Due Diligence
in Mining and Oil & Gas Transactions

April 29-30, 2010 in Westminster, Colorado

Biographies updated 4/8/2010

 

Program Chair

WILLIAM B. PRINCE is a partner in Dorsey & Whitney LLP's Salt Lake City office where he co-chairs the firm's national Energy Practice Group. His practice includes domestic and international mining transactions, natural resources-related environmental and compliance matters, and energy development projects.  Bill is the current co-chairman of the Special Institutes Committee, a past trustee of the Foundation and chaired and co-chaired the Mining Section for the 40th Annual and 54th Annual Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Institute respectively.  He has served as the chairman of the Energy, Natural Resources and Environmental Section of the Utah State Bar, trustee of the Northwest Mining Association, member of the Board of Directors of the Hemispheric Environmental Business Council, and chairman of the Great Basin Chapter of the Air &Waste Management Association.  He was a founding member of the International Mining Professionals Society.  He served for two years as chairman of the Hard Minerals Committee of the ABA Section of Natural Resources, Energy and Environmental Law (SONREEL) and chaired two ABA SONREEL annual conferences on Developments and Trends in Public Law and Mining.    He authored “Joint Development of Coal and Coalbed Methane” presented at the 48th Annual Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Institute in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, and at the Foundation’s Special Institute on Regulation and Development of Coalbed Methane.  Bill is the co-author of "Developing an Environmental Regulatory Model-Piecing Together the Growing Diversity of International Environmental Standards and Agendas" presented at the Foundation’s Special Institute on International Resources Law and republished in the Colorado Journal of International Environmental Law and Policy and a co-author of International Environmental Auditing published by Government Institutes.  He has participated in numerous seminars in the Western United States, Canada and Latin America dealing with mineral development and environmental law.   Bill is a native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and has lived in Peru, Ecuador, Denver, and Washington, D.C. He earned his J.D. from the University of Utah College of Law. In a prior life, he was a river guide in Colorado, Utah and Arizona.

 

Mining Subcommittee Chair

LARRY P. AUSHERMAN joined Modrall, Sperling, Roehl, Harris & Sisk, P.A., in Albuquerque in 1979. His practice is concentrated primarily in environmental, energy, and natural resources and energy law, involving permitting practice before administrative agencies, negotiation and drafting of agreements relating to mineral development, litigation, and environmental issues.  Mr. Ausherman handles litigation and administrative matters concerning mining, oil and gas, water rights, public lands and timber, and Indian law. His practice also includes negotiation and drafting of agreements pertaining to energy and minerals development.  Additionally, Mr. Ausherman's practice includes litigation of environmental contamination issues, compliance counseling, regulatory enforcement proceedings, environmental assessments, environmental implications of commercial and real estate transactions, and administrative practice.

 

Oil and Gas Subcommittee Chair

A. JOHN DAVIS III, a partner in the Energy and Natural Resources Practice Group, joined the Salt Lake City office of Holme Roberts & Owen LLP (HRO) in 2008. Prior to joining HRO, Mr. Davis served on the Board of Directors and as President of Pruitt Gushee, a Salt Lake City Natural Resources law firm. Mr. Davis has over 25 years experience in the areas of oil, gas and mining, environmental law, public lands, real estate and associated litigation. He has a broad range of experience representing clients in natural resources related and real estate transactions, and in environmental due diligence, compliance and permitting matters. Mr. Davis assists and counsels natural resource clients in acquisition financing, access, operational and environmental permitting and compliance matters on federal, Indian tribal, private and state lands as well as NEPA compliance, land exchanges and mineral property development. He has also represented the State of Utah in large land exchange and natural resources development matters and county governments on access, wilderness and other public lands issues.  Mr. Davis has extensive experience in complex natural resource, environmental and public lands litigation, including CERCLA (Superfund) and hazardous waste litigation, and in defending or prosecuting civil cases for oil and gas, mining, and business clients. John frequently practices before the Federal and State Courts in Utah and surrounding states, and in administrative hearings before the Utah Board of Oil Gas and Mining.

