Chris Richardson is the firm’s managing partner and a partner in the Corporate Finance & Acquisitions Group. His corporate practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions and financing work, primarily in the purchase and sale of privately held companies. Many of his transactions have been in connection with leveraged buyouts and buildups of platform or portfolio companies. In addition, he has substantial experience in transactions involving oil & gas and coal companies in both the context of purchase and sale transactions as well as day-to-day operational matters. He also has significant financing experience, and has represented venture capital groups, institutional lenders and equity participants in loan and restructuring matters.

Mr. Richardson has represented western coal producers in various aspects of their operations. He has represented Rio Tinto Energy, Colowyo Coal Company, Peabody Energy, Westmoreland Coal, Triton Coal Company, Vulcan Capital Management, and Montana Power in matters ranging from utility bankruptcies, preparation of long-term coal supply agreements, joint-venture coal projects and in major purchase and sale transactions and structured financings.

Additionally, Mr. Richardson has substantial experience in bankruptcy and creditors’ rights matters. He has worked with creditors, debtors and creditors committees in numerous Chapter 11 proceedings (Standard Metals, MiniScribe, Colorado-Ute Electric Association, Formus Communications, NII Holdings, Schwinn Bicycles, among others), buying and selling companies out of Chapter 11, as well as reorganizing or liquidating debtor companies. Recently, he represented a purchaser in successfully acquiring the assets of an oil and gas company in a competitive auction in a Wyoming bankruptcy matter. Mr. Richardson is currently representing an oil & gas client with a significant unsecured claim in the Sem Crude bankruptcy pending in the Delaware bankruptcy court. Mr. Richardson has lectured on acquisition agreements, deal structures, debtor-creditor issues, including the impact of bankruptcy on environmental laws, lessor-lessee relationships in bankruptcy, bankruptcy current developments, and the sale of assets in a bankruptcy.

Speaking Topics

Chris Richardson is a frequent speaker on topics involving business transactions, creditors’ rights and the coal industry. Mr. Richardson has recently spoken on the following topics: