Prolific capital markets lawyer joins Kirkland
Hiring of Latham & Watkins partner shows firm’s aggressive expansion
Latham & Watkins partner Sean Wheeler, a big name in the oil and gas dealmaking world, is moving his highly successful legal practice to Kirkland & Ellis in Houston, according to lawyers with direct knowledge of the move.
Kirkland’s hiring of Wheeler, who is consistently ranked by The Texas Lawbook as one of the most prolific capital markets lawyers in Texas, demonstrates that the Chicago-based law firm continues to spend big bucks to aggressively expand in the Houston and Dallas markets.
Kirkland has grown from zero lawyers in Houston four years ago to more than 140 corporate attorneys today. The firm is also aggressively recruiting lawyers in the Dallas market and is reportedly seeking to open an office in North Texas.
Even so, Kirkland’s hire of Wheeler is stunning on its own.
The Texas Lawbook’s Corporate Deal Tracker shows that Wheeler has led or co-led more than 50 securities offerings for $28.6 billion since January 2016, making him one of the most prolific capital markets lawyers in Texas.
Neither Wheeler nor a Latham spokeswoman responded immediately to a request for comment. Latham’s partnership agreements allow the firm to hold its lawyers lateraling to other law firms for up to six months, though Latham has reportedly never enforced the provision.
Wheeler is said to be one of the 10 highestpaid attorneys at Latham, which he joined from Baker Botts when the firm opened the office in 2010. He has served as Latham’s managing partner in Houston and is co-chair of its oil and gas industry practice.
The Harvard-trained lawyer has worked on capital markets transactions as well as M&A and private equity deals in all parts of the oil and gas industry, including exploration and production, midstream infrastructure and oilfield services. Last year he advised Andeavor Logistics on its $1.8 billion merger with Western Refining Logistics.
His other M&A clients have included Ensco, Rowan Cos., Weatherford International, Rice Energy, BreitBurn Energy Partners, Athlon Energy, LinnCo, Plains Exploration & Production, Energy Transfer Partners and K-Sea Transportation Partners.
Since Jan. 1, 2017, Latham has reported Wheeler as being involved as lead counsel or co-counsel on at least 24 transactions worth more than $11.2 billion.