 

Program Committee and Speakers

SCOT W. ANDERSON is a partner at Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP in Denver.  His practice focuses on commercial transactions and project development, with specialization in international transactions and transactions involving the mining, oil and gas, and energy industries. Mr. Anderson has worked on transactions in the United States, Europe, Africa, South America, and Australia. He has been engaged in the full sweep of project development in the power, mining and petroleum industries, from drafting construction and operations agreements to negotiating downstream sales arrangements. He has represented a number of clients with projects on Indian lands. Mr. Anderson began his legal career with the Denver office of Arnold & Porter, working primarily on environmental issues, permitting, and product liability litigation.   He joined ARCO Coal Company in 1991. During his tenure with ARCO Coal, he worked on the full range of issues affecting the coal industry. He provided advice to the company’s marketing group on coal sales and transportation contracts, and litigated major coal contract disputes. He assisted mine operations with permitting and compliance issues, and represented the mines in administrative proceedings under the Surface Mine Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA), the Mine Safety and Health Act (MSHA), state regulatory programs, and various environmental laws. He also participated in the development of various proactive training programs and related program development, including internal compliance auditing. He worked on federal coal leasing issues, and the acquisition and divestiture of coal properties. Finally, he advised the coal company on issues related to potential mine acquisitions in China and South America, and traveled to Australia to work on a bid for mine mouth power projects during the privatization of the Victoria power industry. Mr. Anderson moved from ARCO Coal to Guildford England, where he represented ARCO British Limited, ARCO Europe and North Africa Limited, and ARCO Global Energy Ventures. While in England, he served as the Legal Manager for the Southern Gas Basin of the North Sea. In that role, Mr. Anderson dealt with the full range of day-to-day operational issues affecting ARCO British properties in the North Sea. He drafted and negotiated gas sales agreements, and helped ARCO British establish its gas trading desk. He drafted negotiated joint operating agreements, gas balancing agreements, pipeline agreements, rig contracts, farm-ins, processing and transportation arrangements, and other operational agreements. He also participated in the negotiations to allow development of the Elgin-Franklin and Shearwater Field in the northern North Sea, which involved a dozen oil and gas companies. While in England, Mr. Anderson also worked on projects in Europe and North Africa. He worked on acquisitions and divestures of oil and gas properties in the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Tunisia, and Algeria. He also participated in negotiations related to ARCO’s participation in the Interconnector, which linked England’s gas market to Europe. He negotiated some of the first gas sales agreements selling British gas to the European market. He also worked on power development projects in Ireland, Belgium, and England. He was ARCO’s lead lawyer in the construction of the Great Yarmouth Power Project in England, which was financed using non-recourse project financing. Mr. Anderson joined Davis Graham & Stubbs in 2000. Since joining DGS, he has worked on the full sweep of issues affecting the coal, oil and gas, hardrock mining, and renewable energy industries. He has represented clients in administrative proceedings, and in federal and state courts. He has worked on complex transactions for natural resources clients, including the formation of new joint ventures, the divestiture of natural resources projects, and the acquisition of leases and reserves for coal mining, renewables, and oil and gas clients. He continues to advise clients on the full scope of legal issues affecting the natural resources industry. He has extensive experience addressing issues related to mineral development of federal public lands and Indian lands. He continues to work on international energy projects, including projects in Europe, South America, and Africa. He also served as an expert witness in a proceeding concerning the sale of coal from Venezuela. Mr. Anderson is a member of the bars of Colorado and the District of Columbia, as well as the courts of the Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation. He is an active member of the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation, the Colorado Mining Association, the International Bar Association, and the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators. He currently serves as chairman of the Board of Directors of Boys Hope Girls Hope of Colorado, a multi-denominational nonprofit benefiting urban children. Mr. Anderson is also a past president of the Denver Chapter of the International Mining Professionals Association. He is listed in Best Lawyers in America and in Who’s Who Legal - Oil and Gas 2009.

