Overview

Leslie Vaughn Mahre is a private equity attorney in Holland & Knight's Nashville and Houston offices. Ms. Mahre's practice is multidisciplinary and focused on partnering with clients in the private capital space on a solutions-oriented approach as they navigate strategically important transactions. Whether working with a private equity fund or other investor or representing a business owner or management team, she strives to develop long-term relationships built on trust and an in-depth knowledge of the client's business to help them solve problems in creative and efficient ways.

Ms. Mahre advises private equity and other financial sponsors and private company clients in complex business transactions and joint ventures, including mergers and acquisitions (M&A), divestitures, equity financing transactions, bankruptcy and distressed transactions, and related general corporate counseling. She also counsels clients on the structuring, formation and operation of private investment funds and special purpose, co-investment and other similar private investment vehicles, as well as secondaries transactions. She has extensive experience in the energy industry and has advised clients across a wide variety of other industries, including infrastructure, manufacturing, industrials, software, information technology, retail and healthcare. Ms. Mahre also frequently advises on international and cross-border transactions, representing both U.S. based clients abroad as well as international clients doing business within the United States.

Ms. Mahre serves as an adjunct professor and co-director of the Texas Transactional Skills Program at The University of Texas School of Law. Prior to joining Holland & Knight, she gained valuable private equity and M&A experience in the Houston office of a leading global law firm and previously served as Chief Corporate Counsel at a multi-national IT service management company, where she provided the primary legal support for their global corporate activities, including M&A, finance, corporate governance, tax and benefits.

Practicing pending admission to the Tennessee Bar; admitted to the Texas Bar only and practicing under the supervision of lawyers licensed to practice in Tennessee.

Representative Experience

  • Representation of an industrial-focused private equity firm, on a series of acquisitions of manufacturers of high-quality durable and graphic intensive barcode labels
  • Representation of an industrial-focused private equity firm and its portfolio company on its acquisition of a value-added reseller of AIDC labels, media and hardware for healthcare, manufacturing and industrial end-markets
  • Representation of a private equity backed leading utility scale energy storage and renewable energy platform in the US, in its sale of a 50 percent equity interest to a global private equity fund
  • Representation of one of the worlds’ largest infrastructure investment funds in the formation of a $3.3 billion investment syndicate to fund the acquisition of a controlling interest in a leading midstream infrastructure company and subsequent take-private transaction
  • Representation of a leading provider of growth capital to the independent sector of the U.S. energy industry in the acquisition of interests in multiple renewable energy portfolio companies from an energy-focused private equity firm
  • Representation of a leading investor in power, renewables, storage and sustainability and decarbonization infrastructure, in its acquisition of the largest independent operator of sand and well consumable transloading facilities in the U.S.
  • Representation of a private equity fund in the first of its kind acquisition of subrogation rights under certain insurance claims related to the 2019 Northern California wildfires
  • Representation of an energy-focused private equity firm in its acquisition of a controlling, majority interest in one of the largest supplier of oil drilling equipment
  • Representation of a private equity fund and its technology logistics focused portfolio company in the acquisition of the a self-host web-based productivity app from an oilfield equipment solutions company
  • Representation of a private insurance company in the indirect acquisition of an undivided interest in a coal power plant generation unit subject to ongoing sale-leaseback arrangements

  • Representation of an independent power producer on a $175 million dollar strategic capital partnership entered with a private equity firm to fund development of a hyperscale data center campus
  • Representation of an upstream oil and gas producer in a strategic partnership with a private equity backed midstream water management company
  • Representation of a facilities management provider in a strategic partnership with a parking technology and management solutions company
  • Representation of a multi-national energy management and digital automation company in the formation of a joint venture with a global private equity firm focused on development and execution of microgrid infrastructure projects and stand-alone EAAS microgrids
  • Representation of a Canadian investment management company in its commitment to fund a midstream energy company’s strategic partnership with an independent natural gas and oil exploration and production company to develop crude oil and natural gas gathering and processing infrastructure in the Delaware Basin
  • Representation of a private-equity backed leader in bulk liquid storage in the sale of a 51 percent membership interest in a crude oil terminal located in Colorado to a leading midstream energy and infrastructure company

  • Representation of a healthcare focused private equity firm and its portfolio company in the acquisition of an India-based healthcare revenue cycle management business
  • Representation of a multi-national energy management and digital automation company in the carve-out and sale of its electromechanical and electronic sensor design, development and delivery business to a global electronic component service provider
  • Representation of a global leader in IT solutions in the acquisition of a UK-based leading provider of ITSM adoption and modernization solutions
  • Representation of a global leader in IT solutions in the acquisition of a Swedish-based global software company that helps transform the customer experience with, self-service, and AI and NLP-based advanced knowledge management technology
  • Representation of a global leader in IT solutions in the close of its acquisition of a multi-national leading provider of mainframe application development, delivery, and performance solutions
  • Representation of a global leader in IT solutions in completion of the acquisition of a UK-based global provider of mainframe services and software with a focus on mainframe security
  • Representation of a Canadian investment company on its agreement to acquire, on behalf of certain of its clients, a significant minority ownership stake in a US-based midstream energy company from an existing owner and the subsequent follow-on preferred equity investment in the company

  • Advised a renewable energy focused private equity sponsor on the formation of several single investment fund vehicles
  • Advised a private equity sponsor on the formation of a $1.2 billion energy transition fund
  • Advised a first time sponsor on the formation of a real estate focused fund

Credentials

Education
  • The University of Texas School of Law, J.D.
  • University of Notre Dame, B.A.
Bar Admissions/Licenses
  • Texas

Publications

Speaking Engagements

News