Willkie Adds Leading Energy M&A Lawyer Jay Hughes in Houston
Press Release
May 19, 2020
New York, NY (May 19, 2020) --- Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP today announced that Jay Hughes has joined the Firm as a partner in the Houston office. He is part of the Firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions practice.
Mr. Hughes has experience across a wide range of corporate transactions in the energy sector. He has particular knowledge of the power industry, including both fossil fuels and renewables, such as wind and solar, and has advised on some of the most high-profile deals in this space in recent years.
“Our strategy of building our Houston platform has been deliberate. We focus on adding and developing dynamic, thoughtful lawyers who share the view that a collaborative approach to providing complex legal advice enables us to best serve our clients on their most sophisticated transactions,” said Bruce Herzog, Co-Managing Partner of Willkie’s Houston office. “There are many capable attorneys in the market, but very few who mesh with our practice style. Jay is a perfect fit – experienced, practical and committed to being a go-to advisor to his private equity and energy clients. We are very fortunate to have Jay as one of our partners.”
Michael Piazza, Co-Managing Partner of the Houston office and Co-Head of Willkie’s energy practice commented: “Jay is a gifted and versatile corporate attorney who will be a great asset to our clients, particularly as they navigate complex issues arising in the current environment. His extensive experience in the power sector, in energy transition projects, and in private equity and M&A more generally will both bolster and expand our platform. We are thrilled to welcome Jay to Willkie.”
Mr. Hughes joins Willkie from McGuireWoods, where he was managing partner of the Houston office. His practice focuses on public and private mergers and acquisitions as well as energy transactions and financings, primarily in the power and oil and gas industries. He advises clients on the structuring, financing, negotiation and consummation of business acquisitions, distressed asset acquisitions, divestitures and mergers. He regularly advises publicly traded and privately held energy companies on matters involving acquisitions and dispositions, joint ventures, project development, mineral conveyancing, and transactions associated with upstream operations and oilfield services. He also advises utilities, developers, and private equity and infrastructure funds in the sale and acquisition of a range of power assets. He received a BS and BA from the University of Richmond and a JD from The College of William & Mary.
Mr. Hughes commented: “Willkie has built a significant platform in Houston, and I am excited to help expand the Firm’s M&A practice even further. I look forward to collaborating with the many talented lawyers across Willkie’s offices to support the Firm’s energy and other clients.”
About Willkie’s Houston Office
Willkie opened its Houston office in 2014 to extend the Firm’s well known private equity, M&A and restructuring practice to sponsors in the region that focus on investments in energy, industrial, basic manufacturing and financial services sectors. The office’s approximately 40 lawyers work closely with colleagues across Willkie to provide private equity representation across a broad range that includes fund formation; investment adviser registration and compliance; mergers & acquisitions, including asset and equity-level A&D activity and LBOs; sponsor equity lines and other control and minority investments; leveraged finance and energy finance. The office’s diverse restructuring practice represents distressed companies, creditor groups, stakeholders and investors interested in special opportunities in both bankruptcy proceedings and out of court restructurings.
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Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP is an international law firm of more than 700 attorneys with offices in New York, Washington, Houston, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Chicago, Paris, London, Frankfurt, Brussels, Milan and Rome. The Firm is headquartered in New York City at 787 Seventh Avenue. Tel: 212.728.8000.
Contact: Antoinette C. McGovern
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
Tel: (212) 728-8404
Email: amcgovern@willkie.com