Overview

David advises private equity firms and a variety of public and private businesses in connection with strategic transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, leveraged buyouts, joint ventures and equity and debt financings. His work spans a variety of industries, with a particular focus on energy and infrastructure matters.

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Experience Highlights

  • Kinetik Holdings in the sale of its interest in EPIC Crude Holdings to Plains All American Pipeline (pending)

  • Double Eagle Energy Holdings, IV in its $4.1 billion cash and stock sale to Diamondback Energy, Inc.

  • EnCap Investments in several equity investments, including X2 Resources, Double Eagle Energy Holdings V, Tumbleweed Royalty V, Black Swan Oil & Gas II, Novo Oil & Gas II, Ridge Runner Resources II, Dunamis Energy, Double Eagle Energy Holdings IV, Tumbleweed Royalty IV, Verdun Oil Company III and Grayson Mill Energy Holdings III

  • Total Operations and Production Services, a leading provider of contract gas compression services for the Permian Basin, in its acquisition by Archrock in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at $983 million

  • Andros Capital Partners in the formation of a joint venture with Esperanza Capital Partners to acquire Deepwater Gulf of Mexico upstream and infrastructure assets, including Exxon’s assets in the Ursa and Princess Fields

  • MN8 Energy LLC in its $325 million private placement of convertible preferred stock

  • OIC in connection with its investment in DartPoints, an owner and operator of data centers in the United States

  • First Reserve in its acquisition of AP4 Group, LLC, a global full-service provider of critical power plant and turbomachinery maintenance services

  • EagleClaw Midstream, a Blackstone and I Squared Capital portfolio company, in its $9 billion business combination with Altus Midstream to form Kinetik Holdings

  • Chord Energy in its $11 billion combination with Enerplus Corporation in May 2024

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Credentials

Education

  • Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, J.D. cum laude, 2017 (Lead Articles Editor, SMU Law Review; President, Phi Delta Phi Honor Society)
  • The University of Texas at Austin, B.A., Economics and Government, 2014

Admissions

  • Texas

Recognitions

  • The Best Lawyers in America© (BL Rankings, LLC), “Ones to Watch,” (Houston): Corporate Law, 2026 and 2027; Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, 2026 and 2027; Mergers and Acquisitions Law, 2026 and 2027
News & Achievements

Deals & Cases

Vinson & Elkins Advised EnCap Portfolio Companies in Asset Sales to Matador

Vinson & Elkins advised Paloma Permian, LLC (“Paloma”), a portfolio company of EnCap Investments L.P., in its entry into a …

July 23, 2026

July 23, 2026 • 1-minute read

Firm News

Vinson & Elkins Announces 2026 Class of New Partners and Counsel

Vinson & Elkins today announced that it has elected 10 lawyers to its partnership and promoted 12 lawyers to counsel, effective January 1, 2026.

November 19, 2025

November 19, 2025 • 5-minute read

Deals & Cases

Vinson & Elkins Advises Kinetik Holdings Inc. in Sale of Its Equity Interest in EPIC Crude Holdings, LP

Vinson & Elkins LLP advised Kinetik Holdings Inc. (NYSE: KNTK) in its sale of its 27.5% equity interest in EPIC Crude Holdings, LP to a wholly owned subsidiary of Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. (Nasdaq: PAA) and Plains GP Holdings (Nasdaq: PAGP) for approximately $500 million in net upfront cash and an additional $96 million contingent cash payment due upon a final investment decision on a capacity expansion project.

September 3, 2025

September 3, 2025 • 1-minute read

Awards & Rankings

Vinson & Elkins Earns 305 Rankings in The Best Lawyers in America 2026, Including Five “Lawyer of the Year” Recognitions

The Best Lawyers in America (BL Rankings, LLC) has named 125 Vinson & Elkins lawyers in its “Best Lawyers” category in the 2026 edition. Additionally, 76 Vinson & Elkins attorneys have been named in the “Ones to Watch” category, which recognizes lawyers with 5–10 years’ experience. Some individuals are listed in more than one practice area, giving the firm a total of 305 rankings.

August 21, 2025

August 21, 2025 • 3-minute read

Deals & Cases

Vinson & Elkins Advises NGP Energy Capital Management on Strategic Equity Investment in Greenlake Energy Holdings II

Vinson & Elkins advised NGP Energy Capital Management, LLC (“NGP”) in an equity investment in Greenlake Energy Holdings II, LLC (“Greenlake”), a newly formed company focused on upstream oil and gas opportunities.

May 7, 2025

May 7, 2025 • 1-minute read