Terence W. Thompson
Shareholder

(602) 530-8515twt@gknet.com

Terry’s practice emphasizes corporate business mergers, acquisitions, financings, and public-private projects, including strategic joint ventures, water/wastewater infrastructure development, sports facility financing, and physician-hospital contracts.

Having chaired the multi-year State Bar committee project that oversaw the revision of Arizona’s corporate statutes including the business corporation code, the professional corporation code, and the nonprofit corporation code, and participated in a similar project to revise Arizona’s limited liability company statutes, Terry’s practice also includes advising businesses and other organizations as to various aspects of governance and operation, as well as representing nonprofit organizations, including healthcare-related organizations, country clubs, and civic and community organizations, and governmental bodies.

Terence W. Thompson

REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

  • Represented Grand Canyon University in its acquisition of the University and conversion to a nonprofit corporation.
  • Represented a major highway and general construction company in the acquisition of a Southwest construction company.
  • Served as lead counsel in the sale of a privately-held technology company to a multinational company.
  • Advised with respect to reorganization of a multi-disciplinary physician practice and its related hospital and healthcare organizations.
  • Negotiated agreements for construction and operation of regional and community water and wastewater transportation, treatment and distribution facilities.
  • Represented the Arizona Cardinals National Football League team in financing for the University of Phoenix Stadium.
  • Represented the Arizona Diamondbacks Major League Baseball team in financing for Chase Field.
  • Represented large, multi-office physician practices in the negotiation of agreements with hospitals, payors, vendors, and others.

ASSOCIATIONS & MEMBERSHIPS

  • State Bar of Arizona, Member
  • American Bar Association, Section of Business Law Committee on Corporate Laws, Arizona Liaison
  • State Bar of Arizona, Limited Liability Company Statute Revision Committee, Member
  • State Bar of Arizona, Business Law Section, Past Chair
  • State of Arizona, Business Law Section Executive Council, Past Member
  • State Bar of Arizona, Securities Regulation Section, Past Chair
  • State Bar of Arizona, Mergers & Conversions Committee, Co-Chair
  • State Bar of Arizona, Corporate Code Revision Committee, Past Chair
  • State Bar of Arizona, Nonprofit Corporations Act Revision Committee, Past Chair
  • State Bar of Arizona, Model Legal Opinion Project, Business Law Section, Past Member
  • National Association of Bond Lawyers, Member
  • American Health Lawyers Association, Member
  • Arizona Association of Health Care Lawyers, Member
  • Maricopa County Bar Association, Standards and Practices Committee, Past Member
  • Greater Phoenix Black Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors, Past Member
  • Great Western Bank & Trust, Advisory Board, Past Member
  • Arizona Journal of International and Comparative Law, Board of Advisors
  • Harvard International Law Journal, Editor
  • Harvard Law Record, Staff
  • Arizona House of Representatives, Legislative Aide
  • Phoenix Business Journal’s ACE Awards Sponsor, Interview Team Member, 2022

HONORS & AWARDS

  • AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
  • Best Lawyers in America®, Corporate Law, 2011-2025; Mergers & Acquisitions Law, 2015-2025
  • Best Lawyers in America®, Phoenix Lawyer of the Year, Corporate Law, 2019; Mergers and Acquisitions Law, 2024
  • Southwest Super Lawyers®, Mergers & Acquisitions, 2008, 2011-2019, 2023-2025
  • Chambers USA®, Corporate/M&A, 2013-2024
  • Arizona's Finest Lawyers, 2011
  • "Best of the Bar," The Business Journal
  • "Who's Who in America," Marquis Who's Who
  • "Who's Who in American Law," Marquis Who's Who
  • "Who's Who in Finance and Business," Marquis Who's Who
  • "Who's Who in the West," Marquis Who's Who
  • "Who's Who in the World," Marquis Who's Who
  • AzBusiness Magazine, Arizona's Top Lawyers - Mergers and Acquisitions, 2014
  • AzBusiness Magazine, Arizona's Top Lawyers - Business/Corporate Law, 2013
  • Hornbook Award, Harvard University
  • Phi Beta Kappa, University of Arizona
  • Phi Kappa Phi, University of Arizona
  • Phi Eta Sigma, University of Arizona
  • Blue Key, University of Arizona

community & philanthropy

  • Selden Society, Member
  • Phoenix Bach Choir, Board of Directors, Past Member
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix, Executive Council, Past Member

