William J. Benitez, P.C.
Overview
Bill Benitez is a partner in the Houston office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. His practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, equity investments, recapitalizations, joint ventures and corporate governance, with a particular emphasis on the energy and infrastructure sector.
Clients have described Bill as a “great practitioner” who provides “incredible client service” in connection with his recognition in various industry publications, including Chambers Global, The World's Leading Lawyers for Business, Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers for Business, IFLR1000 and The Legal 500 U.S.
Bill also devotes substantial time to immigration-related pro bono matters involving victims of domestic violence and actively participates in diversity and recruiting efforts as a member of the Firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
Prior to Northwestern University’s JD-MBA program, Bill was a Manager in the North America consulting practice of Accenture in Houston. During his tenure with Accenture, Bill led consulting teams on behalf of various clients in connection with new system and process implementation, as well as post-merger integration.
Experience
Representative Matters
Talen Energy in its acquisition of TeraWulf Inc.’s equity interest in Nautilus Cryptomine, a 200-MW nuclear-powered bitcoin mining facility in Berwick, Pennsylvania
Snowhawk in its investment in CleanArc Data Centers, a developer and operator of renewables-focused hyperscale data center campuses
Piñon Midstream, a portfolio company of Black Bay Energy Capital, in its $950 million sale to Enterprise Products L.P. (NYSE: EPD)
Bernhard Capital Partners in its $1.252 billion acquisition of New Mexico Gas Company, Inc., the largest natural gas utility in New Mexico, from Emera Inc.
Snowhawk in its investment in SecureVision, a fiber connectivity provider for resort communities along the Alabama and Florida Gulf Coast
Savage in its acquisition of Texon, a midstream service provider of butane blending and energy marketing services
Bernhard Capital and its DOE and NNSA platform on the acquisition of Strategic Management Solutions, LLC, a provider of expert management and technical consulting services for federal and large industrial clients focused on nuclear programs and projects
Talen Energy in the $785 million sale of its 1,710 MW portfolio of natural gas-fired generation facilities in ERCOT to CPS Energy
Talen Energy in the $650 million sale of its nuclear-powered Cumulus data center campus to Amazon Web Services
Bernhard Capital Partners in its $1.2 billion acquisition of CenterPoint Energy, Inc.’s gas distribution business in Louisiana and Mississippi
Ridgewood Infrastructure in its acquisition of Waste Resources Management
Bernhard Capital Partners in its $484 million acquisition of Entergy’s gas distribution business
Allied Group Holdings, LLC, a Bernard Capital Partners portfolio company, in its acquisition of Dominion Engineering, Inc.
CoreWeave, a specialized cloud provider of large-scale GPU-accelerated workloads, in its $2.3 billion debt financing facility
Incline Equity Partners in its acquisition of GME Supply Co., an omni-channel distributor of fall protection, safety and productivity equipment
Unsecured creditor group of Talen Energy, one of the largest competitive power generation companies in North America, in connection with its Chapter 11 reorganization and $1.4 billion recapitalization led by the unsecured creditor group, which emerged as the new majority equity owners of the reorganized company
Transportation Infrastructure Partners, a joint venture between Ridgewood Infrastructure and Savage Enterprises, in its acquisition of The Dupuy Group, a provider of port logistics infrastructure and services
Bernhard Capital Partners in the sale of Charah Solutions Inc., a provider of environmental services and byproduct recycling to the power generation industry, to SER Capital Partners
LEMOINE, a Bernhard Capital Partners portfolio company, in its acquisition of Macro Companies, a leading emergency fuel and water supplier
Atlas Technical Consultants, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATCX), a leading provider of infrastructure and environmental solutions, in its acquisition by funds managed by GI Partners in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $1.05 billion
Savage Enterprises, LLC in the sale of EnviroServe Inc., a provider of environmental and waste management services, to an affiliate of One Rock Capital Partners, LLC
United Utility Services, a Bernhard Capital Partners portfolio company, in its acquisition from Westinghouse Electric Company of BHI Power Delivery, a specialty utility transmission and distribution services provider
Partners Group in the sale of its co-control stake in Sentinel Energy Center, an 850 MW natural gas-fired peaking plant in California
Transportation Infrastructure Partners, a joint venture between Ridgewood Infrastructure, LLC and Savage, in the acquisition of Worldwide Terminals Fernandina, LLC, the manager and operator for the Port of Fernandina, Florida, a strategic intermodal terminal handling essential bulk, breakbulk and containerized cargo
