General civil practice

Texas Board Certified Oil and Gas Attorney with over thirty years of experience in all aspects of upstream and midstream oil, gas and mineral law. Title examination, title curative, lease negotiation and drafting of various instruments and agreements relating to the ownership, development and production of real estate, water rights and minerals in Texas.

Transactional practice and title examination, rendering original drilling, supplemental. division order, shut-in gas royalty, acquisition and mortgage title opinions on oil and gas properties in Texas. Due diligence examinations, advise division order departments, draft and review title curative materials, advise land and legal departments on options and methods of dealing with many common and uncommon title issues, lease maintenance issues, title disputes, suspense funds issues, assist in revising client lease forms, advise client and contract field personnel regarding title requirements, searches, curative and proper execution of curative materials. Licensed in Texas since May 1980, Board Certified in Oil, Gas and Mineral Law since 1986, licensed to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the U.S. Fifth and Eleventh Circuit Courts of Appeal, United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, and all Texas courts.

Contract legal counsel for the Land Department of Mitchell Energy Corporation, and later by merger, Devon Energy Corporation, The Woodlands, Texas, advising their Land Department and Property Administration, including Division Order Section, on matters relating to land titles, mineral rights, leases, liens, contract provisions, State regulatory issues, easements, rights of way, purchase and sale agreements, acquisition due diligence, ethics, title examination, rendering title opinions, advising on leasing issues and lease maintenance matters, suspense of proceeds and risk reduction to client. Assisted the in-house Legal Department with research and support on lease and title matters.

Administered various trusts, estates, and agency accounts for bank customers, invest and reinvest trust and other client funds in securities, review of secured bank loan transactions for adequacy of documentation, as well as all loans to bank officer and directors. Inventory safety deposit boxes of deceased customer to comply with state law prior to releasing contents to estate representatives or heirs. Serve on Bank's Trust Committee.