John D. Pitts, P.C.
Overview
John is a remarkable M&A attorney. He has a phenomenal work ethic and can give very commercial advice, orienting us on where the market is.” - Chambers USA
John Pitts is a corporate partner in the Houston office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. His practice focuses on complex transactions including mergers and acquisitions, divestitures and private equity, with a particular focus on the energy sector. John is ranked Band 1 for Private Equity: Buyouts (2023–2024) and as a leading lawyer for Corporate/M&A (2019–2024) in Texas by Chambers USA. He is also recognized as a leading lawyer for Energy Transactions: Oil and Gas and Energy: Renewable/Alternative Power by The Legal 500 United States and as “MVP of the Year” for Energy by Law360 for 2021. John was named “Young Lawyer of the Year (Corporate)” at The American Lawyer’s 2022 Industry Awards and was also listed in Bloomberg Law’s “They’ve Got Next: The 40 Under 40” for M&A in 2022.
Experience
Representative Matters
Apex Energy II, LLC in its $505 million sale of its Appalachian Basin natural gas upstream and associated midstream business to CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE: CNX)
A private equity sponsor on its majority investment in a cross-border joint venture to build-out fiber-to-the-home networks
Gogo Inc. (NASDAQ: GOGO) in its acquisition of Satcom Direct, an in-flight connectivity provider serving the business aviation and military/government mobility markets
Sandbrook Capital in its $300 million capital commitment with NGP in Cloverleaf Infrastructure, a developer of large-scale digital infrastructure sites powered by low-carbon electricity
EQT in a joint venture between EQT Infrastructure VI fund and T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS) to acquire Lumos, a fiber-to-the-home platform, and to build-out its fiber optic network
KKR in its acquisition of a majority equity stake in Avantus, a premier developer of large utility-scale solar and solar-plus-storage projects
I Squared Capital in its acquisition of WOW Logistics, a Wisconsin-based integrated supply chain solutions provider
Sandbrook Capital in its investment of up to $460 million in rPlus Energies, a private renewable energy developer
Macquarie Asset Management in its sale of Lordstown Energy Center to ArcLight Capital Partners
Quantum Capital Group, 547 Energy, and ConnectGen in its $768 million sale of ConnectGen to Repsol
Kodiak Gas Services, Inc. (NYSE: KGS) in its $256 million initial public offering
CyrusOne in its formation of a joint venture with KEPCO, a leading Japanese energy provider, for the purpose of building, operating and scaling data centers in Japan
KKR in its acquisition of CoolIT Systems, a provider of scalable liquid cooling solutions
Macquarie Asset Management in its preferred equity investment in Pavlov Media, Inc., one of the largest independent providers of fiber-based internet connectivity to off-campus student housing in the United States
Quantum Energy Partners in its partnership with Bison Oil & Gas to form Bison Oil & Gas Partners IV, LLC with more than $500 million in equity capital commitments, and in closing multiple DJ Basin acquisitions
Delaware Basin Resources in its sale to VTX Energy Partners LLC, Vitol’s U.S. upstream company
Palistar Capital LP, and its portfolio company Harmoni Towers, in the acquisition of Parallel Infrastructure, a tower platform and build-to-suit provider, from funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management
I Squared Capital in its acquisition of VLS Environmental Solutions, a sustainability solutions and ESG-friendly waste services company
Vecino Energy Partners LLC in its $200 million equity commitment from EnCap Flatrock Midstream
KKR and Atlantic Aviation in its acquisition of the Lynx FBO Network
Resource Environmental Solutions LLC (RES), the largest ecological restoration company in the U.S., and KKR in connection to investments into RES by affiliates of Onex Partners and KKR
KKR and Atlantic Aviation in the merger of Atlantic Aviation and Ross Aviation
Consortium and KKR in the $15 billion all-cash acquisition of CyrusOne Inc. (NASDAQ: CONE)
GEP Haynesville, LLC in its $1.85 billion sale to Southwestern Energy (NYSE: SWN)
JDH Capital in the sale of two peaker power plants to Rockland Capital
KKR in the $1.9 billion acquisition of the Thermal business of Clearway Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CWEN, CWEN.A)
I Squared Capital in its investment, alongside its partner Chart Industries, Inc. (NYSE: GTLS), into HTEC Hydrogen Technology & Energy Corporation, a Canadian-based company that designs, builds and operates hydrogen infrastructure solutions, including hydrogen fueling stations
Quantum Energy Partners in its partnership with Houston Energy to form HEQ Deepwater with more than $400 million of equity capital commitments and HEQ’s first major acquisition of oil and gas assets in the Gulf of Mexico
Blackstone Credit in Altus Power, Inc.’s $1.58 billion combination with CBRE Acquisition Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CBAH)
Burning Glass Technologies, a KKR Impact Fund portfolio company, in its combination with Emsi to form Emsi Burning Glass, a leading labor market analytics firm
KKR in its $4.475 billion acquisition of the Atlantic Aviation business of Macquarie Infrastructure Corp.