Magnetar Capital’s Energy & Infrastructure group in connection with a $1.7 billion investment round in Double Eagle Energy Holdings IV and Tumbleweed Royalty IV
Riverbend Energy Group in its $1.8 billion divestiture of all of the equity interests in Riverbend Oil & Gas VI, LLC, Riverbend Oil & Gas VI-B, LLC and Riverbend Oil & Gas VIII, LLC to a private buyer
Bernhard Capital Partners as lead investor in a Series B investment round in Elevation, a fully integrated residential energy solutions company
Ramaco Resources, Inc. (NASDAQ: METC) in its acquisition of Ramaco Coal LLC, an entity owned by an investment fund managed by Yorktown Partners LLC and certain members of the Company's management
Magnetar Capital’s Energy & Infrastructure group in a $100 million preferred equity investment round in PosiGen, a renewable energy solutions provider
Bernhard, an energy-as-a-service solutions company, in connection with a sale to DIF Capital Partners
Bernhard Capital Partners in its acquisition of RailWorks Corp., North America’s leading rail infrastructure solutions provider, from Wind Point Partners
Vine Energy Inc. (NYSE: VEI) in its $2.2 billion acquisition by Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NASDAQ: CHK)
Star Peak Corp II (NYSE: STPC), a special purpose acquisition company, on its $1.35 billion business combination with Benson Hill, Inc., a sustainable food technology company
Magnetar Capital in the $6.4 billion sale of DoublePoint Energy to Pioneer Natural Resources
ECP in connection with the acquisition of Liberty Tire Recycling from The Carlyle Group
Vine Energy Inc. (NYSE: VEI), in its initial public offering, resulting in an aggregate net proceeds received by Vine of $324 million
Private equity consortium in connection with the $510 million acquisition of DuPont’s Clean Technologies business
Gas Innovations on a partnership with an affiliate of AEA Investors in connection with the formation of Meritus Gas Partners, a packaged gas distribution platform
Pike Corporation, one of the largest providers of infrastructure solutions to utilities in the United States, in connection with a majority investment by Lindsay Goldberg
Star Peak Energy Transition Corp. (NYSE: STPK), a special purpose acquisition company, on its $1.35 billion business combination with Stem, Inc., a global leader in clean energy storage systems
LyondellBasell on definitive agreements with Sasol to form a 50/50 polyethylene joint venture through which LyondellBasell acquired 50 percent of select assets in Louisiana for a total consideration of $2 billion
Salt Creek Midstream in a comprehensive recapitalization, which included additional investments from its existing lender groups and funds managed by Ares Management
Transportation Infrastructure Partners, a joint venture between Ridgewood Infrastructure, LLC and Savage Enterprises, LLC, in the acquisition of Carolina Marine Terminal, a multi-modal marine dry good bulk port facility in Wilmington, North Carolina
Golden Gate Capital and Hillstone Environmental Partners, LLC in the $600 million sale of Hillstone to NGL Energy Partners LP
Atlas Technical Consultants, a construction engineering firm owned by Bernhard Capital Partners, in its $700 million combination with Boxwood Merger Corp., a special purpose acquisition company
Magnetar Capital and The Carlyle Group in a $625 million preferred equity investment round in Altus Midstream, a Permian-to-Gulf midstream company affiliated with Apache Corporation
Nesco, an industrial equipment rental business owned by ECP, in its $1.1 billion combination with Capitol Investment Corp. IV, a special purpose acquisition company
Salt Creek Midstream, LLC in its 50/50 joint venture with Noble Midstream Partners LP to provide crude oil gathering and transportation services in the Delaware Basin
Pelican Energy Partners in connection with the acquisition of Axon Pressure Products, an energy services company
Ascent Resources in its equity investment by Riverstone and the simultaneous acquisition of Utica Shale assets from Salt Fork Resources, a Riverstone-backed company
Savage Companies in its merger with Bartlett and Company and the subsequent Savage Enterprises joint venture, a leading global provider of supply chain and industrial services spanning the agriculture, energy and chemical, and environmental sectors
Magnetar Capital Partners in its investment in Double Eagle Energy, an Apollo-backed Midland Basin exploration and production company, and the subsequent DoublePoint Energy joint venture with FourPoint Energy, a Quantum and GSO-backed exploration and production company
A private equity-backed water infrastructure company in its acquisition of a wastewater disposal company and related saltwater disposal wells
Savage Services in the acquisition of EnviroServe, a specialized waste transportation and disposal services company
CIG Logistics, a portfolio company of ECP, in the acquisition of the Sandstorm product suite from Propell Oilfield Equipment, a Tycrop company
Vine Oil & Gas LP in its exchange with GEP Haynesville, LLC of non-operated working interests in joint venture assets located in Northwest Louisiana
Bernhard Capital Partners in the formation of the Atlas Technical Consultants platform and the subsequent acquisitions of construction and program management firms, Moreland Altobelli Associates, PaveTex Engineering, Engineering Testing Services and ATC Group