VICKI M. BALDWIN is a shareholder in Parsons Behle & Latimer's Salt Lake City office where she practices in the firm's Litigation and Environmental, Energy, and Natural Resources departments.  She concentrates her practice on energy and climate law as well as commercial litigation.  Vicki has experience in utility regulation, open access, power plant development, and renewable portfolio standard compliance.  In 1986, Vicki earned a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering, magna cum laude.  She received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Utah in 1999. 

RICHARD L. BURLESON is the Managing Partner at Burleson Cooke L.L.P. in Houston.  He has a broad business practice in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and energy.  His clients include independent oil and gas companies, private equity groups, senior and mezzanine lenders and other public and privately held businesses in the oil and gas industry. Mr. Burleson's experience centers around structuring acquisitions and divestitures and other M&A transactions, including negotiation and documentation of letters of intent, purchase and sale agreements, equity contribution, subordinated debt, partnership and shareholder agreements, as well as senior secured loan and security agreements.

JIM BUTLER is a shareholder in the Environmental, Energy and Natural Resources department and practices in the natural resources and environmental areas with Parsons Behle & Latimer in Reno.  Before joining Parsons Behle & Latimer, he worked for the Utah State Energy Office, the Utah State Planning Coordinator's Office and from 1981 to 1985, served as a senior policy assistant to Utah Governor Scott M. Matheson for natural resources. Jim also served as a clerk to Judge Stephen H. Anderson of the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit from September, 1987 to October, 1988. In law school, Jim received an Edward Clyde Fellowship, a Marriner S. Eccles Fellowship and was elected to Order of the Coif. He also served as editor-in-chief for the Utah Law Review.

JOLISA MELTON DOBBS is a Partner at Thompson & Knight LLP in Dallas. Her practice focuses on oil and gas transactions. She counsels clients in the areas of acquisitions and dispositions of properties; oil and gas secured lending; and acquisitions and dispositions of natural resources companies. She works in close contact with the Firm’s Finance and Corporate and Securities Practice Groups. Ms. Dobbs also has expertise in oil and gas title due diligence in acquisitions of properties, and she regularly advises clients regarding exploration and production activities, including preparation of agreements and COPAS issues. She also advises mineral owners on leasing. Ms. Dobbs is an active member and prior scholarship recipient of the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation. She is also a frequent speaker and writer on various oil, gas, and energy topics, including “Keeping it Fast by Merging Around Consents to Assign,” published in the State Bar of Texas Oil, Gas, and Energy Resources Law Section Report, and “The Purchase and Sale Agreement - The Seller’s View,” presented at a Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation Special Institute.

CHRISTOPHER L. DOERKSEN is a Partner at Dorsey & Whitney LLP in Seattle, focusing on M&A, financings, securities laws and general corporate matters.  As a member of the firm’s Canada Practice Group, a significant portion of his practice is devoted to advising Canadian clients on U.S. cross-border transactions.  Mr. Doerksen’s recent experience includes gold and uranium transactions ranging from small asset acquisitions valued at a few hundred thousand dollars to acquisitions of companies with numerous subsidiaries across several states valued at several billion dollars.

TIMOTHY C. DOWD is with the firm of Elias, Books, Brown & Nelson in Oklahoma City.  Mr. Dowd’s primary area of practice is oil and gas law, including the rendering of title opinions, litigation and drafting and negotiation of industry contracts.  Mr. Dowd has vast experience in oil and gas title examination, transactions and civil litigation representing oil and gas clients for over twenty-five years.  Mr. Dowd has represented international and independent oil and gas companies and individuals.  Additionally, Mr. Dowd has been a noted lecturer at over 100 seminars and CLE presentations. Mr. Dowd is a past President of the Oklahoma City Mineral Lawyers Society as well as past Chairman of the Oklahoma Bar Association Mineral Law Section.  Mr. Dowd is also a member of the legal committee of Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, the Advisory Counsel to the Marginal Well Commission of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City Advisory Committee for the Center for Environment and Energy.  Mr. Dowd is also the author of the Chapter on Oil and Gas Titles in West Publishing Company’s Oklahoma Real Estate Forms and Practice.  Mr. Dowd has an “AV” Peer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubbell.

