Overview

Sean T. Wheeler is a corporate partner who represents public and private companies in their most complex transactions, typically ranging in value from $1 billion to $30 billion. Sean’s experience spans the entire range of M&A activity, including strategic mergers, joint ventures, take-privates and cross-border transactions. He has counseled clients across numerous industries, including energy, infrastructure, healthcare, technology, real estate and travel. According to Deal Point Data, Sean is among the top ten M&A practitioners in the United States for public M&A transactions across all industries and is the top M&A lawyer for these transactions in the energy sector over the past 20 years.

Sean has been recognized in multiple industry publications including Chambers Global, Chambers USA, IFLR1000, Law360, The Legal 500 United States, Texas Lawyer, Texas Monthly and Law and Politics, The Best Lawyers in America and The Am Law Daily. Sean is a frequent speaker on M&A matters.

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Thought Leadership

Seminars

Presenter, Recent Developments in the U.S. Oil and Gas M&A Market, American Association of Professional Landmen and The Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law’s Advanced Landman’s Institute, November 2024

Presenter, Update on The Energy M&A Landscape, Independent Petroleum Association of America: 95th Annual Meeting, October 2024

Presenter, M&A and Antitrust Market Update, Wells Fargo Midstream and Downstream Sonoma Retreat, September 2024

Presenter, M&A, Activism and ESG Discussion, Women Corporate Directors Meeting, September 2024

Panel Moderator, Allocating Capital for Tomorrow: Energy Security and Transition: Rice Energy Finance Summit, November 2023

Presenter, Managing Risk in a Changing Energy M&A Environment, McGriff Private Equity Energy Seminar, October 2023

Presenter, M&A Webinar Series - Session Two - Overview of a Public Company Merger Agreement, June 2023

Presenter, M&A Webinar Series - Session One - Market Trends, Fiduciary Duties and Structuring, May 2023

Panel Moderator, Morning Keynote, Rice Energy Finance Summit, November 2022

Presenter, Overview of SEC Regulatory Developments, AICPA After The Boom: A Look at Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) Litigation Webcast, July 2022 

Panelist, Energy M&A Trends, Institute for Energy Law Mergers & Acquisitions in Energy Conference, April 2022 

Panel Moderator, CFO Roundtable, Rice Energy Finance Summit, November 2021

Panel Moderator, Fundraising in the Minerals & Royalties Space, NorthAm Minerals & Royalties Assembly, October 2021

Panelist, SPAC-tacular…or Not?, UT Law CLE 17th Annual Mergers and Acquisitions Institute, October 2021 

Presenter, Activism & ESG Developments: Lessons from the Exxon / Engine No. 1 Proxy Context and the 2021 Proxy Season, Texas General Counsel Forum, July 2021

Presenter, SPAC Capital Market and M&A Trends, Center for Professional Education, SPAC 2021 Conference 

Panel Moderator, SPAC Trends & Insights, EIC Investor Conference, Virtual Seminar, May 2021

Panelist, SPACs in the Space Industry, Harvard Business School Aerospace Club, April 2021

Panelist, So You Want to go Public?, World Oilman’s Mineral & Royalty Conference, April 2021 

Presenter, Carve-Out Transaction Considerations in the Energy Sector, Webinar, March 2021

Panel Moderator, Oil & Gas Consolidation, MergerMarket Energy M&A Forum, Virtual Seminar, December 2020

Presenter, Dealmaking in a Distressed Energy Market, 2020 UT Mergers & Acquisitions Institute, October 2020

Presenter, Take Private Transactions in the Oil and Gas Industry, Webinar, 2020

Presenter, M&A Strategies for Energy Companies in a Time of Market Distress, Webinar, 2020

Presenter, Recent Developments in Oil & Gas M&A, UT Law CLE’s 46th Annual Ernest E. Smith Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Institute and Fundamentals, March 2020

Presenter, Take Private Transactions, Webinar, 2020

Presenter, Structuring Solutions in Challenging Times, Webinar, 2020

Speaker, Oklahoma City General Counsel Luncheon, February 2020

Panel Moderator, How M&A, Activism, and Restructurings are Shaping the Energy Sector and Its ESG Posture, ESG and Energy: The Sequel Conference, Houston, January 2020

Panelist, UT 15th Annual Mergers and Acquisitions Institute, Dallas, October 2019

Presenter, Liability Management, Webinar, 2019

Speaker and Co-Presenter, 6th Annual Mergers & Acquisitions in Energy Conference, Houston, May 2019

Presenter, Energy M&A Market Update, Webinar, 2018

Publications

Editor, The Energy Mergers & Acquisitions Review

Co-Author, "A SPAC Curveball," Kirkland Alert, April 15, 2021

Recognition

The Best Lawyers in America, Corporate Governance, Corporate Law, M&A Law, Securities and Capital Markets Law, 2008–2015 & 2024

Chambers USA, Corporate/M&A and Capital Markets: Debt & Equity, 2013–2024

Chambers Global, Capital Markets: Debt & Equity: Central United States, 2020–2023

Chambers Global, Corporate/M&A (International & Cross-Border), 2021–2023

The Legal 500 United States, Energy Transactions: Oil and Gas, 2012–2013, 2016, 2019–2024

The Legal 500 United States, Shareholder Activism: Advice to Boards, 2020

Texas Lawyer, Texas Trailblazer, 2019

Texas Lawyer Professional Excellence Awards, Most-Effective Deal-Maker, 2019

IFLR1000, Highly Regarded in Texas, Capital Markets: Debt, Capital Markets: Equity, Private Equity, M&A, 2018–2025

The Am Law Daily, Dealmaker of the Year, 2015

Texas Monthly and Law and Politics, Texas Super Lawyer, 2010–2018

Law360, MVP of Energy, 2013

The Am Law Daily, Dealmaker of the Week, June 2011 and May 2012

Credentials

Admissions & Qualifications

  • Texas
  • New York

Education

  • Harvard Law SchoolJ.D.cum laude1995
  • University of Alabama at BirminghamB.S.summa cum laude1992