Mr. Smith's real estate experience includes the representation of buyers and sellers in the acquisition and disposition of both raw land and income-producing properties, and the representation of landlords and tenants in commercial leases.

Prior to joining Bracewell & Giuliani LLP, Mr. Smith was employed in the electric and gas utility industry for 14 years.

Representative Matters

Represented a private equity firm in connection with seven separate acquisition financings for portfolio companies located in the U.S. and abroad.

Represented European and U.S. banks and financial institutions in connection with $800 million of senior credit facilities to a contract drilling company secured by 28 offshore drilling rigs operating in the Gulf of Mexico and internationally and shares of certain U.S. and international subsidiaries.

Represented the lenders in connection with $750 million of senior credit facilities to a contract drilling company operating in the Gulf of Mexico and internationally.

Represented the financial institutions in connection with $190 million of secured senior credit facilities to a newly formed energy company in connection with its acquisition of oil and gas leases, pipelines and gas processing facilities located in Louisiana and Texas.

Represented the purchaser in its lease negotiations with the Mississippi Port Authority and with the acquisition and refurbishment of a $220 million casino located in Gulfport, Mississippi that was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

Represented several oil and gas pipeline companies with offshore and onshore assets in connection with the negotiation and preparation of asset acquisition and disposition agreements, gathering, transportation and processing agreements and various other transactional matters, including the acquisition of credit facilities totaling more than $2 billion.

Represented the seller in a $445 million sale of all of its midstream gas assets located in the state of Michigan.

Represented a major Texas electric utility in the negotiation and drafting of a coal and lignite handling system for its south Texas power plant.

Represented a major Texas electric utility in the negotiation and drafting of engineering, procurement and construction agreements for the construction of new coal fired power plants and for environmental retrofit projects at its existing power plants.

Represented an entity in the formation of a limited liability company to manufacture and lease oilfield services equipment.

Represented a private equity firm in connection with a joint seismic and exploration and development agreement for Gulf of Mexico blocks.

Represented a Texas petrochemicals manufacturer with emergence from bankruptcy and with its subsequent acquisition of a competitor's manufacturing facilities.

Represented a cellular telecommunications provider with the negotiation and execution of over 100 land and building lease agreements in Texas and Louisiana.

Performed numerous diligence reviews of oil and gas property title reports, energy supply contracts, lease agreements, joint operating agreements, warrant and investor rights agreements, processing agreements, surface use agreements and other related agreements in connection with the representation of lenders in borrowing base loans to energy companies.

Publications and Speeches

"A Musing Affair: Who Owns Your Thoughts?" 44 Loy. L. Rev. 155, 1998.

"Trial Procedure: An Analysis of Arkansas' Exceptional Treatment of the Contemporaneous Objection Rule in Criminal Bench Trials, Strickland v. State," 322 Ark. 312, 909 F.W. 2d 318, 1995; 19 U.Ark., Winter 1997.