,859 1323912$19,436 7$4,423
1-Jun-2412$34,510 111479$26,110 3$8,400
25-May-2413$9,684 1517110$4,434 3$5,250
18-May-2411$5,490 111738$3,129 3$2,361
11-May-2422$14,855 1422716$11,105 6$3,750
4-May-2413$3,139 98710$1,297 3$1,842
27-Apr-2410$6,684 62810$6,684 00
20-Apr-2419$15,989 111479$5,208 10$10,781
13-Apr-2413$8,952 97610$1,652 3$7,300
6-Apr-2423$26,616 1422214$13,501 8$13,116
30-Mar-2412$9,286 81368$4,299 4$4,987
23-Mar-2418$5,451 1726616$4,759 2$692
16-Mar-2421$11,437 1318614$9,316 6$2,070
9-Mar-2423$4,695 2121819$2,723 4$1,972
2-Mar-2420$9,108 1937214$4,558 6$4,550
24-Feb-2419$16,382 1224815$9,507 4$6,875
17-Feb-2416$29,932 1515712$29,216 4$716
10-Feb-2425$10,750 1719619$5,372 6$5,379
3-Feb-2412$8,416 181259$3,416 3$5,000
27-Jan-249$8,165 9878$7,815 1$800
20-Jan-2414$4,084 1210912$3,219 2$865
13-Jan-2417$33,588 1225612$26,765 5$6,823
6-Jan-248$7,915 8846$7,265 2$650
30-Dec-2317$14,599 129915$2,714 2$11,885
23-Dec-2323$4,182 1321916$1,813 7$2,370
16-Dec-2313$16,436 132807$15,150 5$1,286
9-Dec-2326$14,633.90 1724416$8,095 10$6,538.90
2-Dec-2313$6,720 95712$6,630 1$90
25-Nov-239$4,835 91316$1,785 3$3,050
18-Nov-2322$6,568.70 1718414$4,709.20 8$1,859.50
11-Nov-2315$9,825 1317912$6,581 3$3,244
4-Nov-2315$20,582.50 1419312$19,417.50 3$1,165
28-Oct-2318$68,419.10 1815215$66,646 3$1,773.10
21-Oct-2316$6,755.90 1616515$6,755.90 1$3
14-Oct-2314$67,851.20 131259$61,998.50 5$5,852.70
7-Oct-2317$6,595.50 1322816$5,995.50 1$600
30-Sep-2317$1,896.45 1318914$806.45 3$1,090
23-Sep-2323$6,432.70 1723016$1,402.80 7$5,029.90
16-Sep-2325$23,226.70 2335316$17,239 9$5,987.70
9-Sep-2312$6,369 81027$4,311 5$2,058
2-Sep-2314$2,522 69213$1,322 1$1,200
26-Aug-2317$12,160.25 1320215$6,573.25 2$5,587.00
19-Aug-2319$11,505 1321315$11,255 4$250
12-Aug-2319$9,698.80 131847$3,270 12$6,428.80
5-Aug-2313$5,201 1211812$5,051 1$150
29-Jul-2315$21,031.60 1319611$18,292.00 4$2,739.60
22-Jul-2318$3,992 1213013$2,808 5$1,184
15-Jul-2313$8,254.95 138113$8,254.95 00
8-Jul-2316$5,441.45 1217211$2,443 5$2,998.45
1-Jul-2316$6,872 1010512$5,474 4$1,398
24-Jun-2313$10,914 1620110$7,874 3$3,040
17-Jun-2317$5,880.70 1515115$4,705.70 2$1,175
10-Jun-2319$8,516.10 1311116$6,252.40 3$2,263.70
June 3 202312$6,104.42 121388$4,256.92 4$1,847.50
27-May-2317$12,200 106711$6,165 6$6,035
20-May-2311$22,458.10 81034$19,455 7$3,003
13-May-2312$7,034 101018$5,460 4$1,574
6-May-2320$3,297.60 1819617$2,985.60 3$312
29-Apr-2323$3,691.20 1813517$1,969.70 6$1,721.50
22-Apr-2316$5,570 1410414$4,750 2$1,000
15-Apr-2312$23,818.10 95910$21,618.10 2$2,200
8-Apr-2316$7,949 91739$5,472 7$3,477
1-Apr-2321$18,676.70 1217511$10,926.70 10$7,750
25-Mar-2315$8,779.50 101415$2,362 10$6,416.50
18-Mar-237$14,048.80 6695$13,345 2$703.80
11-Mar-2321$11,576 1616516$8,131 5$3,445
4-Mar-2320$9,668 1122816$8,209 4$1,459
25-Feb-2313$5,335 1313012$4,235 1$1,200
18-Feb-2314$5,743.70 131588$898.70 6$4,845
11-Feb-2316$12,088 1213712$9,965 4$2,123
4-Feb-2317$8,066 1514013$5,614 4$2,452
28-Jan-237$2,180 7755$1,692.75 2$488
21-Jan-2317$5,768 1617412$1,918 5$3,850
14-Jan-2311$2, 800101028$421 3$2,400
7-Jan-2318$8,296 1116714$6,461 3$1,835
31-Dec-2214$2,732 119912$2,092 2$640
17-Dec14$7,919 1311512$7,419 1$500
10-Dec-2214$10,093 128811$7,093 3$3,000
3-Dec-2226$12,800.90 1117220$4,141 6$8,659.90
26-Nov-228$2,266.70 853$76 5$2,190.70
19-Nov-2221$2,886 1521219$2,550 2$336
12-Nov-2213$15,093.70 9819$14,200 4$893.70
5-Nov-222519,337.201650922$8,267.20 3$11,070
29-Oct-2215$7,805.30 911614$7,180.30 1$625
22-Oct-2220$8,193.50 1325313$5,442 7$2,751.50
15-Oct-229$3,046.10 91397$2,588.30 2$457.80
8-Oct-2219$2,011.80 1211416$833.80 3$1,178
1-Oct-2223$5,532.90 1615618$4,952.30 5$580.60
24-Sep-2218$5,194 1421615$4,050 3$1,144
17-Sep-2221$8,352.30 1232015$4,759.60 6$3,592.70
10-Sep-2215$19,853.50 1012613$19,403.60 2$450
3-Sep-229$2,312 9629$2,312 00
27-Aug-2216$30,891.70 1013515$30,666.40 1227.7
20-Aug-2212$1,977 815299253$1,052
13-Aug-2218$8,004.70 1124211$2,844.70 7$5,160
6-Aug-2224$7,948.90 1224017$3,577 7$4,371.90
30-Jul-228$6,941 9787$6,839 1$102
23-Jul-2211$801 119210$801 10
16-Jul-2214$3,650 1012214$3,650 00
9-Jul-2210$3,557.70 7689$3,557.70 10
2-Jul-2218$8,609.40 1315215$2,754.40 3$5,855
25-Jun-2215$6,142 131469$2,017 6$4,125
18-Jun-2217$11,890.10 1422815$11,410 2479.7
11-Jun-2217$7,600 1212310$2,300 7$5,300
4-Jun-2212$2,937 101279$692 3$2,245
28-May-229$3,197.60 11869$3,197.60 00
21-May-2214$7,284.50 1218511$6,609 3$675.50
14-May-2211$306.60 98010$306.60 1$225
7-May-2216$10,451.75 1210812$1,827 4$8,624.75
30-Apr-2216$2,296.50 1615712$895.50 4$1,401
23-Apr-2210$2,241 11588$1,641 2$600
