Terence M. Hynes

TERENCE M. (TERRY) HYNES, senior counsel in Sidley’s Washington, D.C. office, focuses his practice primarily in matters involving the transportation industry. Over the past 40 years, Terry has represented railroads, ocean carriers, private equity firms and financial institutions in connection with mergers and acquisitions, inter-carrier agreements and rail corridor development projects involving both freight and passenger service. He also represents transportation industry clients in connection with commercial, regulatory and appellate litigation.

Terry has been at the forefront of the development of high-speed passenger rail service in the United States, serving as counsel to every current privately-owned high-speed rail project. He has been an advocate for regulatory reforms designed to promote private investment in the high-speed rail sector.

Terry has extensive experience in connection with bankruptcy proceedings involving transportation firms. He has represented clients in connection with the successful bankruptcy reorganization of several railroads and ocean shipping companies.

Terry’s representative engagements include:

• A consortium of private equity investors, in connection with the proposed acquisition of Genesee & Wyoming, Inc. (2019)
• Virgin Trains USA, in connection with its acquisition of DesertXpress Enterprises, the developer of a proposed high-speed passenger rail line between Southern California and Las Vegas, NV (2018–2019)
• A private equity client, in connection with its proposed acquisition of Grenada Railroad (2018) 
• Fortress Investment Group, in connection with the merger of its subsidiary, Florida East Coast Railway, with GMexico de Transportes SA de CV, a transaction valued at $2.1 billion (2017)
• A private equity client, in connection with its proposed acquisition of the Providence & Worcester Railroad (2016) 
• Texas Central Partners, in connection with the development of a proposed high-speed passenger rail line between Dallas and Houston, TX (2016–present)
• A private equity client, in connection with its acquisition of a railroad line in Ohio (2016)
• Central Maine & Quebec Railway USA, in connection with its bankruptcy acquisition of the rail assets of Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway (2015)
• A Class 1 railroad, in connection with the sale of the western rail lines of Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad Corporation to Genesee & Wyoming, Inc. (2014)
• Fortress Investment Group, in connection with the $1.4 billion sale of RailAmerica to Genesee & Wyoming, Inc. (2012)
• Virgin Trains USA (formerly All Aboard Florida), in connection with the development of a proposed high-speed passenger rail line between Miami and Orlando, FL (2010–present)
• A Class 1 railroad, in connection with its $1.4 billion acquisition of Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad Corporation (2008)
• CP Ships Limited, in connection with its bankruptcy acquisition of Lykes Bros. Steamship Line (1997)
• A Class 1 railroad, in connection with its bankruptcy acquisition of Delaware & Hudson Railway Company (1991)

Terry has written articles on transportation-related topics and authored a chapter in the book “Debating Reform” (Congressional Quarterly Press 2010). He has appeared as a speaker at transportation industry conferences in the United States and Canada.

Terry is a Senior Lecturing Fellow at Duke University School of Law, where he teaches several M&A-related courses.

In every year since 2008, Terry has been recognized by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers as a leading practitioner in the National Transportation (Rail) category. He has also been recognized in Washington’s Super Lawyers magazine.