Find Lawyers in America for Natural Resources Law
Practice Area Overview
Natural resources law is occasionally confused with environmental law, but the fields are distinct. Environmental law is what you may not do; natural resources law is what you may do and how to do it. It is the body of law that organizes the discovery, development, allocation, ownership, management, and ultimately use of all the raw materials that our civilization is built from, and of the energy sources that make it run. In a practical sense, this term has come to mean the constellation of statutory, regulatory, and judicial law that customarily applies to the major natural resource industries such as mining, oil and gas, water, and forestry.
This body of law draws heavily from contract, property, and corporate law, but also has substantial overlap with environmental, tax, land use, administrative, and even tort law. The set of legal issues that confront, for example, a client wishing to organize a company to develop a particular offshore or onshore mineral deposit, is unique. Therefore, the diversity and specificity of these issues led to the emergence of specialized natural resource lawyers.
Natural resource lawyers also must be familiar with the business realities that affect their clients. They are experienced with the operational details and points of negotiation in the contracts and physical operations that are common and also unique to a particular resource. They must alert clients to potential traps for the unwary in the case law of their jurisdiction, navigate government regulations to accomplish their clients’ goals, and assemble transactions from the myriad property and operational issues that exist for each particular resource. For example, the mechanics and economics of the development of oil and gas versus hard minerals such as coal has led to dramatically different business structures and contracts to develop these distinct resources.
Some natural resource lawyers specialize in unwinding the often Gordian ownership of mineral resources, others are skilled in litigating the unique disputes that arise in the context of development joint ventures, and still others can structure natural resource projects from exploration, to development and sale. In recent years, the natural resource industries have acquired a significant international dimension; in this context natural resource lawyers can provide invaluable orientation and counsel to foreign companies investing in mineral projects in the United States, or domestic companies seeking to expand their presence globally.
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Marty Banks is a partner of Stoel Rives’ Environmental Law practice group and Litigation practice group. His environmental practice includes counseling clients in cost-effective regulatory compliance and permitting strategies. He has broad experience with issues involving the Clean Air Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act, the Administrative Procedures Act and the clean-up and transfer of contaminated properties. Martin’s busi...
Kerri L. Barsh represents public and private clients on an array of environmental regulatory, permitting and litigation matters, including transactional support and due diligence, environmental assessment and liability matters, energy and infrastructure projects, wetlands and coastal permitting, complex land use projects, air quality matters, hazardous materials contamination, and other compliance and enforcement cases.
K. B. Battaglini has for more than 3 decades counseled and represented businesses and individuals. He is listed in Best Lawyers in America© (by Levine Leichtman Capital Partners), has expertise in energy, environmental, natural resources, media and entertainment law, and has significant first chair experience in trials, appeals, arbitrations and mediations. He is on the national panel of arbitrators for the American Arbitration Association and FINRA. Prior to joining Strong Pipkin, he wa...
David J. Beck is consistently recognized as one of our country’s best trial lawyers. This recognition has grown from the consistent results he has achieved for his clients in his more than forty years of practice. From the smallest disputes to the billion dollar cases, David understands the importance of each case to his client, and he approaches each with the same intensity and integrity that has served him - and his clients - so well for so long. For David Beck, every case is a story ...
Kevin represents a diverse clientele in virtually all aspects of the energy industry. With a background in petroleum geology, he has operated and participated in oil and gas exploration and development projects across North America. As a transactional lawyer, he has represented owners and operators with documentation, due diligence, and business counseling for acquisitions and divestitures and for exploration and operation. As a trial lawyer, he has represented plaintiffs and defendants, both...
Deana Bennett’s practice is focused on natural resource development on public and tribal lands. Deana’s experience includes permitting and environmental compliance efforts under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the Clean Air Act (CAA), and other related federal statutes. She has worked on a number of utility matters, and her experience includes working with renewable resource developers with siting issues on public, tribal, state, and...
William B. Burford is a partner in the firm's Oil & Gas/Energy practice. He is a leader in the field of oil and gas title examination and is a past chair of the Texas State Bar Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Law Section. His experience includes all aspects of oil and gas title and transactional matters, involving fee, state and federal lands in both Texas and New Mexico. Mr. Burford has been a frequent speaker on oil and gas topics before legal and industry groups and has been a member, si...
OVERVIEW Trevor practices in the areas of environmental and natural resources compliance, permitting, and litigation. Trevor advises clients on a variety of environmental topics, including federal, state, and local air programs; stormwater and SPCC compliance; and waste and hazardous waste management. Trevor has worked on various environmental issues in administrative appeals and in state and federal courts, as well as advised local administrative boards during appeals. Trevor also assists cl...
