© 2016 The Texas Lawbook.
By Brooks Igo
(Dec. 21) – Vinson & Elkins recently announced that eight lawyers have been promoted to the partnership, effective January 1, 2017.
Seven of the soon-to-be partners are based in Texas.
Mark Brasher focuses his practice on project development and business transactions concerning domestic and international energy and infrastructure projects. He is the lead attorney advising Noble Energy on the project development aspects of its 20Tcf Leviathan natural gas project, offshore Israel, and recently was part of the team that advised Riverstone in its acquisition from Kinder Morgan of a 50 percent interest in the Utopia Pipeline Project.
Brasher, who received his LL.M. from the University of Texas School of Law, is in the Houston office.
Jason McIntosh, also based in Houston, specializes in tax planning with respect to complex international and domestic transactions. He was part of the V&E team that advised Riverstone Holdings in the formation and $525 million initial capitalization of Sierra Oil & Gas, Mexico’s first independent exploration and production company.
He also recently represented Buckeye Partners in structuring its $1.15 billion acquisition of a 50 percent interest in VTTI BV.
Becky Petereit focuses her practice on all aspects of restructuring and reorganization work. She is based in Dallas and has represented debtors in complex cross-border insolvency proceedings; tried several fraudulent transfer actions; represented the administrative agent for syndicated secured lenders who were owed approximately $7 billion in a Chapter 11 case of one of the largest publishers of yellow pages directories in the U.S.; and represented the liquidating trustee of a bankrupt financial services firm in litigation against its former officers and directors.
Bailey Pham, who resides in the Dallas office, centers her practice on representing financial institutions, corporate lenders and businesses in all types of financing arrangements, including acquisition loans, asset-based loans and energy loans. The SMU Dedman School of Law graduate advised on Holly Corporation’s $7 billion merger with Frontier Oil Corporation, which created one of the largest independent refiners in the U.S.
Lande Spottswood, a mergers and acquisitions attorney in Houston, advises public and private companies, including MLPs, private equity investors and their portfolio companies. She has been part of the deal teams of some of V&E’s largest recent matters, including representing Sunoco Logistics in its pending $22 billion acquisition of Energy Transfer; Plains GP Holdings in its simplification transaction with Plains All American Pipeline for $7.2 billion; Nexeo Solution’s $1.575 billion merger with WL Ross Holding Corp.; and Western Refining’s $2.4 billion merger agreement with Northern Tier Energy LP.
Thomas Zentner, based in Houston, focuses his practice on corporate finance and securities law, including securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions and general corporate representation. The University of Texas School of Law alumnus advised Anadarko Petroleum Corporation in its $2.1 billion public offering of common stock and in its $3 billion offering of senior notes.
He also advised Targa Resources Corp. in its $360 million initial public offering and in its $6.7 billion acquisition of Targa Resources Partners in an all stock-for-unit transaction.
Craig Zieminski, a Dallas litigation attorney, represents companies and their directors in lawsuits brought by Delaware stockholders, MLP unitholders and deal partners. He was part of the team that represented Energy Transfer Equity in its successful defense of litigation concerning a $37.7 billion merger with The Williams Companies, and he also helped win dismissal of a stockholder suit challenging C&J Energy’s $2.9 billion merger with a unit of Nabors Industries.
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