Skadden Snags White & Case Energy M&A Duo as Deal Optimism Grows

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom has hired mergers and acquisitions partners Mingda Zhao and Emery Choi in Houston as Big Law firms anticipate more energy deals under the Trump administration.

Zhao and Choi move from White & Case, where they were partners for more than five years. Before that they were with Vinson & Elkins, where both started as associates.

“As we continue to make key strategic investments in Houston, their experience will further our ability to respond to the evolving needs of clients in today’s dynamic energy sector,” said Jeremy London, Skadden’s executive partner, in a statement.

Lawyers expect to see a resurgence in energy deals, fueled in part by predicted fewer second requests in the Federal Trade Commission’s review process. Already, the FTC is touting early termination and encouraging legal practitioners to apply to skip a lengthy review process. Such benefits are most likely to bolster the market if tariffs and geopolitical pressures ease.

Skadden is among Big Law firms growing in the Texas market and presenting a challenge to local firms such as Vinson & Elkins, Baker Botts and Norton Rose Fulbright by pilfering their talent. Skadden has been focusing on its Houston operation with lawyers focused on private equity, project development and capital markets.

The firm in January hired of Steve Gill after the lawyer spent more than two decades at Vinson & Elkins, where he was most recently co-head of the firm’s corporate practice group and strategic M&A practice.

In March, Paul Hastings hired an eight-partner finance group in Texas from Vinson & Elkins, including current and former co-chairs of the global finance practice.

Zhao was recently one of the lawyers that led Calpine Corp.'s $16.4 billion plans to sell to Constellation Energy Corp. Kirkland & Ellis guided Constellation Energy and Latham & Watkins and White & Case steered Calpine. Other large energy deals this year include Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. and Austrian OMV AG’s $13.4 billion purchase of Nova Chemicals from Abu Dhabi sovereign fund Mubadala Investment Co.

Zhao’s and Choi’s recent clients include China National Offshore Oil Corporation, Continental Resources, Devon Energy, Occidental Petroleum and investment firm Sixth Street.