Stuart Butzier has assisted mining, energy, high-tech, industrial and ranching clients throughout his thirty-plus year legal career with Modrall Sperling. His counsel has included helping clients strategically navigate the maze of environmental and mining regulatory and permitting regimes, the morass of litigation, and the unique challenges of complex deals and real property transactions involving private, Federal, State, Indian and split-estate lands. Recognized in the area of Natural Resour...
Chris Carr is widely regarded as one of the leading project development, environmental, and energy lawyers in the United States. Drawing on his experience with the U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S. Department of State, Mr. Carr represents businesses, land developers, public agencies, and nonprofits in all areas of environmental and natural resource law, including energy, transportation, water, forestry, mining, coastal and marine resources, and agriculture. In particular, his pract...
Steven Christiansen has over 30 years experience with environmental permitting and enforcement matters, RCRA and CERCLA remediation, air emission credits transactions, climate change, state implementation plan development, environmental legislation, NEPA, public lands permitting, environmental aspects of business transactions, brownfield redevelopment, and the administrative rule-making process. He also works in the areas of energy and public utilities law. Mr. Christiansen actively represent...
Vice President, Director and Shareholder, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Co-Chair of Natural Resources and Water Law Practice Group Since 1975, Mr. Clyde has specialized in natural resources law, including oil and gas, public land law, and mining law, with a primary emphasis in water law. Mr. Clyde has represented many clients in the buying and selling of water rights and in the conversion of water rights from agricultural irrigation use to domestic, municipal, and industrial use for dev...
Travis Conner joined Biggs, Ingram & Solop in 2008 after working as a petroleum landman representing various oil and gas companies. Using this prior experience, he concentrates his practice in oil and gas title opinions, development agreements relating to energy exploration, as well as real estate and litigation matters.
Lawrence N. Curtin has practiced environmental and administrative law since 1978. He has represented and counseled clients on a variety of matters in the environmental area. Since beginning his environmental practice, he has been involved in the implementation of a number of important regulatory statutes, including the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, as well as the dev...
Lee practices environmental law relating to water quality, water rights, environmental compliance auditing, solid and hazardous waste, mining and mined land reclamation and remediation, toxic substances and Superfund matters. With nearly 25 years experience, Lee has a nationally-recognized water quality practice and works closely with his clients on the federal, state and local levels to develop workable strategies to promote development and expansion of both industrial and mining operations....
Andrew B. Derman is a Partner and head of International Energy Practice Group for Thompson & Knight LLP and Chairman of Thompson & Knight Global Energy Services. He represents public and private companies and host governments in their strategic design, commercial execution, negotiations, contract preparation, and legal interpretation. Recent experience includes: acquisition and divestment efforts in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia; international finan...
Ms. Desmond has developed a broad water, natural resources, and environmental law practice advising local irrigation, drainage, and water districts, municipalities, private landowners, and rural water users. Ms. Desmond counsels clients in Oregon, California, and Utah on a variety of water quality and water rights administration matters, including but not limited to issues involving water rights transfers, chain of title reports, adjudications, land use planning, compliance with state and fed...
Area of Emphasis Kevin Douglass is a shareholder in the Firm’s Litigation, Energy and Natural Resources, and Emerging Technologies groups. Mr. Douglass currently serves as co-chair of the Firm’s Litigation Group. He is a complex commercial litigator with significant trial experience in a variety of forums including federal, state and bankruptcy courts and private arbitrations. In addition, he is a certified mediator and has served as an arbitrator in commercial and oil and gas dis...
Bob Duplantis has dedicated his entire career to the oil and gas industry. Prior to joining the firm in 1982 and establishing its Lafayette office, Bob spent more than a decade serving in-house oil company legal departments, including six years as a lobbyist in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Bob’s law practice focuses on Louisiana oil and gas regulation and “meat-and-potato” legal issues. He routinely argues contract disputes affecting the oil and gas industry, including lease inte...
Greg Duplantis’ legal practice centers on oil and gas property title examination with an emphasis on analyzing and rendering complex opinions concerning title that is held by production. He frequently calculates varying royalty interests, overriding royalty interests, and proportionately burdened net revenue interests. Greg routinely renders “stand up” title opinions that require physically searching the indices of courts' conveyance records and executing opinions on site. H...
Troy A. Eid, the former U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado, is a principal shareholder in the firm's Denver office. He has wide-ranging experience in complex federal, state and tribal litigation at the administrative, trial and appellate court level. Mr. Eid also handles a wide range of sensitive commercial transactions and disputes that require statutory, regulatory or administrative approval. Recent examples include: Spearheading the statutory review and community participation proc...
An accomplished and knowledgeable environmental lawyer and litigator, Alex works efficiently to achieve clients’ goals in North Carolina and throughout the country. He provides strategic counsel on all manner of environmental, natural resources and land use matters, and represents clients in permitting and transactional matters as well as litigation before state and federal administrative tribunals, and trial and appellate courts. Alex often represents companies in the mining, timber, r...
