Representing clients in mergers and acquisitions, capital markets and securities matters for more than two decades.
Extensive experience in private equity transactions.

Tom has been repeatedly recognized as a leading mergers and acquisitions (M&A) practitioner and dealmaker by a variety of publications, including Chambers USA, The Legal 500, The American Lawyer, IFLR1000, the Dallas Business Journal, D CEO Magazine, Best Lawyers in America, Lawyers of Color and Texas Diversity Counsel. Tom serves as a trusted advisor to private equity funds and their portfolio companies, as well as various public and private companies. Tom regularly represents AT&T, 7-Eleven, Triple Crown Resources, Trinity Industries, ARA Asset Management, Blue Water Advisors, Brinkmere Capital Partners, MPK Equity Partners and Princeton Equity Group in their M&A activities.

Tom has led over $40 billion in M&A transactions over the past several years, including 7-Eleven’s $21-billion acquisition of 3,800 Speedway convenience stores. He guides clients through a wide variety of M&A transactions, including leveraged buyouts, strategic mergers, carve-outs, joint ventures, buy and build strategies, simultaneous horizontal or vertical acquisitions of multiple companies, and other complex strategic transactions.

Tom serves as co-chair of Akin's Asian Firmwide Resource Group and as a member of the Firmwide Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council. He is also active in the Korean and Asian-American communities and is a former president of the Dallas Asian-American Bar Association.

Representative Work

Private Equity M&A

Represented a private equity fund in its sale of a provider of risk insight, prediction and management solutions.
Advised a private equity fund in its acquisition of an online marketplace for buying and selling oil and gas assets.
Counseled a private equity fund in its acquisition of over 45 quick-service restaurant locations in Florida.
Represented a private equity fund in its acquisition of a lifestyle apparel brand and subsequent sale to a strategic buyer.
Represented a private equity fund in its acquisition of three ready-mix and aggregate companies and related add-on acquisitions.

Advised a private equity fund in the acquisition of a distributor of fluid power and power train solutions.
Advised a private equity fund in the purchase of all of the stock of a provider of consumer bankruptcy and foreclosure services and related add-on acquisitions.
Represented a private equity fund in its acquisition of a supplier of proprietary and custom mixed rubber compounds.
Represented a private equity fund in its acquisition of a leading distributor of name-brand industrial maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) supplies and equipment.
Advised a private equity fund in its purchase of a marketing company.
Advised a private equity fund in its acquisition of a leading importer and distributor of fine wines and spirits.
Represented a private equity fund in its sale of a provider of cathodic protection systems and engineering services.
Represented a private equity fund in its acquisition of a regional provider of environmental remediation and industrial services.
Advised a private equity fund in its acquisition of one of the biggest providers of large-format printed material for the retail point–of-purchase industry and the outdoor billboard market.
Advised a private equity fund in its acquisition of a leading designer, importer and distributor of decorative home accents, including furniture, lamps, occasional tables, accent chairs and mirrors.

Strategic M&A

Represented a large chain in the convenience retailing industry in its $3.3-billion acquisition of over 1,100 gasoline and convenience store locations in 18 states.
Represented a provider of temporary traffic management solutions in its sale to a private equity company.
Represented a large chain in the convenience retailing industry in its acquisition of over 100 gasoline and convenience store locations in Florida.
Represented a wine import and distribution business in a merger of equals.
Advised a New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)-listed communications company in pre-merger integration planning.
Advised an NYSE-listed business process and document management company in acquisitions and investments related to the healthcare industry.
Represented a retail fine wine and spirits business in a series of acquisition and sale transactions.
Represented a provider of water transfer services in the natural gas industry in the sale of its assets to an energy company.
Represented an NYSE-listed communications company in its $275-million acquisition of a network and applications management company that provides back-office management for Wi-Fi hot spots.
Represented an engineering services company in the sale of the company.
Represented an NYSE-listed oil and natural gas company in its acquisition of $700 million of oil and natural gas properties.

