Bill Porter is Chairman Emeritus and a Retired Partner at Porter Hedges. Having been in practice since 1966, Bill is a nationally recognized corporate and securities law practitioner with comprehensive experience representing publicly-held companies in all phases of the petroleum industry and in a variety of manufacturing, mining, distribution and service industries ranging from steel processing to internet technologies, as well as the financial institutions and investment banks serving those industries.

Honors & Recognitions

Best Lawyers in America, Named one of the "preeminent lawyers in the United States," 2009

Best Lawyers in America, Corporate Law, Corporate Governance and Compliance Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law, and Securities Law, 1983-2018

Texas Lawyer, Named one of the top five securities lawyers in Texas, 2002

Texas Super Lawyers, Corporate Counsel Edition, Securities and Corporate Finance, 2003-2018

Corporate Counsel Magazine, Named “Best Lawyer in Corporate Law,” 2006

Who's Who in America and several other Who's Who publications, including Who's Who in American Law, 1985-2018

Credentials

Education

LL.B., Duke University School of Law, 1966

B.B.A., Southern Methodist University, Finance, 1963

Admissions

Texas (inactive)

Experience

  • More than 100 primary, secondary and follow-on public offerings, either as issuer or underwriter counsel.
  • More than 100 merger, acquisition and reorganization transactions, as counsel for acquirers, sellers, bankers, or principal stockholders.
  • Board representation covering a broad spectrum of corporate governance issues.
  • Prosecution and defense of tender offers, proxy contests, and other change of control transactions.
  • Going-private transactions.
  • Substantive law advice regarding securities and corporate litigation matters and administrative proceedings before the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Affiliations

Texas Bar Foundation, Life Fellow

State Bar of Texas, Member

Alley Theatre, Houston: Director, 1988 - 2012; Executive Committee Member, 1989 - 2012; President, 1991-1993; Chairman of the Board, 1993-1995; Endowment Committee Chair, 1998 - 2010

Hobby Center for the Performing Arts

River Oaks Property Owners Association

Coronado Club, Director, 2006 - 2009; President, 2009

Board of Visitors, Duke University Law School, Life Member since 1991

U.S. Concrete, Inc. (NASDAQ), Director, 2001-2010

Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. (NYSE), Former Director; Chairman, Governance Committee; Audit Committee Member

Copano Energy LLC (NASDAQ), Former Director; Governance Committee Chair; Compensation Committee Member

Gundle/SLT Environmental, Inc. (NYSE), Director, 1988-2004; Lead Director 2003-2004

Metals USA (NYSE), Director, 1997-2002; Lead Director, 2001-2002

Southwestern Institute for the Study of Hospital and Health Care Systems, Houston, Director, 1989- 1991

Houston Business Arts Fund, Director, 1989

Duke University Law School, Adjunct Instructor, 1985-1989

St. Paul's United Methodist Church Houston, Trustee, 1975-1978

Southern Methodist University, Adjunct Instructor of Finance, 1967-1968