Richard H. West

Mr. West has extensive experience counseling on acquisitions and dispositions, complex internal corporate restructuring transactions, distressed transactions and all areas of Delaware corporate, limited liability company, limited partnership and other alternative entity law.

He regularly counsels clients on the use of Delaware entities for sophisticated and bespoke purposes, including in connection with joint ventures, corporate restructurings, carve-outs and separations, nominee arrangements and security arrangements, and in Delaware statutory divisions, conversions, domestications and other alternative entity transactions.

Mr. West’s practice also includes a particular focus on distressed company acquisitions, dispositions and other restructuring transactions, whether through Chapter 11 proceedings, proceedings in non-U.S. jurisdictions and transactions implemented outside of court-supervised processes.

Mr. West’s experience in these areas includes advising:

• TTAM Research Institute in connection with its acquisition of substantially all assets of 23andMe
• XPLR Infrastructure, LP (formerly NextEra Energy Partners, L.P.) in connection with its:
  • clean energy joint venture with the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board (Canada) involving the acquisition of a 49% stake in a 1.5 GW renewables portfolio and 100% of the indirect membership interests in a 345 MW portfolio of operating wind assets
  • acquisition of the outstanding minority equity interests held by certain of its joint venture partners, including BlackRock, KKR and EIG, in several joint ventures for renewable energy projects
• a major sovereign wealth fund in connection with multiple joint ventures with U.S.-based real estate development and management firms
• NextEra Energy in connection with various corporate matters
• V2X, Inc. (formerly Vectrus, Inc.) in connection with its business combination with Vertex, Inc.
• CrossAmerica Partners LP in connection with its acquisition of 106 convenience stores from 7-Eleven, Inc.
• The Washington Group in connection with its proposed acquisition of substantially all the assets of Dominion Diamond through a CCAA (Canadian bankruptcy) proceeding
• Joyson Safety Systems (formerly Key Safety Systems) in its acquisition of the global assets of Takata Corporation
• Infiniti Medical in connection with its sale to CIMA Animal Health
• Melinta Therapeutics, Inc. in the corporate aspects of its Chapter 11 reorganization in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware
• Black Diamond Capital Management, L.L.C. in multiple transactions, including as the potential purchaser of Speedcast International Ltd. and Orchids Paper Products in their respective Chapter 11 proceedings
• Armstrong World Industries in the spin-off of its flooring business segment, Armstrong Flooring
• Highland Industries in connection with the sale of its defense and coating business to Tex-Tech Industries, an affiliate of Arlington Capital Partners
• Hanley Wood in connection with its acquisition by an affiliate of MidOcean Partners and the sale of its exhibitions business to Informa PLC
• Amulet Capital Partners in multiple transactions, including its investment in US Digestive Health, a gastroenterology physician practice management company, and the acquisitions and subsequent dispositions of SynteractHCR, a general contract research organization serving the pharmaceutical industry, and Cu-Tech, LLC, a specialty contract research organization focused on dermatological indications
• Peter Kiewit Sons’ Inc. and its affiliate, Walnut Creek Mining Company, in connection with the sale of Kiewit’s Calvert lignite mine to affiliates of The Blackstone Group and matters relating to its associated fuel supply arrangements with Optim Energy
• Select Personnel in the recapitalization and sale of Select
• Corporation Service Company in multiple transactions, including its cross-border acquisition of the digital brand services division of Melbourne IT Limited and its acquisition of MLM Information Services from Warburg Pincus
• Validus Holdings, Ltd. in connection with its acquisition of Flagstone Reinsurance Holdings, S.A.
• JLL Partners in its negotiated tender offer for all of the outstanding equity securities of PharmaNet Development Group and related co-investment transactions, as well as the sale of PharmaNet to a Thomas H. Lee Partners portfolio company
• Health Evolution Partners in a number of transactions, including the acquisition of American Optical Solutions and the formation of a home health care rollup platform
• Education Affiliates in multiple acquisitions and other transactions in the for-profit education industry
• Eli Lilly & Co. in connection with multiple complex internal restructuring transactions

Mr. West is a member of the Alternative Entity subcommittee of the Corporation Law Council, which is responsible for reviewing and recommending revisions to the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, Limited Partnership Act and General Partnership Act.

He also maintains an active pro bono practice, which includes a leading role in the formation of the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance, an organization that now includes more than 300 firms and 200,000 lawyers and other professionals.