Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP announced today that M. Breen Haire has joined the Firm’s Corporate Practice as a Partner in its Houston office.
Mr. Haire’s practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions. He has significant experience on M&A transactions involving energy companies and master limited partnerships in the oil and gas exploration and production, midstream, oilfield services, contract drilling, petrochemical and other sectors, as well as having advised on multiple capital markets offerings. He was previously a partner in Houston at Baker Botts L.L.P. Mr. Haire graduated from Boston University and received his J.D., magna cum laude, from New York University School of Law.
“We are delighted to welcome Breen to the Firm,” said Bill Dougherty, Chairman of Simpson Thacher’s Executive Committee. “His experience and recognized expertise fit well with our highly regarded mergers and acquisitions practice. Breen’s addition will enhance our rapidly growing energy practice and our Houston office.”
“Breen is an outstanding attorney who will complement our existing team of Houston-based attorneys focused on M&A, leveraged finance and capital markets transactions in the energy sector. His addition confirms the Firm’s commitment to expanding our capabilities and depth in Houston,” added Robert Rabalais, Managing Partner of Simpson Thacher’s Houston office.
“Supporting our clients in the energy and oil and gas sectors with top-level talent like Breen is critical as they continue to show a strong interest in M&A,” said Lee Meyerson, Global Head of the Firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions Practice. “We’re very happy to have Breen as part of our team.”
Since opening its Houston office in 2011, Simpson Thacher’s Energy Practice, most particularly its oil and gas related work, has expanded significantly. Since 2011, the Firm has advised clients on more than 370 energy related transactions with an aggregate value of over $425 billion. The Firm represents clients across the oil and gas value chain and has demonstrated strength in all corporate practices, including banking and finance, capital markets and mergers and acquisitions. Recent representations in the energy sector include: Crestwood Midstream Partners on its $8 billion merger with Inergy Midstream; GeoSouthern on its $6 billion sale of its Eagle Ford and Midstream subsidiaries to Devon Energy (reported to be the largest upstream oil and gas transaction of 2013); Alta Energy in the sale of its Duvernay shale assets to Chevron; KKR’s consortium in the acquisition of Samson Investment Company for $7.2 billion; Fieldwood Energy LLC in a $3.625 billion bridge financing for the acquisition of Apache Corporation’s Gulf of Mexico Shelf business; and First Reserve Corporation and its portfolio company Templar Energy LLC on the $1 billion acquisition, and related financing, of oil and gas assets from Forest Oil Corporation.