Overview

Michael is a member of V&E’s worldwide Corporate practice group. His principal areas of practice are project development, project financings, joint ventures, and mergers and acquisitions.

Experience Highlights

  • Enbridge in a joint venture merger with Phillips 66 resulting in a single joint venture holding both Enbridge’s and Phillips’s indirect economic ownership interests in Gray Oak Pipeline and DCP Midstream

  • Woodside Energy Group Ltd in its merger with BHP Petroleum with an approximately US $43 billion merged entity value and concurrent listing of American Depositary Shares (ADSs) on the NYSE

  • Advance Energy Partners Holdings in its $1.6 billion sale of certain oil and natural gas producing properties and undeveloped acreage in New Mexico and Texas to Matador Resources Company

  • Enbridge Inc. in a joint venture with WhiteWater/I Squared Capital and MPLX LP to develop, construct, own, and operate natural gas pipeline and storage assets connecting Permian Basin natural gas supply to growing LNG and U.S. Gulf Coast demand (pending)

  • Novo Oil & Gas Holdings, a privately-held Delaware Basin focused E&P company backed by EnCap Investments, in its $1.5 billion sale to Earthstone Energy Inc.

  • 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)

  • EnCap Investments and its portfolio company, Verdun Oil Company, in the purchase of 100% of the issued and outstanding membership interests in EP Energy, which owns certain entities engaged in the ownership and operation of upstream and midstream oil and gas interests located in Texas and Utah

  • Global Infrastructure Partners in the execution of a definitive agreement with Canadian-based TC Energy to acquire a 40% interest in its Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC and Columbia Gulf Transmission, LLC systems, in a new joint venture, with total proceeds expected to be US$3.9 billion

Expand All

Credentials

Education

  • Law School: The University of Chicago, J.D., 2016
  • Undergraduate: The University of Chicago, B.A., Mathematics and Philosophy, with honors, 2008

Admissions

  • Texas

Recognitions

  • The Best Lawyers in America© (BL Rankings, LLC), “Ones to Watch,” (Houston): Energy Law, 2026 and 2027; Mergers and Acquisitions Law, 2024—2027; Project Finance Law, 2024—2027
News & Achievements

Deals & Cases

Vinson & Elkins Advises Continental Resources on Acquisition of FireBird Energy II

Vinson & Elkins advised Continental Resources, Inc. in connection with the acquisition of FireBird Energy II Intermediate Holdings LLC (the …

August 21, 2026

August 21, 2026 • 1-minute read

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

Deals & Cases

Vinson & Elkins Advises Spire Midstream LLC on $650 Million Sale of Belle Butte to I Squared Capital Affiliate

Vinson & Elkins advised Spire Midstream LLC in connection with the sale of Belle Butte LLC for a total consideration …

April 15, 2026

April 15, 2026 • 1-minute read

Deals & Cases

Vinson & Elkins Advises Baytex Energy on $2.3 Billion Sale of US Subsidiary

Vinson & Elkins advised Baytex Energy Corp. (TSX: BTE) (NYSE: BTE) in the sale of all the equity interest in its subsidiary, Baytex Energy USA, Inc., an upstream exploration, and production company with assets located within the Eagle Ford Shale of the State of Texas, for a total transaction value of approximately $2.305 billion.

November 12, 2025

November 12, 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