Chris Rowley

Partner

Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity

“Complex business transactions are unpredictable and challenging to manage. I believe one of the best things we can do for our clients is to efficiently break down tasks, identify priorities, communicate clearly across working groups, and enable the business and legal teams to focus on creative solutions to the key commercial problems with maximum focus and clarity.”

Chris Rowley

Overview

Chris is a Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity-focused partner with more than 20 years of experience leading difficult, interdisciplinary corporate transactions. Chris frequently guides financial sponsors and operating companies through the enterprise life cycle – the initial formation, management team arrangements, bids and acquisitions; capital build-up through private equity and debt capital financings; development of pre-IPO governance structures; and private or public exit transactions. Chris works closely with V&E’s Capital Markets, Corporate Governance, Finance, Tax and other specialty teams. Chris has worked on transactions for more than a dozen leading private equity firms and family offices, involving more than 100 private equity-related transactional matters across many industry sectors.

Chris is a leader of Vinson & Elkins’ working groups focused on Electric Power for Power Transmission Transactions, and for Renewable Fuels, which are part of the Firm’s focus on Energy Transition.

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Experience

  • Oncor Electric Delivery LLC

    • Sale of Hidalgo County, Texas power distribution assets to AEP Texas
    • Acquisition of InfraREIT Inc. (NYSE: HIFR) in a series of public and private transactions involving InfraREIT and subsidiaries of Hunt Consolidated Inc., including the acquisition of West Texas power transmission assets through exchange with Sharyland Utilities LLC, and related transactions approved by the Public Utility Commission of Texas, a CFIUS filing by Oncor’s private equity owners, and other regulatory clearances and approvals
    • Exchange of $350 million of Sharyland Distribution and Transmission, L.L.C.’s outstanding privately placed notes for Oncor senior secured notes in connection with the acquisition of InfraREIT Inc.
    • Exchange of approximately 258 miles of 345 kV CREZ power transmission lines with Sharyland Distribution & Transmission Services, L.L.C. and Sharyland Utilities, L.P. for Sharyland’s South and West Texas power distribution network and retail delivery customers, and related transactions approved by the Public Utility Commission of Texas
  • Quintana Energy Services Inc. (NYSE: QES)

    • Quintana Energy Services Inc. in its IPO and related pre-IPO restructuring transactions
    • Quintana Energy Services LP (predecessor to QES) in first lien debt restructuring, controlling stakeholder second lien financing and related warrant issuances
    • Quintana Energy Services LP in equity-for-equity combination of its pressure pumping, directional drilling and pressure control businesses with a subsidiary of Archer Ltd., contemporaneous second lien financing and establishment of multi-stakeholder board governance and related stakeholder rights
    • Quintana Energy Services LP in its acquisition of Cimarron Acid and Frac, an oilfield services portfolio company of Annapurna Capital Management
    • Quintana Energy Partners, L.P. in the combination of multiple portfolio companies to create Quintana Energy Services LP, a new oilfield services platform
    • Quintana Energy Partners, L.P. in the buildup of multiple oilfield services companies and related incentive, employment and services relationships with management teams
  • MoneyGram International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MGI)

    • MoneyGram International in its first and second lien debt refinancing and related transactions and issuance of warrants to second lien lenders
    • MoneyGram International, Inc. in its strategic agreement with Ripple providing for a $50 million investment in MoneyGram common stock and warrants through a standby equity purchase agreement
  • HollyFrontier Corporation (NYSE: HFC; formerly HOC)

    • HollyFrontier Corporation in the $315 million drop down of its 75% interest in the owner of the UNEV refined products pipeline to Holly Energy Partners, L.P. for cash and common units, and related throughput arrangement
    • HollyFrontier Corporation in the $340 million drop down of storage tanks, loading racks and related assets at its El Dorado and Cheyenne refineries to Holly Energy Partners, L.P. for promissory notes and common units, and related throughput arrangements
    • Holly Corporation in the $7 billion merger with Frontier Oil Corporation, creating one of the largest independent refiners in the US.
    • Holly Corporation in the drop down of petroleum storage tanks with approximately 2 million barrels of capacity and certain rail loading rack facilities at its Tulsa Refinery, and an asphalt truck loading rack at its Lovington, New Mexico facility, to Holly Energy Partners, L.P. for $93 million in cash, and related throughput arrangements
    • Holly Corporation in the drop down of certain of its Tulsa Refinery truck and rail loading/unloading facilities to Holly Energy Partners, L.P., and related throughput arrangements
    • Holly Corporation in its acquisition of Sinclair Oil’s 75,000 BPD Tulsa refinery and 2.3 million barrels of storage for $128.5 million
    • Holly Corporation in its acquisition of Sunoco’s 85,000 BPD Tulsa refinery for $65 million
  • Private Equity Firms

