Christopher J. Babcock

Chris Babcock is a partner in Foley & Lardner LLP’s Dallas office, focusing on private equity and corporate governance and securities matters. Chris is a member of the firm’s Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) Team and its national recruiting committee, and has served on its private equity leadership team. .

Chris has significant experience representing private equity funds and their portfolio companies with a focus on mergers and acquisitions and portfolio company governance, as well as representing public companies, privately held companies and nonprofits in such matters. In addition, he has successfully represented clients across a broad range of corporate governance matters and capital market matters, including tender offers, public exchange offers, serving as an advisor to special committees, advising on disclosure requirements, representing companies in communications with stakeholders, and representing activists in successful campaigns to change the direction of public companies. He has co-authored numerous articles relevant to mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance matters published by the Delaware Business Court Insider, the Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance and Financial Regulation, Law360 and others, and has served as the outside editor for Thompson Reuters O’Connor’s book on the Texas Business Organizations Code. He has been invited to speak at numerous events, including meetings of the Technology Special Interest group of Financial Executives International, the Dallas Bar M&A Section, and the Choice, Governance & Acquisition of Entities conference.

Chris was selected as a 2018 and 2019 Texas Rising Star by Super Lawyers Magazine, and was identified as “On the Rise” in the Texas Legal Excellence Awards 2021.  He serves as a member of Baylor University’s Honors College Advisory Council.

Chris’ recent experience includes:

Selected Private Equity Matters

• Represented Strait Lane Capital Partners in sale of Griswold LLC to Rogers Corporation
• Represented INW Manufacturing, a portfolio company of Rosewood Private Investments, in multiple bolt on acquisitions
• Represented Rosewood Private Investments in recapitalization of Superior Environmental Solutions
• Represented Riata Capital Group in connection with acquisition of multiple practices in connection with formation and growth of optometry platform company
• Represented Highlander Capital Partners in connection with series of follow-on acquisitions to grow auto products portfolio company
• Represented LKCM Headwater in acquisition of TestEquity, a value-added distributor of test and measurement equipment and MRO tools and supplies for laboratories and electronics manufacturing, and a manufacturer of environmental chambers
• Represented LKCM Headwater in sale of Heads Up Technologies, and aerospace manufacturing company
• Represented LongWater Opportunities in acquisition and establishment of hospitality decoration portfolio company.

Selected Corporate Governance Matters

• Represented Conflicts Committee of general partner of Alon USA Partners, LP in connection with controlling limited partner taking the master limited partnership private
• Represented FUNimation in connection with equity compensation and related issues raised in connection with its acquisition by Sony Pictures Television
• Represented certain director/shareholders of Good Times Restaurants Inc. in dispute about composition of board.

Selected Capital Markets Matters

• Represented AT&T in connection with exchange offers (and associated cash tender offers) for Sterling and Euro notes issued in connection with AT&T’s proposed acquisition of Time Warner and other exchange and tender offers
• Represented general partner in formation of a Series Limited Partnership focused on club-style investments in Israeli start-ups
• Represented startup in Series A equity financing at a $50 million valuation

Selected Other Matters

• Represented Sachs Capital in connection with take-private acquisition of RMG Networks Holding Corporation and related bridge financing
• Represented 1st Global, Inc. in its acquisition by Blucora Inc.
• Represented Maya Group in connection with is sale of substantially all assets to affiliates of Spin Master

Prior to law school, Chris served as an instructor-qualified airborne intelligence officer in the United States Air Force, earning the rank of captain.

Professional Affiliations

• Chairman, Dallas Bar Association - Mergers & Acquisitions Section (2017-2019)

Honors & Awards

• Recognized, Texas Rising Stars by Super Lawyers®, a Thomson Reuters business, as published in Texas Super Lawyers Magazine (2018-2022)

Education

• Baylor University (B.A.,summa cum laude, 2003)
  • Phi Beta Kappa
• Harvard Law School (J.D., cum laude, 2011)
  • Submissions Editor, Harvard National Security Journal
  • Semi-Finalist, Ames Moot Court Competition
  • Treasurer, Armed Forces Association

Admissions

• Texas (2011)