Betty Ruth Fox is Counsel with Watkins & Eager focusing in the areas of environmental law and bankruptcy. From 1993 to 2002, Betty Ruth was a Senior Attorney with the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and worked in regulation and enforcement in every MDEQ Program Area, coordinating with appropriate federal, state and local agencies and/or governing authorities. Beginning in 2002, Betty Ruth worked as a Trial Attorney with the Department of Justice/U. S. Trustee Program in ci...
Area of Emphasis Kevin Garber is a shareholder in the Environmental and Energy and Natural Resources groups of Babst Calland, practicing out of the firm’s Pittsburgh and State College offices. Mr. Garber concentrates much of his practice in the areas of natural resources law and water law. He represents mining and oil and gas companies in the conventional and unconventional industries on a broad range of environmental issues including permitting, water supply and treatment, and resource...
Michael Gelardi manages real estate transactions and land development projects. He has broad experience with land use, water and environmental issues, including legislative and policy matters, as well as permitting and appeals. Michael founded Gelardi Law P.C. in 2019 after spending eight years with a nationally recognized food and beverage law team in Portland and two years with a respected local business law firm in Eugene. Gelardi Law represents private businesses, utilities and public ins...
Tim George practices administrative law and litigation on behalf of oil and gas owners and operators. Tim represents clients before the Railroad Commission of Texas and the Texas General Land Office. He has helped solve complex problems with leasehold permitting and production; special field rules; rulemaking; salt water disposal injection; unitization and enhanced recovery; environmental compliance and remediation; pipeline transportation; common carrier, common purchaser, and gas utility co...
Fredric N. Goldberg practices in the area of corporate and business law, with an emphasis in transactional practice, and in the area of college and university law. In addition, he has developed substantive expertise in the field of water law and the law of natural resources generally. He was recently recognized in the 2010 Best Lawyers publication for his water law expertise. Fred is a member of the Grand Rapids Bar Association and the State Bar of Michigan. He received his bachelor's degree ...
Bill Gorton is Chair of the Environmental, Natural Resources & Energy Service Group for the firm. He is national counsel to numerous clients on environmental regulatory and land and water resources matters. He advises healthcare clients in permitting, acquisitions and environmental compliance matters. Bill has represented clients in the waste management sector including acquisitions, due diligence, compliance and contracting. He has been counsel in the development of numerous independent ...
Selected to the 2016 Louisiana Super Lawyer list in the Environmental Litigation, Energy and Natural Resources Law, and Business Litigation practice areas (other years recognized: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015) 2014 Baton Rouge Area Environmental Lawyer of the Year; 2016 Lafayette Area Environmental Lawyer of the Year Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America for Energy Law, Litigation - Environmental, Natural Resources Law and Oil & Gas Law Practice Concentration & E...
E. Lynn Grayson is a partner in the environmental law firm of Nijman Franzetti LLP in Chicago. She is consistently recognized as a leading environmental lawyer by Chambers USA , The Best Lawyers in America , Who’s Who: Environment , Illinois Super Lawyers, and the Leading Lawyers Network . She is AV Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell’s highest peer recognition for ethical standards and legal ability. Ms. Grayson formerly was a partner and chair of the environmental practice gro...
Michael C. Haines' practice includes the general representation of established and emerging energy and natural resources companies in Michigan. He provides legal and practical advice on contract matters, leases, unitization, transportation, regulatory, legislative and other matters, including acquisitions and dispositions of assets. He serves as legislative counsel for an oil and gas exploration and production association and has represented gas utility companies in municipal rate proceedings...
More than a decade of litigation and transactional experience in natural resources law. Handles multifaceted water rights cases throughout the state of Colorado. Dulcinea practices natural resources law, with a particular focus on water and environmental litigation and transactions. She represents municipal, corporate, nonprofit and individual clients in administrative proceedings, litigation, and appeals in both state and federal court and in water contract negotiations. She has provided leg...
Stan Harris is a shareholder with Modrall Sperling and has twenty years of litigation experience. Stan practices in the areas of public lands, natural resources, and commercial litigation. He has advised clients at the judicial, administrative, and legislative levels on federal, state, and local issues. Stan has extensive experience in the representation of parties in their disputes involving cultural property, public lands, Indian lands, oil and gas industry, environmental infrastructure mat...
Peck Hayne's practice centers on oil and gas, pipeline and other energy-related transactions and regulation and on federal appellate litigation. Peck regularly negotiates, drafts and advises clients on complex purchase and sale agreements, operating agreements, mineral leases, right-of-way agreements, transportation and interconnection agreements, gas storage agreements and settlement agreements in complex litigation and other disputes. He also frequently renders title opinions on complex pet...
