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Keith Fullenweider
Keith Fullenweider
Partner — Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity
E: kfullenweider@velaw.com T: +1.713.758.3838
VCard BIO PDF
Partner — Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity

Keith Fullenweider

Keith Fullenweider
Houston
T: +1.713.758.3838
F: +1.713.615.5085

1001 Fannin Street
Suite 2500
Houston, TX 77002

E: kfullenweider@velaw.com
VCard BIO PDF
start quote symbolOur private equity lawyers have an excellent combination of technical skill and commercial practicality that enables us to understand what our clients are looking for, and to help them accomplish their goals.end quote symbol
Keith Fullenweider

Keith Fullenweider is Chair-Elect of the firm and currently serves as the co-head of its Corporate department. He is also a member of the firm’s Management Committee.

Keith advises private equity firms and their portfolio companies on their investments, financings, and exit transactions. In addition, he counsels private equity firms on structuring capital raises, new business opportunities and corporate development matters. Keith also has extensive experience in public company merger transactions, particularly those involving conflict, special committee processes and regulated businesses.

Keith’s clients include some of the world’s most prominent private investors including TPG, Blackstone, KKR, Crestview, Quantum and EnCap.

Before taking the helm of V&E’s Corporate department, Keith led the firm’s private equity and M&A practice, from 2008 to 2016. During that time, the firm saw a significant expansion of its private equity representations. Under Keith’s watch, V&E became the country’s No. 1 private equity energy practice1 and solidified its position as a leading legal advisor to private equity firms across sectors. V&E also maintained its No. 1 ranking in energy M&A transactions during each year in this period.

1Mergermarket, Energy Private Equity Deals (volume), 2009-2019

Experience Highlights

  • Quantum Energy Partners and Post Oak Energy Capital in the $3.6 billion sale of Oryx Midstream to Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners 

  • Blackstone Infrastructure Partners in its $3.3 billion acquisition of a controlling interest in Tallgrass Energy and subsequently, together with affiliates of Enagas, GIC, NPS and USS, the acquisition of all outstanding publicly-held shares

  • TPG in its $2.66 billion acquisition of assets from EnerVest in a SPAC business combination

  • TPG Growth in the $1.2 billion sale of Discovery Midstream to KKR and Williams

  • AltaGas in the $6.4 billion acquisition of WGL Holdings, owner of a regulated natural gas utility, a midstream franchise and non-regulated contracted power and energy marketing businesses throughout the United States

  • The founder of Drunk Elephant and a consortium of majority equity holders in the sale of Drunk Elephant, a skincare company, to Shiseido Company, an international personal care company

  • FleetPride, a TPG portfolio company, in its sale to American Securities

  • Select Energy Services, an affiliate of Crestview Partners, in its $1.3 billion merger with Rockwater Energy Solutions

  • Blackstone in the $2 billion acquisition of Eagle Claw Midstream Ventures from EnCap Flatrock Midstream

  • Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. in its business combination with Perella Weinberg Partners

  • Vantage Energy in its $2.7 billion sale to Rice Energy 

  • Nexeo Solutions, a chemicals and plastics distributor and TPG Capital portfolio company, in its $1.575 billion merger with WL Ross Holdings Corp. in a SPAC business combination

Credentials

  • The University of Texas School of Law, J.D. with high honors, 1988 (Chancellors; Order of the Coif; Texas Law Review)
  • Princeton University, A.B., History summa cum laude, 1985
  • Law 360’s MVP List for Energy, 2014
  • Chambers Global, Energy: Oil & Gas (Transactional) (USA), 2011−2013, 2019−2021; Corporate/M&A: International & Cross-Border (USA), 2020 and 2021
  • Chambers USA, Energy: Oil & Gas (Transactional) (Nationwide), 2010−2021; Corporate/M&A (Texas), 2010−2021; Corporate/M&A: Private Equity (Texas), 2021; “Spotlight Table” in Corporate M&A: Private Equity (Texas), 2021
  • Legal 500 U.S., M&A/Corporate & Commercial: M&A: Large Deals, 2015–2021; Venture Capital and Emerging Companies, 2017; M&A/Corporate & Commercial: Private Equity Buyouts, 2011-2021; Energy: Transactions, 2014, 2016-2020; Finance: Project Finance, 2018-2021; “Leading Lawyer” in Energy: Transactions – Oil & Gas, 2020 and 2021
  • The Best Lawyers in America© (BL Rankings, LLC), “Lawyer of the Year” in Mergers & Acquisitions (Houston), 2013, 2016, 2018 and 2020
  • The Best Lawyers in America© (BL Rankings, LLC), Mergers and Acquisitions Law (Houston), 2007−2022
  • Selected to the Texas Super Lawyers list, Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), 2003−2020
  • IFLR1000, 2020 and 2021
  • Texas
  • “Playing the Recovery in Midstream & Natural Gas Markets,” SuperReturn Energy 2017 – Where Private Equity Investors Meet to Shape the Future of Energy Investment, June 12-13, 2017 (speaker)
  • “Thoughts for Officers and Directors of E&P Companies and MLPs in 2016,” V&E website, January 19, 2016 (co-author)

News & Insights

Deals & Cases
Nerdy and TPG Pace Tech Opportunities Announce Closing of Business Combination
September 20, 2021
Rankings & Awards
IFLR1000 2021 Recognizes Vinson & Elkins in 21 Practice Categories, Recommends 52 Individual Lawyers
August 25, 2021
Deals & Cases
KKR-Backed Independence Energy to Combine With Contango in Merger Valued at $5.7 Billion
June 8, 2021
Rankings & Awards
Lawdragon Names 19 V&E Partners to 500 Leading Dealmakers in America List
May 12, 2021