Overview

David Castro Jr. is a corporate partner in the Houston office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. David’s practice focuses on mergers & acquisitions and the formation of joint ventures involving energy assets across the value chain, including traditional and renewable energy sources. David has represented clients in connection with the purchase and sale of a broad range of assets, including upstream and midstream oil and gas assets and companies, processing and fractionation facilities and specialty chemical businesses. David also regularly advises clients on joint development and farmout agreements, exchange agreements, gathering and processing agreements and other commercial arrangements concerning the development of oil and gas properties.

David has been recognized in Chambers Global for Energy: Oil & Gas Transactional (USA) for 2022–2024, and in Chambers USA for Energy: Oil & Gas — Transactional (Nationwide) for 2017–2023, with clients noting that he is “intelligent, analytical and thoughtful when working through a transaction. He is very commercially focused.”

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Thought Leadership

Publications 

Energy: Oil & Gas 2024, Chambers and Partners: Law and Practice, August 2024 (Co-Author)

Energy: Oil & Gas 2023, Chambers and Partners: Law and Practice, August 2023 (Co-Author)

Energy: Oil & Gas 2022, Chambers and Partners: Law and Practice, August 2022 (Co-Author)

Energy: Oil & Gas 2021, Chambers and Partners: Law and Practice, August 2021 (Co-Author)

Oil And Gas Shut-Ins Risk Royalty Litigation, Law360, April 17, 2020 (Co-Author)

Dwindling Oil Storage Capacity and Impacts on Energy Companies, The Texas Lawbook, April 3, 2020 (Co-Author)

Energy: Oil & Gas 2020, Chambers and Partners: Law and Practice (Co-Author)

Energy: Oil & Gas 2019, Chambers and Partners: Law and Practice (Co-Author)

INSIGHT: Price Stabilization, Private Equity Engagement to Bolster Oil & Gas M&A Activity, Bloomberg Environment and Energy Report, October 4, 2018 (Co-Author)

Dealing with Midstream Commitments or Acquisitions as a Private Equity Purchaser, Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation, April 2018 (Co-Author)

Energy: Oil & Gas 2018, Chambers and Partners: Law and Practice (Co-Author)

7 Stages Of Grief: Impact Of Oil Downturn On Energy Attys, Law360, May 2016 (Co-Author)

“Trends and Issues with 'DrillCo' Transactions,” Texas Lawyer, November 2015 (Co-Author)

Seminars

Alternative Finance Structures for Oil & Gas Development: DrillCo Structures, Review of Oil & Gas Law XXX Seminar, Dallas Bar (August, 2015)

Recognition

Chambers USA, Energy: Oil & Gas — Transactional (Nationwide), 2020–2024

Chambers Global, Energy: Oil & Gas — Transactional (USA), 2022–2024

The Legal 500 U.S., Energy Transactions: Oil and Gas, Leading Lawyer, 2021–2024

IFLR1000, Mergers & Acquisitions, Highly Regarded, 2022–2024

Lawdragon, “500 Leaders in Energy,” 2023–2024

Super Lawyers, Texas Rising Stars, 2018–2023

IFLR1000, Mergers & Acquisitions, Rising Star, 2019–2021

The Legal 500 U.S., Energy Transactions: Oil and Gas, Next Generation Partner, 2017–2020 and M&A: Large Deals ($1bn+), 2019–2020

Chambers USA, Energy: Oil & Gas — Transactional (Nationwide), Up and Coming, 2017–2019

The Texas Lawyer, 2018 Professional Excellence Awards, "On the Rise"

Memberships & Affiliations

Houston Bar Association — Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Section

Credentials

Admissions & Qualifications

  • 2009Texas

Education

  • University of Chicago Law SchoolJ.D.2009
  • Duke UniversityB.A., History2006