16-Apr-2211$6,643 71568$2,359 3$4,284
9-Apr-2217$4,429 1418411$1,690 6$2,739
2-Apr-2213$1,755 88410$1,145 3$610
26-Mar-2211$3,205 8656$200 5$3,005
19-Mar-2213$2,239.17 910613$2,239.17 00
12-Mar-2218$12,016 1123915$11,965 2$51.35
5-Mar-2217$6,786 1313713$5,161 4$1,625
26-Feb-2212$5,095 81499$4,437.50 3$658
19-Feb-2217$22,229 1717414$21,354 3$875
12-Feb-2212$2,344.70 10738$641.70 4$1,703
5-Feb-2211$2,503 89911$2,503 00
29-Jan-2211$3,872 1210112$3,872 00
22-Jan-2213$5,143.50 109912$4,842.50 1$301
15-Jan-2212$7,605 91559$6,480 3$1,025
8-Jan-2213$8,256.20 1110213$8,256.20 00
1-Jan-229$1,273.80 6509$1,273.80 00
25-Dec-2121$4,734.75 1117616$3,410 5$1,324.75
18-Dec-2126$7,325.20 1519318$3,640.20 8$3,685.20
11-Dec-2116$5,017 1010913$1,417 3$3,600
4-Dec-2114$2,310 8868$2,310 6$1,882.05
27-Nov-219$3.460.1101016$1,758 3$1,702.60
20-Nov-2120$22,792 1515712$18,864.50 8$3,928
13-Nov-2121$26,729 1217813$11,822 8$14,907
6-Nov-2112$8,303 1315710$6,682 3$1,621
30-Oct-2121$10,368 1521815$9,24.46$1,103.00
23-Oct-2121$18.783.11522211$12,314 10$6,468.60
16-Oct-2115$3,868 1111815$2,293 2$1,575
9-Oct-2120$8,610 1617516$7,795 4$815
2-Oct-2114$6,250 1113710$5,200 4$1,050
25-Sep-2111$11,460 9937$10,200 4$1,250
18-Sep-2111$16,603 8998$15,084 3$1,519
11-Sep-2117$10,653 1110313$8,503 4$2,150
4-Sep-2113$7,222 108911$6,715 2$507
28-Aug-2112$763 96311$663 1$100
21-Aug-2112$29,659 77911$29,579 1$80
14-Aug-2122$17,845 1119912$12,805 10$5,04
7-Aug-2117$13,670 1213915$11,766 2$1,904
31-Jul-2121$8,160 1113410$3,574 10$4,586
July 24,202121$6,367 1113915$3,712 6$2,655
17-Jul-2114$4,009 1112412$2,015 2$1,994
10-Jul-2116$3,997 1314311$1,597 4$2,4
3-Jul-2124$7,492 139416$3,769 8$3,722
26-Jun-2110$4,995 7858$3,847 2$1,148
19-Jun-2128$16,830 82289$1,861 19$14,968
12-Jun-2126$27,238 1520919$25,602 7$1,636
5-Jun-2115$15,539 1310013$14,709 2$600
29-May-2135$20,279 1114528$18,647$1,639
22-May-2124$53,208 1417417$51,047 7$2,161
15-May-2118$10,620 1322011$5,870 7$4,809
8-May-2117$10,400 1115615$8,386 2$2,500
1-May-2121$7,200 1611512$3,808 9$3,392
24-Apr-218$20,200 9318$20,200 00
17-Apr-2114$6,270 810211$40,180 3$2,260
10-Apr-2115$8,940 1312914$7,990 1$950
3-Apr-2118$19,513 1015112$16,923 6$2,590
27-Mar-2127$13,942 1524414$4,300 13$9,633.50
20-Mar-2111$2,046 41023$270 8$1,776
13-Mar-2115$3,270 91096$538 9$2,732
6-Mar-2124$13,617 1019613$10,395 11$3,222
27-Feb-2119$8,105 1213915$4,970 4$3,135
20-Feb-219$8,820 91538$8,520 1$300
13-Feb-2112$4,852.60 78172,7665$2,086.60
6-Feb-2118$9,752 1315314$5,222 4$4,530
30-Jan-2118$9,449 918215$8,753.80 3$695.30
23-Jan-2114$8,150 81186$4,000 8$4,150
16-Jan-2117$6,783 1313811$2,400 6$4,382.90
9-Jan-2122$6,829 1413518$3,139.30 4$3,690
2-Jan-217$1,466 7607$1,466 00
26-Dec-2018$15,900 1216316$5,300 1$600
19-Dec-2018$9,769 1411014$8,426 4$1,343
12-Dec-2010$7,200 91009$3,325 1$3,830
5-Dec-2015$4,261 91229$2,780 6$1,481
28-Nov-2019$7,758 1011013$4,003 6$3,755
14-Nov-2014$864.10 1415712$289.10 2$575
7-Nov-2013$6,332 91299$2,483.50 4$3,849
31-Oct-2010$3,995.80 81036$3,231.10 4$754.70
24-Oct-206$18,100 6585$17,709 1$350
17-Oct-208$351.90 5558$351.90 00
10-Oct-207$5,229 3504$735 3$4,494
3-Oct-2014$21,428 91739$17,535 5$3,893
26-Sep-2010$12,770 8935$10,300 5$2,470
19-Sep-2014$8,365 91016$1,020 8$7,345
12-Sep-206$4,406 8593$1,270 3$3,136
5-Sep-2011$5,191 81179$4,061 2$1,130
29-Aug-2011$2,531 9945$1,130 6$1,401
22-Aug-2018$6,574 121407$1,930 11$4,644
15-Aug-2013$4,991 10977$1,216 6$3,775
8-Aug-2012$32,092 111129$30,457 3$1,635
1-Aug-207$5,287 8765$3,687 2$1,600
25-Jul-209$18,751 6677$18,403 2$348
18-Jul-206$1,982.50 5504$1,407.50 2$575
11-Jul-2011$565.10 127510$65.10 1$500
4-Jul-2010$8,889 8989$8,788 1$100.30
27-Jun-208$6,874 10505$4,972.50 3$2,081.50
20-Jun-2012$4,444 91157$2,829 5$1,615
13-Jun-206$3,582 4372$350 4$3,232
6-Jun-2011$3,213.70 8657$470 4$2,743.70
30-May-208$7,335 7486$4,639 2$2,697
23-May-204$432.40 4343$432.40 10
16-May-206$310 6345$310 10
9-May-2018$5,630 1612414$3,180 4$2,450
2-May-201510,40010908$1,900 7$,8,500
25-Apr-208$3,400 9365$1,000 3$2,450
18-Apr-2019$9,500 14928$185.70 11$9,360
11-Apr-2012$6,000 9405$190 7$5,800
4-Apr-2014$8,200 116810$2,200 4$6,000
28-Mar-2016$6,500 139610$3,700 6$2,800
21-Mar-2011$11,910 7337$2,250 4$9,960
14-Mar-207809.86346684.81125
7-Mar-2016$2,500 157013$669 3$1,400
29-Feb-2013$15,260 1312811$11,760 2$3,500
22-Feb-2012$3,700 109210$2,560 2$1,130
15-Feb-2016$1,250 108412$35 4$1,222
8-Feb-2018$6,080 1412314$2,595 4$3,485
1-Feb-2021$20,900 1210114$17,860 7$3,060
25-Jan-2013$7,430 136212$6,430 1$1,000
18-Jan-2023$9,580 1512019$6,580 4$3,000
