Akin Gump today announced that Chad Nichols has joined the firm as a partner in its corporate practice in Houston. Mr. Nichols is a debt finance and special situations lawyer with a particular focus on energy transactions. He comes to the firm from Kirkland & Ellis LLP, where he was a partner.
Mr. Nichols has extensive experience in cutting-edge, bespoke financing transactions. This includes significant experience in private equity financings (including portfolio company financings) as well as special situations, distressed and restructuring financings.
Over the course of his career, Mr. Nichols has represented some of the country’s leading private equity, hedge and direct lending funds, including playing a leading role in some of the most significant energy financings in recent years.
“Chad represents an outstanding addition to our strong debt finance platform,” said Akin Gump chairperson Kim Koopersmith. “With his substantial special situations experience and extensive work in the energy industry, he’ll be a strong complement to our top-tier practices in those areas, as well as to our market-leading restructuring practice. I am excited to welcome Chad to the firm.”
Added John Goodgame, co-head of Akin Gump’s corporate practice and partner in charge of its Houston office, “Particularly in the current environment, Chad’s work for leading investment-side clients and their investments up and down the capital structure will be a perfect fit.”
Mr. Goodgame continued, “His experience in off-the-run financings, as well as distressed and rescue lending, not only complements our existing finance and special situations practices, but will expand them with a greater focus on transactions and offerings through the energy value chain. We are thrilled to welcome him to our Houston office.”
Commenting on his move to Akin Gump, Mr. Nichols said, “Akin Gump is a fantastic platform for my practice. The firm is known for its focus on representing private and public companies in the energy sector, private equity and distressed/hedge funds and private credit funds. With its strengths in debt finance, restructuring and special situations work, coupled with its position in the energy space, Akin Gump is the ideal home for me.”
About Akin Gump’s Houston Office
With more than 70 lawyers and advisors, Akin Gump’s Houston office is home to many of the firm’s key practices, with teams that collaborate closely with lawyers in offices throughout the U.S. and globally. The firm has served clients in the energy, finance and technology industries out of its Houston office for more than 30 years. Core areas of strength are corporate, including M&A, capital markets and finance; tax; litigation; labor; intellectual property; and international trade.
Lawyers in the office are frequently ranked by legal and industry media as among the tops in the profession, with the firm being recognized in Law360’s 2019 Texas Powerhouse series and a number of lawyers being top-ranked by Chambers & Partners and Legal 500.
Akin Gump is also consistently ranked as one of the Top Workplaces in Houston by the Houston Chronicle and as a top firm in Houston for associate recruitment and retention, including a first-place ranking in The American Lawyer’s 2019 Midlevel Associates Survey.
