Daniel E. Howell Partner

Experience

Notable Energy Transactions

• Representation of Dominion Energy (NYSE: D) in the pending $14 billion sale, including the assumption of $4.6 billion of debt, of three natural gas distribution companies – The East Ohio Gas Company, Public Service Company of North Carolina, Incorporated, and Questar Gas Company along with Wexpro Company – through three separate definitive agreements to Enbridge (TSX: ENB) (NYSE: ENB), a multinational pipeline and energy company headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
• Representation of Dominion Energy, Inc. (NYSE: D) in the $8 billion sale, including the assumption of $5.3 billion of existing indebtedness, of the majority of its gas transmission and storage segment assets – including 25% of Cove Point LNG, an LNG export, import and storage facility in Maryland – to an affiliate of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK.A).
• Representation of Dominion Energy, Inc. (NYSE: D) in the sale of Questar Pipelines to Southwest Gas Holdings Inc. (NYSE: SWX), an investor-owned utility based in Las Vegas, Nevada, in a transaction valued at $1.975 billion, including the assumption of $430 million of existing indebtedness.
• Representation of Dominion Energy, Inc. (NYSE: D) in the $690 million sale of Hope Gas, Inc., its West Virginia-based natural gas utility, to an infrastructure fund launched by Ullico Inc., an insurance and financial services holding company.
• Representation of Dominion Energy, Inc. (NYSE: D) in the acquisition of Southern Co.’s (NYSE: SO) 5% stake in the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.
• Representation of Dominion Energy, Inc. (NYSE:D) in the acquisition of Southern Co.’s (NYSE:SO) Pivotal LNG, a wholly owned subsidiary which distributes liquefied natural gas for marine and road transportation.
• Representation of Dominion Energy, Inc. (NYSE: D) in its $2.2 billion acquisition of Dominion Energy Midstream Partners LP (NYSE: DM), a limited partnership formed by Dominion Energy to grow a portfolio of natural gas assets, by way of a stock-for-stock merger.
• Representation of a biomethane project developer in a $48.5 million exit from a landfill gas-to-RNG project.
• Representation of a renewable power and infrastructure advisory firm in a joint venture with an alternative investment manager.
• Representation of founders of a provider of cloud-based algorithms and modelling for wind and solar generation forecasts, in their sale to an energy-dedicated SaaS company.
• Representation of SunFunder, an innovative solar finance business, in closing a $42.5 million capital commitment for its Solar Energy Transformation Fund, which will finance high impact solar energy projects and companies in emerging markets.

Notable Food & Beverage Transactions

• Representation of Performance Food Group (NYSE: PFGC), a foodservice distribution leader, in its acquisition of Eby-Brown Company LLC, a leading U.S. distributor of pre-packaged candy, snack, specialty beverages and tobacco products.
• Representation of RRS Foodservice, a leading independent foodservice distributor in Virginia and division of J.L. Culpepper & Co., in its acquisition of DVF Foodservice, a food products supplier.
• Representation of an owner and operator of McDonald’s restaurants in its $57 million asset acquisition of 18 McDonald’s franchises from an owner and operator of fast food restaurants.
• Representation of private equity fund in purchase of honey company.
• Representation of non-profit entity in the purchase of a Virginia vineyard and winery.
• Representation of pipe tobacco manufacturer in multiple strategic acquisitions.
• Representation of publicly held snack foods company in $1.9 billion merger with publicly held target.
• Representation of publicly held snack foods company in divestiture of division to private equity fund.

Other Notable Transactions

• Representation of Origo hf [ICE:ORIGO], an Iceland-based IT services firm, in its $195 million sale of minority interest in Tempo, a Massachusetts-based strategic roadmapping, time and capacity planning, and portfolio management software firm, to Diversis Capital, a private equity firm.
• Representation of The Harrington Corp., a producer of gasketed joint injection-molded PVC fittings and push-on gasketed joint ductile fittings, in its sale to IPEX Inc., a Canada-based leader in thermoplastic piping systems and subsidiary of Aliaxis SA (ALIVP: BB), a global leader in advanced plastic piping systems for building, infrastructure, industrial and agriculture applications.
• Representation of NielsenIQ, the industry leader in global measurement and data analytics, in its acquisition of Rakuten Intelligence, an e-commerce and omnichannel measurement platform, from Rakuten Market, an online marketing solutions company.
• Representation of Estes Express Lines, a full-service freight transportation provider, in its successful stalking horse bid to acquire Eastern Freight Ways, Inc. and Carrier Industries, Inc., both affiliates of New England Motor Freight, one of the largest truckload carriers in the Northeast.
• Representation of Culpeper Wood Reserves, a leading manufacturer of pressure treated products, in its acquisition of a utility pole treating facility in Tennessee from Koppers Holdings Inc. (NYSE: KOP), an integrated global provider of treated wood products, wood treatment chemicals and carbon compounds.
• Representation of Afton Chemical Corporation, a global leader in the lubricant and fuel additive market and wholly owned subsidiary of publicly traded NewMarket Corporation (NYSE:NEU) in its sale of its metalworking fluid business to Italmatch Chemicals, an Italy-based manufacturer and distributer of performance additives.
• Representation of diversified industrial company in its acquisition of a mechanical and industrial contractor.
• Representation of AvidXchange, a leading provider of accounts payable and payment automation solutions, in its acquisition of BankTEL Systems, a provider of accounting solutions to more than 20 percent of banks across the U.S.
• Representation of Cambridge Healthcare, a provider of consultancy and management services for healthcare facilities, in its sale of three skilled nursing facilities in Virginia to Tryko Partners, a private equity investment firm.
• Representation of Ace Electric Company, a family-owned electrical contractor in Virginia, in its management buyout of 50% interest in the company from a retiring shareholder.
• Representation of large investment managers in numerous co-investment transactions.
• Representation of a community bank in a $701 million dollar merger of equals.
• Representation of a travel-tech startup in its investment by an international hotel chain.