About William L. Rivers

In his broad-based corporate practice, William Rivers represents private equity firms and business owners in merger and acquisitions (M&A) and related financings. His diverse background, touching on real estate, tax and finance, gives him the comprehensive understanding to quarterback complex M&A deals.

Strategies that prioritize a client's unique goals

With a business degree and firm grounding in finance, Bill is able to draft and analyze complex financial terms in investment structures. Likewise, his significant experience in real estate and investment partnerships allows him to identify issues that other corporate attorneys may overlook.

Clients value the time Bill takes to understand their business and goals in an acquisition or a financing transaction. Armed with that information, he maps out the most efficient path to making those goals a reality. The client-side experience Bill gained while serving as general counsel for a rapidly growing company bolsters his attention to client service and ability to discern and achieve a client's business objectives.

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Practice Focus

  • Broad-based corporate practice including finance, acquisitions, dispositions and investment structuring
  • Negotiating equity participation rights and rights among investors
  • Real estate transactions
  • Private fund formation
  • Workouts, bankruptcies, reorganizations

Representative Experience

  • Represented a private technology services company in a sale to a public company. *
  • Represented private investment firm in senior and mezzanine financing for the acquisition of a leading provider of professional audio and visual equipment. *
  • Represented a premier supplier of home textiles in acquiring working capital and intellectual property assets. *
  • Represented national dairy processor in a debt and equity recapitalization. *
  • Represented a leading recreational and utility trailer company in a debt and equity recapitalization. *
  • Represented private investment firm in its senior and mezzanine financing for the acquisition of a leading manufacturer of gummy vitamins and gourmet jelly beans. *
  • Represented independent sponsor in structuring debt and equity financing for its acquisition of a leading specialty materials company focused on engineered polymer fabrics and coated films. *
  • Represented a private investment firm in senior and mezzanine financing for multiple add-on acquisitions of aftermarket automobile accessory companies. *
  • Represented multiple real estate funds in fund formation and offering matters. *
  • Represented professional services firms (medical and architectural) in establishing agreements among owners and equity and other compensation programs. Also counseled in negotiating joint ventures and other strategic relationship agreements. *
  • Represented a technology services company in its sale to a publicly held (NYSE) company. *
  • Represented companies in mortgage servicing, medical, recycling technology and electronics industries structuring private investments and negotiating multiple layers of debt and equity financing. *
  • Represented clients in acquisition, divestiture and financing of multifamily, office, warehouse and other real estate projects. *
* Experience prior to Katten

News

Practices
Education
  • The University of Texas at Austin School of Law, JD, with honors
  • The University of Texas at Austin, MBA
  • The University of Texas at Austin, BBA
Bar Admissions
  • Texas
Community Involvements
  • State Bar of Texas
  • Texas Bar Association
Recognitions
Recognized or listed in the following:
  • ALM
    Texas' Top Rated Lawyers, 2012
  • Thomson Reuters
    Stand-out Lawyer, 2024
Award Methodologies