Michael C. Holmes
Trammell Crow Center
2001 Ross Avenue
Suite 3900
Dallas, Texas 75201
Michael currently serves as a Vice Chair of the firm and a member of the Management Committee and Diversity Executive Committee.
His practice includes mergers & acquisitions, securities litigation, corporate governance, directors and officer representation, and commercial disputes. Michael has appeared as lead counsel in several jurisdictions, and has significant experience in handling Delaware corporate and partnership litigation matters. Most recently, Michael was lead trial counsel for Energy Transfer Equity, L.P. in connection with a lawsuit adverse to The Williams Companies to enforce rights under the parties’ merger agreement. Following expedited discovery and an expedited trial, The Delaware Court of Chancery entered an opinion and order permitting his client to terminate the merger agreement. This decision was affirmed by the Delaware Supreme Court. Michael has also handled a variety of corporate investigations, including internal investigations and investigations initiated by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
M&A, Corporate Governance and D&O
As co-lead trial counsel, obtained opinion permitting Energy Transfer Equity, LP to terminate merger agreement with The Williams Companies based on failure of condition precedent relating to the provision of a tax opinion; Decision affirmed by the Delaware Supreme Court on March 23, 2017 The Williams Companies, Inc. v. Energy Transfer Equity, L.P., 2016 WL 3576682 (Del. Ch. June 24, 2016)
Obtained reversal from the Delaware Supreme Court of an injunction entered by Delaware Chancery Court in lawsuit arising from a proposed transaction involving C&J Energy Services, Inc. and a subsidiary of Nabors; the Court of Chancery subsequently granted defendants’ motion to dismiss, and the Delaware Supreme Court affirmed the dismissal. C&J Energy Servs., Inc. v. City of Miami Gen. Employees’, 107 A.3d 1049 (Del. 2014), on remand, 2016 WL 4464274 (Del. Ch. Aug. 24, 2016), aff’d, 158 A.3d 885 (Del. 2017)
Obtained dismissal from Delaware Chancery Court and affirmance from the Delaware Supreme Court of claims arising from take-private transaction of publicly traded MLP by the owner of its general partner; obtained dismissal of related action in Delaware federal court. Allen v. Encore Energy Partners, L.P., 72 A.3d 93 (Del. 2013)
Secured trial judgment and attorney’s fees in favor of medical imaging center in lawsuit alleging tortious interference with prospective business relations Soterion Corp. v. Soteria Investment Holdings, Inc., et al., No. 179, (Del. 2013)
Dismissal of a variety of claims brought by company’s former employees, including, most notably, a judicial dissolution claim based on the Delaware LLC Act Brett Wiggs v. Summit Midstream Partners, LLC, C.A. No. 7801-VCN (Del. Ch. 2013)
Advised conflicts committee of El Paso Pipeline, L.P. in connection with transaction with Kinder Morgan and obtained dismissal of claims asserted against conflicts committee in connection with that transaction
Defeated motion to enjoin proposed simplification transaction involving Inergy, L.P. and its general partner in Delaware lawsuit filed against the partnership and its directors and officers; case was settled for nominal value on eve of trial In re Inergy L.P., No. CIV. A. 5816-VCP, 2010 WL 4273197 (Del. Ch. Oct. 29, 2010)
Obtained a favorable mid-trial settlement for a private equity firm in expedited litigation concerning the sale of its interests in an MLP AIM Midstream Holdings, LLC v. High Point Infrastructure Partners, LLC, et al., C.A. No. 8803-VCP (Del. Ch. 2014)
Lead counsel for general partner of Oiltanking Partners, L.P. in connection with lawsuit arising from proposed transaction; defeated injunction efforts and obtained dismissal of claims
Defeated injunction effort field against Hiland Partners, L.P. and its general partner in lawsuits filed in Oklahoma and Delaware arising from go-private transaction
Obtained dismissal of complaint on behalf of the publicly-traded general partner of a master limited partnership and certain of its directors in litigation challenging the US$9.0 billion transaction in which the partnership acquired the general partner
Lead counsel for Sunoco Pipe Line, L.P. and certain of its employees in fiduciary duty litigation brought by a joint venture partner Chevron Pipe Line Company, et al. v. Sunoco Pipeline, L.P., et al., C.A. No. 8573-VCL (Del. Ch. 2014)
Obtained post-trial judgment on behalf of Huntsman Corporation that the buyer in a $10 billion merger breached its obligations to use its reasonable best efforts to secure its financing and consummate the merger with our client. Hexion Specialty Chemicals, Inc., et al. v. Huntsman Corp., 965 A. 2d 715 (Del. Ch. 2008)
Obtained dismissal on behalf of Crimson Exploration, Inc., its directors and certain of its affiliates in class action lawsuit alleging private equity investor and board breached fiduciary duties by approving merger transaction with Contango Oil & Gas Co. that furthered liquidity needs of private equity investor; Also, obtained dismissals of related litigation in Texas federal and state courts In re Crimson Exploration Inc. Stockholder Litigation, 2014 WL 5449419
Obtained dismissal of lawsuit challenging a transaction between Plains All American Partners, L.P. and Plains Natural Gas Partners, L.P.
