Whit Roberts focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, as well as corporate finance and joint venture transactions.
Whit represents public and private companies, special committees, and financial advisors in asset sales, stock sales, and mergers―including going-private transactions, spin-offs, and sales of divisions.
Whit routinely advises clients on debt and equity financings, and he counsels on SEC compliance and other corporate governance matters. His clients―who he has represented in initial public offerings, follow-on public offerings, and other strategic commercial transactions―span a wide range of industries, including technology-enabled services, electronics manufacturing, hospitality, real estate services, healthcare, and oilfield services.
Whit also advises on organizational and structuring matters for companies and joint ventures, as well as their boards and other governing bodies.
Prior to joining O’Melveny, Whit was a Partner at an international, full-service law firm, where he served in various positions of leadership firmwide and in its Dallas office. Texas Lawyer named Whit a Texas Trailblazer in 2020. The Best Lawyers in America® has recognized Whit for his work in Corporate Law each year since 2015.
- Advance Research Chemicals, Inc. in its sale to Inhance Technologies, LLC
- Jon Shanahan (Founder, CEO, and a Shareholder of Businessolver) in a strategic investment from Stone Point Capital
- Solutions by Text in its growth investment from Edison Partners with participation from Stifel Venture Bank
- DECA Dental CEO and Founder Dr. Sulman Ahmed in a strategic investment in DECA Dental from funds managed by Blackstone Tactical Opportunities
- Formulife in an investment from Satori Capital
- Arcline Investment Management and its portfolio company Integrated Polymer Solutions in the acquisition of International Rubber Products, Inc. (IRP)
- Adaptive3D in its sale to Desktop Metal, Inc. (NYSE: DM)
- Amplifi in its acquisition of Comma Group
- Point of Rental in its investment by Susquehanna Growth Equity
- Ashford Inc. in its completed combination with Remington Holdings, LP
- Venture Metals, LLC in a strategic investment from Mill Rock Capital Management LP.
- Robert Vanman (Founder and CEO of WatchGuard, Inc.) in the sale of WatchGuard to Motorola Solutions, Inc.
- Brink’s Incorporated in the acquisition of Balance Innovations
- Naturally Slim® of Dallas in an acquisition by global private equity firm The Riverside Company
- Affiliates of SunnyBrook Senior Living in the sale of a senior housing portfolio to American Realty Capital Healthcare Trust II for US$164 million
- Global hospitality and travel company Carlson in its sale of TGI Fridays® Restaurants to Sentinel Capital Partners and TriArtisan Capital Partners
- Duff & Phelps as financial advisor to the Independent Committee of the Board of Directors of Camelot Information Systems Inc. (NYSE: CIS) in a going-private transaction valued at US$98.2 million
- Public and private companies in sale processes, including publicly listed companies in IT consulting, data management and technology enabled services, and privately owned companies in the chemical manufacturing, hospitality, media, senior and assisted living, online education, and technology enabled services (including SaaS) industries
- Buyers in M&A transactions, including clients that carry out a series of acquisitions to consolidate or roll-up an industry, such as a Fortune 500 subsidiary in an acquisition program in the commercial building services industry
- Client in simultaneous equity and senior and mezzanine debt financings utilized to fund the contemporaneous acquisition of multiple target companies
- Joint venture made up of six leading companies in the hospitality industry in its corporate governance, financing, M&A, and commercial matters
- US subsidiary of a worldwide telecommunications company in its spin-off and restructuring into multiple US subsidiaries organized along lines of business
- Manufacturing company in an alternative energy industry in its spin-off and financing transactions
- ESOP-owned companies in their transition to ESOP ownership, initial and follow-on debt and mezzanine financing, and merger and acquisition matters, as well as ongoing corporate governance and commercial matters
Admissions
Bar Admissions
- Texas
Education
- The University of Texas, J.D.
- University of Kent at Canterbury - England, Master's Degree Candidate in Political Theory
- The University of Texas at Austin, B.A.: Plan II Honors Program and English Honors Program
Honors & Awards
- Recognized by Best Lawyers® for Mergers & Acquisitions Law (2020-2024) and Corporate Law (2015-2024) in Dallas, TX; Whit has been listed in Best Lawyers® since 2015
- Named to the “Best Lawyers in Dallas,” D Magazine (2016-2021)
- Recognized by Super Lawyers® Texas, Securities & Corporate Finance (2004, 2019-2021)
- Recognized as a “Texas Trailblazer,” Texas Lawyer (2020)
Professional Activities
Memberships
- Member, Texas Bar Foundation
- Member, Dallas Bar Foundation
- Member, Dallas Bar Association
Community Involvement
- Member, Tocqueville Society of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas
- Former Executive Committee member of the Board of Directors, Dallas Regional Chamber of Commerce
- Member, Dallas Citizens Council
- Board of Governors, Dallas Symphony Orchestra
- Member of Executive Committee of the Advisory Board of ACT (Advocates for Community Transformation)
- Life Member, University of Texas College of Liberal Arts Advisory Council
Speaking Engagaments
- Speaker, “RR: Employers’ Legal Considerations,” Dallas Regional Chamber Webinar (June 2, 2020)
- Speaker, “Why Board Diversity Matters: From Multiple Perspectives,” SMU 2019 Corporate Counsel Symposium (October 18, 2019)
- Speaker, “Stewarding Corporate Information in the Social Media Age and Workplace Privacy Issues,” Association of Corporate Counsel - DFW Chapter (October 16, 2019)
- Speaker, “Pay Ratio Disclosure and Other Executive and Director Compensation Issues,” 25th Anniversary SMU Corporate Counsel Symposium (October 20, 2017)