News

Read More

Publications

  • Arizona Corporate Practice, (Editor-in-Chief/Lead Author), Thomson/West
  • First Amended and Restated Report of the State Bar of Arizona Business Law Section Committee on Rendering Legal Opinions in Business Transactions, October 20, 2004, Arizona State Law Journal, volume 38, page 47, Spring 2006 (Co-Author)
  • Banking and Lending Institution Forms, (Contributor), Warren Gorham Lamont
  • Hospital-Affiliated Integrated Delivery Systems: Formation, Operation and Contracts Handbook, (Co-Author), American Academy of Hospital Attorneys
  • Bankruptcy Assignment of Software Licenses, Commercial Law Journal, volume 94, number 3, page 344, Fall 1989
  • Software Licenses as Personal Service Contracts, Computer/Law Journal, volume 9, number 4, page 491, Fall 1989
  • Software Supplier’s Rights in the User’s Bankruptcy, Software Law Journal, volume 3, number 1, page 1, Winter 1989
  • Securities Disclosure in Bankruptcy, The Business Lawyer, volume 39, number 3, page 855, May 1984 (Co-Author)
  • The 1980 Arizona Groundwater Management Code, Arizona State Law Journal, volume 1980, number 3, page 621 (Co-Author)
  • The UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, Harvard International Law Journal, volume 17, number 1, page 141, Winter 1976
  • The Definition of Aggression, The United Nations, 29th Session, Harvard International Law Journal, volume 16, number 3, page 589, Summer 1975 (Co-Author)
  • Recent Developments, Harvard International Law Journal, volume 16, number 1, page 168, Winter 1975

events

Terry regularly lectures locally and nationally on corporate transactions, as well as on professional responsibility and ethics, before professional and trade organizations. Representative engagements include:

  • “The New Arizona Limited Liability Company Act: Ramifications for Operating Agreements,” 2020 State Bar of Arizona Annual Convention
  • “The New Arizona Limited Liability Company Act: Continuation of Existing Law,” State Bar of Arizona Business Law Section, May 22, 2019
  • “The New Arizona Limited Liability Company Act,” 2018 State Bar of Arizona Annual Convention
  • “Drafting Effective Board Agendas and Unanimous Written Consents,” Association of Corporate Counsel, Arizona Chapter, January 17, 2017
  • “Mergers & Acquisitions: The New Arizona Entity Restructuring Act (AERA),” State Bar of Arizona Business Law Section, November 19, 2014
  • “Mergers & Acquisitions: Legislation to Modernize Statutes Governing Mergers, Conversions and Other Entity-Level Transactions,” State Bar of Arizona Business Law Section, March 21, 2012
  • “Seven Corporate Traits of a Limited Liability Company,” State Bar of Arizona Business Law Section, July 19, 2012

Ferdinand von Galen review icon
Ferdinand von Galen
First Patagonia Capital Company
I have successfully been working with Gallagher & Kennedy since the early 1970's.
Chambers USA review icon
Chambers USA
Peer Review
Market sources cite Terence Thompson as a "good technician, with a good reputation."
Chambers USA review icon
Chambers USA
Peer Review
Peers describe [Terence Thompson] as "someone with quality who has a good reputation."
Best Lawyers review icon
Best Lawyers
Client Comment
Terence [Thompson's] experience and knowledge has proven to be excellent. He is very responsive to our needs, communicating complex legal matters in an understandable form. I believe his level of ethics to be unsurpassed.
Steve Schramm review icon
Steve Schramm
Optumas
The strength of the Gallagher & Kennedy mergers and acquisitions team is that they take the time to understand the business and goals for the client's acquisition. Every team member was up to speed and available to answer questions anytime. M&A work does not unfold at a 9-to-5 pace and the Gallagher & Kennedy team was always available, especially during the critical phases of the deal.