Stonepeak Partners LP in the formation of Levo Mobility LLC, a $750 million sustainable infrastructure joint venture with Nuvve Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: NVVE)
Alta Resources in the $2.925 billion sale of its upstream and midstream subsidiaries for cash and public stock consideration to EQT Corp.
QL Capital Partners in the formation of an up to $550 million drilling partnership with Antero Resources Corporation
Peridot Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: PDAC) on its $1.67 billion combination agreement with Li-Cycle Corp.
Basalt Infrastructure Partners LLC on its acquisition of Xpress Natural Gas, an integrated Compressed Natural Gas provider operating in the U.S. and Canada
FourPoint Energy LLC in its merger with Maverick Natural Resources to create Unbridled Resources LLC
HighPoint Resources Corp. (NYSE: HPR) on its $376 million combination with Bonanza Creek Energy, Inc. (NYSE: BCEI)
KKR on its definitive agreements with NextEra Energy Resources (NYSE: NEE) and NextEra Energy Partners, LP (NYSE: NEP) to acquire a large portfolio of renewables assets
California Resources Corp. (NYSE: CRC) in its emergence from Chapter 11 and subsequent consolidation of CRC and Ares Management LP’s ownership in the Elk Hills power plant and cryogenic gas plant
Nexus Water Holdings, a global strategic wastewater treatment platform established by KKR and XPV Water Partners, in its add-on acquisition of Environmental Dynamics International, Inc., a leading global manufacturer of diffused aeration systems
National Fuel Gas Company and affiliates Seneca Resources Company, LLC, NFG Midstream Covington, LLC and National Fuel Gas Midstream Company, LLC in the approximately $500 million (after closing adjustments) acquisition of upstream and midstream assets located in Pennsylvania from SWEPI LP, a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell plc
NOVA Infrastructure in its investment in Integrated Waste Solutions Group, LLC, an Austin-based waste management company
Affiliates of Magnetar Capital and GSO Capital Partners as lead investors in the simplification merger of EQM Midstream Partners, LP (NYSE: EQM) and Equitrans Midstream Corporation (NYSE: ETRN) and the associated redemption and rollover into preferred equity at ETRN of $1.2 billion of the investors’ Series A Convertible Preferred Units of EQM
GSO Capital Partners LP, an affiliate of Blackstone, in its preferred and common equity investment in Altus Power America, Inc., a solar generation company, as part of an $850 million recapitalization of Altus
EIG Global Energy Partners in its $750 million acquisition of equity interests in South Texas Midstream, LLC, a newly-formed joint venture with NextEra Energy Partners, LP
KKR, in partnership with XPV Water Partners, in the formation of a wastewater treatment platform that provides end-to-end nutrient management solutions for municipal and industrial wastewater treatment facilities
QL Capital Partners, LP in its partnership with Devon Energy Corporation to fund gas gathering and compression assets in the Delaware Basin
The private equity sponsors and Sable Permian Resources, LLC in the successful completion of AEPB’s $2.1 billion out-of-court recapitalization
Indigo Natural Resources in the $2.65 billion sale of its interest in a gathering system and gathering pipeline in the Haynesville shale formation of Louisiana to DTE Midstream
Kodiak Gas Services, a portfolio company of EQT Infrastructure, in its acquisition of Pegasus Optimization Managers from affiliates of Apollo Natural Resource Partners
KKR, as part of its Global Impact strategy, in its acquisition of a majority equity stake in Burning Glass Technologies, the world’s leading real-time labor market data source
KKR in connection with Spur Energy Partners LLC’s $925 million acquisition of assets in the New Mexico Shelf from Concho Resources Inc.