11-Jan-2021$14,200 1819916$1,020 5$13,200
4-Jan-2022$6,400 1111916$3,204 6$3,245
28-Dec-1922$7,150 1917518$6,800 4$327.40
14-Dec-1924$36,300 2316719$9,500 5$26,800
7-Dec-1911$10,400 11557$1,082 4$9,370
November 30. 201914$2,450 1212612$1,760 2$692.50
23-Nov-1916$1,995 104111$615 5$1,380
16-Nov-1915$3,820 1313511$2,500 4$1,271
9-Nov-1925$12,900 1718223$12,200 2$575
2-Nov-1910$2,470 126192,4503$22
26-Oct-1912$5,560 147011$3,860 1$1,700
19-Oct-198$6,600 81388$6,600 00
12-Oct-1919$4,300 145516$3,800 3$500
5-Oct-1918$14,500 1916615$11,100 3$3,400
28-Sep-1919$8,100 1813218$7,560 1$550
21-Sep-1914$6,300 166611$2,160 3$4,170
14-Sep-1915$23,800 125611$21,250 4$2,570
7-Sep-1917$3,500 159814$1,900 3$1,600
31-Aug-195$8,700 6505$8,700 00
24-Aug-1916$10,000 148215$4,250 1$5,750
16-Aug-1910$1,680 5527$650 3$950
9-Aug-1917$17,700 156814$3,900 3$13,800
2-Aug-1913$5,760 1210813$5,760 NANA
27-Jul-1911$7,300 13768$6,570 3$730
20-Jul-1913$11,800 1312511$5,300 2$6,500
13-Jul-1910$775 7468$542.50 2$233
6-Jul-197$2,500 9857$2,500 00
29-Jun-1923$8,290 1515417$2,300 6$5,970
22-Jun-1917$10,700 1013914$7,700 3$3,000
15-Jun-1911$13,500 1416011$13,500 NANA
8-Jun-1913$2,870 175511$1,570 2$1,300
1-Jun-1910$4,460 11608$4,140 2$315
25-May-1917$4,360 147914$3,700 3$612
18-May-1922$9,000 1715016$3,400 6$5,600
11-May-1918$19,800 1717715$18,300 3$1,500
4-May-1910$7,075 6328$6,900 2$175
27-Apr-1915$3,200 1411714$3,160 1$40
20-Apr-1913$13,500 10909$12,200 4$1,300
13-Apr-1916$38,900 149114$37,800 2$1,100
6-Apr-1912$6,870 119410$6,730 2$50
30-Mar-1915$6,470 128410$7,91.55$5,677
23-Mar-1918$6,450 149114$5,042 4$1,408
16-Mar-1914$10,180 1211511$8,800 3$1,300
9-Mar-199$1,800 6498$1,300 1$500
2-Mar-1920$3,033 1610714$1,817 6$1,262
23-Feb-1912$2,040 8699$614.60 3$1,430
16-Feb-1916$9,970 187716$9,970 00
9-Feb-1914$6,400 1011014$6,400 00
2-Feb-1918$6,740 159916$5,720 2$950
26-Jan-1913$2,770 116711$918.95 2$1,850
19-Jan-1915$3,819 167612$2,594 3$1,225
12-Jan-1918$7,283 149215$1,683 3$5,600
5-Jan-1910$529 125010$529 00
22-Dec-1817$2,570 138714$941 3$1,629
15-Dec-1810$2,860 8268$264 2$2,600
8-Dec-1815$1,819 166512$552 3$1,267
1-Dec-1812$7,500 10909$1,200 3$6,200
28-Nov-1815$4,500 1110714$4,000 1$500
19-Nov-1818$6,137 139813$2,142 5$3,995
14-Nov-1818$9,200 1315215$8,500 3$694
6-Nov-1816$17,300 1618314$16,361 2$950
29-Oct-1814$14,400 1812717$13,800 1$600
24-Oct-1813$6,140 1312611$5,122 2$1,018
17-Oct-1818$18,390 1512514$12,292 4$6,098
10-Oct-1829$3,149 1810420$1,647 9$819
2-Oct-1818$9,300 116714$7,300 4$2,000
25-Sep-1813$7,000 117510$6,000 3$995
18-Sep-189$3,570 7449$3,570 00
11-Sep-1813$5,900 1013213$5,900 00
7-Sep-1814$5,000 158611$4,000 3$1,000
29-Aug-1815$20,700 147913$4,700 2$16,000
20-Aug-1810$12,400 11538$11,380 3$1,057
14-Aug-1812$19,900 121329$18,889 3$1,011
7-Aug-1816$68,600 1110613$67,259 3$1,340
31-Jul-1815$15,100 159511$13,060 4$2,060
23-Jul-1813$2,130 156010$1,804 3$1,100
17-Jul-1814$5,370 17989$4,310 5$1,100
9-Jul-1816$11,200 157410$11,080 6$862
3-Jul-1813$7,000 78112$6,330 1$750
25-Jun-1815$8,800 13979$4,970 6$3,930
18-Jun-1813$14,200 14807$221 6$14,290
11-Jun-1812$6,300 8968$5,910 4$803
6-Jun-1813$14,500 10888$14,154 5$579
31-May-1811$4,890 10638$3,240 3$1,790
22-May-1815$20,400 11639$19,808 6$885
15-May-1815$4,700 1510610$3,900 5$643
9-May-1811$1,400 13889$1,300 2$560
1-May-188$14,250 7887$13,400 1$450
24-Apr-1812$5,300 66111$4,470 1$800
17-Apr-189$1,800 10447$2,330 2$1,434
11-Apr-1811$2,500 8326$1,690 5$809
3-Apr-1815$13,400 111219$12,020 6$1,090
28-Mar-1810$4,000 10927$3,870 3$215
19-Mar-1817$5,800 135110$590 7$5,165
12-Mar-1815$3,130 114311$2,360 4$788
6-Mar-1819$5,400 1311610$1,530 9$4,860
27-Feb-1820$6,600 136914$5,530 6$1,030
19-Feb-1815$5,500 1411110$3,990 6$1,980
12-Feb-1823$10,900 1715712$7,110 11$3,840
5-Feb-1816$8,600 131007$1,330 9$7,800
30-Jan-1811$12,600 11685$7,300 6$4,982
24-Jan-1819$9,400 151295$2,010 14$7,337
18-Jan-1810$6,280 8492$2,100 8$4,188
9-Jan-1812$16,500 12929$15,890 3$475
3-Jan-1810$2,500 9478$2,350 2$150
27-Dec-1715$9,000 151139$7,568 6$1,784
18-Dec-1715$13,800 161649$13,010 7$1,118
11-Dec-1714$9,700 1012612$2,940 4$8,500
4-Dec-176$1,800 6315$1,510 1$300
28-Nov-177$3,850 8764$3,260 3$285
16-Nov-1710$2,700 10486$1,840 4$856
8-Nov-1715$2,380 179110$1,860 5$516
1-Nov-1712$4,700 17949$3,400 4$1,300
23-Oct-1715$10,500 106710$9,780 4$1,530
18-Oct-176$2,000 373$225 3$1,820
10-Oct-1712$6,570 1009$3,880 3$3,360
2-Oct-178$3,100 11193$1,630 5$1,750
25-Sep-178$4,880 8795$2,660 5$2,070
18-Sep-179$4,770 3$300 6$4,470
12-Sep-1711$4,430 8$2,030 3$2,400
1-Sep-174$1,310 3$317 1$1,000
23-Aug-1711$13,640 98$11,840 3$1,800