(Tex. Dist. − Travis Cnty.) — Lead lawyer for a foreign publicly traded energy company in lawsuits filed in Delaware and Texas challenging the fairness of its $4.0 billion acquisition with another publicly traded company
Defeated shareholder challenges filed in Louisiana state and federal court to a $1.3 billion merger based on allegations of inadequate price and disclosures
Represented Southwest Airlines in lawsuits filed in Nevada and Florida challenging the fairness of its merger with AirTran
Lead lawyer for a master limited partnership in lawsuit filed in Texas arising from approximate $2 billion asset drop down and obtained pre-trial summary judgment
Lead lawyer for a committee of independent directors of Restoration Hardware in lawsuits filed in Delaware and California challenging the fairness of a go-private
Lead lawyer for consumer retail company in section 10b-5 lawsuit filed in the Southern District of Texas and in related derivative actions
Lead lawyer for global construction company in section 10b-5 lawsuit filed in Southern District of Texas and in related Delaware derivative actions arising from financial restatement
Lead lawyer for multi-national payday lending company in securities fraud lawsuits filed in the Southern District of New York and in the Western District of Texas and in related derivative actions
Lead lawyer for publicly-traded partnership in derivative actions and securities fraud lawsuit filed in the Southern District of Texas alleging section 10b-5 and section 11 claims arising from a pipeline spill; this matter was dismissed with leave to amend
Lead lawyer for energy partnership in lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York alleging claims under sections 10b-5 and 11 arising from partnership’s subsequent bankruptcy; obtained motion to dismiss
Lead lawyer for energy services partnership in lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York alleging section 10b-5 and section 11 claims following partnership’s IPO; the motion to dismiss was granted in part and the case successfully settled on behalf of the client
Lead lawyer for energy partnership in lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York alleging that the partnership breached the terms of its senior indenture
Obtained dismissal with prejudice of a securities fraud class action and shareholder derivative claims against the largest domestic electrical subcontractor
Obtained dismissal with prejudice of 10b-5 claims against software company
Credentials
- The University of Texas, B.A. 1994, J.D. with honors, 1997 (Editor, The Review of Litigation)
- Judicial intern to The Honorable Jerry Buchmeyer, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, 1995
- Judicial intern to The Honorable Priscilla R. Owen, Texas Supreme Court, 1996
- Chambers USA, Litigation: Securities (Texas), 2014–2024
- The Best Lawyers in America© (BL Rankings, LLC), (Dallas): Litigation–Securities, 2019–2025; Commercial Litigation, 2020–2025
- Legal 500 U.S., Dispute Resolution: General Commercial Disputes, 2017, 2019–2022; Securities: Shareholder Litigation, 2013–2015; Dispute Resolution: M&A Litigation: Defense, 2013–2022; Energy: Litigation, 2013; Dispute Resolution: Securities Litigation: Defense, 2016–2024; Dispute Resolution: Corporate Investigations & White–Collar Crime: Defense, 2021; Dispute Resolution: Leading Trial Lawyers, 2022-2024
- Selected to the 500 Leading Litigators in America, Lawdragon, 2023 and 2024
- Selected to the 500 Leading Lawyers in America, Lawdragon, 2022–2024
- Selected to the 500 Leading Energy Lawyers, Lawdragon, 2023 and 2024
- Law360 Energy MVP, 2016
