Overview

Brian Russell is a transactional tax lawyer who focuses on the U.S. federal income tax aspects of domestic and cross-border transactions. He advises clients across industry sectors, including investment funds, real estate funds, public and private companies, Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs), real estate investment trusts (REITs), master limited partnerships (MLPs), and high-net-worth individuals. He also advises on a wide range of transactions, including partnership transactions, mergers, acquisitions and dispositions, and joint ventures. In addition, Brian has experience in capital market transactions, including public offerings and other financings, and in restructurings, workouts and bankruptcies.

Experience

  • The Sinclair Companies in the combination of Sinclair Oil’s refining, renewable diesel and logistics assets with those of HollyFrontier Corporation and Holly Energy Partners, L.P.

  • The parent company of EagleClaw Midstream, a Blackstone and I Squared Capital portfolio company, in a merger with Altus Midstream valuing the combined entity at $9 billion

  • Bonanza Creek Energy in its business combination with Extraction Oil & Gas to form Civitas Resources and Civitas’ subsequent acquisition of Crestone Peak Resources, creating a $4.5 billion combined company

  • Bonanza Creek Energy in its $376 million acquisition of HighPoint Resources Corporation

  • DoublePoint Energy in its $6.4 billion sale to Pioneer Natural Resources Company (NYSE: PXD) (2022 Finalist in D CEO’s $1 Billion + Deal of the Year Awards)

  • 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

  • ProFrac Holdings in the acquisition of FTS International, creating one of the largest completions-focused oilfield service companies in the U.S. oil and gas industry

  • Sunoco in the $3.3 billion sale of approximately 1,100 gas station/convenient stores located in 15 states to 7-Eleven

  • NorthStar Realty Finance in the approximately $16 billion combination with NorthStar Asset Management Group and Colony Capital in an all-stock merger of equals transaction to create a world-class, internally-managed, diversified real estate and investment management platform

  • Switchback Energy Acquisition Corporation in its $2.4 billion business combination with ChargePoint, an electric vehicle charging network

  • Switchback II Corporation, a SPAC, in its $2.3 billion business combination with Bird Rides, a leader in shared short range environmentally friendly electric transportation

  • Tortoise Acquisition Corp., a SPAC, 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. II in its $1.4 billion business combination with Volta Industries, an industry leader in commerce-centric electric vehicle charging networks

  • Queen’s Gambit Growth Capital in its $1.1 billion business combination with Swvl, a Dubai-based provider of transformative mass transit and shared mobility solutions

  • Decarbonization Plus Acquisition Corporation, a SPAC, in its $2.1 billion business combination with Hyzon Motors, a global supplier of zero-emissions hydrogen fuel cell powered commercial vehicles

  • CENAQ Energy Corp., a SPAC, in a business combination with Bluescape Clean Fuels, a private company specializing in the supply of gasoline derived from renewable feedstocks

Expand All

Credentials

Education

  • Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, J.D. magna cum laude, 2012 (Order of the Coif; Phi Delta Phi; SMU International Law Review)
  • Georgetown University Law Center, LL.M., Taxation with distinction, 2014 (Thomas Bradbury Chetwood, S.J. Prize for ranking first in the Tax LL.M. program; Graduate Tax Scholar)
  • University of Oklahoma, B.B.A., Accounting, 2009

Admissions

  • Texas

Expand All

Recognitions

  • D Magazine, “Best Lawyers Under 40,” 2020, 2021, and 2024
  • The Best Lawyers in America© (BL Rankings, LLC), “Ones to Watch,” Tax Law (Dallas), 2021–2024
Insights

Client Alerts

IRS Internal Memorandum Questions NIL Collectives’ 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Status

The IRS recently issued an internal memorandum to the effect that many Name-Image-Likeness (NIL) collectives will not qualify for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, including those that had previously obtained tax exemption letters from the IRS.

June 22, 2023 • V&E Tax Update

June 22, 2023 • 2-minute read

Inflation Reduction Act of 2022: Corporate Alternative Minimum Tax Background Image
News & Achievements