Emily Leitch
Partner, Houston
Experience
- Capital Markets
- Corporate Governance
- Mergers, Acquisitions, & Divestitures
- Public Companies & Securities
- Texas Corporate Governance and Redomestication
Biography
Emily Leitch advises public companies, boards, underwriters, issuers, SPACs, and special committees on complex corporate and securities matters, including capital markets offerings, M&A, governance modernization, and day-to-day public company compliance. She helps clients navigate U.S. federal securities laws, stock exchange requirements, disclosure obligations, and evolving governance issues, including Texas redomestication, DExit strategy, and updates to corporate governance frameworks following recent Texas Business Organizations Code developments.
Key Questions Emily Helps Clients Considering Texas Address:
- What should companies consider when evaluating a Texas redomestication or reincorporation to Texas?
- How do Texas Business Organizations Code amendments affect corporate governance, director protections, and shareholder litigation considerations?
- What lessons have been learned from recent public moves to Texas such as Dell, Exxon, Tesla, Coinbase, and SpaceX’s recent Texas IPO?
- What bylaws, forum selection provisions, and shareholder governance provisions should companies review as part of governance modernization?
- Should a public company consider a dual or primary listing on a Texas stock exchange as part of its governance and capital markets strategy?
- How should companies evaluate the Texas Business Courts when considering forum selection provisions, litigation strategy and corporate governance updates?
Emily’s clients span a range of industries, and she is recognized for providing practical, business-focused guidance on Texas reincorporations, capital markets transactions, corporate governance, SEC reporting, and strategic transactions.
Education
B.A., University of Virginia
J.D., University of Texas School of Law
Bar Admissions
Texas
Texas Redomestications
- Target company in a SPAC business combination on its conversion to a Texas corporation and the adoption of public company governing documents designed to implement Texas governance protections.
- Private sports retailer on its conversion to a Texas corporation, including structuring its Texas corporation governing documents to implement recently-enacted Texas protections such as forum selection provisions and shareholder litigation considerations.
Capital Markets
- Special Committee of the Board of Directors of OPAL Fuels in a $180 preferred stock financing.
- B. Poindexter in a $250 million Rule 144A offering of senior notes.
- Digital Turbine in a $150 ATM offering.
- DT Midstream in a $421 million follow-on equity offering and a $650 million senior secured notes offering.
- The underwriters in a $148 million follow-on equity offering by SilverBow Resources.
- Investcorp Europe Acquisition Corp I, a Europe-based SPAC targeting consumer and lifestyle, on its $345 million IPO and its proposed $426 million business combination with Orca Holdings Limited.
- DT Midstream in a $600 million offering of senior secured notes.
- LatAmGrowth, a Latin American-based SPAC targeting high growth companies in Latin America, on its $130 million IPO.
- The underwriter on the $200 million IPO of Spree Acquisition Corp, an Israel-based SPAC targeting companies in the mobility-related technology industry.
- The underwriters on the $276 million IPO of ESGEN Acquisition Corporation, a North American-based SPAC targeting energy and infrastructure value train companies.
- Global Oryx Company Limited and Rivian Automotive Inc. in a $700 million investment led by Amazon.
M&A and Private Equity
- Westerman Ltd in its $800 million sale of J-W Energy Company, a leading provider of natural gas compression services and equipment solutions, to USA Compression Partners.
- Zippy, Inc., a digital lending platform focused on manufactured housing, in its sale of 15% equity to ETHZilla for approximately $19 million.
- Private-equity backed wound solutions healthcare company in its acquisition of a leader in multi-place hyperbaric medicine and hospital-based outpatient wound center management services.
- Private-equity backed infrastructure solutions provider in its acquisition of a specialized equipment rental and supply company.
- Hannathon Petroleum, LLC in its sale of certain oil and gas properties to HighPeak Energy.
- ExcelFin Acquisition Corp, a SPAC, with its $370 million business combination with Baird Medical.
- A private equity fund in connection with the sale of oil and gas assets to SilverBow Resources.
- Flat River Group, LLC, an eCommerce distributor, marketer, and service provider, in connection with the investment by Guardian Capital Partners.
- Special Committee of Southcross Holdings, LP in the attempted sale to American Midstream Partners for approximately $815 million.
- Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Ranked for
- Capital Markets: Debt & Equity – Texas, 2026
- Capital Markets: Debt & Equity – USA – Nationwide, 2026
- Legal 500 Elite: Corporate and M&A, 2025 (Inaugural Edition)
- “Lawyer of the Year – Equity Capital Markets in The Women in Business Law Awards,” Americas, IFLR, 2022
- “Top five lawyers in the nation under the age of 40,” capital markets, Law360, 2017
- “Rising Star,” Law360, 2017
- The Legal 500 United States, Capital markets: debt offerings and equity offerings, 2016
- “Women Who Mean Business – Woman to Watch,” Houston Business Journal, 2016
- “Rising Star,” Texas Super Lawyers by Thomas Reuters, 2014-2015
- Speaker, “Taking Stock: What M&A Lawyers Need to Know When Selling to a Public Company” (May 2026)
- Speaker, “Deep in the Heart of Capital Markets, an Insider’s View from Nasdaq Texas” with Rachel Racz, President of Nasdaq Texas (May 2026)
- Speaker, “Dexit – a comparative look at the Corporation Laws of Delaware, Texas, Nevada and Maryland” for the Corporate Section of the Maryland Bar Association (April 2026)
- Speaker, “Bench to Boardroom: The Texas Business Court,” an in-depth discussion with Judge Whitehill and Jackson Walker partners on how the Texas Business Court is shaping business litigation, corporate governance, and transactional practice across the state (March 2026)
- Speaker, “Delaware vs Texas for Corporations” for the Texas Bar Association’s 23rd Annual Advanced Business Law Course (November 2025)
- Speaker, “TXSE Means Business: Shaping the Future of Capital Markets in Texas”, an exclusive briefing on the Texas Stock Exchange & Texas’ pro-business momentum with Marc Cunningham of TXSE (September 2025)
- Co-author, “New Texas Law Applicable to ‘Nationally Listed Corporations’ Sets Forth Heightened Requirements for Shareholder Proposals,” Jackson Walker Insights (September 2025)
- Texas General Counsel Forum, Houston Board
- Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow
- State Bar of Texas
- Houston Bar Association
- University of Virginia Jefferson Scholar Selection Committee
- West University Little League Auxiliary Board Member
- Helping Hearts Charity League, Founding Member
- St. Lukes United Methodist Church, Member
- The Kinkaid School, Parent Volunteer
Chambers and Partners Releases 2026 USA Guide Featuring 88 Jackson Walker Attorneys and 30 Ranked Departments
Jackson Walker is pleased to announce that Chambers and Partners has selected 88 attorneys and 30 departments for inclusion in the 2026 edition of the Global and USA guides. Attorneys were ranked across 29 departments, with 6 attorneys listed among multiple areas, 9 ranked nationwide in their respective areas, and 12 recognized for the first time.
Spotlight • June 4, 2026
New Texas Law Applicable to “Nationally Listed Corporations” Sets Forth Heightened Requirements for Shareholder Proposals
By Noah Speck, Michael F. Meskill, & Emily Leitch
Texas Senate Bill 1057 adds new Section 21.373 to the Texas Business Organizations Code. This new Section of the TBOC creates a framework that governs when and how shareholders of “nationally listed corporations” may submit matters for a shareholder vote, provided that the corporation affirmatively elects to be governed by this Section of the TBOC.
Insights • September 8, 2025
Practice Experience
Texas Redomestications
- Target company in a SPAC business combination on its conversion to a Texas corporation and the adoption of public company governing documents designed to implement Texas governance protections.
- Private sports retailer on its conversion to a Texas corporation, including structuring its Texas corporation governing documents to implement recently-enacted Texas protections such as forum selection provisions and shareholder litigation considerations.
Capital Markets
- Special Committee of the Board of Directors of OPAL Fuels in a $180 preferred stock financing.
- B. Poindexter in a $250 million Rule 144A offering of senior notes.
- Digital Turbine in a $150 ATM offering.
- DT Midstream in a $421 million follow-on equity offering and a $650 million senior secured notes offering.
- The underwriters in a $148 million follow-on equity offering by SilverBow Resources.