That compares to 14 deals for $8.1 billion the week before and 21 deals for $21 billion during the last week of 2020.

M&A/PE FUNDING

Latham Aids Latch Transition to $1.56B Public Company

In one of two major SPAC deals reported by The Lawbook last week, residential management software provider Latch plans to go public via a merger with a SPAC backed by Tishman Speyer Properties that values the combined company at $1.56 billion.

According to a Jan. 25 announcement, the SPAC, TS Innovation Acquisitions, will fund the deal with $300 million in cash held in trust from its initial public offering in November of last year. In addition, a $190 million private investment in public equity (PIPE) financing will also support the transaction.

Latham is representing Latch in the transaction with a corporate deal team led by New York partner Marc Jaffe and Houston partners Ryan Maierson and Nick Dhesi, with Orange County associate Nima Movahedi and Houston associates Clayton Heery, Erin Lee, Austin Sheehy, and Ziyad Barghouthy. 

Sullivan & Cromwell is acting as legal advisor to TS Innovation Acquisitions.

Goldman Sachs is acting as exclusive financial advisor to Latch and acted as joint placement agent on the PIPE financing.

Allen & Company and BofA Securities are acting as joint financial advisors to TS Innovation Acquisitions and also acted as joint lead placement agents on the PIPE.

Four Firms Advise on Sunlight Merger with SPAC to Form $1.3B Entity

In another deal also reported by The Lawbook, residential solar fintech venture Sunlight Financial said Jan. 25 that it has agreed to merge with Apollo-backed blank-check firm Spartan Acquisition in a deal that values the combined company at $1.3 billion.

Latham acted as the legal advisor to private investment in public equity (PIPE) placement agents (Credit Suisse, Citi and Cowan) to Spartan, with a Houston-based corporate deal team led this time by Ryan Maierson, with associates Monica White, Bryan Ryan and Dylan Carroll.