KAREN J. GREENWELL is a member of the Executive Committee and Natural Resources & Environmental Service Team at Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP, and is based in Lexington, Kentucky.  She concentrates her practice in the areas of mineral, energy and property law, and commercial litigation  In addition to litigating business tort, property and contract disputes, Ms. Greenwell has negotiated and prepared mineral leases and been involved in mineral-related acquisitions and lending transactions.

BERNARD J. GUARNERA is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Behre Dolbear & Company Inc. based in Denver.  He has more than 40 years of experience with mining and consulting firms in the international mineral industry, focusing on the valuation of developed and undeveloped mineral properties, negotiations for sales and acquisitions, structuring of mineral development and lease agreements, and economic geology.  Mr. Guarnera’s valuation expertise spans all commodities and geographic areas, with recent emphasis on base and precious metals and past emphasis on energy minerals.  He is a Certified Mineral Appraiser with the American Institute of Mineral Appraisers.  Mr. Guarnera has lectured and instructed the mining engineering group of the Internal Revenue Service on mineral valuation techniques and has also presented seminars and instruction on mineral valuations to the American Institute of Rural and Farm Appraisers and financial institutions.  Mr. Guarnera has provided expert witness testimony on mineral property values on several occasions.

RICH D. HADDOCK is Vice President and General Counsel, North America, Barrick Gold Corporation, Salt Lake City, Utah.  He joined Barrick in 1997.  He served as Vice President, Environment for Barrick from 2005 through 2008.  Prior to that, he was Regional Counsel, North America for Barrick.  From 1992 to 1997, he was Assistant General Counsel for Santa Fe Pacific Gold Corporation.  From 1985 to 1992 he practiced with Holme Roberts & Owen.  Rich has been involved in numerous due diligence reviews and acquisitions over the years.  He has also been involved in all of the legal aspects of mine development and operation. Also, notably relevant to this topic, Rich has experience in utility regulation, open access and power plant development.  Rich received a B.S. in Geology from Brigham Young University in 1982.  He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Utah in 1985.  He is admitted to practice in Utah and Nevada.

CHRISTOPHER G. HAYES is Manager of the Hayes Law Firm, a sole practice law firm in Denver.  His practice emphasizes natural resources land use and administrative issues, including surface use agreements between oil and gas producers and surface owners, federal royalties,  mining and oil and gas environmental law, mining and oil and gas transactions, and business advice to nonprofit professional organizations.  Chris worked as an oil and gas exploration geologist before attending law school. He earned a BS in Geology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and an MS from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.  He received his JD from the University of Colorado School of Law, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif.  Chris serves on the governing council for the Natural Resources and Energy Law Section of the Colorado Bar Association, and is a past Trustee of the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation. He is admitted to practice in Colorado, the United States Courts of Appeals for the Tenth, Fifth and Fourth Circuits, and the Supreme Court of the United States.

MARK P. HEMINGWAY is a principal hydrogeologist with AMEC Geomatrix, Inc., based in Austin, Texas.  He has 24 years experience in site investigation and remediation at environmental sites across the U.S., and has served as an expert witness in hearings, mediation, trials, and arbitration.  He is registered as a professional geologist in Texas, Florida, and Arkansas.  He has degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and the New Mexico School of Mines.

PHILIP A. HOLMES is the Business Development Manager for Anadarko Petroleum Corporation and is based in Denver Colorado. With his background as an engineer, Philip has had a very broad experience in the Petroleum industry and has worked in numerous positions in operations, reservoir engineering and business development. With Anadarko, he has worked in Business Development (acquisitions, divestments, trades) in both the Southern and Rocky Mountain divisions, as well as serving as Operations Manager in Qatar. Prior to Joining Anadarko, Philip worked for Amoco Production Company where he had a worked both domestically and internationally. With Amoco, Philip led Production New Ventures teams to capture deals in Ecuador and Algeria, as well as serving in various management positions in Colorado, Wyoming, and The Netherlands. In these assignments, the evaluating oil and gas properties from a single well to fully developed plays has been an integral part of the position.