Capital Markets

Advised an NYSE-listed manufacturer of transportation, construction and industrial products in a $450-million convertible debt offering.
Represented an NYSE-listed oil and natural gas company in its $700-million initial public offering.
Advised a natural gas and oil company in a $750-million public offering of notes and the redemption of previously outstanding notes.
Represented a renewable energy company in its initial public offering.

Advised a private equity fund in the acquisition of a distributor of fluid power and power train solutions.
Advised a private equity fund in the purchase of all of the stock of a provider of consumer bankruptcy and foreclosure services and related add-on acquisitions.
Represented a private equity fund in its acquisition of a supplier of proprietary and custom mixed rubber compounds.
Represented a private equity fund in its acquisition of a leading distributor of name-brand industrial maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) supplies and equipment.
Advised a private equity fund in its purchase of a marketing company.
Advised a private equity fund in its acquisition of a leading importer and distributor of fine wines and spirits.
Represented a private equity fund in its sale of a provider of cathodic protection systems and engineering services.
Represented a private equity fund in its acquisition of a regional provider of environmental remediation and industrial services.
Advised a private equity fund in its acquisition of one of the biggest providers of large-format printed material for the retail point–of-purchase industry and the outdoor billboard market.
Advised a private equity fund in its acquisition of a leading designer, importer and distributor of decorative home accents, including furniture, lamps, occasional tables, accent chairs and mirrors.

Strategic M&A

Represented a large chain in the convenience retailing industry in its $3.3-billion acquisition of over 1,100 gasoline and convenience store locations in 18 states.
Represented a provider of temporary traffic management solutions in its sale to a private equity company.
Represented a large chain in the convenience retailing industry in its acquisition of over 100 gasoline and convenience store locations in Florida.
Represented a wine import and distribution business in a merger of equals.
Advised a New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)-listed communications company in pre-merger integration planning.
Advised an NYSE-listed business process and document management company in acquisitions and investments related to the healthcare industry.
Represented a retail fine wine and spirits business in a series of acquisition and sale transactions.
Represented a provider of water transfer services in the natural gas industry in the sale of its assets to an energy company.
Represented an NYSE-listed communications company in its $275-million acquisition of a network and applications management company that provides back-office management for Wi-Fi hot spots.
Represented an engineering services company in the sale of the company.
Represented an NYSE-listed oil and natural gas company in its acquisition of $700 million of oil and natural gas properties.

Capital Markets

Advised an NYSE-listed manufacturer of transportation, construction and industrial products in a $450-million convertible debt offering.
Represented an NYSE-listed oil and natural gas company in its $700-million initial public offering.
Advised a natural gas and oil company in a $750-million public offering of notes and the redemption of previously outstanding notes.
Represented a renewable energy company in its initial public offering.

"Thomas is a very smart attorney who is not only focused on protecting his client with brilliant legal strategy, but also is mindful of what the client needs in business."

Chambers USA, 2022

Education
J.D., Columbia Law School, 1994
B.A., Columbia University, 1991

Bar Admissions
Texas

Recognitions

Diversity Journal, Asian Leadership Award, 2024.
Texas Lawyer, Most Effective Dealmakers, 2022.
D CEO, M&A: Dealmaker of the Year Finalist, 2022; M&A: Deal of the Year: ($1 billion+), 2022.
Lawdragon, Top 500 Leading Dealmakers in America, 2022.
The American Lawyer, Trailblazers: South, 2021.
Chambers USA, Corporate/M&A, 2021-2024.
Best Lawyers in America, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, 2021.
Lawyers of Color, Nation’s Best Honoree, 2019.
IFLR1000 US, M&A, Capital Markets: Debt, and Capital Markets: Equity, 2019.
The Legal 500 US, M&A: Middle-Market ($500-$999 million), 2017-2019; M&A: Large Deals ($1 billion+), 2022; Private Equity Buyouts: Middle-market (up to $500m), 2024.
Texas Diversity Counsel, Top 50 Multicultural Lawyers, 2017.
Dallas Business Journal, Top M&A Dealmaker.