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Tara R. McElhiney

Partner

Tara R. McElhiney represents clients in a broad range of complex corporate transactions, with an emphasis on advising public and private companies, including private equity funds and their portfolio companies, in domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions and joint venture transactions. She also advises clients with respect to financing transactions and general securities and corporate governance matters, including equity and debt financings. Tara represents companies in a variety of industries, primarily within the energy, healthcare, technology, and manufacturing sectors.

  • BP (UK) in its acquisition of the majority share of Thorntons LLC, a leading retail, fuel, and convenience store operator in the Midwest
  • Magnet Forensics (Canada) in its acquisition of DME Forensics, a company that develops video and multimedia evidence solutions used by more than 900 public safety organizations in over 80 countries in investigations of terrorism, civil unrest, homicide, property crimes, child exploitation, and other crimes
  • Pon North America and its subsidiary, Setpoint Integrated Solutions, in the acquisition of Valsource International, a company that specializes in comprehensive control valve and pipeline repair services for maintenance, emergency, and scheduled outage requirements
  • MPLX Delaware Basin NGL LLC, a subsidiary of MPLX LP (MPLX) and Marathon Petroleum Corp. (MPC), in a joint venture with WhiteWater Midstream LLC to acquire a 30% interest in a 323-mile natural gas liquids pipeline in Texas from EPIC Midstream LLC
  • Park Lawn Corporation (Canada) in its acquisition of all of the assets of the West Businesses, which consist of one funeral home, three cemeteries, and one monument company in Asheville and Weaverville, NC
  • Park Lawn Corporation (Canada) in its acquisition of all of the assets of the Williams Businesses, which consist of two funeral homes, three cemeteries, and one cremation business in Columbia, Mt. Pleasant, and Pulaski, TN
  • The Hiller Cos., a subsidiary of Pon North America, in its acquisitions of A&D Fire Sprinklers, Inc., American Fire Technologies, Systems Management Group, and Carolina Fire Control, Inc.
  • The world’s largest oilfield services company in the $430 million acquisition of the US pressure pumping and pump-down perforating business of another multinational oilfield services company
  • BP Products North America, Inc. in its joint acquisition with ArcLight Capital Partners LLC of Thorntons Inc., a retail gasoline and convenience store chain with more than 190 locations in Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee, including the negotiation of the joint venture agreements
  • HMT LLC, a portfolio company of Tailwind Capital, in the acquisition of Dunham Engineering Inc. and Allentech Inc., respectively
  • A public E&P company in connection with multiple privately negotiated debt exchanges of more than $1.5 billion of outstanding subordinated notes for various combinations of new secured notes, new convertible notes and/or common stock
  • The world’s largest oilfield services company in multiple acquisitions of private companies and in multiple strategic divestitures
  • A publicly traded global industrial engineering and manufacturing company with respect to various strategic acquisitions in the United States
  • Alpine Investors in its platform investment into ophthalmology practices and related eye-care businesses in the Midwest
  • A leading utility provider in multiple acquisitions of retail and wholesale utility providers
  • Platinum Equity and The Gores Group in their sale of Data Blue to Court Square Capital Partners 
  • Leap Therapeutics, Inc. in multiple follow-on public equity offerings
  • Numerous public companies in preparation of shelf registration statements, proxy statements, Form 10-Ks, Form 10-Qs and other periodic reports, as well as press releases and investor presentations
  • The underwriters in an $80 million follow-on equity offering for a public E&P company
  • The independent directors of a master limited partnership in a property acquisition through a drop-down transaction
  • Multiple oilfield services companies in the preparation and negotiation of numerous commercial agreements
  • A global industrial services company in the review, preparation and negotiation of numerous commercial agreements
  • University of Texas School of Law, 2014, J.D.
  • Texas A&M University, 2011, B.B.A., Management and Business Honors, cum laude
  • Texas

Recommended, M&A/corporate and commercial: M&A: large deals ($1bn+), The Legal 500 US (2024)

Associates to Watch, Corporate/M&A, Texas, Chambers USA (2024, 2025)

Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Ones to Watch, Corporate Law, Houston (2022–2026)

Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Ones to Watch, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Houston (2022–2026)

Dean’s Advisory Counsel, Mays Business School

Member, Houston Young Lawyers Association