Overview

Brenda Lenahan’s practice focuses on advising on all forms of capital-raising transactions, including IPOs as well as other public offerings and private placements involving both equity and debt, and on securities disclosure, corporate governance and compliance matters, including with respect to M&A transactions and other complex corporate transactions such as SPAC business combinations. Brenda has represented a variety of clients, including public and private companies, management teams, boards of directors, investment banks and private equity firms, across a wide array of industries that include energy transition, traditional energy, finance, aviation and life sciences. Her work has been recognized by Chambers USA, Legal 500 U.S., Lawdragon500 and IFLR1000.

Experience

  • Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. in its $400 million private offering of senior notes

  • A developer, owner and operator of energy storage and renewables generation assets, in its initial public offering of common stock (withdrawn)

  • Focus Financial Partners, a leading partnership of independent, fiduciary wealth management firms, in its $7 billion acquisition by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice

  • Southwest Airlines Co. in multiple equity and debt offerings and in its funding from the United States Department of Treasury of $4.93 billion under the Payroll Support Program of the CARES Act, including subsequent program extensions, and in its negotiation of the related loans, warrants and other agreements

  • Routinely advises publicly traded companies on 1933 Act and 1934 Act compliance, listing exchange requirements, and ESG matters (including corporate governance and board of directors matters)

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Credentials

Education

  • University of Texas School of Law, J.D. with honors, 2000 (Texas Law Review; Chancellor-at-Large; Order of the Coif)
  • University of Texas, B.B.A. with highest honors, 1994; Masters in Professional Accounting in Taxation, 1994

Admissions

  • Texas
  • New York

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Recognitions

  • Chambers Global, SPACs (USA), 2024
  • Chambers USA, SPACs (Nationwide), 2023
  • Legal 500 U.S., Finance: Capital Markets: Equity Offerings, 2019, 2022, and 2023; Finance: Capital Markets: High-Yield Debt Offerings, 2026
  • IFLR1000, 2020–2023
  • Selected to the 500 Leading Energy Lawyers, Lawdragon, 2023–2026
Insights

Client Alerts

A Capital Idea: The SEC Proposes Amendments to Expand Access to Registered Offerings

Public companies may soon find they have more flexibility when it comes to capital formation. On May 19, 2026, the …

May 28, 2026

May 28, 2026 • 8-minute read

sec, securities and exchange commission

Client Alerts

SEC Approves Final SPAC Rules

On January 24, 2024, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) approved final rules relating to special purpose acquisition companies (“SPACs”). The final rules follow the SEC’s issuance of proposed rules on March 30, 2022, and the receipt of 115 comments on such proposed rules.

January 25, 2024 • V&E SEC Update

January 25, 2024 • 9-minute read

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Client Alerts

The Wait is Over: SEC Adopts Share Repurchase Disclosure Modernization Rules

Final rules to modernize share repurchase disclosure will go into effect for the first periodic report that covers the first full fiscal quarter that begins on or after October 1, 2023.

May 8, 2023 • V&E SEC Update

May 8, 2023 • 11-minute read

SEC Ramps Up COVID-19 Response Background Decorative Image
News & Achievements