Phyllis Y. Young
Partner at Akin Gump
Phyllis Young is a partner in the Houston office of Akin Gump. She regularly represents public and private companies, funds, investors and financial institutions on domestic and international corporate transactions.
Practice & Background
Ms. Young specializes in finance, financial restructurings, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, commercial contracts and other corporate matters, with industry expertise in energy, manufacturing, steel, OCTG, petrochemicals, technology and retail. Her clients include public company and private companies, borrowers, energy companies, funds, investors, commercial banks, and other financial institutions. She has also provided outside general counsel to clients in the refining, drilling and steel distribution industries. She routinely handles secured lending transactions, debt restructurings and complex intercreditor arrangements.
Ms. Young is a member of the Houston office’s diversity committee and hiring committee and serves as chair of the pro bono committee.
Ms. Young is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the International Women’s Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC) and Texas Wall Street Women. She is also an active member of the Houston Bar Association and is the former chairperson of the Houston Bar Association Corporate Counsel Section.
Representative Matters
Ms. Young’s representative transaction experience includes:
• Representing energy investment fund in connection with numerous term loan facilities involving borrowers in the oil and gas exploration and production and oilfield services industries
• Representing commercial bank in numerous secured asset-based lending transactions
• Representing public company borrower in connection with $2.07 billion credit facility
• Representing midstream master limited partnership (MLP) borrower in connection with its $1.7 billion revolving credit facility
• Representing public company borrower in connection with its $1 billion secured term loan and revolving credit facility
• Representing public exploration and production company in connection with its $1 billion secured credit facility
• Representing technology company in connection with multiple import facility agreements and financing arrangements
• Representing lead investment funds in connection with restructuring of $500 million loan facility
• Representing commercial bank in connection with Chapter 7 liquidation of insolvent borrower, including negotiation of multiple private sale agreements and negotiation of auction agreements
• Representing privately-held company in connection with out-of-court restructuring of its debt and key commercial contracts
• Representing purchaser in connection with $800 million acquisition from a public company in the oil country tubular goods industry
• Representing structured finance segment of a multinational corporation in connection with $89 million acquisition of interests in 424 megawatt domestic gas-fired, combined-cycle steam and electric power cogeneration facility
• Representing purchaser in connection with acquisition of distressed petroleum refining assets
• Representing purchaser in connection with acquisition of distressed manufacturing assets
• Representing state-owned oil and gas company of a foreign nation in connection with acquisition of reserves and pipeline interests in Latin America
• Representing U.S. private equity investor regarding investment in U.K. entities involved in oil and gas exploration in Europe and Africa
• Advising private equity firm regarding acquisition of international deepwater oil and gas acreage and offshore licenses
• Representing energy trading group of an international oil and gas corporation in connection with its domestic gas and power trading agreements.
Community Involvement
Young is actively involved in a number of civic, charitable and community activities and organizations, including:
• Appointment to the Miller Theatre Advisory Board by the Mayor of Houston
• Election to the Board of Directors of RAISE Texas
• Election to the Board of Directors of Texas Appleseed
Awards & Accolades
• Received a President’s Award from the Houston Bar Association for her committee service
• Recognized as a Texas “Rising Star” in a survey of her peers designed to identify the top young lawyers in Texas
• Member of State Bar of Texas Pro Bono College, 2012, 2014, 2015
• Elected to membership in the Fellows of the Texas Bar Foundation in recognition of her professional achievements and demonstrated commitment to the improvement of the justice system in the state of Texas.
Areas of Experience
• Capital Markets
• Commercial Finance
• Corporate
• Energy Finance
• Global Debt Finance
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Pro Bono
• Human Rights and Refugees
• Energy
• Oil and Gas
• North America
Education
DEGREES
• J.D., University of Texas School of Law, 2001
• B.B.A., University of Texas at Austin, with high honors, 1998
Bar Admissions
• Texas