- Investcorp Europe Acquisition Corp I, a Europe-based SPAC targeting consumer and lifestyle, on its $345 million IPO and its proposed $426 million business combination with Orca Holdings Limited.
- DT Midstream in a $600 million offering of senior secured notes.
- LatAmGrowth, a Latin American-based SPAC targeting high growth companies in Latin America, on its $130 million IPO.
- The underwriter on the $200 million IPO of Spree Acquisition Corp, an Israel-based SPAC targeting companies in the mobility-related technology industry.
- The underwriters on the $276 million IPO of ESGEN Acquisition Corporation, a North American-based SPAC targeting energy and infrastructure value train companies.
- Global Oryx Company Limited and Rivian Automotive Inc. in a $700 million investment led by Amazon.
M&A and Private Equity
- Westerman Ltd in its $800 million sale of J-W Energy Company, a leading provider of natural gas compression services and equipment solutions, to USA Compression Partners.
- Zippy, Inc., a digital lending platform focused on manufactured housing, in its sale of 15% equity to ETHZilla for approximately $19 million.
- Private-equity backed wound solutions healthcare company in its acquisition of a leader in multi-place hyperbaric medicine and hospital-based outpatient wound center management services.
- Private-equity backed infrastructure solutions provider in its acquisition of a specialized equipment rental and supply company.
- Hannathon Petroleum, LLC in its sale of certain oil and gas properties to HighPeak Energy.
- ExcelFin Acquisition Corp, a SPAC, with its $370 million business combination with Baird Medical.
- A private equity fund in connection with the sale of oil and gas assets to SilverBow Resources.
- Flat River Group, LLC, an eCommerce distributor, marketer, and service provider, in connection with the investment by Guardian Capital Partners.
- Special Committee of Southcross Holdings, LP in the attempted sale to American Midstream Partners for approximately $815 million.
Recognition & Accolades
- Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Ranked for
- Capital Markets: Debt & Equity – Texas, 2026
- Capital Markets: Debt & Equity – USA – Nationwide, 2026
- Legal 500 Elite: Corporate and M&A, 2025 (Inaugural Edition)
- “Lawyer of the Year – Equity Capital Markets in The Women in Business Law Awards,” Americas, IFLR, 2022
- “Top five lawyers in the nation under the age of 40,” capital markets, Law360, 2017
- “Rising Star,” Law360, 2017
- The Legal 500 United States, Capital markets: debt offerings and equity offerings, 2016
- “Women Who Mean Business – Woman to Watch,” Houston Business Journal, 2016
- “Rising Star,” Texas Super Lawyers by Thomas Reuters, 2014-2015
Publications & Speeches
- Speaker, “Taking Stock: What M&A Lawyers Need to Know When Selling to a Public Company” (May 2026)
- Speaker, “Deep in the Heart of Capital Markets, an Insider’s View from Nasdaq Texas” with Rachel Racz, President of Nasdaq Texas (May 2026)
- Speaker, “Dexit – a comparative look at the Corporation Laws of Delaware, Texas, Nevada and Maryland” for the Corporate Section of the Maryland Bar Association (April 2026)
- Speaker, “Bench to Boardroom: The Texas Business Court,” an in-depth discussion with Judge Whitehill and Jackson Walker partners on how the Texas Business Court is shaping business litigation, corporate governance, and transactional practice across the state (March 2026)
- Speaker, “Delaware vs Texas for Corporations” for the Texas Bar Association’s 23rd Annual Advanced Business Law Course (November 2025)
- Speaker, “TXSE Means Business: Shaping the Future of Capital Markets in Texas”, an exclusive briefing on the Texas Stock Exchange & Texas’ pro-business momentum with Marc Cunningham of TXSE (September 2025)
- Co-author, “New Texas Law Applicable to ‘Nationally Listed Corporations’ Sets Forth Heightened Requirements for Shareholder Proposals,” Jackson Walker Insights (September 2025)
Community Involvement
- Texas General Counsel Forum, Houston Board
- Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow
- State Bar of Texas
- Houston Bar Association
- University of Virginia Jefferson Scholar Selection Committee
- West University Little League Auxiliary Board Member
- Helping Hearts Charity League, Founding Member
- St. Lukes United Methodist Church, Member
- The Kinkaid School, Parent Volunteer