Vine Oil & Gas LP and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Vine Oil & Gas Finance Corp., in its $530 million in aggregate private offering of principal amount of senior unsecured notes
Bayou City Energy, an investor in Alta Mesa and Kingfisher Midstream, in its $3.8 billion combination of Silver Run Acquisition Corp. II, a special purpose acquisition company, with Alta Mesa and Kingfisher Midstream
ECP in its acquisition of CIG Logistics, the largest independent operator of sand and well consumable transloading facilities in the U.S.
Sable Permian Resources (formerly known as Permian Resources), a privately held exploration and production company backed by The Energy & Minerals Group, OnyxPoint Global Management, Sable Management, First Reserve and other investors, in connection with a recapitalization transaction that included an equity capital raise of approximately $750 million, an optional equity purchase amount of approximately $350 million, a debt for equity exchange of approximately $325 million of secured and unsecured indebtedness and a debt for equity exchange of approximately $250 million of junior subordinated notes
Private equity fund in its confidential $120 million drillco joint venture
Private equity fund in its confidential $250 million preferred equity investment in an energy services company
Private equity fund in its confidential $100 million acquisition of various coal mining properties and related assets
Private equity fund in its confidential $300 million leveraged buyout of an energy services company
ECP and Sendero Midstream Partners in the producer commitments involving a newly constructed gas gathering and processing system in New Mexico
Co-representation of an ad hoc committee of unsecured noteholders of Peabody Energy Corporation, the world’s largest publicly traded, private-sector coal company, in its Chapter 11 restructuring, which addressed approximately $8.8 billion in funded debt obligations and other legacy liabilities
Magnetar Capital Partners in its $450 million investment of equity and delayed draw unsecured debt capital into Double Eagle Energy Permian, an Apollo and Post Oak Energy-backed Midland Basin exploration and production company
The Blackstone Group and Fisterra Energy in the $850 million sale of the Ventika wind generation facilities, the largest wind farm in Mexico, to Infraestructura Energética Nova (a unit of Sempra Energy)
ECP in its $90 million preferred equity investment round in Ramaco Development, a Yorktown-backed metallurgical coal miner
Bayou City Energy in its preferred equity investment in High Mesa Inc., the Class B limited partner of Alta Mesa Holdings, LP, a privately held oil and gas exploration and production company with assets in the Sooner Trend and South Louisiana
The Blackstone Group in its $500 million capital commitment to the Guidon Energy joint venture and the subsequent purchase of oil and gas assets in the Midland Basin
GSO Capital Partners in its equity investment in FourPoint Energy, a privately held oil and gas exploration and production company focused on the Western Anadarko and Permian Basins
WL Ross Holding Corp. in its $1.6 billion acquisition of a large chemical and plastics distributor, Nexeo Solutions, from TPG
ECP in its $1 billion preferred equity and warrant investment round in Targa Resources Corp., one of the largest independent midstream energy companies in North America
Ares Management, L.P. in its preferred equity and warrant investment in Clayton Williams Energy, Inc., an independent oil and gas company engaged in the exploration for and production of oil and natural gas primarily in Texas and New Mexico
Management in a sponsor-backed $40 million investment platform focused on domestic oil & gas investment opportunities
Versa Capital Management in its acquisition of U.S. Shale Solutions, Inc., an energy services provider to the unconventional oil and gas industry with a particular focus on the infrastructure, fluids, and completions segments
Samson Resources Corporation, an independent oil and natural gas company engaged in the exploration, development and production of oil and natural gas from properties located onshore in the United States, in its Chapter 11 restructuring
Bernhard Capital Partners in the formation of the EPIC Piping and Brown & Root Industrial Services platforms and various related transactions, including the joint venture transactions with KBR
Magnetar Capital Partners in its preferred equity investment in a midstream energy company
The Blackstone Group in the formation of the Vine Oil & Gas joint venture and the subsequent purchase of Haynesville Shale assets from Royal Dutch Shell
A consortium of financial institutions in the preferred equity investment in an oilfield services company
Great Hill Partners in its growth equity investment in bswift LLC and the subsequent sale of bswift LLC to Aetna
The Boeing Company in its purchase of Ventura Solutions, a government software development and services firm
Arsenal Capital Partners in the formation of the ACP Production Chemicals platform and the subsequent purchases of Danlin Industries (from Hastings Equity Partners) and Kel-Tech Inc.
