Christopher J. Babcock

Partner

Christopher J. Babcock

Partner

Christopher (Chris) Babcock is a partner in Foley & Lardner LLP’s Dallas office, focusing on public and private mergers and acquisitions, private equity, corporate governance, and securities matters. He is co-chair of the firm’s Texas Corporate Governance Team, a member of the firm’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Practice and Foley’s national recruiting committee, and previously served on its private equity leadership team.

Chris represents private equity funds, public companies, privately held companies, and nonprofits in mergers and acquisitions, portfolio company management, and a broad range of corporate governance and capital market matters such as tender offers, public exchange offers, advising special committees, advising on disclosure requirements, stakeholder communications, and activist campaigns. He concentrates on complicated transactions, helping clients to think creatively and navigate their most significant challenges and other transformational matters.

Chris has co-authored numerous articles relevant to mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance matters published by the Delaware Business Court Insider, the Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance and Financial Regulation, Law360, and others, and serves as the outside editor for Thompson Reuters O’Connor’s book on the Texas Business Organizations Code. He has been invited to speak at numerous events, including meetings of the Technology Special Interest group of Financial Executives International, the Dallas Bar M&A Section, and the Choice, Governance & Acquisition of Entities conference.

Prior to law school, Chris served as an instructor-qualified airborne intelligence officer in the U.S. Air Force, earning the rank of captain.

Representative Experience

Private Equity

  • Represented Rosewood Private Investments in the acquisition, sale, growth, and management of a number of portfolio companies, including INW Manufacturing (cumulating in a sale to Cornell Capital), Novaria (cumulating in a sale to an affiliate of KKR) and others.
  • Represented Strait Lane Capital Partners in numerous sales and acquisitions of a number of its portfolio companies, including its sale of Griswold LLC to Rogers Corporation.
  • Represented Riata Capital Group in connection with the acquisition of multiple practices in connection with formation and growth of an optometry platform company.
  • Represented Star Dental Partners in multiple acquisitions of dentist practices.
  • Represented Highlander Capital Partners in connection with series of follow-on acquisitions to grow, and divestitures from, an auto products portfolio company.
  • Represented LKCM Headwater in acquisition of TestEquity, a value-added distributor of test and measurement equipment and MRO tools and supplies for laboratories and electronics manufacturing, and a manufacturer of environmental chambers, and in sale of Heads Up Technologies, an aerospace manufacturing company.

Corporate Governance

  • Represented Stryker Corporation in connection with governance and internal restricting matters concerning various subsidiaries.
  • Represented conflicts committee of general partner of Alon USA Partners, LP, in connection with controlling limited partner taking the master limited partnership private.
  • Represented FUNimation in connection with equity compensation and related issues raised in connection with its acquisition by Sony Pictures Television.
  • Represented certain director/shareholders of Good Times Restaurants Inc. in dispute about composition of board.

Other

  • Represented Evans Enterprises in its sale to Integrated Power Services.
  • Represented Sachs Capital in connection with take-private acquisition of RMG Networks Holding Corporation and related bridge financing.
  • Represented 1st Global, Inc., including its registered investment advisor and broker-dealer subsidiaries, in its acquisition by Blucora, Inc.
  • Represented Stryve Foods in connection with its de-SPAC transaction and subsequent matters.

Awards and Recognition

  • Stand-out Lawyer, Thomson Reuters (2025)
  • Super Lawyers® – Texas Rising Stars (2018-2022)
  • Texas Lawyer’s Texas Legal Excellence Awards – On the Rise Award (2021)

Affiliations

  • Past chair, Dallas Bar Association – Mergers & Acquisitions Section (2017-2019)

Community Involvement

  • Member, Baylor University’s Honors College Advisory Council
June 4, 2025 In the News

Christopher Babcock and Christopher Converse Interviewed on Texas Corporate Law Reforms

Foley & Lardner LLP partners Christopher Babcock and Christopher Converse are highlighted for their insights on recent corporate law reforms in Texas and how it enhances the state's business appeal in The Texas Lawbook article, "Legislation Aims to Boost Texas as a Friendly Place to Incorporate and Settle Disputes."
June 3, 2025 Foley Corporate Governance Update

Texas Senate Bill 2337: Protecting Texas Companies and Their Directors, Shareholders and Boards from Proxy Advice Not in the Financial Interests of Shareholders

On June 2, 2025, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 2337, meaningfully regulating proxy advisors like ISS and Glass Lewis when providing proxy voting recommendations concerning Texas companies.
May 15, 2025 In the News

Foley Attorneys Featured in Texas Lawyer on New Corporate Law Reforms Aimed at Promoting Business Growth in Texas

Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 29 into law, a major legislative development aimed at enhancing the state’s corporate governance environment and positioning Texas as a leading destination for incorporation. Foley partners Christopher Babcock and Christopher Converse were quoted in Texas Lawyer’s article, “New Texas Law 'Eliminates Rogue Shareholders,' Abbott Says,” discussing the impact of the legislation and how it strengthens Texas’s appeal as a business-friendly jurisdiction.
May 7, 2025 Foley Corporate Governance Update

Passage of Senate Bill 29 Positions Texas as a Leading State for Incorporations

The three most significant reforms effected by S.B. 29 are codification of the "business judgment rule," allowing Texas corporations to adopt an ownership threshold that must be met for derivative claims, and allowing Texas corporations to set venue, and waive jury trials, for internal entity claims.
March 13, 2025 In the News

Christopher Babcock on Texas Business Code Change - 'Will make Texas a significantly more attractive jurisdiction'

Foley & Lardner LLP partner Christopher Babcock is highlighted in the Law360 article, "Amid Del. Corporate Law Overhaul Push, Texas Turns Up Heat," for his recent appearance before the Texas Senate Committee on State Affairs.
March 11, 2025 Deals and Wins

Foley Advises Cordatus Capital in Partnership with Red Dot Buildings

Foley & Lardner LLP served as legal advisor to Cordatus Capital in its majority investment in Red Dot Buildings, a leading full-service, value-add manufacturer of complex metal building systems.
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