
Brenda Lenahan

The Grace Building
1114 Avenue of the Americas
32nd Floor
New York, New York 10036





Brenda Lenahan focuses her practice on capital markets, and corporate governance and compliance. Brenda represents both issuers and underwriters in a variety of capital markets transactions. She has wide experience handling initial public offerings, other public offerings of debt and equity securities, and private placements of debt and equity securities.
She has particular experience with Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) and publicly traded master limited partnerships (MLPs). Brenda is a highly skilled practitioner with extensive knowledge of securities law. She regularly advises clients on general corporate matters, including corporate compliance and governance.
Experience Highlights
Queen’s Gambit Growth Capital, a SPAC, in its $345 million initial public offering of units
Spartan Acquisition Corp. II, a SPAC, in its $345 million initial public offering of units
Spartan Energy Acquisition Corp., a SPAC sponsored by an affiliate of Apollo Global Management, in its $1.75 billion business combination with Fisker Inc., a developer of eco-friendly electric vehicles
Focus Financial Partners Inc., an international partnership of wealth management firms, in its $615 million initial public offering of common stock
Black Stone Minerals, L.P., a mineral interest MLP, in its $428 million initial public offering of common units
Viper Energy Partners LP, a mineral interest, variable MLP, in its $150 million initial public offering of common units
ARC Logistics Partners LP, an MLP with crude oil and refined products terminalling assets, in its $129 million initial public offering of common units
Underwriters to CrossAmerica Partners LP (fka Lehigh Gas Partners L.P.), an MLP engaged in the wholesale distribution of motor fuels, in its $138 million initial public offering of common units
Underwriters to Pattern Energy Group Inc., a wind power company, in its $352 million initial public offering of common stock
Publicly traded companies on listing exchange requirements and corporate governance review in the context of their day-to-day operations, capital market offerings, and strategic transactions, including Global Partners LP, a midstream logistics and marketing MLP, and Cloud Peak Energy Inc., a coal producer
Queen’s Gambit Growth Capital, a SPAC, in its $345 million initial public offering of units
Spartan Acquisition Corp. II, a SPAC, in its $345 million initial public offering of units
Decarbonization Plus Acquisition Corporation, a SPAC, in its $230 million initial public offering of units
Tortoise Acquisition Corp. II, a SPAC, in its $345 million initial public offering of units
Tortoise Acquisition Corp. II, a SPAC, in its $345 million initial public offering of units
Tortoise Acquisition Corp., a SPAC sponsored by an affiliate of Tortoise Investments, LLC, in the $1 billion business combination with Hyliion Inc., a developer and manufacturer of electrified powertrain solutions for Class 8 commercial vehicles that significantly reduce emissions
Tortoise Acquisition Corp., a SPAC, in its $325 million private placement of common stock
Spartan Energy Acquisition Corp., a SPAC, in its $552 million initial public offering of common units
Spartan Energy Acquisition Corp., a SPAC sponsored by an affiliate of Apollo Global Management, in its $1.75 billion business combination with Fisker Inc., a developer of eco-friendly electric vehicles
KLR Energy Acquisition Corp. in the $445 million combination with Tema Oil and Gas Company to form Rosehill Resources in a SPAC business combination
Northern Tier Energy LP, a variable MLP with refining, retail, and pipeline operations, in its $262 million initial public offering of common units
Rhino Resource Partners L.P., a coal MLP, in its $76 million initial public offering of common units
Southwest Airlines Co. in its application to the United States Department of Treasury for $3.3 billion payroll support funding under the Payroll Support Program of the CARES Act and in its negotiation of the related agreements
Southwest Airlines Co. in its $500 million public offering of investment grade notes
Southwest Airlines Co. in its $2.3 billion public offering of convertible senior notes
Southwest Airlines Co. in its $2.3 billion public offering of common stock
Southwest Airlines Co. in its $2 billion public offering of investment grade senior notes
Southwest Airlines Co. in its $1.8 billion public offering of investment grade senior notes
Southwest Airlines Co. in its $1 billion public offering of investment grade senior notes
Reata Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in its $505 million public offering of common stock
Double Eagle Energy Permian in its $2.8 billion sale of certain undeveloped acreage and producing oil and gas properties in the core of the Midland Basin to Parsley Energy
PVR Partners, L.P. in the financing of its $1.0 billion acquisition of a midstream pipeline company with operating assets serving Marcellus Shale natural gas producers, primarily in northeastern Pennsylvania
Buckeye Partners in the $1.7 billion acquisition of Bahamas Oil Refining Company, owner of the largest storage terminal facility in the Caribbean, from First Reserve and Vopak
Arc Terminals, a portfolio company of Lightfoot Capital Partners, in the acquisition of Gulf Coast Asphalt Company’s 1.2 million barrel marine terminalling facility in Mobile, Alabama, and rail transloading facility in Saraland, Alabama
Sinopec in the $8 billion acquisition of Addax Petroleum Corporation, a Canadian company publicly traded on the Toronto and London Stock Exchanges, with oil and gas assets in West Africa and the Middle East
Credentials
- 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
- Chambers USA, SPACs (Nationwide), 2023
- Legal 500 U.S., Finance: Capital Markets: Equity Offerings, 2019, 2022, and 2023
- IFLR1000, 2020–2023
- Selected to the 500 Leading Energy Lawyers, Lawdragon, 2023
- Member: American Bar Association; New York State Bar Association; Business Law Section, State Bar of Texas
- Texas
- New York
- Rankings & AwardsJuly 14, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsJune 12, 2023
- Deals & CasesJune 8, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsJune 1, 2023
- Deals & CasesMay 19, 2023
- InsightMay 8, 2023
V&E SEC Update
- Rankings & AwardsMarch 17, 2023
- Deals & CasesSeptember 21, 2022
- IFLR1000 2022 Recognizes Vinson & Elkins in 21 Practice Categories, Recommends 49 Individual LawyersRankings & AwardsAugust 25, 2022
- Rankings & AwardsJune 16, 2022
- InsightJune 14, 2022
V&E SEC Update
- InsightMay 31, 2022
V&E SPAC Update
- InsightMay 6, 2022
V&E SEC Update
- InsightMarch 30, 2022
V&E SPAC Update
- Deals & CasesDecember 20, 2021
- Press ReleaseAugust 27, 2021
- IFLR1000 2021 Recognizes Vinson & Elkins in 21 Practice Categories, Recommends 52 Individual LawyersRankings & AwardsAugust 25, 2021
- Deals & CasesJuly 28, 2021
- Deals & CasesJune 23, 2021
- Deals & CasesMarch 26, 2021
- Deals & CasesMarch 19, 2021
- Deals & CasesMarch 2, 2021
- Deals & CasesFebruary 8, 2021
- Deals & CasesFebruary 8, 2021
- Deals & CasesJanuary 22, 2021
- Deals & CasesJanuary 22, 2021
- InsightJune 4, 2020
- InsightSeptember 19, 2018
- “The Upcoming Proxy Season,” Women’s Corporate Directors Washington DC Chapter, January 17, 2023 (panelist)
- “Valuation Creation and Strategic Exit Readiness,” Independent Petroleum Association of Americas IPAA Oil Gas Investment Symposium, April 8, 2019 (panelist)