Overview

Mary Kogut is a debt finance partner in the Houston office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP and a trusted advisor to clients financing data centers, fiber, oil and gas, power projects and other infrastructure assets. Chambers USA 2022 describes her as “quite simply the best debt finance attorney I’ve had the pleasure of working with in my career.” She focuses on digital infrastructure, structured equity, back leverage, private credit and energy-related finance, representing private equity funds, private credit funds, hedge funds, and private and public companies.

Mary is known for handling highly structured and complex transactions, including structured back leverage issuances and digital infrastructure financings. She also advises on leveraged buyouts, public offerings, reserve-based financings and refinancings, and both in-court and out-of-court restructurings, including debtor-in-possession and exit financings.

Sought after for her ability to calmly and masterfully advocate for clients, Mary is a “go to” attorney for sophisticated, time-sensitive deals. Chambers USA 2025 describes her as “capable in high pressured negotiations…poised, patient, and an effective communicator.” Her adaptability and command of market trends enable her to guide clients through innovative financing structures and the rapidly evolving data center and power sectors.

With corporate, private equity and private credit clients ranging from CyrusOne and Northern Oil & Gas to Blue Owl Capital, GIP, Apollo Global Management, KKR and Oaktree Capital, Mary has played a key role in some of the most high-profile recent digital infrastructure financings, structured equity back leverage financings, acquisition-related financings, structured financings and restructurings in the infrastructure and energy space.

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Thought Leadership

Seminars

The Rise of Private Credit,” Moderator at SuperReturn Energy, November 11, 2024.

Growth Investment Opportunities Q&A,” Presenter, Webinar, April 12, 2022 

Infrastructure Outlook Webinar,” Speaker at Kayo Conference Series, April 28, 2021.

Industry restructuring and consolidations,” Speaker at Argus Crude Summit, January 27, 2021 

Financing the fields,” Panelist at MergerMarket Energy Forum, December 3, 2020

The Weekly Knockout Podcast, “How Many Firms Will Fail? Sizing Up The Storm of Restructuring and Bankruptcies,” Kayo Conference Series, October 22, 2020

State of the Capital Markets,” Moderator at SPE A&D Symposium, February 26, 2020

Strategies for the upstream,” Panelist at Argus Americas Crude Summit, February 4, 2020

E&P Restructurings: Where We’ve Been, Where We Are and What We Are Likely to See - Practical Insights for Management Teams and Boards,” Speaker at Argus Americas Crude Summit, February 4, 2020

Financing the Fields,” Moderator at MergerMarket Energy Forum, May 21, 2019

Borrowers and Lenders: Who's Got the Upper Hand?,” Speaker at Kayo Women’s Energy Investment Conference, April 17, 2019

Creativity in Energy Private Equity,” Speaker at Kayo Women’s Energy Investment Conference, June 14, 2018

Future of Energy Lending,” Speaker at Kayo Women’s Energy Investment Conference, June 13, 2017

The Risks of Becoming a Board Member,” Speaker at the Women’s Executive Board Leadership Forum, March 31, 2017

Debt Investment Opportunities in the Energy Sector,” Speaker at the Executive Women's Energy Symposium, November 16, 2016

E&P Restructuring: Where we’ve Been, Where we are, and What the Future may Bring,” Keynote address at the Women’s Energy Network (Houston chapter) luncheon speaking series, November 16, 2016

Upstream Investing,” Speaker at Kayo Women’s Energy Investment Conference, June 7, 2016

Approaching Gender Differences in Negotiations,” Presentation to Texas Women of Wall Street, May 17, 2016

An Overview of the Chapter 11 Process and Key Issues in Recent Oil and Gas Restructurings,” Speaker at the Credit Suisse Restructuring Conference, February 2, 2016

Overview of Key Issues in Recent Oil and Gas Restructurings,” Speaker at the 2016 Texas Journal of Oil, Gas and Energy Law Symposium, January 29, 2016

Recognition

Chambers USA, Banking & Finance Law, 2020–2026

The Legal 500 U.S., Commercial Lending, 2025–2026

“Top 21 in 21: Women in Infrastructure,” Kayo Conference, 2021

Texas Lawyer Professional Excellence Awards, On the Rise, 2019

Memberships & Affiliations

Board of Directors, Tellepsen Family Downtown YMCA, a YMCA of Greater Houston

Credentials

Admissions & Qualifications

  • 2010California
  • 2016Texas

Education

  • Georgetown University Law CenterJ.D.cum laude2009

    Global Law Scholar

    Note Production Editor & Final Editor, The Tax Lawyer

  • Georgetown UniversityB.A., Political Economywith Honors, summa cum laude2005

    Phi Beta Kappa

    Alpha Sigma Nu