Hilcorp Alaska in its $5.6 billion acquisition of BP’s upstream and midstream business in Alaska
EIG Global Energy Partners in a $400 million preferred equity investment in NGL Energy Partners LP to finance the acquisition of produced water pipeline transportation and disposal assets from Mesquite Disposals Unlimited, LLC
Western Natural Resources, LLC in its partnership with KKR to acquire producing and undeveloped oil and gas assets in the Williston Basin
KKR in the formation of a partnership with Spur Energy Partners LLC to acquire large, high-margin oil and gas production and development assets across the Lower 48 and the subsequent acquisition of Permian Northwest Shelf assets from Percussion Petroleum LLC
BlackRock, GSO Capital Partners and Magnetar Capital as lead purchasers in a $1.2 billion convertible preferred equity investment in EQM Midstream Partners, LP
KKR in its $900 million partnership with NextEra Energy Partners, LP to own a portfolio of 10 utility scale wind and solar projects across the U.S.
Kodiak Gas Services, LLC and The Stephens Group, LLC in the sale of Kodiak to EQT Infrastructure
EPIC Y-Grade, an Ares affiliate, in its acquisition of the Robstown NGL fractionation facility from Southcross
Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets in its purchase of Wheelabrator Technologies, a leading owner and operator of waste-to-energy facilities, from ECP
Macquarie Infrastructure Partners in connection with its investment of up to $500 million in Lagoon Water Solutions Holdings, LLC, a produced water management company focused primarily in the Anadarko Basin
FourPoint Energy LLC in a joint venture with Double Eagle to form DoublePoint Energy, LLC to own and develop oil and gas interests in the Permian
Haymaker Resources and its sponsor KKR in the $404 million sale of oil and gas mineral and royalty interests to Kimbell Royalty Partners
Mach Resources LLC, an oil and gas producer led by Tom Ward, in the formation of BCE-Mach LLC, a partnership with Bayou City Energy Management LLC
Indigo Natural Resources LLC in its consolidation with three affiliated operating entities under a common capital structure in connection with a private offering of $650 million of senior unsecured notes
Development Capital Resources, LLC, an Ares portfolio company, in its $750 million investment in common and preferred equity in a joint venture with California Resources Corporation
EIG Global Energy Partners in its $500 million preferred investment into USA Compression Partners, LP
Alta Marcellus Development, LLC in its $115 million acquisition of Ultra Petroleum’s non-operated asset in the Marcellus Shale
Energy Future Holdings Corp. in its $18.8 billion sale to Sempra Energy
Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. in its $435 million sale of its Superior, Wisconsin refinery to Husky Energy
GSO Capital Partners LP in the $250 million preferred equity investment in Carrizo Oil & Gas
KKR in its participation in the offering of $550 million of Series A convertible preferred units by NextEra Energy Partners, LP
KKR in its $625 million divestiture of Eagle Ford Shale asset WildHorse Development Corporation
KKR in its preferred financing of Covey Park Energy LLC’s $465 million acquisition of assets in the Haynesville from Chesapeake
Sanchez Energy Corporation in GSO’s private preferred financing of the approximately $2.3 billion purchase of Anadarko’s Western Eagle Ford assets
Alta Marcellus Development, LLC in its $1.24 billion acquisition of upstream and midstream assets in the Marcellus Shale from Anadarko
Alta Marcellus Development, LLC in its $207 million acquisition of oil and gas assets in the Marcellus Shale from Mitsui E&P USA LLC
Indigo Haynesville in its purchase from Chesapeake of $450 million in Haynesville assets and associated placement of second lien and equity financing with a syndicate of private equity firms
KKR in its investment in Resource Environmental Solutions, LLC, a leader in the ecological solutions market
Indigo Minerals LLC in its $375 million equity capital raise and the acquisition of Cotton Valley and Haynesville assets from a private exploration and development company
Evercore, as financial advisor to two portfolio companies managed by Kimmeridge Energy Management Co., in its $1.5 billion sale to PDC Energy, Inc.
