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AREA OF PRACTICE Litigation - Commercial Energy Real Estate Richard is Board Certified in Oil, Gas and Mineral Law (1986 to 2005) and his practice continues to be focused on oil & gas land title examination and transactions for active exploration companies, primarily operators. His practical experience as a hands-on retainer General Counsel, fifteen years with United Oil & Minerals, Inc., Austin, TX, (1984-1999) and 3 years with Permian Petroleum Co., Midland, TX (1981-1984), combined with 8 years in private law practice, provides a unique blend of oil & gas legal expertise. Richard implements strategies to minimize the risk and exposure to oil & gas operators prior to drilling operations, through thorough title examination, and resolving issues that arise during post-production lease operations. His prior experience representing operators before the Texas Railroad Commission offers insight in fashioning title requirements to avoid non-compliance with oil & gas regulatory rules. Litigating oil & gas issues as both a first and second chair, including as defense counsel, provides Richard with intuitive solutions for strategizing litigation and exit strategies in oil & gas disputes and working with lead litigation Counsel. REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE Examined oil & gas land titles, including conducting stand-up opinions, in the Barnett Shale; East Texas, Gulf Coast; South Texas, Austin Chalk, West Texas and Oklahoma; Prepared numerous Drilling & Division Order Title Opinions for active operators; Successfully negotiated, drafted Purchase and Sale Agreements, and Closed numerous Oil & Gas Transactions of Producing Properties, both Acquisitions and Divestitures; While retainer General Counsel for United Oil & Minerals, Inc., Austin, TX, 1984 to 1999, grew assets from start-up to $200+ M in producing properties; Handled Pooling Issues, Unitization Agreements & Operating Agreement Issues; Successfully defended operators in landowner litigation as first and second chair court trial counsel; Represented Mrs. Claudia T. (Lady Bird) Johnson, The LBJ Foundation and Trusts for the Children of Lynda Johnson Robb and Luci Baines Johnson in divestiture of producing Oil & gas properties; Represented Operators in Contested Hearings at the Railroad Commission of Texas; Represented Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority in negotiating and closing various land acquisitions 2003 to 2005. PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES / MEMBERSHIPS / AFFILIATIONS Board Certified Oil, Gas and Mineral Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization (1986-2006) Admitted, State Bar of Texas (1980); State Bar of Oklahoma (1980) Member, Oil, Gas & Energy Sections, State Bar of Texas and Oklahoma Bar Association; Admitted, U.S. District Courts for the Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Eastern District of Oklahoma, and District of Arizona EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND J.D., University of Oklahoma College of Law (Dec., 1979, Class of 1980) Studied Oil & Gas Law under Prof. Eugene Kuntz, Author, Oil & Gas Law Treatise B.A. with Honors, University of Tulsa in Business & Criminal Justice Studies, 1977. | 