J. MARK METTS is a partner in the Corporate practice group in Sidley’s office in Houston and is a co-leader of the firm’s global M&A practice. He joined the firm as a partner in 2012. Mr. Metts has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, corporate reorganizations, acquisitions for private equity clients, and public offerings, especially relating to the energy industry.
In the mergers and acquisitions area, Mr. Metts represents both buyers and sellers of public and private corporations and counsels boards of directors and financial advisers on acquisition, corporate and financial restructuring, and corporate governance-related matters. For example, in 2010, he served as lead M&A counsel on behalf of Continental Airlines in its US$8.5 billion all-stock merger of equals with UAL Corp. Mr. Metts has handled hundreds of private company acquisitions and divestitures in a variety of industries, but he focuses primarily on both upstream and midstream oil & gas transactions.
Mr. Metts has represented several different private equity clients in numerous acquisitions in the energy industry, as well as in the food, restaurant, beauty care, and other consumer categories, as well as in the subsequent follow-on acquisitions, public offerings, and dispositions; and he has worked as lead counsel on many equity and debt public offerings on behalf of issuers and underwriters.
Corporate governance assignments have included advising public company boards, special transaction committees, and special litigation committees. Recent examples include representing the Antero Resources Corp. special committee in its review of the simplification transaction with two affiliated MLPs, as well as working with American National Group, Inc.’s strategic transaction committee in connection with American National’s acquisition by Brookfield Asset Management Reinsurance Partners for US$5.1 billion.
Mr. Metts also regularly represents financial advisers to boards and board committees, primarily in connection with oil and gas transactions. Most recently, he represented the financial adviser to Continental Resources’ special committee in connection with the US$4.7 billion acquisition, by the Harold Hamm family, of the Continental Resources shares not already owned by the family.
Mr. Metts was recognized in the 2014–2019 and 2021–2022 editions of The Best Lawyers in America in Corporate Law. He was also recognized in Houston Business Journal’s 2016 Who’s Who in Energy.