ANDREW A. IRVINE is with the firm of Holland & Hart LLP in Jackson, Wyoming.  Mr. Irvine concentrates his practice in natural resources and environmental law, including work in federal and state public land law, environmental regulatory compliance and permitting, minerals, water, and air. He has worked with clients that include water resource providers and members of the natural gas, hydropower, mining, oil, and other industries. Mr. Irvine joined Holland & Hart in 2006, and practiced in the firm's Denver office before moving to the firm's Jackson office in late 2007. Prior to joining Holland & Hart, he held law clerk positions with the Arvada City Attorney's Office, Gold Fields Exploration, Inc., and the Bonneville Power Administration. Mr. Irvine also served as a legal intern for the U.S. Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division. In addition, Mr. Irvine has held various positions across the country and overseas. He served as a Sea Kayak Ranger with the United States Forest Service in Alaska; an Emergency Wildland Firefighter in Oregon and California; a Physical Science Technician with the National Park Service in Alaska; a paleontology research team member in China and Montana; a hydrogeology consulting team member in Indiana; and a geotechnical research intern in Australia.  Mr. Irvine is admitted to practice law in Colorado and Wyoming.

KEVIN W. JOHNSON is a Partner at Holland & Hart LLP in Denver.  He represents clients in international and domestic business transactions, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, financial transactions and corporate law. Having lived and worked in Spain and Switzerland for five years, Mr. Johnson has substantial transactional experience within the European Union and its Member States. In addition, Mr. Johnson has experienced representing clients in Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Pacific Rim. Mr. Johnson's recent experience includes advising clients in transactions for the purchase of internet companies throughout Europe and Latin America; structuring international operations for clients in Europe and the Pacific Rim; advising an investment fund on the purchase of joint venture companies in China; and structuring a fund to invest in energy efficient projects in Latin America. Mr. Johnson also has advised clients in structuring manufacturing and technology licensing joint ventures throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America, including developing strategies for governmental filing requirements both in Europe and the United States. Mr. Johnson has experience in structuring and advising start-up companies, particularly in the electronics and other high technologies industries, and in financing transactions for start-up companies. In addition, Mr. Johnson has experience in privatizing state-owned enterprises.  Prior to joining Holland & Hart, Mr. Johnson was in-house counsel to a major U.S. multinational company. This experience provided Mr. Johnson with a better understanding of the objectives of businesses when entering into transactions, and an appreciation of the workings of business that come from continual contact with the business represented.

JOHN R. LEE is a Partner in the Natural Resources Department at Crowley Fleck PLLP in Billings.  His practice is concentrated on all aspects of oil and gas law, including title examination of federal, fee, state and Indian lands, division orders, formation of federal exploratory and enhanced recovery units, contract matters, and representing clients before state and federal regulatory agencies. Mr. Lee received his Juris Doctorate from the University of North Dakota School of Law, where he was Order of the Coif. John is an active member of the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation, a Regional Director of the American Association of Professional Landmen and a Past President of the Montana Association of Professional Landmen. He is admitted to practice law in both Montana and North Dakota. Mr. Lee also serves on the faculty of the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation’s Federal Oil and Gas Leasing Short Course, teaching the subject areas of unitization, communication and operations.

ANNA P.B. MALLETT is special counsel at Nesbitt & Associates LLC, where she practices natural resources, energy and public lands law, with particular emphasis on the representation of mining companies.  Her practice is transactional based and covers acquisitions, due diligence, permitting, and joint venture development for hard minerals.  Prior to joining Nesbitt & Associates, Ms. Mallett was an associate in the Natural Resources Group of Holme Roberts & Owen. Ms. Mallett is an active member of the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation and the Natural Resources and Energy Law Section of the Colorado Bar Association, where she serves as an Executive Council member. Ms. Mallett earned her J.D. from the University of Denver College of Law (Order of St. Ives) in 2003 and her MRLS degree from the Natural Resources and Environmental Law and Policy LLM program at the University of Denver College of Law in 1999.  She also holds an Engineer-Economist degree from Moscow Academy of Management. Ms. Mallett is a former clerk to the Honorable Russell E. Carparelli of the Colorado Court of Appeals (2003-2005). Prior to starting her career in law, Ms. Mallett worked for the Academy of Sciences of Russia, where she was involved in the working program between U.S. and Russia implementing the Nuclear Test Ban Verification Treaty.

