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Biography

Cleve serves as corporate, transactional, and business counsel to entrepreneurs, family offices, emerging growth companies, strategic investors, and management teams across a broad range of sectors including energy, financial services, private equity, and sports & entertainment. Cleve is also a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the State of Texas.

Cleve advises clients on complex transactions, including buy-side and sell-side mergers and acquisitions, leveraged recapitalizations and buyouts, spin-offs and sales of divisions, control and minority investments, growth equity investments, and joint ventures. Cleve also routinely advises clients on corporate and partnership formation matters, shareholder and governance issues, as well as commercial contract drafting and negotiations.

Cleve brings a unique blend of business, legal, and financial experience to each transaction. In addition to Cleve’s extensive private practice experience, he possesses C-suite and business management experience having previously served as General Counsel and CFO of an oilfield services company.

Cleve 's Relevant Experience

Mergers & Acquisitions

Represented a private drilling company in $58 million sale of equity to a private subsidiary of a public Canadian company.

Represented a truck franchisee and its owners on the sale of its business assets in a transaction valued at $28.7 million.

Represented a private safety and inspection services company in $17.9 million sale of equity to a private subsidiary of a public U.K. equity fund.

Real Estate & Finance Transactions

Represented a private investment group in $10 million acquisition of a 112,867 square foot office building.

Represented a private investment group in $1.7 million acquisition and construction of a 4,500 square foot commercial property.

Represented a private investment group in $1.3 million acquisition and construction of a 4,500 square foot commercial property.

Represented a national porcelain fabrication and installation company in raising $8 million of growth capital from private investors.

Represented a national lender in a $13 million promissory note sale to a third-party investor.

Outside Corporate General Counsel Representations

Represent a national residential mortgage lender with ongoing licensing, corporate governance, commercial transaction and contract matters.

Represent a Houston based real estate developer with ongoing finance, leasing, corporate governance, acquisitions and divestiture matters.

Represent an energy services company with ongoing corporate governance, commercial transactions and related contract matters.

Represented a professional basketball sports agency in growth equity investment and agency agreement matters.

Advise an oil and gas producer with ongoing finance, corporate governance, commercial transactions and related contract matters.

Advised an entertainment company on corporate governance, commercial contract and license matters related to domestic and international music festivals.

Served as outside general counsel to private wellness clinic that provide various services to its clients including anti-aging strategies, nutritional consultations and clinical testing.

Other Info About Cleve

Education

Law School

University of Miami School of Law J.D., 2007, cum laude

Undergraduate School

Lamar University, Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting, 2000

Bar Memberships

Cleve is licensed to practice in the following state(s):

Texas, 2007

Courts

Cleve is admitted to practice before the following court(s):

U.S. District Courts for the Eastern, Southern and Northern Districts of Texas

U.S. Bankruptcy Courts for the Eastern, Southern, and Northern Districts of Texas

Recognition

Local & National Recognition

2013 “Texas Rising Star” by Texas Monthly magazine

Selected as Pro Bono Attorney of the Month by the Kids in Need of Legal Defense KIND) organization, for his work in helping three young siblings find care and protection in the United States, February 2012

Professional Affiliations

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

Licensed Certified Public Accountant, Texas State Board of Public Accountancy

Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt

Civic Activities

Civic & Charitable Organizations

Deacon, Tallowood Baptist Church

Board of Directors, Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas, Inc. (2016 –2019)

Firm Committees

Cleve serves or has served in the following leadership role(s) at Frost Brown Todd:

Recruiting Committee, Member

Presentations

Cleve was invited to speak at the following events:

Presenter, “Injection Wells and Seismic Events: How are Regulators and Courts Reacting,” Energy & Mineral Law Foundation 35th Annual Conference, June 2014

Panel Speaker, 2015 Texas Diversity and Leadership Conference, April 2015

Presenter, “Negotiating Key Points in Business Acquisition Agreements: A Practical Guide for Business Owners,” Contract Law Overview for International Businesses Seeking to Transact Business in the United States, December 2019

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