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Preeminent Financial Institutions Practice

Bracewell has one of the preeminent financial institutions practices in the United States. We consistently play a leading role in mergers and acquisitions, capital markets transactions and other strategic matters in the financial services industry. Over the past 10 years, we have acted on more initial public offerings for Texas bank holding companies than any other law firm. We also rank at the top of league tables for the number and value of transactions in the Southwest.

Our work has not gone unnoticed. In 2020, Bracewell recognized for its role in Prosperity Bancshares $2.1 acquisition of LegacyTexas Financial Group. The transaction, which is the second largest bank merger in Texas history, was named M&A Transaction of the Year at the Houston Outstanding Corporate Counsel Awards.

Our capital markets team represents financial institutions in various debt and equity offerings, largely within the energy industry. For 2020, S&P Global ranked us #6 by number of deal and #12 by volume as underwriter’s counsel in energy and utilities offerings. We also ranked #22 for straight debt offerings in Refinitiv’s year-end analysis for 2020.

Recognition of Excellence

Our practices and its lawyers consistent earn top rankings in Chambers USA, IFLR1000 and Legal 500 US.

  • Chambers USA – Texas Banking & Finance (Band 1); Texas Capital Markets: Debt & Equity; Texas Corporate/M&A
  • IFLR1000 – US Banking; US M&A; Texas Banking (Tier 1); Texas Capital Markets (Tier 1); Texas M&A
  • Legal 500 US – Capital Markets Debt: Advice to Issuers; Corporate
  • U.S. News – Best Lawyers – National Banking & Finance Law (Tier 1); National Corporate Law (Tier 1); National Securities/Capital Markets Law (Tier 1); Houston Banking and Finance Law (Tier 1); Houston Corporate Law (Tier 1); Houston Securities/Capital Markets Law (Tier 1)
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The team has a strong grasp of the commercial realities surrounding transactions.

Chambers USA, 2023

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Market-Leading Engagements

We represent financial institutions on a broad range of transactions.

  • Allegiance Bancshares, Inc. in its proposed $853 million merger with CommunityBank of Texas
  • Allegiance Bancshares, Inc. in its $60 million public offering of subordinated debt securities
  • Allegiance Bancshares, Inc. in its  $353 million acquisition of Post Oak Bancshares, Inc.
  • Bank7 Corp, as underwriters’ counsel, in a public offering of $29.6 million in common stock
  • Bank7 Corp, as underwriters’ counsel, in a $65 million initial public offering of common stock
  • Broadway Bank, as underwriters’ counsel, in a $50 million offering of subordinated notes
  • Golden Bank, N.A. in the acquisition of Rowland Heights, California, branch of First Choice Bank
  • Pioneer Bancshares, Inc. in the $218 million sale to FirstSun Capital Bancorp, holding company of Sunflower Bank, N.A.