CHRISTOPHER (CHRIS) MANGEN, JR. has been with Crowley Fleck PLLP since 1980. He began his career in the firm's Natural Resources Department, emphasizing oil, gas and water law. He has been on the faculty of the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation Short Course on Federal Oil and Gas Leasing and has served as the faculty chairman for the course. He has also lectured on various topics in the natural resources and real estate areas. Since the mid 1980's Mr. Mangen's practice has increasingly emphasized general litigation and he has become heavily involved in the areas of natural resources related disputes, personal injury, product liability and commercial litigation. Mr. Mangen is lead counsel for natural resource litigated matters.

MARGARET L. MEISTER is a Shareholder at Modrall, Sperling, Roehl, Harris & Sisk, P.A. in Albuquerque.  She serves as the Chair of the Renewable Energy Service Group for the Industry Service Groups, practices primarily in the areas of real estate, commercial transactions and banking. Her real estate practice includes counseling businesses on siting and re-locating facilities, completing sales and tax free exchanges, representing developers and home owners associations in land use issues, and negotiating and drafting leases. Related to banking, Meg represents lenders and borrowers in a variety of lending transactions, including asset-based and real property secured transactions. Meg advises companies doing business on Indian lands and negotiates and structures business transactions involving Indian tribes and Indian lands. Meg's business practice includes entity selection and formation, governance issues, and buying and selling businesses.

CHARLOTTE L. NEITZEL is a partner with Holme Roberts & Owen LLP in Denver and has been with the firm since 1981. She specializes in environmental law and has knowledge and experience with all environmental areas, including the significance of statutes relevant to her clients’ concerns. Her expertise includes Brownfields, Superfund, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act. She also practices extensively in the transactional area, representing buyers, sellers, lenders, borrowers, lessors and lessees.        

WELLS S. PARKER is an associate in Dorsey & Whitney LLP’s Salt Lake City office where he practices in the firm’s Energy Practice Group.  His practice focuses on natural resources development, energy and environmental law, including domestic and international mining transactions, mineral acquisition, permitting, environmental compliance, joint venture development and finance for coal, hard minerals and oil and gas projects.  Wells is an active member of the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation and the Energy, Natural Resources and Environmental Law Section of the Utah State Bar.  He earned his J.D. from Brigham Young University and a B.A. from the University of Utah.

