Overview
Joel works on corporate matters, assisting in the representation of strategic buyers and sellers, family offices, private equity sponsors, and portfolio companies in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, equity financings and other investment transactions. Joel also provides public and private companies with guidance on general corporate and governance matters. His work involves all stages of a transaction, including preparing term sheets; drafting, reviewing, and negotiating principal deal agreements and ancillary documents; conducting corporate, finance and commercial due diligence; negotiating representations and warranties insurance policies; facilitating closings; and handling post-closing issues.
Prior to working as a lawyer in private practice, Joel worked as a business appraiser and forensic accountant, appraising business entities and ownership interests in connection with M&A transactions, tax matters, financial reporting, litigation consulting and regulatory compliance.
While pursuing his law and business degrees, Joel researched and wrote a 200-page book on the legislative history of the Oklahoma General Corporation Act. His writing and presentation of the book, which remains in working paper form, earned him the Durrell Public Law Research Award as well as a scholarship from the Oklahoma City Mineral Lawyers Society. Joel's law review article regarding the relationship between tribal civil jurisdiction over non-tribal parties and the availability and cost of capital to tribal parties was also published in the American Indian Law Review and won the Salem Civil Rights Award.
Through the University of Oklahoma College of Law International Human Rights Clinic, Joel served as a contributing author to the "Report on the Republic of Suriname to the 25th Session of the Universal Periodic Review, Human Rights Council, April-May 2016." The purpose of the report was to provide to the United Nations a third-party review of the human rights concerns of indigenous and tribal peoples in Suriname and to recommend measures to address those concerns. Joel's contributions to this report focused on the Surinamese gold mining industry and alleged environmental impacts of same on local indigenous people.
Experience
No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the highest court of any state. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Selected Day Pitney Matters
Represented a public company as the strategic buyer in its $715 million acquisition of a natural gas-fired power plant.
Private Equity M&A
Represented private equity firms in acquisitions, sales, carve-outs, and take-private M&A transactions with enterprise values up to $5 billion. Target company industries included healthcare services, medical diagnostic imaging equipment retail, oil and gas exploration and production, financial services, data center uninterruptible power supply equipment retail, landscaping supply manufacturing, steel fabrication, food service, consumer products manufacturing, HVAC and plumbing contractors, and trucking and logistics.
Cross-Border Transactions
Represented clients in cross-border M&A, equity financing, and debt financing transactions up to $5 billion involving jurisdictions including Canada, England, Scotland, Denmark, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Target company industries included consumer products manufacturing, industrial engineering and manufacturing, industrial pipe distribution, public utilities services, and hospitality.
Public Company Transactions
Represented private equity buyers in take-private acquisitions, public companies, and special committees of independent directors in M&A and Public Investment in Private Equity transactions with transaction values up to $4 billion. Target company industries included software development, specialty chemicals manufacturing, financial services, and cryptocurrency mining.
Strategic M&A
Represented various sellers and strategic buyers in strategic M&A transactions, with enterprise values of up to $60 million. Target company industries included fashion design and retail, general contractors serving the data center industry, insurance brokerage firms, vehicle retail sales, capital markets consultancies, and utilities marketing services.
ESOP M&A
Represented owners of businesses with enterprise values of up to $100 million in sales of company equity to trustees of Employee Stock Ownership Plans. Target company industries included architectural and construction services.
Education and Credentials
Education
- University of Oklahoma, J.D., With Honors, Business Law Certificate, 2016
- University of Oklahoma, M.B.A., in Finance and Risk Management, 2016
- Kansas State University, B.S., summa cum laude, 2011
Admissions
- District of Columbia
- Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
- State of Illinois
- State of New York
- State of Texas
Affiliations
- New York City Bar Association, (2023–Present); Business and Human Rights Committee (2024–Present); Emerging Companies and Venture Capital Committee (2024-Present); Inter-American Affairs Committee (2024-Present); United Nations Committee (2024–Present)
- American Bar Association, Business Law Section (2022–Present); Business Law Fellows Program (2025–2027); Leadership Academy Participant (2024–Present); M&A Committee (2022–Present); Private Equity and Venture Capital Committee (2022-Present); Middle Market and Small Business Committee (2022-Present); Young Lawyer Committee (2022-Present)
- Association for Corporate Growth, New York Chapter (2022–Present); Forward Committee Member (2025–Present); ACG NY University Participant (2023)
- State Bar of Texas, Business Law Section, Mergers and Acquisitions Committee (2018–Present)
- Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, (2017–2021); 2017 Leadership Class Participant; Foundation Fellow (2019–2021)
Recognition and Community
No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the highest court of any state. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. See Awards Methodology.
Recognitions
Outstanding Editor Award, American Indian Law Review
CALI Award, Securities Regulation
Salem Civil Rights Award
Durrell Public Law Research Award
Oklahoma City Mineral Lawyers Society Presentation Scholarship
In The Media
Publications
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Simultaneous vs. Split Sign and Close: Drafting and Practical Considerations, The Corporate Counsel Review (42 Corp. Couns. Rev. 73), May 1, 2023 -
Nothing Personal (Or Subject Matter) About It: Jurisdictional Risk as an Impetus for Non-Tribal Opt-Outs from Tribal Economies, and the Need for Administrative Response, 40 Am. Indian L. Rev. 131, August 1, 2016 -
Report on the Republic of Suriname to the 25th Session of the Universal Periodic Review, Human Rights Council, April 1, 2016
Speaking Engagements
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"Current Issues in International Indigenous Human Rights Throughout the Americas," New York City Bar Association, August 5, 2025 -
"Sign and Close vs. Close at a Later Date," TexasBarCLE's 14th Annual Course Essentials of Business Law, March 10, 2023 -
"Penn Square Bank, the Oil Bust, and the Corporate Law Revival: Commodities-Based Crises as Inspiration for the Oklahoma General Corporation Act," Oklahoma City Mineral Lawyers Society, April 21, 2016