    • BP Energy Partners LLC on a range of private equity matters, including, including investments, management team arrangements and formation of portfolio companies, acquisitions, financings, exits, bids, governance and related matters
    • Elliott Investment Management, L.P. on a range of energy, manufacturing and industrial private equity matters, including investments, management team arrangements and formation of portfolio companies, acquisitions, financings, exits, bids, governance and related matters
    • Quintana Energy Partners, L.P. and Quintana Minerals Corp. in numerous private equity matters, including investments, management team arrangements and formation of portfolio companies, acquisitions, financings, exits, bids, governance, and in other private equity-related matters
    • Trive Capital Partners LLC in its exit transaction for its Appalachia natural gas assets held by TCF II Core LLC in a transaction with Diversified Gas & Oil Plc (LON: DGOC) for cash and stock, and subsequent liquidation of acquired shares over the AIM sub-market of the London Stock Exchange, and in other private equity-related matters
    • Discovery Americas LLC in its exit from its private equity investment in publicly-held ADSs in Volaris, the Mexican ultra low-cost airline, through secondary offerings and share distributions to limited partners, and in other private equity-related matters
    • Management team of Next Wave Energy Partners in obtaining a $500 million equity commitment from Energy Capital Partners for the development, operation, acquisition, and expansion of midstream and downstream petrochemical and fuels assets
  • Treehouse Communities in its strategic joint venture with Vineyards Management Group to form Roots Management Group, the parent company of two leading brands for manufactured housing communities & RV parks

Credentials

Education

  • Southern Methodist University, Dedman School of Law, J.D. cum laude, 1998 (Order of the Coif; The Barristers; SMU Law Review Association)
  • Vanderbilt University, B.A., 1992

Admissions

  • Texas

Recognitions

  • The Best Lawyers in America© (BL Rankings, LLC), Mergers and Acquisitions Law (Dallas), 2025–2027
  • Selected to the 500 Leading Energy Lawyers, Lawdragon, 2023–2026
  • Selected to the Texas Super Lawyers list, Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), 2011–2025
  • Legal 500 U.S., Energy: Transactions–Conventional Power, 2019
Insights

Client Alerts

Texas Hold ‘Em: New Law Requires Proxy Advisors to Show Their Cards if “Nonpecuniary” Factors Guide Voting Recommendations

On July 24, 2025, the two largest U.S. proxy advisory firms—Glass, Lewis & Co. (“Glass Lewis”) and Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (“ISS”)—each separately filed suit against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas challenging recently enacted Texas Senate Bill 2337 (“SB 2337”).

September 2, 2025 • V&E Governance & Sustainability Update

September 2, 2025 • 6-minute read

Client Alerts

Actions for Corporations to Obtain the Benefits of Amendments to the Texas Business Organizations Code

On May 14, 2025, Texas Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 29 (“S.B. 29”) into law, significantly reforming the Texas Business Organizations Code (“TBOC”) to promote Texas as a preferred state of incorporation for both public and private companies.

May 16, 2025 • V&E Corporate Governance Update

May 16, 2025 • 6-minute read

Client Alerts

FinCEN Issues Interim Final Rule – BOI Reporting Obligations Narrowed to Foreign Reporting Companies and New Deadlines Issued

As we previously discussed and in alignment with the U.S. Treasury Department’s previous announcement, on March 21, 2025, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) issued an interim final rule that dramatically narrows the reporting requirements for beneficial ownership information (“BOI”) under the Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”).

March 27, 2025 • V&E CTA Update

March 27, 2025 • 2-minute read

Treasury Releases Application for Loans to Businesses Critical to Maintaining National Security Background Decorative Image

Client Alerts

Should You Consider Texas as Your Jurisdiction for a U.S. Corporation?

Katherine Frank, Robert Kimball, and Christopher Rowley examine the rising appeal of Texas as a jurisdiction for U.S. corporations, comparing it to Delaware’s established dominance in corporate law.

March 17, 2025 • Published by The Transatlantic Law Journal

March 17, 2025 • 1-minute read

New Texas Law Gets Supervisors Asking for Sexual Harassment Training Background Image

Client Alerts

FinCEN and the U.S. Treasury Department Suspend CTA Enforcement – Forthcoming Rule to Narrow CTA Compliance to Foreign Reporting Companies and Extend Deadlines

On February 27, 2025, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) announced a suspension of enforcement actions related to the Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”).

March 6, 2025 • V&E CTA Update

March 6, 2025 • 2-minute read

Treasury Releases Application for Loans to Businesses Critical to Maintaining National Security Background Decorative Image
News & Achievements