Texas Lawyer Profiles Thomas Yang Among ‘Most Effective Dealmakers’
(Dallas) – Texas Lawyer has published a Q&A with Akin Gump corporate partner Thomas Yang on the occasion of his selection among the periodical’s “Most Effective Dealmakers” in the 2022 Texas Lawyer Awards.
Mr. Yang pointed to 2021 as a “challenging and exciting year” for M&A work, spotlighting his work in not only closing 7-Eleven’s $21 billion acquisition of 3,900 Speedway convenience stores from Marathon Petroleum Corp, but also working on more than 20 other deals over the course of the year, including five that closed in December 2021.
He noted the M&A practice’s move away from in-person work as a change during the pandemic, adding, “While we are now slowly making our way back to our offices, I think the pandemic has certainly demonstrated that we could work together while not actually together in person, and, while I think and hope we will regain some of the in person interactions, I suspect we will never get back to the pre-COVID levels.”
Regarding the qualities possessed by a strong dealmaker, Mr. Yang said, “While we still need the detailed, legal technical skills and analysis to properly conduct a deal, clients are now looking for so much more from top M&A attorneys. To be an effective dealmaker now, you need to know, understand and anticipate your client’s expected positions on the issues – not just from a legal perspective, but from a business perspective as well.”
To read the full Q&A, click here.
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is a leading international law firm with more than 900 lawyers in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
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