Chad M. Kell
Partner

I am dedicated to helping my clients overcome the various challenges they face during the rapid upturns and downturns of the energy, manufacturing and real estate industries. By thoroughly understanding each client’s business objectives and how these may evolve over time, we can find efficient solutions that work regardless of where the market takes us.

Businesses across the country rely on Chad Kell to guide them through a wide variety of transactional and corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, complex commercial transactions, project development, debt financing, entity structuring, and day-to-day operational and governance issues. He represents clients spanning a number of industries, ranging from energy, real estate and logistics to manufacturing and technology.

Before joining Gray Reed, Chad worked as in-house counsel in roles of increasing responsibility at a publicly-traded energy services company and a historic real estate company, where he was involved in acquisition and divestiture matters with a combined value of $5.3 billion. In addition, he handled numerous commercial transactions involving domestic and international customer and procurement relationships, IP protection and licensing, and information technology. Chad also routinely counseled executives and managers on regulatory matters as well as other operational issues.

Chad’s diverse transactional experience and prior roles as in-house counsel have given him a deep appreciation for the need to understand a client’s operational, financial and cultural objectives before providing legal guidance. By approaching these issues from the stakeholders’ perspective, he is able to find solutions that efficiently resolve the concerns of all involved. Chad combines this mindset with the firm’s incredibly diverse capabilities to protect his clients’ interests with a view toward any challenges the future may bring.

Representative Experience

Mergers, Acquisitions and Recapitalizations

  • Represented founders of a decarbonization-focused venture capital group in connection with organizational, structuring and investment matters.
  • Represented the founders of Chem32 in a $44 million sale of their membership interests to a subsidiary of PQ Group Holdings Inc. (NYSE: PQG). Click here for a press release. 
  • Represented Tri-State Vacuum and Rental in connection with its acquisition of Key Energy’s Haynesville shale waste water management division, and the financing of the acquisition provided via seller financing and an equity investment by CIC Partners, a Dallas-based private equity firm.
  • Represented a privately-held, international oilfield services company in the sale of its Argentina business division to a competitor
  • Represented institutional lender to distressed oil and gas production companies in multiple debt for equity exchanges and related corporate, financing, reorganization and compliance matters.
  • Represented prominent podcasting company in sale of membership interest to newly-promoted Chief Technology Officer.

Financing Matters

  • Represented historic oilfield services company in connection with obtaining $78,000,000 in debt financing through a subordinated term loan and expansion of an existing credit facility.
  • Represented a financial institution in connection with an $18,000,000 Main Street Priority Loan Facility and $2,500,000 revolving line of credit.
  • Represented private lenders to prominent Houston restaurant concept in term debt refinancing and related corporate matters.
  • Represented institutional lender to distressed proppant mining company in sale of term debt to affiliate leading recapitalization efforts.
  • Represented private equity owner of national restaurant chains in connection with obtaining pre-petition and debtor-in-possession financing required to sustain business through Chapter 11 proceedings.

Business and Project Development

  • Represented international bulk container company in connection with the development of a long-term catalyst logistics project, including the drafting and negotiation of core and supporting contracts and leases.
  • Represented Dubai-based cement manufacturer in connection with the development of a $25M raw materials grinding facility, including with respect to the purchase of seed assets, corporate governance, real estate, financing and regulatory matters.
  • Represented brewpub startup with respect to formation, governance, financing and real estate matters.
  • Represented medical continuing education startup company with respect to formation and governance matters.
  • Represented microcidery in connection with corporate formation and real estate matters.

Outside General Counsel

  • Acted as outside general counsel for international and domestic entities in the following industries:
    • fiberglass pipe manufacturing and distribution;
    • oil and gas well drilling, completion and production services;
    • oil and gas pipeline SCADA design services;
    • mid- and downstream facility construction and maintenance services;
    • energy marketing data analytics;
    • bulk chemical container manufacturing, leasing and logistics;
    • gasket and fastener manufacturing and distribution; and
    • managed IT services.
Thought Leadership / News
January 3, 2023 
 Press Releases
April 29, 2022 
 Speeches and Presentations
Recent M&A Proposed Federal Legislation and Delaware Caselaw Developments

Continuing Legal Education

September 17, 2021 
 Speeches and Presentations
Recent M&A Legislative and Caselaw Developments

Continuing Legal Education

September 13, 2021 
 Blogs
M&A Insights
Honors
  • Selected by his peers for inclusion in Woodward/White, Inc.'s The Best Lawyers in America "Ones to Watch" in the fields of Corporate Law (2024), Oil and Gas Law (2024) and Real Estate Law (2024)
Organizational Involvement
  • State Bar of Texas
    • Corporate Counsel Section
    • Oil, Gas & Energy Resources Law Section
  • ​Houston Bar Association - Veteran's Legal Initiative
Education
  • J.D., University of Houston Law Center (2011)
  • B.A., The University of Texas at Austin (2007)
Bar Admission
  • Texas
When I Feel Most At Home
  • Spending time with my wife and keeping up with my two young children
  • Seeking out new and unique food destinations in Houston (the spicier the better)
  • Enjoying the outdoors — running, hiking and gardening