Mr William Benitez > Kirkland & Ellis LLP > Houston, United States > Lawyer Profile
Kirkland & Ellis LLP Offices

609 Main Street
Houston, Tx 77002
TEXAS
United States
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Mr William Benitez

Position
Bill’s practice concentrates on complex business transactions in the energy and infrastructure sectors, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital investments, SPAC transactions, leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, executive compensation and equity incentive arrangements, and related general corporate counseling. Bill has worked on transactions in a variety of industry segments, including clean energy and power generation, upstream, transportation and midstream, coal and other mining, chemicals and industrials, energy and industrial services, recycling and engineering and construction.
Career
Admitted to Illinois and Texas Bar.
Education
Louisiana State University, B.S., 1998; Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, M.B.A., Finance, 2009; Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, J.D., 2009
Lawyer Rankings
United States > Energy > Energy transactions: oil and gas
(Leading partners)Kirkland & Ellis LLP advises energy companies and private equity funds on M&A, asset transactions, private equity investments, and financing across the upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors. With a substantial energy team on the ground across multiple states, the firm handles transactions involving shale plays, the Gulf of Mexico, and broader energy infrastructure, covering corporate, regulatory, and financing aspects. Andrew Calder is a key adviser to marquee infrastructure funds, guiding clients on investments, disposals, and corporate governance matters. David Castro’s recent workload spans oil and gas inventory acquisitions across multiple basins, non-operating interest acquisitions, midstream transactions, and full company takeovers. Christopher Heasley maintains a broad practice covering the entire oil and gas value chain, combining transactional and commercial expertise, while Chad Smith is highly regarded for his work in the upstream and midstream sectors. Anthony Speier provides comprehensive counsel to exploration and production companies across multiple basins. Operator clients continue to turn to Sean Wheeler and William Benitez for their expertise in M&A, joint ventures, and equity investments. Lindsey Jaquillard is also a recommended name for upstream matters. All individuals are located in Houston.
Lawyer Rankings
- Energy transactions: oil and gas United States > Energy
- Leading partners United States > Energy > Energy transactions: oil and gas
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Media, technology and telecoms > Advertising and marketing: litigation
- Finance > Capital markets: high-yield debt offerings
- International trade and national security > CFIUS
- Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: defense
- Finance > Commercial lending
- Intellectual property > Copyright
- Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense
- Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: transactional
- Energy > Energy litigation: oil and gas
- Energy > Energy transactions: electric power
- Energy > Energy transactions: oil and gas
- Environment > Environment: transactional
- Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes
- Tax > International tax
- Dispute resolution > M&A litigation: defense
- M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: large deals ($1bn+)
- Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (full coverage)
- Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (International Trade Commission)
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Private equity buyouts: large deals ($500m+)
- Investment fund formation and management > Private equity funds (including venture capital)
- Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products (including tobacco)
- Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: pharmaceuticals and medical devices
- Real estate > Real estate
- Energy > Renewable/alternative power
- Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate
- Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Shareholder activism
- Finance > Structured finance: securitization
- Media, technology and telecoms > Technology transactions
- Intellectual property > Trade secrets (litigation and non-contentious matters)
- Intellectual property > Trademarks: litigation
- Tax > US taxes: non-contentious
Firm Rankings
- Finance > Capital markets: debt offerings
- Finance > Capital markets: equity offerings
- Antitrust > Cartel
- Dispute resolution > E-discovery
- Energy > Energy regulation: electric power
- Antitrust > Merger control
- Investment fund formation and management > Mutual/registered/exchange-traded funds
- Media, technology and telecoms > Outsourcing
- Intellectual property > Patents: licensing
- Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: automotive/transport
- Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: toxic tort
- Real estate > Real estate investment trusts (REITs)
- Government > State attorneys general
- Tax > US taxes: contentious
- Dispute resolution > Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal)
- Transport > Aviation and air travel: litigation and regulation
- Finance > Commercial lending > Advice to direct lenders/private credit
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Corporate governance
- Environment > Environment: litigation
- Dispute resolution > Financial services litigation
- Insurance > Insurance: non-contentious
- Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: litigation
- Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: transactional
- International trade and national security > National Security
- Finance > Project finance
- Intellectual property > Trademarks: non-contentious (including prosecution, portfolio management and licensing)
- International trade and national security > Customs, export controls and economic sanctions
- Healthcare > Life sciences
- Dispute resolution > Leading trial lawyers
- Dispute resolution > Leading trial lawyers
- Dispute resolution > Leading trial lawyers
- Government > Government relations