Focuses on public and private mergers & acquisitions (M&A), joint ventures (JVs) and other corporate transactions.
Counsels boards of directors and management of companies on securities law and corporate governance matters.
Represents clients in cross-border transactions and complex corporate matters related to U.S. law.

Leana is a highly sought-after corporate lawyer representing clients in M&A, JV and other complex corporate transactions. She routinely advises on consequential deals and matters on behalf of prominent market participants. Clients rely on Leana as a strategic advisor providing bespoke advice and delivering innovative solutions to get deals done. In particular, she is recognized for her work representing clients in high-stakes corporate transactions, including in the traditional energy, energy transition and other industries.

Leana also serves as a trusted advisor to boards of directors and management of companies on securities law, corporate governance and general corporate matters. In addition, she represents clients in cross-border transactions and complex corporate matters related to U.S. law. She has fluency in and a deep understanding of numerous cultures and languages, including Russian, Tatar, Spanish and Turkish.

A longtime leader at Akin and in the community, Leana serves on the Women’s Firmwide Resource Group in Houston, among many other roles. While in law school, Leana served as managing editor of The Georgetown Law Journal. For her leadership on the journal, Leana received the Milton A. Kaufman Prize.

Representative Work

M&A

Advised Innovex, a leading provider of mission-critical technologies and services across the well lifecycle for the oil and gas industry, in its merger with Dril-Quip.
Represented Tellurian Inc. in its approximately $900 million sale to Woodside Energy Group.
Advised Talos Energy Inc. in its $1.29 billion acquisition of QuarterNorth Energy Inc.
Represented Aquadrill in its close to $1 billion all-stock merger with Seadrill, a leading offshore drilling contractor.
Advised Triller Hold Co LLC, a social media platform that uses proprietary artificial intelligence technology, in its merger with SeaChange International Inc.

Advised Rattler Midstream Operating LLC, a subsidiary of Diamondback Energy, Inc., in the sale of its entire 43% membership interest in OMOG JV LLC for $225 million.
Counseled Diamondback Energy Inc. and Rattler Midstream LP in parallel sale transactions.
Advised Diamondback Energy Inc. in its $2.2-billion all-stock acquisition of QEP Resources Inc. and its acquisition of all leasehold interests and related assets of Guidon Operating LLC in exchange for 10.63 million shares of Diamondback common stock and $375 million cash.
Counseled Cimarex Energy Co. in its acquisition of Resolute Energy Corporation in a cash and stock transaction valued at approximately $1.6 billion.
Represented CenterPoint Energy in its $6-billion acquisition of Vectren Corporation, a power and gas utility operating in Indiana and Ohio.

Joint Ventures

Advised Cottonmouth Ventures LLC, a subsidiary of Diamondback Energy, in its Joint Development Agreement with Verde Clean Fuels.
Represented Diamondback Energy Inc. in the formation of a new joint venture entity Deep Blue Midland Basin LLC with Five Point Energy LLC.
Counseled the conflicts committee of BP Midstream Partners LP in its $468-million acquisition of equity interests in three midstream joint ventures from wholly owned subsidiaries of BP plc.

Languages
Russian
Tatar

Education
J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, cum laude, 2016
B.A., Kazan Federal University

Bar Admissions
Texas

Recognitions

The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch (Mergers and Acquisitions Law), 2023-2024.
Georgetown University, Alumni Award “Hats Off to You!,” 2021.
The Texas Lawbook, Profiled as among Akin’s Texas Achievements, 2020.
Houston Corporate Counsel Awards, Akin deal team member, M&A Transaction of the Year, 2019.
The Georgetown Law Journal, Milton A. Kaufman Prize.

Affiliations and Public Service

President, Georgetown Club of Houston
Chair, Corporate Counsel Section, Houston Bar Association
Board Member, City of Houston’s Millennial Advisory Board, 2020-2022
Networking Committee Chair, Texas Wall Street Women, 2018-2020
Corporate Counsel Committee Vice-Chair, Houston Young Lawyers Association, 2018-2019

Speeches and Publications

Speaker, “Deal Maker’s Boot Camp: Joint Ventures,” 2024.
Co-author, “A New Year of Advancing the Field of Corporate Practice,” the Houston Lawyer, 2023.
Speaker, “Deal or No Deal: Ethical Considerations for Dealmakers,” Houston Bar Association and Georgetown Club, 2023.
Speaker, “Proxy Season Preview: Tips and Trends,” HBA Corporate Counsel Section Webinars, 2019-2022.
Moderator, “Ethics in Negotiation and Mediation Skills,” Georgetown Club Webinar, 2022.
Moderator, Georgetown Club events with Dr. Angela Stent on U.S.-Russia topics, 2019-2021.