Hunton Andrews Kurth acted as the legal advisor to Sunlight with a team led by Houston partners Mike O’Leary and Taylor Landry. They were assisted by associates Mike Hoffman, Erin Jennings, Amanda Thienpont, Oliver Fankhauser, Hannah Bradley, Marshall Heins, Kelli Regan, Casey Shaw, Samantha Siegler, all of Houston, as well as associate Candace Moss in Washington, D.C.

Houston partners Tom Ford and Allison Mantor pitched in on tax matters, along with associate Tim Strother.

Partner Tony Eppert and associate Emilie Pfister advised on compensation and benefits from Austin.

Vinson & Elkins represented Spartan in the transaction with a corporate team led by partners Ramey Layne of Houston and John Kupiec and Jim Fox of New York, Houston counsel Crosby Scofield and senior associates Anne Peetz of Houston and Zachary Swartz of Richmond.

A number of associates assisted including Jordan Fossee and Miles Fortenberry of Houston. On tax matters, advising were partners David Peck of Dallas and Jason McIntosh of Houston, senior associate Allyson Seger of Austin, and associate Christina McLeod of Washington, D.C. New York counsel Julia Petty and Houston associate Mary Daniel Morgan handled executive compensation and benefits, while partner Sean Becker and counsel Christie Alcalá, both of Houston, advised on  labor and employment.

Partner Devika Kornbacher, who splits her time between New York and Houston, and associate Briana Falcon of Houston advised on technology transactions and intellectual property. Meanwhile, partner Matt Dobbins and senior associate Jennifer Cornejo, both of Houston advised on environmental matters.

Gibson Dunn & Crutcher advised the transaction committee of the board of directors of Spartan with a team based in New York. None of the firm’s Texas lawyers were involved.

In addition to its role as placement agent, Citi acted as exclusive financial advisor to Sunlight, which provides residential solar contractors with “seamless point-of-sale” financing capabilities, and the company says it has already funded over $3.5 billion of loans through its proprietary platform.

As part of the deal, investors led by Chamath Palihapitiya, Coatue, BlackRock, Franklin Templeton and Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers have committed to invest $250 million in a private purchase of Spartan’s Class A Common Stock at $10 per share immediately prior to closing, expected in the second quarter of the year.

Hillman Agrees to $2.64B Merger Fertitta’s Landcadia III SPAC

Landcadia III, a special purpose acquisition firm owned by Houston hospitality mogul and Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta, plans to merge with Cincinnatti-based hardware and home improvement supplies distributor Hillman in a deal that values the combined entity at $2.64 billion.

Hillman is controlled by private equity firm CCMP Capital Advisors, which acquired a majority stake in the company in 2014. It will remain Hillman’s largest shareholder on closing, and the hardware company’s chief executive Doug Cahill will continue to lead the combined entity with the current management team.

The deal comes weeks after Fertitta’s Landcadia II closed on its $745 million acquisition of Golden Nugget online gaming, which is also owned by the Landry’s chief executive.

White & Case associate Anıi Tanyildiz, who splits his time between London and Houson, is advising Landcadia III on the Hillman deal.

Boston firm Ropes & Gray is legal advisor to Hillman.

Jefferies is advising Hillman on financial matters, and, along with Barclays, is acting as placement agent for a private investment in public equity (PIPE) financing that will support the deal.

The PIPE financing, committed by investors led by Wells Capital Management and Columbia Threadneedle Investments’ Small Cap Growth Strategy, consists of $375 million in Landcadia common stock priced at $10 each.

Proceeds from the deal will also include Landcadia III’s $500 million of cash in trust.

“The company expects to use the proceeds from the transaction to accelerate Hillman’s growth initiatives, substantially reduce existing debt, support marketing efforts, and provide additional working capital,” according to a release.

The combined company is expected to have about $741 million of debt net of $96 million of cash and cash equivalents on its consolidated balance sheet.

The Landcadia III sponsors and members of its board of directors and management team have agreed to a “lock-up” period of up to one year following the closing, subject to termination as early as approximately 180 days after closing if certain trading price targets are met.

Upon the closing of the transaction, targeted for the second quarter of 2021, existing Hillman shareholders are expected to own 49% of the combined company, with Landcadia III sponsors holding 5% , PIPE participants holding 20%, and public stockholders holding 26%.

V&E, Willkie Advise on $465M Bakken Shale Deal

Houston-based oil and gas player Bruin E&P is set to be taken over by Canadian independent Enerplus in a $465 million cash deal.

Enerplus plans to fund the deal with a new $400 million term loan and a $115 million Canadian-style bought-deal equity financing, according to a Jan. 25 announcement.

Vinson & Elkins was Enerplus’ U.S. legal advisor on the Bruin acquisition, with a team entirely based in Texas. The V&E team was led by partner Bryan Loocke, with counsel Joclynn Townsend, senior associate Cesar Leyva, and associates Rob Vezina and Zach Parker, all of Houston, and Austin associate Alicia Vesely.

Meanwhile, Dallas partner Brian Bloom advised on executive compensation and benefits, while Houston partner Sean Becker advised on labor and employment.

In addition, Dallas partner Todd Way and senior associate Christine Mainguy of Houston handled tax matters.

Partner Matthew Dobbins and senior associate Jennifer Cornejo, both of Houston, advised on environmental issues, while partner Mike Telle and senior associate Nettie Downs, both of Houston, advised on capital markets.

Canadian business law firm Blake, Cassels & Graydon also advised Enerplus, and Stifel FirstEnergy acted as financial advisor.

Willkie Farr & Gallagher represented Bruin with a team led from Houston by partners Steve Torello and David Aaronson.

Other Houston-based members of the team included partner Robert Jacobson and associates Albert Jou, Ashley Whittington, and Yaniv Maman.

Bruin, which holds acreage in the oily Williston basin of North Dakota, emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy at the end of August.

Through the deal, Enerplus will gain 151,000 net acres in the Williston Basin, including 30,000 net acres contiguous with its own tier 1 acreage position. The acquisition includes about 24,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day net of existing production, 84 MMBOE of proved plus probable reserve, and an inventory of 111 net drilling locations, including drilled uncompleted wells.

“After the Acquisition, Enerplus estimates it will hold more than a decade of drilling inventory capable of sustaining production at 2021 levels, with additional drilling inventory upside on Bruin’s acreage if commodity prices strengthen,” Enerplus said in a statement.

