Leana N. Garipova
Counsel
Areas of Focus
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Corporate & Finance
- Project Development
- Capital Markets
- Energy & Infrastructure
- Oil & Gas
- Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG)
- Joint Ventures & Strategic Alliances
- Midstream Oil & Gas
- Upstream Oil & Gas
- Technology
- Autonomous Systems & Advanced Mobility
- Renewable Energy
- Energy Storage
- Focuses on public and private mergers and acquisitions and other complex corporate transactions.
- Counsels boards and management of public companies on corporate governance matters.
- Assists with cross-border transactions, demonstrating fluency and cultural knowledge of five languages.
Leana represents clients in public and private mergers and acquisitions, capital markets transactions, joint ventures and other complex corporate transactions. Leana also serves as a trusted advisor to boards and management of public companies on corporate, securities and corporate governance matters, including ESG. In addition, she is skilled at assisting clients with cross-border transactions, demonstrating her fluency and cultural knowledge of five languages, including Russian, Tatar, Spanish and Turkish.
Leana serves on the firm’s Associates and Counsel and Hiring Committees in Houston and writes and speaks about corporate governance matters, including ESG. While in law school, Leana served as managing editor of The Georgetown Law Journal. For her service and leadership on the journal, Leana received the Milton A. Kaufman Prize. Prior to joining Akin Gump, she served as an intern for MetLife Inc. in New York, and in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative in Washington, D.C., where she saw firsthand how complex international trade and policy issues can impact transactions.
- Represented Diamondback Energy Inc. in the formation of a new joint venture entity Deep Blue Midland Basin LLC with Five Point Energy LLC.
- Advised Rattler Midstream Operating LLC, a subsidiary of Diamondback Energy, Inc., in the sale of its entire 43% membership interest in OMOG JV LLC for $225 million.
- Represented Aquadrill in its close to $1 billion all-stock merger with Seadrill, a leading offshore drilling contractor.
- Advised Triller Hold Co LLC, a social media platform that uses proprietary artificial intelligence technology, in its merger with SeaChange International Inc.
- Represented Genesis Energy LP in its $418-million sale of an interest in its Cameron Highway Oil Pipeline System.
LanguagesRussian
Tatar
Russian
Tatar
EducationJ.D., Georgetown University Law Center, cum laude, 2016
B.A., Kazan Federal University
J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, cum laude, 2016
B.A., Kazan Federal University
Bar AdmissionsTexas
Texas
- The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch (Mergers and Acquisitions Law), 2024.
- Georgetown University, Alumni Award “Hats Off to You!,” 2021.
- The Texas Lawbook, Profiled as among Akin Gump’s Texas Achievements, 2020.
- Houston Corporate Counsel Awards, Akin Gump deal team member, M&A Transaction of the Year, 2019.
- The Georgetown Law Journal, Milton A. Kaufman Prize.
- President, Georgetown Club of Houston
- Chair, Corporate Counsel Section, Houston Bar Association
- Board Member, City of Houston’s Millennial Advisory Board, 2020-2022
- Networking Committee Chair, Texas Wall Street Women, 2018-2020
- Corporate Counsel Committee Vice-Chair, Houston Young Lawyers Association, 2018-2019
- Co-author, “A New Year of Advancing the Field of Corporate Practice,” the Houston Lawyer, 2023.
- Speaker, “Deal or No Deal: Ethical Considerations for Dealmakers,” Houston Bar Association and Georgetown Club, 2023.
- Speaker, “Proxy Season Preview: Tips and Trends,” HBA Corporate Counsel Section Webinars, 2019-2022.
- Moderator, “Ethics in Negotiation and Mediation Skills,” Georgetown Club Webinar, 2022.
- Moderator, Georgetown Club events with Dr. Angela Stent on U.S.-Russia topics, 2019-2021.