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Category Archives: Oil, Gas & Minerals

Parks Brown will be recognized by the St. Mary’s University School of Law Young Alumni Council as one of its inaugural “10 Under 10” class at a luncheon on March 31, 2017.  Members of this elite group were selected because of their extraordinary commitment to St. Mary’s University School of Law, their communities and the legal profession.
Ezra Johnson spoke at the South Texas Commercial Association of Realtors on July 11, 2016 on the topic of “Surface and Mineral Rights in Texas”. His presentation included a discussion of surface impacts of oil and gas development, rights of ingress and egress, reasonable use of the surface, and how buyers can protect their surface rights.
Robert Park was quoted in an article written by Jennifer Hiller of the San Antonio Express-News titled “Oil field water spills a gray area for regulation” on June 10, 2016.  The article discusses a situation wherein a drilling company emptied the contents of a frac pond, and questionable fluids ran onto a neighboring rancher’s property, and the resulting ramifications, both environmentally and legally, the parties might face. For the complete article, click here.
F. Parks Brown is now a member of The Texas Bar College. The Texas Bar College is an honorary society of lawyers who are among the best trained attorneys in Texas. The College recognizes Texas lawyers who attend at least double the Continuing Legal Education (CLE) required by the State Bar of Texas. Members are qualified attorneys who are interested in both high ethical standards and improved training for all Texas attorneys.
Partner J. Byron “Trace” Burton, III has been appointed to the Nueces River Authority Board of Directors by Governor Greg Abbott.  The Authority administers the control, employment, and conservation of the waters of the Nueces River Basin, forestation and reforestation, groundwater, storm water, floodwater, water quality control, solid waste, and parks and recreational facilities.  Trace’s term will be for three years, expiring on February 1, 2019.
Joseph Fitzsimons spoke at the 20th Annual Texas Land Conservation Conference on March 3, 2016 on the topic of “Mineral Rights Issues and How to Negotiate Them in a Conservation Easement.” The conference was hosted by the Texas Land Trust Council (TLTC). The TLTC was formed in the late 1990s in partnership with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to serve as a support association for all land trusts in Texas. Today, TLTC is an independent nonprofit organization that continues to promote and sustain the conservation efforts of Texas land trusts.
Joseph Fitzsimons recently joined The Academy of Medicine, Engineering & Science of Texas (“TAMEST”) Shale Task Force, which was created to review the impacts of shale oil and gas development in Texas. The purpose of the study is to help all Texans understand what we do and do not know about the potential environmental and other impacts of shale development and hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas. The issue is of great concern to Texas and both the public and decision makers are continuously provided potentially confusing and/or conflicting information. The goal of the study is to evaluate the scientific…
Ezra Johnson and Robert Park have published a paper titled, “Bradshaw, Bradshaw, and Bradshaw: The Executive’s Duty to the Non-Executive and What it Means to Avoid Self-Dealing” that appears in the Spring 2015 Oil, Gas & Energy Resources Law Section Report. The paper provides practical advice to attorneys related to the executive’s duty to the non-executive interest owner.