V&E Counsels PE-backed Dredging Company on Acquisition

Private equity-backed Encore Dredging Partners has acquired peer Inland Dredging for an undisclosed amount, according to a Jan. 5 announcement. 

The deal was completed with the support of Austin-based PE firm AV Capital, which  is the sole financial sponsor of Encore Dredging.

Vinson & Elkins counseled Encore Dredging with a team led by partners Milam Newby of Austin and Brittany Sakowitz of Houston, with assistance from Houston associates Sara Bloom and Carmen Guidry.

Also advising were partner Tom Wilson, counsel Chris Bacon and senior associate Alex Bluebond, all of Houston, on labor and employment matters.

Dallas partner Shane Tucker and Austin senior associate Austin Light counseled on executive compensation and benefits, while partner Matt Dobbins and associate Audrey Doane, both of Houston, handled environmental matters.

On insurance issues, Encore was advised by counsel Sarah Mitchell and senior associate Robert Stelton-Swan, both of Dallas.

Partner Devika Kornbacher, who splits her time between Houston and New York, and associate Sean Belding of Houston, advised on technology transactions and intellectual property.

Houston partner John Michael counseled on maritime and Jones Act issues, while Dallas senior associate Jared Knight handled real estate.

On tax issues, Dallas partner David Peck and Austin senior associate Allyson Seger advised.

Inland Dredging was advised on the deal by investment bank Capstone Headwaters and represented by Tennessee law firm Bass, Berry & Sims.

Encore, which was recently established, has high hopes of becoming “the premier mid-sized cutter suction and mechanical dredging services provider focusing on navigable waterways throughout the United States,” according to the announcement.

The company said its partnership with AV Capital and the Inland acquisition “establishes a growth-oriented platform poised for further expansion of its dredging and marine infrastructure services throughout the U.S.”

Riverstone Leads $50M EV investment as V&E Advises

Private equity firm Riverstone has led the charge in a recent $50 million investment in FreeWire Technologies, marking the first PE funding in the electric vehicle charging specialist.

The Series C funding round included participation from current shareholders bp ventures, Energy Innovation Capital, TRIREC, and Alumni Ventures Group, according to a Jan. 26 announcement.

Vinson & Elkins counseled Riverstone on the investment with a team led by partners Dan Komarek of Washington, D.C. and Wes Jones of Austin, as well as associate Chris Kirby of Austin.

The new investment will enable FreeWire to accelerate international market expansion of its flagship Boost Charger product and expand production capacity.

The company recently disclosed an agreement with bp pulse, the U.K.’s largest charging network operator, which will be the exclusive operator of the Boost Charger in the nation.

In a release, FreeWire claimed to have deployed over 200 battery-integrated chargers with Fortune 100 companies, commercial customers, fleets, retail locations, and gas stations. The company intends to deploy more than 2,500 ultrafast charging stations by 2025.

The financing round brings the six-year-old company’s total venture funding to nearly $100 million. The closing of the round is concurrent with the appointment of Riverstone partner and managing director Robert Tichio to FreeWire’s Board of Directors.

“This investment underscores Riverstone’s support for innovation that meets the rising demand for energy while managing climate change risks. FreeWire is situated for long-term growth with a unique technology to address the megatrend of vehicle electrification,” Tichio said.

Latham Counsels Spartan Energy Partners on $33.8M Compression Deal

Oilfield services company Tetra Technologies said Jan. 29 it is selling off its controlling interest in natural gas compression player CSI Compressco for up to $33.8 million to privately held Spartan Energy Partners.

The sale price includes Spartan’s purchase of  Tetra’s 10.95 million common units owned in CSI Compressco for $13.95 million, the sale of 15 large compressor units for $14.2 million that CSI Compressco already has under lease, the settlement of $2.5 million in “outstanding intercompany balances” which CSI Compressco has already paid to Tetra, and additional contingency payments if certain financial benchmarks are met.

Latham & Watkins is representing Spartan Energy Partners in the transaction with a Houston-based deal team led by partners John Greer and Ryan Maierson, with associates Bryan Ryan and Jessica Sherman. Advice was also provided on tax matters by Houston partner Tim Fenn, with associate Chelsea Muñoz-Patchen.

Bracewell represented Evercore, which was Tetra’s financial advisor on the deal, with a team led by Houston partner Will Anderson.

The divestment frees up Tetra to focus on its other service lines, including the growing water management and flowback areas.

Tetra, which is based in The Woodlands north of Houston, intends to use most of the proceeds to reduce the amount outstanding on its 2025 term loan. At the end of September 2020, Tetra’s net debt was $148 million.

V&E Advises TPG Pace Tech on SPAC Merger

Online learning platform Nerdy plans to go public through a merger with special purpose acquisition firm TPG Pace Tech Opportunities, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

The transaction announced on Jan. 29 will result in “significant growth capital” for the combined company, including a fully committed private investment in public equity financing backed by leading institutional investors Franklin Templeton, Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan, Koch Industries and Learn Capital.

Vinson & Elkins is advising TPG Pace Tech with a team led from Houston by partners Keith Fullenweider and Sarah Morgan and senior associate Robert Hughes with assistance from senior associates Sara Bloom and Austin March and associates Jonathan Villa and John Daywalt.

Also advising were partners John Lynch and Lina Dimachkieh and associate Curt Wimberly on tax, partner Sean Becker on labor and employment, and partner David D’Alessandro (of Houston and Austin) and Austin Light.

Goodwin Procter acted as the legal advisor to Nerdy.

On the finance side, Goldman Sachs advised Nerdy exclusively while Deutsche Bank Securities, J.P. Morgan Securities, Barclays Capital and TPG Capital BD acted as financial advisors, capital markets advisors and PIPE placement agents to TPG Pace Tech.

The business combination values the combined company at $1.7 billion.

TPG Pace Tech Opportunities raised $450 million through an initial public offering along with $150 million of forward purchase agreements for the purpose of entering into a merger, stock purchase or similar business combination with one or more businesses.