Evercore Group LLC as financial advisor to the board of directors of Silver Run Acquisition Corp. in its proposed acquisition of a controlling interest in Centennial Resource Production, LLC
EIG Global Energy Partners in its $500 million preferred equity commitment to Rice Midstream Holdings LLC, a midstream-focused subsidiary of Rice Energy Inc.
MACH Gen, LLC, a privately held holding company of three power plants in Arizona, New York, and Massachusetts, in its $1.175 billion sale to Talen Energy Supply, LLC
LINN Energy, LLC in its Chapter 11 cases filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas
An ad hoc second lien committee in the Chapter 11 cases of Breitburn Energy Partners LP
GEP Haynesville LLC, the consortium of GeoSouthern Haynesville, LP and GSO Capital Partners LP in its $850 million agreement to acquire Haynesville Shale assets from Encana Corporation
Arc Logistics Partners LP in its $76.6 million acquisition of UET Midstream, LLC from United Energy Trading, LLC
Patriot Coal in its sale of assets out of Chapter 11
EIG Global Energy Partners in its $1 billion second lien and preferred investment in Breitburn Energy Partners LP
Murray Energy Corporation in its $1.4 billion acquisition of a majority of the equity interests of Foresight Energy LP and its general partner, Foresight Energy GP LLC
Arc Logistics Partners LP in its $216 million joint acquisition with GE Energy Financial Services of Joliet Bulk, Barge & Rail LLC
KKR in its participation in a $440 million PIPE transaction with Eclipse Resources Corp.
The Blackstone Group in its acquisition of the Twin Oaks power generation facility through a competitive bankruptcy auction and its related acquisition of the Calvert lignite mine from affiliates of the Kiewit Corporation
Crestwood Midstream Partners in its $7 billion merger with Inergy, a developer and operator of natural gas, NGL and crude oil storage, transportation, and logistics businesses*
GeoSouthern Eagle Ford Development LLC in its $6 billion sale to Devon Energy*
Alta Energy Luxembourg S.à.r.l. in its sale to Chevron Canada Limited*
The Blackstone Group in its acquisition of multiple power plants from Direct Energy*
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. LP in its joint venture with Torq Energy Logistics Ltd.*
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. in its acquisition of Samson Investment Company*
The Blackstone Group in its joint venture with LLOG Exploration LLC*
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. in the formation of a partnership with Chesapeake Energy Corporation to invest in mineral interests and royalty interests in key oil and gas basins in the United States*
PPL Corporation in its acquisition of E.ON U.S. LLC*
First Reserve Corporation in its acquisition of TNT Crane & Rigging*
* Matters prior to joining Kirkland
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Recognition
John served as an infantry officer in the United States Army from 2004 to 2010. He deployed as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom VII-VIII, following which he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.
John is also an adjunct professor at University of Texas Law School and teaches a course on negotiating corporate transactions.
Band 1 for Private Equity: Buyouts – Texas by Chambers USA, 2023–2024.
Recognized for Corporate/M&A – Texas by Chambers USA, 2016–2024.
Recognized as “Highly Regarded” for Private Equity and M&A by IFLR1000, 2022–2024
Recognized for Energy: Renewable/Alternative Power by The Legal 500 U.S., 2022–2023.
Recognized for Energy: Oil and Gas by The Legal 500 U.S., 2018–2019, 2021, 2023.
Named “Young Lawyer of the Year (Corporate)” at The American Lawyer's Industry Awards, 2022.
Recognized in Bloomberg Law's “They've Got Next: The 40 Under 40” list for M&A, 2022.
Recognized in the Texas Lawyer as a “Lawyer on the Rise” as part of its 2017 Professional Excellence Awards.
Memberships & Affiliations
Member, Board of Advisors for Team Rubicon
Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- 2011Texas
- 2010New York
Education
- Georgetown University Law CenterJ.D.cum laude2009
- Davidson CollegeB.A.magna cum laude2004