James Garrett serves as Chair of the Houston Corporate Department and is a member of the firm’s Private Equity and Mergers & Acquisitions Practices.

James counsels private equity investors and their portfolio companies, as well as public and private companies in connection with corporate and transactional matters, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, growth equity and private financing transactions, joint ventures, and corporate reorganizations, as well as on general corporate matters.

He has diverse transactional experience and frequently counsels clients across a broad range of industries, including oil and gas, renewables, industrials, technology, software, digital infrastructure, and financial services, among others.

James is recognized by Best Lawyers 2025 for his work in Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law and as a Texas Rising Star by Super Lawyers 2016-2019 (Thomson Reuters). He currently serves as a Director at CarePartners and as a Director at the Texas Hearing Institute. He also previously served on the Founding Advisory Board of Greentown Labs Houston, Houston’s first climatetech and cleantech-focused startup incubator.

Thought Leadership

Private Equity Perspective,” Rice Energy Finance Summit 2021, Houston, Texas, November 12, 2021

James' experience includes advising:

Digital Infrastructure

  • A global alternative investment firm on its Series C investment in a US-based company that designs and develops digital connectivity solutions
  • Linode in its acquisition by Akamai Technologies
  • A private equity firm in the sale of a fiber-to-the-home services platform
  • A private equity firm in the acquisition of and investment in a fiber-optic based telecommunications services provider*

Financial Services

  • Crestview Partners in its investment in Upwell Water*
  • Management of Ascentium Capital, a portfolio company of Warburg Pincus, in its sale to Regions Bank*
  • Ascentium Capital in the sale of the company, to Warburg Pincus*

Industrials

  • An industrial distribution supply company on its sale to a strategic private equity-backed buyer 
  • The Shaw Group in its sale to Chicago Bridge & Iron*
  • ENTACT in its sale to Pritzker Group Private Capital*
  • M&M Tradition Holdings in the sale of the company to MiTek Holdings*
  • Allied Fitting in its acquisition of Warren Alloy Valve & Fitting company*
  • The Shaw Group in sale of substantially all of its Energy & Chemicals Group to Technip SA*
  • A private equity firm in the acquisition of Kovach*

Metals & Mining

  • Coefficient Partners in its equity investment in Noveon Magnetics, the only manufacturer of rare earth magnets in the US

Midstream

  • Amber Energy, a portfolio company of Elliott Investment Management, in its pending acquisition of CITGO 
  • SailingStone Capital Partners in its Equity Investment in Trinity Gas Storage
  • Midcoast Energy, an ArcLight portfolio company, in the sale of its East Texas business to Momentum Midstream, a subsidiary of EnCap Flatrock Midstream
  • EnCap Flatrock Midstream in its partnership with Manchester Energy to develop a large scale, diversified midstream business
  • EnCap Flatrock Midstream in its capital commitment to Clearfork Midstream in connection with Clearfork’s acquisition of Azure Midstream
  • Lucid Energy Group in its acquisition by Targa Resources Corp
  • Lucid Energy Group II in the sale of the company to a joint venture controlled by investment funds affiliated with Riverstone Holdings and the Goldman Sachs Group*
  • Devon Energy Corp. in the contribution of substantially all of its US midstream business to Crosstex Energy and Crosstex Energy to form a consolidated midstream business controlled by Devon*
  • Camelback Midstream Holdings in a line of equity commitment to the company from ArcLight Capital Partners*
  • Lucid Energy Group in connection with a preferred equity commitment from Magnetar Capital*
  • Azure Midstream Energy in the contribution of its Legacy gathering system to Marlin Midstream Partners as well as its acquisition of the general partner of and 90% of the incentive distribution rights in Marlin Midstream Partners*
  • EIV Capital in a line of equity commitment to H2O Midstream Holdings*
  • Lucid Energy Group in the sale of Rowdy Pipeline to Evolution Midstream*
  • Western Refining in the contribution of its southwest wholesale business to Western Refining Logistics*
  • Sixth Street Partners in the formation of Blackline Midstream, a joint venture with Blackline Partners*
  • Canes Midstream in an equity commitment by EIV Capital and Canes’ management*
  • PE-backed midstream company in its strategic joint venture to provide comprehensive end-to-end water management solutions in the Permian Basin*
  • Western Refining in the contribution of certain terminalling, storage, and other logistics assets to Western Refining Logistics*

Oilfield Services

  • Piper Sandler, as financial advisor to Pioneer Energy Services, in connection with Patterson-UTI Energy’s acquisition of Pioneer Energy Services
  • Patterson-UTI Energy in its merger with Seventy Seven Energy*
  • Crestview Partners as lead investors in the merger of Matlin & Partners Acquisition Corporation and US Well Services*
  • T-3 Energy Services in the sale of the company to Robbins & Myers*
  • Edge Oilfield Services and Summit Oilfield Services in their sale to Key Energy Services*
  • SCF Partners in its acquisition of Oil Patch Group*
  • CSL Capital Management in the formation of Paramount Pipeline and Process Solutions and the subsequent acquisition of Pipelogic Services*
  • NCS Multistage Holdings in its acquisition of Spectrum Tracer Services*
  • Crestview Advisors in its investment in a private placement of Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock from US Well Services, Inc.*