Once the merger closes, TPG pace Tech will redomicile as a Delaware corporation and be renamed Nerdy, Inc. Its shares of Class A common stock and warrants are expected to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “NRDY” and “NRDY WS,” respectively.

Cash proceeds raised in the transaction will be used to fund operations, support growth and expand the Nerdy platform, according to a release.

Vinson Advises Austin-based Software Developer on AI Acquisition

Austin-based customer engagement software developer Khoros said Jan. 28 it is expanding its offerings in artificial intelligence with the acquisition of Flow.ai,  platform for designing and managing chatbots.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Vinson & Elkins advised Khoros with a corporate team led from Austin by partner Milam Newby and senior associates Michael Gibson and Kate Willson. Also advising were senior associate Allyson Seger on tax matters, Houston partner Tom Wilson on labor and employment issues, and partner Devika Kornbacher, who splits her time between Houston and New York, and senior associate Ben Cukerbaum of Austin on technology transactions and intellectual property.

“Adding Flow.ai’s state-of-the art technology advances Khoros’ conversational AI and machine learning (ML) capabilities, data science expertise, and reflects the company’s continued investment in the automation framework that powers Khoros’ industry-leading customer engagement platform,” Khoros said in an announcement.

“Khoros currently offers its customer-facing chatbot, Khoros Bot, as a fully developed, ready-to-use service that easily integrates with its digital customer care solution, Khoros Care. With Flow.ai, Khoros will extend the AI/ML capabilities available to brands for greater self-service and operational agility.”

Thompson & Knight, Winston & Strawn advise on Tall Oak transactions

Dallas-based private equity firm Tailwater Capital is set to acquire a pair of Oklahoma midstream operators backed by Encap Flatrock for an undisclosed amount, according to a Jan. 27 announcement.

Under the terms of the deal, Tailwater will get the assets of Tall Oak Midstream II, which include more than 750 miles of natural gas gathering lines, a cryogenic plant, and a gas processing plant across eight counties in Oklahoma. It will also get the assets of Tall Oak Midstream III, including 150 miles of pipelines, three compressor stations and a processing plant in the Arkoma basin.

Thompson & Knight represented Tailwater in the deal with a mergers and acquisition team led from Dallas by partners Holt Foster and Jesse Betts and associate Courtney Roane.

The finance team was led by Dallas partners Kurt Summers and Dean Hinderliter.

Also on the team were Dallas partners Tony Campiti and Jason Loden, Dallas senior counsel Gregg Davis, Houston partner Robert Eickenroht, Austin partner Ashley Phillips, Houston associate Sarah Frazier, and Dallas associates Lindsay Kirton, John Phair, and Jana Wight.

Winston & Strawn provided legal counsel to Tall Oak Midstream. Shearman & Sterling represented EnCap Flatrock Midstream.

Tudor Pickering Holt served as exclusive financial advisor to Tailwater Capital and Connect Midstream.

The deal calls for the Tall Oak management team to operate Tailwater’s existing portfolio company, Connect Midstream, which also has assets in Oklahoma.

“We are pleased to have reached these agreements with Connect Midstream and Tailwater Capital to position the Tall Oak companies for increased market leadership and sustainable, long-term success,” said Ryan Lewellyn, president and chief executive of Tall Oak.

“These transactions will provide our business with tremendously improved system capacity infrastructure and an increasingly diverse customer base, positioning us to compete with larger peers in the region and to capitalize on a number of exciting opportunities alongside our new partners at Tailwater.”

Latham Advises on $1B EV SPAC Deal

Electric car maker Faraday Future is set to go public through a merger announced Jan. 28 with blank-check firm Property Solutions Acquisition that values the combined company at $3.3 billion.

The deal is one in a string of transactions that have seen several electric vehicle specialists aim to go public by merging with so-called special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) like Property Solutions. ChargePoint, EVgo and Proterra have all recently announced SPAC mergers.

Latham & Watkins is representing Property Solutions in the transaction with an M&A deal team led by New York partner David Allinson, with associates Brad Guest, Jennifer Wong, Julia von Türk, Eric Czubiak, and Joshua Payne, and a capital markets deal team led by Houston partner Ryan Maierson, with associates Om Pandya, Paul Robe, Trevor Bossi, and Jacob Weiner.

RMG and Deutsche Bank are serving as financial advisors to Property Solutions.

Sidley Austin and O’Melveny & Myers are serving as legal advisors to Faraday Future.

Credit Suisse and Stifel are serving as financial and capital markets advisors and Miller Buckfire is serving as financial advisor to Faraday Future.

The merger will provide more than $1 billion in gross proceeds to Faraday Future, consisting of $230 million in cash held by Property Solutions and a $775 million private investment in public equity financing (PIPE).

EarlyBird Capital acted as sole underwriter on PSAC’s IPO.

PIPE anchor investors include “leading institutional shareholders from the U.S. and Europe, a Top 3 Chinese OEM, and a Tier-1 city in China,” according to a release. The company believes the Chinese support will help it gain a large foothold in the nation.

Credit Suisse served as lead placement agent and Stifel also served as a placement agent for the PIPE.

The proceeds from the deal are expected to fully fund the production of Faraday Future’s signature luxury EV, the FF 91, within 12 months of the deal’s close. The transaction also supports the future development of the company’s unique Internet, Autonomous Driving, Intelligence (I.A.I.) system.

Willkie Counsels Frontline on Purchase of Airfield Services Provider

Private equity-backed pavement marking services provider Frontline Road Safety is literally taking to the runway with the acquisition of Hi-Lite Airfield Services for an undisclosed amount.

Hi-Lite, which is headquartered in New York State and Florida, is the largest airfield-focused pavement marking contractor in North America.

Willkie Farr & Gallagher represented Frontline Road Safety in the deal with a team led by partners Bruce Herzog of Houston and Daniel Mun of New York.

The Hi-Lite transaction, announced Jan. 4, marks Frontline’s fourth acquisition since it was established in July 2020.  Frontline is backed by Houston private equity firm The Sterling Group, which has $4 billion in assets under management, according to its website.

“Hi-Lite is a best-in-class operator, and a perfect fit within the expanding Frontline family of companies,” said Brad Staller, partner at The Sterling Group.

