Cheryl Vinall Denney’s practice concerns advising and representing public and private companies in all phases of their business existence, including the formation and structuring of new companies and joint ventures, negotiation of credit agreements and other business contracts, asset acquisitions, private equity investments, mergers, acquisitions and other forms of business combinations and reorganizations, divestitures and dissolutions.
She has particular expertise assisting private companies in raising capital, whether it be through angel investors, private equity funds, traditional lenders, or tax credits and other forms of government incentives. Clients value her approachable style, understanding of legal and business issues from all perspectives, ability to make legal and financial concepts understandable to non-experts, and her capacity to “think outside the box” in developing solutions to both day-to-day and complex business challenges.
Cheryl’s practice in the area of government incentives has led to a specialty in general economic development law, community development finance, and structuring private equity transactions to qualify for tax incentives, including New Markets Tax Credits (NMTCs), state and federal historic rehabilitation tax credits, 48C credits, Oklahoma Quality Jobs rebates and the Oklahoma Pooled Finance Program.
She also works with private equity fund sponsors and their investors in the formation of the private equity funds and subsequent investments by the funds in portfolio companies.
Additionally, Cheryl represents sports and entertainment clients in their business and legal needs. She serves as outside general counsel to the Oklahoma City Thunder NBA franchise and counsels on a project-by-project basis with other professional sports teams in Oklahoma. Cheryl currently serves as leader of the firm's Sports Industry Group.
Cheryl has played a key role in a significant number of high-profile commercial projects throughout Oklahoma. Notable projects include: leasing of the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City by the Oklahoma City Thunder; financing of the Tulsa Cancer Institute, an 86,000 square foot facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma; and redevelopment of the historic Skirvin Hilton Hotel in Oklahoma City and the historic Mayo Building in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Prior to joining McAfee & Taft in 2003, Cheryl was a corporate associate in the New York office of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton and Garrison, an international law firm that concentrates in corporate law and litigation. While in law school, she completed internships with the United States Trade Representative’s Office and LG Group, South Korea’s second largest conglomerate.
Cheryl's achievements have earned her inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America (securities/capital markets law) and Oklahoma Super Lawyers' list of "Oklahoma Rising Stars," which recognizes the state’s top up-and-coming attorneys.