- Selected to the Texas Super Lawyers list, Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), 2012–2020 and 2023
- Selected to the Texas Rising Stars list, Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), 2004–2011
- Member: American Bar Association, Antitrust, Litigation, and International Law Sections; State Bar of Texas; Houston Bar Association; Houston Young Lawyers Association
- Committee Member: Civil Practice and Procedure Committee of the American Bar Association Section of Antitrust Law
- Texas
- EventSeptember 25, 2024
- Rankings & AwardsSeptember 12, 2024
- InsightJune 12, 2024
- Rankings & AwardsJune 12, 2024
- Rankings & AwardsJune 6, 2024
- InsightJune 4, 2024
Published by Bloomberg Law
- Deals & CasesMay 16, 2024
- InsightApril 5, 2024
V&E Shareholder Litigation Update
- InsightMarch 4, 2024
V&E Securities Litigation Update
- InsightFebruary 21, 2024
Published by Texas Lawbook
- InsightJanuary 12, 2024
V&E Securities Litigation Update
- InsightOctober 9, 2023
V&E Securities Litigation Update
- Rankings & AwardsSeptember 18, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsSeptember 11, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsAugust 21, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsJune 12, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsJune 1, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsMarch 17, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsJanuary 17, 2023
- Deals & CasesOctober 17, 2022
- Rankings & AwardsOctober 4, 2022
- Rankings & AwardsAugust 18, 2022
- InsightJune 15, 2022
V&E SPAC Update
- Rankings & AwardsJune 16, 2022
- Rankings & AwardsJune 1, 2022
- Rankings & AwardsFebruary 21, 2022
- InsightJanuary 11, 2022
V&E SPAC & Shareholder Litigation Update
- Deals & CasesJuly 20, 2020
- “Texas Powerhouse: Vinson & Elkins,” Law360, published September 16, 2024 (quoted)
- “M&A Insights: Key Updates in Delaware Litigation,” Energy Series, V&E Houston Office, January 9, 2019 (speaker)
- “The SEC Announces Results of Enforcement Actions in Fiscal 2017,” V&E SEC Enforcement Update E-communication, November 29, 2017 (co-author)
- “Delaware Supreme Court Reverses a $171 Million Judgment in an MLP Unitholder Lawsuit On Standing Grounds,” V&E MLP Litigation Update E-communication, January 9, 2017 (co-author)
- “U.S. Supreme Court in Salman Says “Personal Benefit” Does Not Have to be Tangible,” V&E Shareholder Litigation and Enforcement Update E-communication, December 12, 2016 (co-author)
- “Thoughts for Officers and Directors of E&P Companies and MLPs in 2016,” V&E website, January 19, 2016 (co-author)
- “Best Practices for MLP Dropdowns: Lessons from Delaware Court of Chancery’s Recent El Paso Decision,” V&E’s Houston Office, July 23, 2015 (presenter)
- Presenter at V&E’s CLE Presentation, Conflicts and Special Committees: Process and Practice, 2014
- Presenter at V&E’s CLE Presentation, MLPs and Securities Litigation, 2013 – 2014
- “Fiduciary Duties Involving Alternate Entities”; Texas Bar CLE Advanced Business Law Course, November 7, 2013
- “Shareholder Activism in the Energy Industry and Beyond”, V&E Energy Finance Series, September 10, 2014 and August 21, 2013 (co-presenter)
- “Forum Selection Provisions: Why Strine Got It Right,”Law360, September 27, 2013 (co-author)
- “Lessons from the Recent Delaware Supreme Court Opinions Concerning Master Limited Partnerships,” V&E’s Securities Litigation and Enforcement and MLP Update E-communication, June 7, 2013 (co-author)
- “Recent Chancery Court Decisions Expand Availability of Direct Claims for Stockholder Dilution Under Gentile,” V&E Securities Litigation Insights, Issue 10, Spring 2013 (co-author)