Thompson & Knight advised privately-held institutional affiliates of EnerVest Ltd. (“EnerVest”) in the $1.95 billion acquisition of oil and gas assets in the Granite Wash and Cleveland fields of Texas and Western Oklahoma from Linn Energy LLC (“Linn”).

The Thompson & Knight team was led by Arthur J. Wright and included Brandon L. Bloom, Cole Bredthauer, Anthony J. Campiti, Jason Patrick Loden, Mary A. McNulty, and Kelli C. Sims.

The purchase almost triples EnerVest’s position in the Anadarko Basin. The Granite Wash and Cleveland properties acquired by the company include approximately 145,000 net acres with production of about 195 million cubic feet of natural gas equivalent per day. The sale is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2014 with an effective date of September 1, 2014.

EnerVest is one of the 25 largest oil and gas companies in the United States, with more than 34,000 wells across 15 states, 5.5 million acres under lease, and $10 billion in assets under management.

On September 29, 2014, the EnLink Midstream companies, EnLink Midstream Partners, LP (NYSE:ENLK) (the Partnership) and EnLink Midstream, LLC (NYSE:ENLC) (the General Partner) (together “EnLink”), announced that a subsidiary of the Partnership signed a definitive agreement with Chevron Pipe Line Company and Chevron Midstream Pipelines LLC to acquire Gulf Coast natural gas pipeline assets including the Bridgeline system (“the natural gas assets”) predominantly located in Southern Louisiana for $235 million, subject to certain adjustments. More >>

Akin Gump advised Alliance Data Systems Corporation in the execution of a definitive agreement whereby it will purchase Conversant, Inc. for approximately $2.3 billion in cash and stock. More >>

Ajinomoto Co. Inc., a Tokyo-based, worldwide leader in high-quality processed foods and seasonings and a household name in Asia , announced today that it has entered into an agreement, through its subsidiary Ajinomoto North America, Inc., to acquire Texas-based Windsor Quality Holdings LP, a leading manufacturer of ethnic frozen foods in the U.S., including brands such as Ling Ling and Josè Olè. More >>

Akin Gump served as counsel to Diamondback Energy, Inc. in the pricing of an underwritten public offering of two million shares of its common stock by certain selling stockholders at a price to the public of $90.04 per share. The total deal size is $180 million.

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McGuireWoods LLP is opening a new office in Dallas, expanding the international law firm’s depth of services available in Texas and the southwestern United States.

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International law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP announced today that Courtney Solcher Marcus has rejoined the Firm as a partner in the Firm’s Global Finance Practice, based in the Dallas office.

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Akin Gump served as U.S. legal counsel to Alliance Data Systems and its LoyaltyOne business in the acquisition of a 60 percent ownership stake in Netherlands-based BrandLoyalty.

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Littler Mendelson, P.C. (Littler), the world’s largest employment and labor law firm representing management, has added Celeste R. Yeager as a shareholder to the firm’s Dallas office. Yeager, previously a partner with Gardere and vice chair of its Hospitality Industry Team, brings a comprehensive labor and employment litigation and counseling practice to Littler.

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