JOSEPH J. PERKINS, JR. is a partner in the law firm of Stoel Rives LLP. He lives in Anchorage, Alaska, where he practices all aspects of natural resources law and public land law. In his practice Joe primarily assists mining companies, oil and gas companies, Native corporations, and financial institutions in connection with their transactions, agreements, and properties. He also has served as an expert witness in mining and oil and gas matters and in matters involving questions of professional responsibility. Joe also volunteers for the Alaska Bar Association as an arbitrator in fee disputes between lawyers and their clients. Prior to joining Stoel Rives LLP in October 2008 when it opened its Anchorage office, Joe practiced with Guess & Rudd P.C. From January 2007 through May 2007, Joe was the E. George Rudolph Distinguished Visiting Professor of Law at the University of Wyoming College of Law, where he taught Oil and Gas Law.  Throughout his career Joe has been active in the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation. He served on the Program Committee for this special institute on Due Diligence in Mining and Oil and Gas Transactions and was co-chair of the Foundation’s recent special institute on Mineral Title Examination (Sept. 2007). He also is the author or co-author of two previous annual institute papers: “Liability of Lawyers To Third Parties for Negligent or Questionable Advice or Opinions—Exposure, Defenses, Current Judicial Views, and Ethical Considerations,” 43 Rocky Mt. Min. L. Inst. 7‑1 (1997), reprinted in 47 Def. L.J. 719 (1998), then revised and reprinted as Paper 11A in Mineral Title Examination (Sept. 2007); and “The Great Land Divided But Not Conquered: The Effects of Statehood, ANCSA, and ANILCA on Alaska,” 34 Rocky Mt. Min. L. Inst. 6‑1 (1988). He also is co-author of “Alaska Lands and Mineral Interests,” Title VI (ch. 70‑73), American Law of Mining (2d ed. 1984). He has served as the Foundation’s Secretary (2001-2002), as a Trustee At-Large and Member of the Executive Committee (1998-2000), and as an organizational Trustee (1988-1997). In 2003 he served as Public Lands Co-Chair for the Foundation’s annual institute, and in 2000 he served as Program Chair for the Foundation’s special institute on Ethics and Professional Responsibility. Since 1991 he also has chaired the Scholarship Committee of the Foundation.  Joe has lived and practiced law in Alaska since receiving his law degree from the University of Denver College of Law in 1979. He received his undergraduate degree (B.S.E., Geological Engineering, with high honors) from Princeton University in 1976. He and his spouse Rebecca Graham have two sons in college.

JAMES M. PICCONE is President, General Counsel, Director and one of the founders of Resolute Energy Corporation, a New York Stock Exchange traded U.S. oil and gas company.  Mr. Piccone was Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of Aspect Energy, LLC from 2002 to 2004.  Before that, he was Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of HS Resources, Inc., also a public New York Stock Exchange traded company. Prior to joining HS Resources, Mr. Piccone was a senior partner at the Denver, Colorado, law firm of Davis, Graham & Stubbs, where at different times he managed the Energy practice group, the Natural Resources Department and the firm’s Transactions Department and where he served on the Management Committee. Mr. Piccone received his B.A., Economics, from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 1972 and his J.D. (Order of the Coif) from the University of Colorado School of Law in 1978. Mr. Piccone has been a speaker and writer on Energy law and finance matters.  In 2002 he served as the Distinguished Natural Resources Practitioner in Residence and Adjunct Professor of Natural Resources Law at the University of Denver College of Law.

ALEX RITCHIE is the Senior Corporate Counsel for Suncor Energy (U.S.A.) Inc., based in Greenwood Village and Commerce City, Colorado.  Alex joined Suncor in September, 2009, after almost 10 years in the Corporate and Energy and Natural Resources groups at Holme Roberts & Owen LLP, where he made partner in 2006.  Since joining Suncor, Alex has focused on acquisition and divestiture transactions, including recent divestitures by Suncor of its U.S. upstream oil and gas assets, as well as other contract matters, environmental matters and retail operations.  While at Holme Roberts & Owen, Alex focused on representing oil and gas, mining and renewable companies in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and financing transactions as well as operational and securities matters.  Alex has taught and written on a number of topics involving joint ventures and mergers and acquisitions, and is currently on the drafting committee of the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation for the development of new Form 5 LLC forms.  Alex is a former Certified Public Accountant and listed as a Colorado Super Lawyers Rising Star.