Aimee Hebert helps clients in the energy business solve their challenging legal problems. Her experience includes disputes that involve mineral royalties, mineral lease termination, implied obligations, mineral servitude maintenance, operating agreements, production handling agreements, blowouts, and oilfield environmental issues. She represents both individuals and businesses and gets excellent results. U.S. News and World Reports has included Ms. Hebert on The Best Lawyers in America® r...
Harold L. Hensley, Jr. is a partner in the Oil & Gas/Energy and Litigation Sections of the firm. He is a skilled trial lawyer with a legacy of victories in both state and federal courts. He is a member of the Roehl Circle of Honor of trial lawyers in New Mexico and served the New Mexico Supreme Court as a member of its Uniform Jury Selection Committee. Mr. Hensley received his BBA degree from Rice University and his law degree from the University of Texas. He is a member of the State Bar ...
Edward A. Hogan is Co-Chair of the Environmental Law Group. Edd represents and counsels developers, redevelopers, manufacturers, commercial entities, and highly-regulated service businesses in all aspects of environmental law and litigation. For over twenty-five years, Edd has been at the forefront of site remediation issues in New Jersey. He has partnered with clients and served as a trusted advisor, delivering integrated strategies for responding to governmental mandates, pursuing cost reco...
William A. Horn received his bachelor's degree with honors from the University of Wisconsin and graduated cum laude from the University of Wisconsin Law School. Bill specializes in environmental, oil and gas, eminent domain, water and riparian rights, land use and public utility law, as well as civil and administrative litigation, and has been representing and counseling private and public sector clients in these areas since 1982. In addition to having served as an adjunct professor for a law...
George House has worked in every area of environmental law and litigation since the birth of the practice in the 1970s. A seasoned environmental litigator, George represents his clients on matters related to mining law, water law, air compliance, and hazardous waste. George has experience in virtually every area of environmental law and focuses his practice on matters related to mining law, water law, hazardous waste and substances, and air compliance. He represents a multitude of clients, in...
Stan Ingram has been a practicing attorney for over 40 years, concentrating his practice in the areas of Oil and Gas Law, Exploration and Regulatory Matters, Licensure and Certification Law, Health Law, Chancery Practice and Real Estate Matters. The unique co-specialties of Oil & Gas and Licensure and Certification Law did not happen by chance. Before going to law school, Stan served as an investigator for the Mississippi Medical Board. After law school graduation, Stan accepted a positio...
Dan Jensen has been practicing natural resources law since 1988. His practice encompasses mining, water, oil and gas, public land and administrative law. Mr. Jensen focuses on transactional work involving mineral interests, water rights and public lands, acquisitions and transfers of mineral land and water rights, title and due diligence reviews, land use entitlements, and development agreements. Mr. Jensen also handles related litigation, including disputes concerning property titles and bou...
William M. Kerr, Jr. has more than three decades of experience in commercial transactions, with particular emphasis on acquisitions, financings and divestitures of oil and gas related concerns. He is a graduate of Washington and Lee University, where he received his bachelor of arts degree, cum laude , in 1979, as well as of the University of Texas School of Law, where he received his juris doctor, with honors, in 1981. Mr. Kerr is a fourth generation Texas lawyer and practiced for many years...
Chris Killion’s practice focuses on oil, gas, and mineral development, including issuing drilling, division order, and acquisition title opinions for oil and gas companies for properties in New Mexico and Texas, as well as representing those companies before regulatory bodies. Chris helps clients comply with state and federal regulations related to mineral development and represents clients in transactions involving purchase and sale of mineral rights. An Alabama native, Chris is licens...
Tom Lane is a partner in the Charleston, West Virginia office of Bowles Rice and is licensed to practice law in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. He practices primarily in the areas of natural resources, coal, oil and gas, commercial real estate, zoning and land development This practice ranges from complex transactions of mineral property and companies to complex litigation of natural resource issues. He also engages in lobbying and government relations, particularly on issues affecting the mi...
Jack Langlois is the office managing partner for Houston. Jack focuses his practice on energy related matters, including upstream, midstream and downstream. He advises clients on investments in and financings of energy projects and assets, including, mergers, joint ventures and acquisitions and dispositions of assets and stock of energy companies. Jack represents public and private companies, private equity investors, lenders, governments and national oil companies in a number of substantial ...
Director and Shareholder, Co-Chair of Natural Resources and Water Law Practice Group Ms. Lewis assists clients in navigating complex water problems. She advises individual water right owners, water conservancy districts, municipalities, mining companies, and mutual shareholder irrigation companies. Her strategic projects practice extends to innovative policy work and specialty project management. She presently acts as the Utah Water Banking Project Manager and hosts Ripple Effect – A Po...
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