William D. Howell

WILLIAM HOWELL is the head of the Corporate, M&A, and Private Equity practice in Dallas. He advises clients on a broad range of corporate and transactional matters. He represents issuers and investment banking firms in various corporate finance transactions, including initial public offerings, secondary and follow-on equity offerings, registered and private offerings of debt securities, venture capital investments, and other financings. He has extensive experience in complex mergers and acquisitions, tender offers involving publicly traded entities, strategic alliances, and joint ventures. Bill also advises clients on corporate governance, periodic reporting requirements, stock exchange rules, and other compliance matters.

Bill has been selected by D Magazine as a “Best Lawyer in Dallas” (2017, 2018, 2020–2025). He is recognized in The Best Lawyers in America (2014–2022) and by Dallas Business Journal Who’s Who in Energy (2013 and 2014). Bill is listed in Texas Super Lawyers (2014–2017) and was named a “Rising Star” (2004–2009, 2011, and 2012).

Bill’s experience includes the following (including transactions prior to joining Sidley):

Mergers and Acquisitions

• Rithm Capital — US$720 million acquisition of Computershare’s U.S Loan Services business.
• Hagerty, Inc. — US$3.0 billion business combination with Aldel Financial Inc., a special purpose acquisition company
• Safe Harbor Marinas, LLC — US$2.1 billion sale to Sun Communities, Inc.
• General DataTech — sale to H.I.G. Captial.
• New Residential Trust Corporation — US$1.3 billion acquisition of mortgage business from Ditech Holding Corporation out of Chapter 11.
• Enlink Midstream — sale of North Texas pipeline to Atmos Energy.
• Mr. Cooper Group (f/k/a Nationstar Mortgage) — purchase of mortgage servicing platform from International Business Machines Corporation; purchases of portfolios of mortgage servicing rights; purchase of residential property services firm from large insurance company.
• C&S Wholesale Grocers — acquisition of Grocers Supply Company.
• Electronic Data Systems — US$200 million tender offer in a going-private transaction and US$900 million acquisition of a global software company.
• Centex Corporation — US$750 million sale of its mortgage-lending business to a major private equity fund.
• Affiliated Computer Services — US$588 million sale of its federal government business; US$107 million acquisition of business unit from a major defense contractor; acquisition of Swiss-based business processing company.
• Dairy Farmers of America — sale of dairy processing company to Mexican dairy conglomerate.
• Elbit Systems of America — acquisition of a commercial aviation company.

Securities

• Raising Cane’s Restaurants, LLC — issuance of US$500 million aggregate principal amount of 9.375% senior notes.
• Vistra Corp. — 144A private offerings of US$1 billion of its 7.0% Series B Fixed-Rate Reset Cumulative Redeemable Green Perpetual Preferred Stock and US$1 billion of its 8% Series A Fixed-Rate Reset Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock.
• Special Purpose Acquisition Company — represented underwriters in US$150 million IPO.
• Everest Consolidator Acquisition Corp. — represented underwriters in US$172.5 million special purpose acquitistion company (SPAC) IPO.
• Vistra Corp. IPO — resale shelf registration statement on Form S-1 that represented Vista’s initial registration with the SEC and listing on the NYSE following its spinoff from EFH Corp.
• Vistra Corp. — numerous 144A private offerings of senior notes and senior secured notes totaling more than US$5 billion in aggregate proceeds to fund the tender, redemption, and retirement of outstanding debt in overall liability management program.
• Eagle Materials Inc. — US$350 million senior notes offering.
• Consumer finance company — tender offer and consent solicitation with respect to approximately US$250 million of outstanding senior notes.
• InfraREIT, Inc. — US$529 million initial public offering.
• MetroPCS Communications — US$1.3 billion initial public offering; global debt restructuring, including US$1.4 billion 144A private offering of senior notes and entry into a US$1.7 billion senior secured credit facility.
• Bois d’Arc Energy — US$175.5 million initial public offering.
• Comstock Resources — US$75 million senior notes offering.
• Netspend Holdings — US$200 million initial public offering.
• Sabre Holdings Corporation — US$420 million offering of common stock.
• Data Return Corporation — US$81.25 million initial public offering.

Private Equity

• Leon Capital Group — multiple platform acquisitions of specialty dental, oral surgery, and dental implant practices.
• Cresta Fund Management and Silverpeak Energy Partners — agreement with San Joaquin Renewables to invest up to US$165 million to develop and construct a biomass-to-renewable natural gas project.
• Hines — formation of a US$300 million real estate investment fund and US$800 million follow-on fund; formation of real estate funds to acquire and develop multi-family housing projects.
• Perpetual Production — Strategic investments by private equity partners to fund the acquisition of mineral interests.
• Staghorn Energy and Staghorn Petroleum — investments by EnCap Energy.
• Energy Spectrum Partners — sale of midstream portfolio company to Atlas Pipeline Partners.
• Cottoncreek Capital — acquisition of commercial electric company.
• Carlson Capital — sale of independent E&P company to Chesapeake Energy.

Bill is a member of the Dallas Bar Association.

Bill earned the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, Executive Leadership Program Certification in 2024.