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Sean M. Hill
Sean M. Hill
Senior Associate — Technology Transactions & Intellectual Property
E: shill@velaw.com T: +1.713.758.2076
VCard BIO PDF
Senior Associate — Technology Transactions & Intellectual Property

Sean M. Hill

Sean M. Hill
Houston
T: +1.713.758.2076
F: +1.713.615.5096

1001 Fannin Street
Suite 2500
Houston, TX 77002

E: shill@velaw.com
VCard BIO PDF
Sean M. Hill

Sean’s practice focuses on advising companies of all stages, from early growth stages onward, in the context of technology transactions. He has experience drafting and negotiating asset purchase and sale agreements, technology licenses, services agreements, distribution and reseller agreements, data processing agreements, and IP development agreements. Sean also represents clients in the context of venture capital and private equity financings, as well as mergers and acquisitions. Sean’s industry experience includes digital media, enterprise and consumer software, sports, blockchain and cryptocurrency, and energy. Sean also serves as a mentor for startups at Texas-based incubators, including Capital Factory.

Experience Highlights

  • Major sports leagues in drafting and negotiating technology agreements across from vendors such as Oracle, NextVR and Akamai in matters involving use of open source software, data services, streaming media, tracking systems, and other digital technologies 

  • Healthcare government contractor in negotiating outsourcing agreements as part of large-scale overhaul of IT infrastructure and help desk

  • Apollo Global Management in a $150 million equity commitment to FlexGen Power Systems, a leading integration services and software technology provider for energy storage solutions in the U.S. and globally

  • MoneyGram in its strategic agreement with Ripple to utilize XRP, Ripple’s blockchain-based digital currency, in MoneyGram’s cross-border payments process; Transaction also involved a $50 million investment by Ripple in Moneygram’s common stock and warrants

  • FeedMagnet in the $9 million sale of the social media curation company to Bazaarvoice

  • Software services company in international distribution agreements for SaaS and on-premises platforms, terms of use, data privacy, cloud-based services, and strategic licensing

  • KFC and Pizza Hut in drafting and negotiation of agreements with software and IT providers

  • Drafting of online terms of use/service and privacy policies for various software and app developers, including for online music education, co-working space rental, foster care, commercial equipment rental, retail shopping, user authentication, and on-demand salon services

  • Large Texas-based grocery chain in negotiation of various software licensing agreements

  • Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures as lead investor in the $11.6 million Series C financing of 908 Devices, a pioneer of purpose-built analytical devices for chemical analysis 

  • World-renowned hospital in due diligence related to the development of a machine-learning/AI tool for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and diabetes

  • Vida Capital, a multi-billion dollar alternative asset manager specializing in insurance-linked strategies, in its acquisition by Redbird Capital and Reverence Capital Partners

  • Sixth Street in its investment in the San Antonio Spurs NBA franchise

  • Large financial investor in growth equity and other investments across a variety of industries, including software, HealthTech, chemicals, food & beverage, transportation & logistics, and leisure

  • Tinicum Incorporated in the preferred stock financing of Rebellion Photonics, a developer of imaging cameras to monitor rigs and refineries

  • The Sinclair Companies in the combination of Sinclair Oil’s refining, renewable diesel and logistics assets with those of HollyFrontier Corporation and Holly Energy Partners, L.P.

  • Enable Midstream in its $7.2 billion merger with Energy Transfer

  • A large international energy company in the transfer and acquisition of all software and hardware related to the spin-off of its California oil and gas business into an independent and separately traded company

  • Spartan Acquisition Corp. II, a SPAC sponsored by funds managed by an affiliate of Apollo Global Management, in its $1.3 billion business combination with Sunlight Financial, a premier U.S. residential solar financing platform

  • Apollo Global Management in the acquisition of a majority interest in Total Operations and Production Services, a leading provider of gas compression services for the Permian Basin with a focus on electric driven compression systems that offer customers improved performance and reduced emissions, from Black Bay Energy Capital

  • Omega Protein in its $500 million sale to Cooke, a global seafood company based in Canada

Credentials

  • The University of Texas School of Law, J.D. with honors, 2013 (Member, Texas Law Review)
  • Vanderbilt University, B.E. Biomedical Engineering magna cum laude, 2010
  • Sean was on secondment to a client and returned January 11, 2021
  • The Best Lawyers in America© (BL Rankings, LLC), “Ones to Watch,” Intellectual Property Law (Houston), 2021 and 2022
  • Member: Texas Law Review Association
  • Associate: Houston Intellectual Property Inn of Court
  • Texas
  • Southern District of Texas
  • Western District of Texas
  • Federal Circuit
  • “In Rare Reversal, Federal Circuit Says District Court Abused Its Discretion in Failing to Award Attorneys’ Fees,” V&E IP Insights E-communication, June 6, 2017 (co-author)
  • “Top 10 Questions from the Supreme Court at Yesterday’s TC Heartland Oral Argument,” V&E IP Insights E-communication, March 28, 2017 (co-author)
  • “IP Issues in Venture Capital and Angel Investing,” Vinson & Elkins Intellectual Property CLE Series, Houston, Texas, October 2015 (co-presenter)
  • “Patent Exhaustion: New Developments,” Vinson & Elkins Intellectual Property CLE Series, Houston, Texas, March 2014 (presenter)
  • “Open Questions in Patent Exhaustion,” Intellectual Property Today, April 2, 2014 (co-author)

News & Insights

Deals & Cases
Group 1 Automotive Announces Acquisition of Prime Automotive Group Dealerships
September 13, 2021
Deals & Cases
Moda Midstream and EnCap Flatrock Midstream Agree to Sell Moda Ingleside Energy Center and Other Assets to Enbridge for $3 Billion
September 7, 2021
Deals & Cases
DigitalBridge Investment Management to Acquire Controlling Stake in Vertical Bridge
August 10, 2021
Deals & Cases
Sinclair Oil Corporation to Combine Refining and Logistics Assets and Related Operations with HollyFrontier Corporation and Holly Energy Partners, L.P.
August 3, 2021