Joe Orien

Joe Orien is a partner in the Dallas office of Gibson Dunn. His practice focuses on complex business transactions for leading private equity firms, family offices and high-net-worth investors, including domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, minority investments and structured capital, growth and venture investments, leveraged acquisitions, exits, strategic and commercial agreements, operating agreements, equity incentive structures and general corporate matters. He leads middle-market deals as well as multi-billion-dollar private and public transactions.

Joe is a go-to lawyer for private equity firms and family offices, which value his judgment, commercial focus and credibility as an extension of the deal team. Clients note that he is “practical, super responsive and someone trusted to get the transaction done the right way.” Another client noted that “Joe quickly becomes a trusted member of the deal team, bringing sound judgment and steady execution to complex transactions.”

“Joe becomes a trusted member of the deal team, bringing sound judgment
and steady execution.”

Previously, Joe served as General Counsel of Integrity Marketing Group, where he advised on legal, business and regulatory matters, including acquisitions and strategic investments. His in-house experience gives him a practical perspective that resonates with sponsors, founders and investors. He has experience across a broad range of industries, including infrastructure, financial services, marketing, professional services, retail and consumer products, food and beverage, entertainment and technology.

Joe earned his law degree summa cum laude from the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Brigham Young University Law Review. He also earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Accounting from Brigham Young University. Prior to joining the firm, Joe clerked for the Honorable Jennifer Walker Elrod of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Joe is also an adjunct professor at SMU Dedman School of Law, where he teaches private equity law and transactional practice.

Representative Transactions

• Counsel to Keystone Group, a privately held investment firm, in numerous investments
• Counsel to Arcosa, Inc. in the disposition of its international storage tanks business
• Counsel to Trive Capital and its OWL Services business in several acquisitions
• Counsel to CenterOak Partners LLC in its acquisition and divestitures of numerous businesses
• Counsel to American Airlines in its partnership with JetSMART, an ultra-low-cost carrier operating in South America
• Counsel to Callaway Golf Company in its strategic investment in Five Iron Golf
• Counsel to Topgolf International, Inc. in strategic investments
• Counsel to D.R. Horton in its acquisition of a controlling interest in publicly-traded Forestar Group, Inc.
• Counsel to Sony Pictures Television Networks in its agreement to acquire a substantial majority stake in Japanese anime distributor Funimation Productions, Ltd.
• Counsel to Atmos Energy in its acquisition of a natural gas pipeline and related assets from EnLink Midstream and its disposition of its energy marketing subsidiary to CenterPoint Energy
• Counsel to Edge Natural Resources, LLC in its formation of a joint venture focused on small-cap upstream oil and gas investments
• Counsel to FAM AB, owned by the three largest Wallenberg Foundations, in connection with its investment in Swedish packaging manufacturer Nefab
• Counsel to French pharmaceutical company Virbac SA in its acquisition of assets from Eli Lilly
• Counsel to Brazos Private Equity Partners in connection with acquisitions of multiple portfolio companies

Capabilities

• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Family Office
• Investment Funds
• Private Equity
• Securities Regulation and Corporate Governance

Credentials

Education:

• Brigham Young University - 2013 Bachelor of Science
• Brigham Young University - 2013 Juris Doctor
• Brigham Young University - 2013 Master of Arts

Admissions:

• Texas Bar

Clerkships:

• US Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit, Hon. Jennifer Walker Elrod, 2013 - 2014