PAUL J. SCHLAUCH is with Holland & Hart LLP in Greenwood Village, Colorado.  HHe has more than 35 years experience in legal issues relating to the mining industry.  His practice has included counseling regarding operational and regulatory matters and representing clients in a wide array of transactions as well as in litigation and arbitration.  Mr. Schlauch has assisted in the structuring and negotiation of hundreds of transactions, including joint ventures, limited liability companies, leases, royalty transfers, mineral property purchases and sales, ore sales agreements, cooperative operating agreements, and corporate acquisitions and mergers.  He has worked extensively on public land law issues including matters relating to the location, maintenance and patenting of mining and mill site claims, land exchanges, the acquisition of various property use rights, and the resolution of claim conflicts. In each of 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 the International Who's Who of Business Lawyers named Mr. Schlauch as "the World's leading mining lawyer," pointing in particular to his work on international transactions. In 2007 and 2008, Mr. Schlauch was also honored as one of the top 500 lawyers in the United States by Law Dragon.  Mr. Schlauch has been active in natural resource industry professional organizations. He is a past president of the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation and a past President of the International Mining Professionals Society. He is a frequent speaker on topics relating to the mining industry and is the author of numerous articles on industry issues. Mr. Schlauch is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Denver University School of Law, where he teaches courses on international mineral law and policy. He also holds an appointment as an Honorary Lecturer and Course Director on the Faculty of the Center for Energy, Petroleum and Minerals Law and Policy at the University of Dundee, Scotland. Mr. Schlauch is listed in The Best Lawyers in America, Colorado Super Lawyers, The International Who's Who in Business Lawyers, Who's Who in America, Who's Who in American Lawyers, Who's Who in International Business, and the International Who's Who of Mining Lawyers.

WILLIAM E. SPARKS is with Beatty & Wozniak, P.C. in Denver.  He represents clients on matters involving energy-related litigation and natural resources development on federal and Indian lands.  Specifically, Bill has represented independent oil and gas producers in litigation involving the National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, National Historic Preservation Act and Energy Policy Act.  Bill also represents oil and gas producers before U.S. federal courts and the Interior Board of Land Appeals regarding the issuance and development of federal oil and gas leases and related environmental law compliance.  Bill routinely advises companies on regulatory compliance at the state and federal level. Bill joined Beatty & Wozniak, P.C. in 2009 after practicing in the Washington, D.C. and Denver offices of Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.  Bill earned his J.D. from the Texas Wesleyan University School of Law in 2003 and his undergraduate degree from Ole Miss in 1999.  He is admitted to practice in Colorado, Wyoming, Texas and the District of Columbia.  Bill is also admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court, District of Colorado and District of Columbia and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and Tenth Circuit.

CRAIG SPURN is Partner at Venn Law LLP in Calgary, focusing on oil and gas law. Previously with Blake at Cassels & Graydon LLP, Craig's clients include senior, mid-sized and junior Canadian and foreign energy companies, income funds, service and technology providers, and private capital firms. He has extensive experience in local and international oil- and gas-related transactions and projects, including heavy oil, oil sands and unconventional gas projects. Craig is recognized as one of Canada's leading energy lawyers by Chambers Global: The World's Leading Lawyers for Business and by Law Business Research's The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers. 

KENNETH A. WONSTOLEN joined Beatty & Wozniak, P.C. in Denver as senior counsel on January 1, 2009.  Ken has more than 30 years of experience in energy policy and law, including geothermal and other renewable resources, and emphasizing a wide range of oil and gas matters. He has served as an oil and gas trade association executive, and as counsel to a number of oil and gas clients. Ken spent several years as a corporate officer responsible for project development, public affairs, investor relations, and environmental compliance. Ken has a wide range of transactional experience, including the negotiation of purchase and sale agreements, asset acquisition and related due diligence, including a leasing project in Ireland. He also has extensive environmental expertise, including design, oversight and implementation of environmental, health and safety compliance plans; coordination of reporting and response to spills, releases, accidents and resolution of enforcement actions; negotiation of site remediation and closure plans, and oversight of environmental contractors. Ken handles  permitting, spacing, well density, pooling, regulatory compliance and other oil and gas commission matters. He also represents his clients before other administrative panels, as well as the courts. Ken is familiar with state and local permitting and negotiation with landowners, neighborhood groups, local governments and commercial developers. He has been instrumental in the development of air and water quality programs related to oil and gas.  Ken is an expert bill drafter and frequent witness in legislative hearings. He has testified before the U.S. Congress on federal leasing reform; natural gas royalty valuation; regulation of gas transportation; the impact of Canadian gas imports, and access to federal lands. He is frequent speaker to professional societies on oil, gas and general energy issues, and has been cited as source in the Wall Street Journal and other publications.