Blucora Inc.’s journey last year to acquire Dallas-based competitor 1st Global Inc. for $180 million faced several obstacles. Those involved in the deal say Blucora CLO Ann Bruder’s steady hand and strategic maneuvering is the reason the transformational transaction closed.
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Glen Hill – The Definition of a Heavy Lifter
An eight year veteran of the U.S. Army, Glen Hill had no idea what public finance was. But after a decade of training in the Bracewell muni-bond practice, Hill is the assistant general counsel at Preston Hollow Capital and has “touched” more than 80 financial transactions. He’s worked on 35 deals that have closed.
Curiosity, Precociousness and Hard Work Take Forterra’s Lori Browne to the Top
Lori Browne attended her first law school class when she was seven and she immediately gave up her dream of being a rock star in favor of practicing law. Three decades later, Browne is the GC of a pipe manufacturer that employs 5,000 people, operates 85 manufacturing facilities and has a market cap of $922 million. And she’s had a really big year.
Jim Plohg Races Cars and Closes Strategic Deals
Ashford Associate GC Jim Plohg played a critical role in 10 transactions, including a couple transformational deals last year for the publicly traded hospitality industry asset management firm. But you can also catch him frequently at the Eagles Canyon Raceway racing a Porsche 911 GT3 in near-bumper-to-bumper traffic at speeds of 160 MPH.
American Airlines’ Aundrea Holt: Making a Big Impact in a Short Time
Less than two years on the job, Aundrea Holt assumed legal support for the airline’s nationwide paid sick leave policy and administration, played an instrumental role in American’s nationwide sexual harassment prevention training and led the legal department’s move to its new corporate headquarters, Skyview 8 .She credits her parents and two federal judges for her success.
DBJ: Fort Worth-based Energy Company Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
The Fort Worth oil and gas company, backed by EnCap Investments, cited market pressures in filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
SCOTX Reverses $12M Judgment Against ConocoPhillips
The Supreme Court ruled Friday that a 1987 will handing down ownership of a Zapata County ranch included its mineral interests. Though it took him six charts to do so, Chief Justice Nathan Hecht showed that the mineral interests were distributed to her heirs exactly as Leonor Ramirez intended.
CDT Roundup: 13 Deals, 13 Firms, 62 Lawyers, $7.43B
Bankruptcies in the oil and gas industry increased last year, especially in the fourth quarter, according to one report, and commodity prices may remain challenged despite recent geopolitical events. Claire Poole reports on that plus last week’s dealmaking slide.
Noah Webster Had ‘a Very Busy First 18 Months’ as Zix GC
A West Point alum, Noah Webster led Zix through a transformational acquisition and capital raise last year. But his most interesting success for the security tech business involved a URL, an Oakland artist and past due garbage collection bills. Not bad for the son of a “toilet paper salesman.”
A Texas-Sized Breakup Over a Handshake Deal
It’s styled as a simple contract dispute. But the upcoming courtroom fray between Charif Souki and Cheniere Energy, the company he founded, is a multi-layered conflict between a well-known entrepreneur and a well-known corporate raider.