Technology Crossover Ventures in its growth equity investments in Minted, a crowdsourced art and graphic design online retailer
Liberty Partners in its sale of Component Hardware Group, a designer, manufacturer and distributor of premium plumbing and hardware products, and accessories for commercial kitchens, to Windjammer Capital Investors
Madison Dearborn Partners in its investment in EVO Payments, a privately held payment processor
Silver Lake Kraftwerk and Valor Equity Partners in their growth equity investments in SolarCity
GSO Capital Partners in its sale of Heartland Automotive, a large franchisee of Jiffylube retail outlets, to Sun Capital Partners
Flexpoint Partners in its sale of Home Solutions, a home healthcare service provider, to KRG Capital
GTCR in its purchase of Ticom Geomatics, a government software development and engineering firm
H.I.G. Capital Partners in its sale of MOMs Pharmacy to the AIDS Healthcare Foundation
GTCR in its purchase of Sterigenics International, a provider of sterilization services to medical products and similar manufacturers, from Silverfleet Capital
Bain Capital and Clear Channel Communications in a high yield bond offering
Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company in its 363 asset sale in respect of various retail stores
Thoma Bravo in its purchase of Tripwire, Inc., a security and compliance automation software firm
CIVC Partners in its purchase of KS Energy
Bain Capital and Ideal Standard in a high yield bond offering
Sun Capital Partners and American Standard in their purchase of Safety Tubs
Great Hill Partners in a portfolio company initial public offering
CIVC Partners in its purchase of Pipeline Industries, a wholesale sewer, water, and storm line repair and replacement specialist
More
Thought Leadership
Seminars
Presenter, “Innovative and Tax-Efficient REIT Structures for the Midstream Sector,” Midstream REIT Seminar, Houston (February 2020)
Presenter, “Recent Trends in Midstream Oil and Gas Joint Ventures,” Webinar (January 2019)
Recognition
Notable Practitioner, Private Equity and Mergers & Acquisitions, IFLR1000, 2019–2025
Next Generation Lawyer, Energy Transactions — Oil and Gas, 2017–2024 editions of The Legal 500 U.S.
Up and Coming, Chambers Global, Energy: Oil & Gas — Transactional (USA), 2022
Chambers USA, Energy: Oil & Gas (Transactional), 2020–2021
Kirkland & Ellis LLP Pro Bono Service Awards, 2010–2018 & 2020–2021
National Immigrant Justice Center Rising Star Award, 2014
Memberships & Affiliations
Member, Posse Foundation - Houston Advisory Board
Member, Law School Fund Board - Pritzker Northwestern School of Law
Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- 2009Illinois
- 2015Texas
Education
- Northwestern Pritzker School of LawJ.D.cum laude2009Public Service Star Award winner
- Northwestern University Kellogg School of ManagementM.B.A., Finance2009Co-President of the JD-MBA Association, 2007–2008 and 2008–2009
- Louisiana State UniversityB.S., Marketingcum laude1998Athletic Department Scholarship