Willkie Advises Time Manufacturing on German Deal

Sterling Group-backed aerial lift specialist Time Manufacturing announced Jan. 6 it had agreed to acquire Ruthmann, a German manufacturer of aerial work platforms, for an unnamed sum.

Time Manufacturing’s brands include Versalift, Aspen Aerials, and BrandFX.

The buyer was represented by Willkie Farr & Gallagher partners Bruce Herzog in Houston and Markus Lauer in Frankfurt.

Ruthmann is headquartered in Gescher-Hochmoor, Germany,  and owns the brands Ruthmann, Steiger, Ecoline, and Bluelift.

The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of this year.

Morgan Lewis Represents Boston PE Firm in Acquisition of Houston Distributor

Private equity-backed Fluid Power Holdings has acquired Houston-based distributor Wilco Supply for an undisclosed amount.

The deal expands Fluid Power’s geographic reach, products and technical capabilities, according to a Dec. 26 announcement.

Morgan Lewis represented Fluid Power’s backer, Boston-based PE firm JMH Capital Partners, on the deal. Morgan Lewis partner Jeff Dinerstein and associate Tara McElhiney (both of Houston), worked with a local team including partner Mike Jones and associates Melissa Brown and Lauren Hutton-Work, to advise the client. Colleagues from other Morgan Lewis offices including the firm’s Philadelphia office worked on the matter for the client as well, a spokesperson said.

“The addition of Wilco to our platform gives FPH a strong presence in an attractive long-term market and positions us to execute our strategic objectives to expand our geographic reach, extend our product set, and grow our service and digital offerings in order to better serve our growing customer base,” Fluid Power chief executive Brad Marshall said.

Jones Day advises Texas Reproductive Center IVF lab in sale to Ovation Fertility

National in-vitro fertilization laboratory network Ovation Fertility has added another Texas location with the acquisition of Fort Worth Fertility’s Texas Reproductive Center lab.

Fort Worth Fertility will partner with Ovation for access to the Los Angeles-based company’s extensive network of doctors, embryologists and lab staff. Ovation already has labs located in Austin, San Antonio, New Braunfels and Corpus Christi.

Jones Day advised the Texas Reproductive Center IVF lab in its sale to Ovation Fertility with a team led by partner Todd Kelly. Financial details were not disclosed.

“The acquisition of Ovation Fertility Fort Worth expands Ovation’s national footprint to include 10 high-performing IVF labs, with three in Texas along the I-35 corridor from North to South Central Texas,” Nate Snyder, Ovation’s co-founder and chief executive, said in a Jan. 19 statement.

 “We are excited to partner with Fort Worth Fertility, which is one of the largest IVF practices in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.”

CAPITAL MARKETS

Gibson Dunn Advises as Lawrie Group SPAC Taps Public Market for $350M

Blank-check firm TLG Acquisition One has launched its initial public offering with the aim to raise $350 million to help pay for potential future deals.

The Florida-based special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) is backed by Lawrie Group and hopes to purchase assets in the information technology, healthcare, business services or financial services sectors.

A Gibson Dunn & Crutcher corporate team is advising TLG with a team led by Houston partner Gerry Spedale. The team includes New York associate Alina Iarve and Houston associates JP Lopez and Brian Downs.

RBC Capital Markets is acting as sole book running manager for the offering. 

TLG said in a Jan. 27 announcement it would offer 35 million units at $10 each, which were scheduled to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange the next day under the ticker symbol “TLGA.U”.

Each unit consists of one share of the company’s Class A common stock and one-third of one redeemable warrant of the company.  Each whole warrant may be used to purchase one share of the Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share.

TLG may end up raising more than the $350 million benchmark, as it has granted the underwriter a 45-day option to purchase up to 5 million additional units at the IPO price.

RBC Capital Markets LLC is acting as sole book running manager for the offering. 

Vinson Advises Orchid Island on $45.3M Raise

Specialty finance company Orchid Island Capital said Jan. 25 it has raised $45.3 million from an underwritten public offering, proceeds of which it plans to invest in a “targeted mix” of Agency RMBS and for “general corporate purposes”.

The company also expects to borrow against the Agency RMBS that it purchases through repurchase agreements; it will then use the proceeds of the borrowings to acquire additional Agency RMBS.

Vinson & Elkins counseled New York-listed Orchid Island in the offering with a team based largely in Washington, D.C. and Richmond, Va. However, Houston tax associate Maddie Brown also advised on the transaction.

Orchid Island announced on Jan. 25 it had closed the offering, which consisted of 8.74 million shares of common stock, including 1.14 million shares purchased by the underwriter as part of an option to purchase additional shares.

J.P. Morgan acted as sole bookrunning manager for the offering.

Vinson Advises Midland E&P Colgate on $300M Financing

Privately held Colgate Energy Partners III on Jan. 27 announced the closing of a $300 million private placement of senior notes.

The Midland, Texas-based exploration and production company did not say how it plans to use the proceeds from the offering of notes, which carry a rate of 7.75% and are due 2026.

Vinson & Elkins advised Colgate on the private placement, with a corporate team led from Houston by partners Doug McWilliams and David Stone, with senior associate Jackson O’Maley and associates Jonathan Villa and Katie Davis.

Also advising were partner Wendy Salinas of Dallas and Houston associate Liz Snyder on tax matters.

Houston lawyers rounded out the team, with partner Matt Dobbins and associate Austin Pierce counseling on environmental issues while senior associate Caitlin Lawrence and associate Erin Webb tackled finance.

Latham & Watkins represented the initial purchasers with a corporate deal team led by Houston partners Michael Chambers, David Miller and Trevor Lavelle, with associates Madeleine Neet, Jordan Mack, Jacob Weiner and Austin Sheehy. Advice was also provided on tax matters by Houston partner Bryant Lee, with associate Dominick Constantino; and on environmental matters by Houston partner Joel Mack, with Los Angeles counsel Joshua Marnitz.

Colgate’s operations are focused in the heart of the Delaware sub-basin of the prolific Permian region. he company operates more than 120 wells on about 35,000 net acres in Reeves and Ward Counties, Texas, and Eddy County, N.M. The company is currently producing about 30,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, according to its website.

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