Mayer Brown adds William Heller and Harry Beaudry as partners in Houston Corporate & Securities practice

HOUSTON, Jan. 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Mayer Brown, a leading global law firm, announced that William T. Heller IV and Harry R. Beaudry have joined the firm as partners in its Corporate & Securities practice in Houston. Previously, Mr. Heller and Mr. Beaudry were partners at Thompson & Knight.

"Bill and Harry are two of the most accomplished and highly respected corporate lawyers in Houston, specializing in energy M&A and capital markets," said Bob Gray, a co-leader of Mayer Brown's global Corporate & Securities practice. "In particular, their extensive experience in both the upstream and service sectors  further strengthens our corporate energy practice both in Houston and for clients across our global platform."

Neil Wasserstrom, partner-in-charge of Mayer Brown's Houston office, said the arrival of Mr. Heller and Mr. Beaudry continues the expansion the office. "We are pleased that Mayer Brown increasingly is viewed as a destination of choice by top-tier lawyers like Bill and Harry and recent partner arrivals Bill Hart, Jr. in our Banking & Finance practice, Kirk Tucker in our Corporate & Securities practice and Shawn O'Brien in our Tax Controversy practice, all of whom have joined us from leading firms in Houston in the last nine months," he said.

"Mayer Brown has the global reach and the breadth of practice capabilities needed to serve clients' legal needs in today's increasingly global energy industry," Mr. Heller said. "Harry and I have long-standing relationships with several of the firm's partners whom we regard highly, and we are pleased by Mayer Brown's collegial and collaborative culture.  We also believe the firm is committed to growing the Houston office and the energy practice globally, and we want to be key players in helping to make that happen."

Mr. Heller represents clients in corporate and securities law matters, with a focus on the energy industry, including oilfield services and upstream oil and gas. He has extensive experience representing public and private companies in mergers, acquisitions and dispositions of businesses and assets; offerings of equity and debt securities; SEC reporting and securities law compliance; and corporate governance. 

Among his notable engagements, since January 2012, Mr. Heller has represented oil and gas exploration and production (E&P) company clients in 144A debt offerings aggregating more than $2.0 billion; public offerings of common stock aggregating more than $800 million; private placements of common and convertible preferred equity securities aggregating more than $1.5 billion; and the acquisition of a publicly traded E&P company for approximately $1.0 billion.

Mr. Beaudry also represents clients in a wide range of corporate law matters, including public and private offerings of equity and debt securities, mergers and acquisitions, corporate reorganizations and divestitures of businesses. He also advises and counsels clients with respect to corporate governance, compliance with securities laws and exchange rules and SEC reporting. He has advised clients on a $1.0 billion public offering of investment-grade debt by a public E&P company; a $600 million 144A debt offering by a public company; a $250 million private placement of debt and warrants by a newly formed private E&P company; and the sale of a public E&P company for $188 million.

Mr. Heller received a BA degree magna cum laude from Rice University and a JD degree from the University of Texas School of Law.  Mr. Beaudry holds a BS degree from Vanderbilt University and a JD degree from the University of Texas School of Law.

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SOURCE Mayer Brown