Focuses on private equity investment, mergers and acquisitions with experience in public company Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reporting and compliance, corporate governance and other securities matters.
Advises private equity funds, portfolio companies, public and private companies, management teams and high-net-worth individuals.
Represents a variety of industries including upstream and midstream oil and gas, oilfield water and waste disposal, manufacturing, logistics, medical device and technology.

Jesse is a trusted advisor to private equity sponsors, management teams and high-net-worth individuals through the entire investment cycle. He represents clients in multiple industries with a focus on private equity investment, mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, joint ventures, internal restructurings, compliance with securities law, securities offerings, venture capital investments and other general corporate governance matters.

Jesse counsels private equity funds in connection with their portfolio company formations and follow-on investments, as well as high-net-worth individuals investing venture capital in various technology start-ups.

His representation of publicly traded companies extends to advice regarding the registration of securities, periodic reporting, compliance with stock exchange listing requirements, stockholder proposals, corporate governance and other general corporate matters.

Representative Work

Significant M&A Transactions

Represented funds managed by Yorktown Partners LLC, an energy private equity sponsor, in connection with the $2.7 billion merger of Indigo Natural Resources LLC, a Yorktown portfolio company, with Southwestern Energy Company.
Represented a private equity backed purchaser in its acquisition of an oil and gas midstream company for more than $300 million in consideration.
Represented a private equity backed seller in the sale of an oilfield environmental services and solid waste disposal portfolio company for more than $350 million.
Represented a private equity backed seller in the sale of an oil and gas water disposal portfolio company for more than $350 million.
Represented a private equity backed seller in the sale of a midstream portfolio company for $1 billion.

Represented a private equity backed seller in the acquisition of a food processing company for more than $75 million.
Represented a strategic purchaser in its acquisition of a distribution company for an amount in excess of $400 million.
Represented a purchaser in its acquisition of an oil and gas exploration and production company for $300 million.
Represented a purchaser in a series of acquisitions of saltwater disposal well businesses and its subsequent disposition of such businesses for an amount in excess of $300 million.
Represented a public company purchaser in connection with numerous acquisitions of mineral and royalty interests in exchange for common units.
Represented a purchaser in its acquisition of a national restaurant group.
Represented a seller in its disposition of a destination management company.

Public Securities Offerings

$173 million follow-on offering of common stock.
$129 million follow-on offering of common stock.
$107 million follow-on offering of common stock.
$250 million offering of high-yield senior notes.

List may include matters worked on prior to joining Akin.

Education
J.D., University of Kansas School of Law, 2006
B.S., Kansas State University, 2000

Bar Admissions
Texas

Recognitions

The Legal 500 US, M&A: Large Deals: $1bn+, 2022.
D Magazine, Best Lawyers in Dallas, Corporate Law: Private Equity, 2022.
Thomson Reuters, Texas Rising Stars, Business/Corporate, Mergers & Acquisitions, 2012-2018.

Affiliations and Public Service

Board of Directors, KidLinks.
Ex Officio Member of the Board of Directors, The Bridge.

Speeches and Publications

Panelist, “It’s Not Easy Being Green: Energy Dealmaking in a Decarbonizing Future,” The University of Texas Law M&A Institute, Oct. 6, 2022, Dallas Austin, TX.