Stephen Szalkowski is the Founder and President of Szalkowski Law PLLC (SZ Law).

Through SZ Law, Stephen leverages his 17 years of Big Law experience to provide personalized and professional advice and counsel, with a focus on efficiency.

Stephen knows that the most valuable advisors are those who have earned the trust of their clients, and the most effective advisors approach their work through the lens of collaboration and active listening.

SZ Law works hard to achieve “trusted advisor” status with each client, nurturing relationships through clear and consistent communication, while integrating seamlessly with the client’s legal and commercial teams.

Through SZ Law, Stephen looks forward to strengthening his existing relationships with prior clients, colleagues, and professional connections and forging relationships with new clients.

Professional Experience

Prior to founding SZ Law, Stephen was a partner in the Mergers & Acquisitions practice of Latham & Watkins LLP (Latham).

While a Partner at Latham, Stephen led or co-led over $20 billion worth of energy and infrastructure M&A and JV transactions, predominantly in the upstream and midstream oil and gas sectors.

Stephen’s practice covered both sell-side and buy-side representations, and Stephen worked with a wide range of clients, including independents, strategics, PE sponsors, other financing sources, and PE portfolio companies.

Joining Latham in 2012, Stephen was promoted to Partner in 2016. From 2020 to 2023 Stephen served as the first Deputy Office Managing Partner of Latham’s Houston office.  Additionally, Stephen also spent more than 10 years on Latham’s Global Ethics Committee and served two stints as the Houston partner representative on Latham’s Global Recruiting Committee.

Stephen’s principal experience includes the following:

  • Acquisitions and divestitures of assets and businesses
    • Upstream A&D
    • Midstream and Infrastructure M&A
    • Company Exits
  • Joint ventures and other strategic combinations
    • Onshore and offshore upstream oil and gas development
    • Midstream and infrastructure projects
    • Carbon capture and sequestration projects
    • Renewable energy development
  • Complex commercial contracts relevant to the energy industry, including:
    • Joint Operating Agreements
    • Gathering, processing and disposal agreements
    • Transportation and offtake agreements
    • Operating and maintenance agreements
    • Other services agreements

Stephen’s practice at Latham also included sponsor-side and management-side PE investments, corporate governance work, “external GC” engagements, certain structured finance products, and cross-border transactions.

Prior to Latham, Stephen was an associate in the M&A and Energy Transactions and Projects groups of the Houston office of Vison & Elkins LLP. Stephen joined Vinson & Elkins out of law school in 2007.

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