Denny Lee is an associate in the Houston office of Latham & Watkins and a member of the Corporate Department.

Mr. Lee advises private and public companies, private equity sponsors, financial advisors, and special committees of boards of directors on a range of strategic transactions, including complex cross-border mergers and acquisitions, spin-off and carve-out transactions, joint ventures, de-SPAC transactions, and corporate finance transactions.

Mr. Lee’s experience in domestic and multi-jurisdictional transactions spans a multitude of industries from energy and infrastructure to leisure, technology, and life science.

Mr. Lee also regularly counsels publicly listed companies on a variety of general corporate matters, including US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reporting obligations, corporate governance matters, shareholder activism, and other issues related to public company status.

Mr. Lee has a wide range of business experience in the US and Asia markets. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Lee worked as a professional at a leading global investment bank covering clients across the Asia-Pacific region. Mr. Lee also worked at a global private equity firm, responsible for acquisitions and asset management.

Mr. Lee recently served as a member of the Gala Committee of the Asian American Bar Association of Houston.

Mr. Lee’s representative clients include advising:

Mergers & Acquisitions

  • QEP Resources, Inc. in its US$2.2 billion merger with Diamondback Energy, Inc.
  • Sasol in its US$2 billion sale of a 50% stake in Lake Charles Chemical Plant to form a joint venture with LyondellBasell, a multinational chemical company
  • TotalEnergies in its US$250 million acquisition of SunPower's Commercial and Industrial Solutions Business
  • Hess Infrastructure Partners in its US$6.2 billion acquisition by Hess Midstream Partners, LP and subsequent conversion of the combined entity into an Up-C organizational structure
  • Midstates Petroleum Company in its US$729 million merger of equals with Amplify Energy, an independent oil and natural gas company
  • Fertitta Entertainment, Inc., the parent company of Golden Nugget/Landry’s, a leader in the gaming, restaurant, hospitality, and entertainment industry, in its proposed US$6.6 billion merger with FAST Acquisition Corp.
  • Aeva, Inc., a manufacturer of LiDAR and perception systems, in its US$1.7 billion merger with InterPrivate Acquisition Corp.
  • Hub Cyber Security, an Israel-based confidential computing solution provider, in its US$1.28 billion merger with Mount Rainier Acquisition Corp.
  • Science 37, Inc. in its US$1.05 billion merger with LifeSci Acquisition II Corp.
  • Above Food Corp., an innovative ingredients and consumer products food company, in its merger with Bite Acquisition Corp.
  • Mercato Partners Acquisition Corporation in its business combination with Nuvini Holdings Limited
  • Superior Energy Services, Inc. in its carve-out/merger of its North American Business with Forbes Energy Services, a provider of drilling and production related services to oil and natural gas companies – the matter was withdrawn
  • ArcLight Capital Partners in its US$550 million sale of common and preferred equity in portfolio company Limetree Bay Ventures, LLC (LBV) in connection with the restart of LBV’s terminal and refinery in the US Virgin Islands
  • Conflicts Committee of Hi-Crush Partners LP on its buyout of its general partner and simplification transaction
  • A custom chemical manufacturing company in its acquisition of certain chemical manufacturing assets
  • A worldwide metals and natural resources trader on its purchase of a global industrial raw materials division with operations in the United States, Europe, China, and Russia*
  • Aspect Security, Inc., a consulting firm focusing on application security, in its sale of certain business/assets to Ernst & Young U.S. LLP*

Joint Ventures

  • Consortium investor in connection with US$1.0+ billion preferred equity financing for Blue Source Sustainable Forests Co. (BSFC) and BSFC’s acquisition of 1.7 million acres of timberland, representing one of the largest private conservation-focused forest investments in US history
  • Brookfield Renewable in its joint venture with California Resources Corporation, creating a carbon management partnership focused on carbon capture and sequestration development
  • Chevron U.S.A in its joint venture with Microsoft, Schlumberger, and Clean Energy for a bioenergy with carbon capture and sequestration project designed to produce carbon-negative power in Mendota, California
  • Vault CCS Holdings, a carbon capture and storage developer, in its investment from Grey Rock Investment Partners
  • Benefit Street Partners L.L.C. in its US$250 million joint venture with California Resources Corporation (CRC) to develop both conventional and unconventional oil and gas assets of CRC located in California*
  • Endeavor Energy Resources in its US$300 million joint development agreement with a private equity firm to form a drilling partnership for the development of properties located within the Midland Basin*

Equity and Debt Offerings

  • Hess Midstream Partners LP in multiple secondary offering of Class A shares
  • Initial purchasers in US$60 million offering of senior unsecured notes by Superior Plus LP
  • Initial purchasers in US$725 million offering of senior secured notes by Six Flags Theme Parks, Inc.
  • Archrock Partners in multiple debt offerings totaling over US$1.25 billion
  • Zosano Parma Corporation in its US$20.8 million follow-on offering of common stock

Other Corporate Matters

  • Hess Midstream Partners LP in its US$400 million sponsor unit repurchase
  • CPP Investments in its US$300 million sale of issuer shares to Civitas Resources, Inc.

*Matter handled prior to joining Latham

Bar Qualification

  • Texas

Education

  • J.D., University of Texas School of Law, 2016
  • BBA, Yonsei University, 2006
  • BE, Yonsei University, 2006

Languages Spoken

  • English
  • Korean