Renewables

  • A solar development company on the sale of its solar-powered electric generating facility with an expected nameplate capacity of 600 MWac to a strategic buyer
  • Brookfield Infrastructure in its acquisition of equity interests in a wind farm operator
  • A solar development company on multiple divestitures of solar-powered electric generating facilities
  • Priority Power in its acquisition by I Squared Capital
  • Denham Capital in:
    • The sale of a 1.6 GW capacity reserve contract to New Fortress Energy
    • Its equity investment in EV Chargers Limited, an electric vehicle charging company
    • Its acquisition of, and subsequent investment in, Solops, with our assistance to Solops in acquiring various renewable energy projects
  • Catalyze, a large-scale solar, battery storage, and electric vehicle developer, on its strategic investment from Actis
  • EnCap Energy Transition Fund on its joint venture with Mercuria Investments in the formation of Parliament Solar Denham Capital in its acquisition of, and subsequent investment in, Solops
  • Inspiration Mobility in its capital commitment from Macquarie Asset Management and Ferrovial
  • Pickering Energy Partners in the Series A funding round for Merge Electric Fleet Solutions
  • Mercuria Energy Trading in its:
    • Sale of Beyond6 to Chevron USA
    • Compressed natural gas fueling network joint venture with Chevron USA
  • EnCap Investments L.P. in its capital commitment to Arbor Renewable Gas, LLC*
  • Pickering Energy Partners in the establishment of Merge Electric Fleet Solutions*
  • Mercuria Investments in the acquisition of Beyond6, from HC2 Holdings*
  • Brock Capital Group in the recapitalization of Sunnova Energy*

Technology

  • Umbrage Studios in its sale to Bain & Company
  • Teleperformance on its acquisition of PSG Global Solutions
  • Linode in its acquisition by Akamai Technologies
  • Marlin Equity Partners in its growth investment in ProcessUnity
  • Clovis Point Capital in its:
    • Sale of CPaT Global
    • Investment in NinjaCat, Inc.*
    • Preferred equity investment in Mobile Solutions Services Holdings and the subsequent sale of the company*
    • Growth equity investment in RIVS.com*
    • Acquisition of Cirruspath*
    • Preferred equity investment in MediaPro Holdings and subsequent sale of a majority stake in the company*
  • Engage Mobilize in a bridge financing led by Montrose Lane (formerly Cottonwood Venture Partners)*
  • Cirruspath in an all-stock merger with ZynBit.com*
  • Montrose Lane (formerly Cottonwood Venture Partners) in a Series A investment in Trivie*
  • Montrose Lane (formerly Cottonwood Venture Partners) in its preferred stock investment in Novi Labs*

Upstream

  • Post Oak Energy on its equity commitment to Ichthys Energy
  • An asset management firm in connection with its acquisition and securitization of US$2 billion of proved developed producing natural gas assets
  • Enduring Resources, an EnCap-backed company, in its business combination with certain subsidiaries of DJR Energy, a Trilantic-backed company, to create the largest oil and gas producer in the San Juan Basin
  • Vencer Energy in its US$2.15 billion sale of assets to Civitas Resources
  • Black Mountain Oil & Gas in its acquisition of Eagle Ford Catarina Ranch assets from Mesquite Energy
  • Vitol in connection with the formation of VTX Energy Partners
  • Post Oak Energy Capital in its equity commitment in UpCurve Energy Partners II
  • Colgate Energy Partners III in its acquisition of Luxe Energy in an all-stock transaction
  • EnCap Investments in more than 12 equity commitments and management build ups of upstream companies*
  • Vitol Group in connection with the establishment of Vencer Energy*
  • Rice Energy in its merger with EQT Corporation*
  • Equinor in the acquisition of Brigham Exploration Company*
  • Crimson Exploration in the sale of the company to Contango Oil & Gas in an all-stock transaction*
  • EnCap Investments in the 100% equity sale of certain oil and gas royalty assets to Kimbell Royalty Partners*
  • Crestview Partners in its:
    • Line of equity commitment to W Energy Partners and subsequent cash and stock combination sale of non-operated producing properties and net acres in the Williston Basin to Northern Oil and Gas*
    • Line of equity commitment by its affiliate in H2Oil Energy Company and subsequent contribution of certain oil and gas leases to H2Oil Energy Company*
    • Line of equity commitment by its affiliate, Crestview WEP2 Holdings, in W Energy Partners II*
  • Mercuria Energy in its capacity as lender and equity-holder in connection with Arsenal Energy’s second recapitalization and chapter 11 case in 2019, including the conversion of debt to equity, the infusion of new capital, and entry into a new RBL facility through a plan confirmed in the chapter 11 case filed in Delaware*
  • Bluescape Energy Partners in the preferred investment in Riley Exploration – Permian*

Other Industries

Aviation

  • Continental Airlines in the all-stock merger with United Airlines*

Death Care

  • Carriage Services in eight separate acquisitions, including the acquisition of six funeral home businesses and one cemetery business from Service Corporation International*

Healthcare

  • Leonard Green & Partners in its strategic partnership with Epiphany Dermatology
  • Luke’s Episcopal Health System in its transfer to the Catholic Health Initiatives*

Maritime

  • Avista Capital Partners in its investment in a newly formed joint venture with SEACOR Tankers, to operate and construct Jones Act vessels*

Retail

  • JDH Capital in its acquisition of the Precision Sports segment of Clarus Corporation

*Matter handled prior to joining the firm

Bar Qualification

  • Texas

Education

  • JD, University of Houston Law Center
    magna cum laude
  • BBA in Finance, Economics, Baylor University