Merkel Energy, Oil & Gas Lawyers

Our teams start with a deep understanding of our clients’ business objectives. We share knowledge across practices and regions. We help our clients not only mitigate risk, but also discover opportunity. And each success begins with the same simple question…

How can we help you?

By pooling our energy, talents and resources, we are able to achieve the highest order of excellence in the practice and profession of the law. Through such practice we are able to give back to our communities, and in all things to govern ourselves as members of a free democratic society with responsibilities both to our profession...

With nearly 30 years of complex commercial litigation experience, Robert R. Burford has distinguished himself as an aggressive and successful attorney for his clients. Mr. Burford has handled business disputes of nearly every variety for both plaintiffs and defendants. Mr. Burford has skillfully handled nearly every type of high-stakes business disputes including litigation involving fiduciary duties, securities fraud, mergers and acquisitions, Director’s and Officers’ liability, legal malpractice, oil and gas matters, partnership disputes, intellectual property disputes, theft of trade secrets, healthcare related matters and complex contractual disputes. Mr. Burford graduated from the University of Houston in 1981...

Matt Parks is a dedicated trial attorney who has experience in business and commercial litigation, admiralty & maritime, energy, and personal injury. Matt attended the University of Texas Law School where he worked at the Environmental Law Clinic and on the Texas Environmental Law Journal. Matt also worked as a law clerk for the Texas Railroad Commission and a summer associate for Enbridge Energy. These hands on work experiences helped Matt hone the skills litigation skills that client have come to rely on him for. After graduation, Matt joined a Texas based litigation boutique where he focused...

Clients and colleagues call Barry Barnett an “incredibly gifted lawyer” (Chambers and Partners) who is “magic in the courtroom” (Who’s Who Legal), “the top antitrust lawyer in Texas” (Chambers and Partners), and “a person of unquestioned integrity” (David J. Beck, founder of Beck Redden). Barnett is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, and Lawdragon has named him one of the top 500 lawyers in the United States three years in a row. Best Lawyers in America has honored him as “Lawyer of the Year” for Bet-the-Company Litigation (2019 and 2017) and Patent Litigation (2020) in Houston. Based in...

Rafael is a proud native of a small town in West Texas (Fort Stockton), where he spent his youth camping in Big Bend National Park and on drilling rigs with his father learning the oil and gas industry that has long-fueled much of the West Texas economy. Rafael credits his work ethic and “never-say-die” attitude to his parents, both of whom worked blue-collar jobs during Rafael’s adolescence to help their children succeed. Rafael left home to play Division I football in the Big XII Conference, where he received several accolades for his performance on and off the field, including being selected...

EDWARD J. KAZALEH is an Attorney, Mediator and Arbitrator who offers tremendous business, legal and real world expertise to his clients. KAZALEH & ASSOCIATES, LLP provides Legal Representation of BUSINESSES and INDIVIDUALS for REAL ESTATE, COMMERCIAL, PERSONAL INJURY, LITIGATION, CONSTRUCTION, OIL & GAS, PIPELINE, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY and certain IMMIGRATION LEGAL MATTERS. Our Clients are in the United States and International. GO TO OUR WEB SITE: www.BizLaw.Pro Our particular strengths are: CONSTRUCTION DISPUTES AND DEFECT LAW & ARBITRATION- REAL ESTATE & PROPERTY LAW - COMMERCIAL & BUSINESS LAW - INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, TRADEMARKS & PATENTS...

Don Ethridge is senior counsel in The Woodlands office of Kean Miller. He joined the firm in 2018 and practices in the oil and gas litigation group. Don’s practice centers on oil and gas property title examination, contract negotiation, and drafting in both Louisiana and Texas. He also has extensive litigation experience representing clients in such diverse areas as eminent domain, oilfield environmental remediation, pipeline and utility rights-of-way, personal injury defense, class actions, and disputes concerning ownership of minerals, royalties, and production from oil and gas wells.

Susan Turney has practiced business law in The Woodlands since 2004. She is committed to protecting her clients’ best interests with not only legal, but practical advice, and timely, responsive communication.

Susan Turney represents companies, owners, and executives. Her practice includes the review, negotiation, and documentation of all types of contracts, including master service agreements, manufacturing agreements, contractor and subcontractor agreements, sales contracts, distributor agreements, licenses, and commercial leases. She provides legal counsel on startups, entity formation, corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, corporate governance, partnership governance, shareholders’ agreements, buy-sell agreements, buy-out agreements, redemptions, partnership and limited liability company agreements,...

I have practiced oil and gas law in Texas since 1975, specializing in representation of land and mineral owners. I am certified in oil and gas law by Texas Board of Legal Specialization. I have been employed at Graves, Dougherty, Hearon & Moody in Austin, Texas since 1978, and have been serving as President of the firm since January 2018.

Graduated from St. Stephens Episcopal School 1968. Undergraduate Yale University 1972, JD University of Texas 1975, Clerk on Texas Supreme Court 1975-76, Justice Ross Doughty.

Attorney Rodney L. Drinnon is an experienced litigator who handles complex civil litigation in cases in both federal & state courts and he is a partner in the McCathern Houston office. He has served as the lead trial lawyer on matters ranging from antitrust actions, contested corporate control disputes, director and officer liability, contract disputes, employment matters (including misappropriation of trade secrets, restrictive covenants, and Department of Labor investigations), insurance coverage questions, and oil and gas litigation. Mr. Drinnon is admitted to practice in Texas, Ohio, and Illinois and he has successfully tried cases in over ten jurisdictions throughout the...

I was born and raised in Abilene, Texas, having attended, and graduationg from, Abilene Christian School all 12 grades. I went on to get a BBA in Accounting from ABilene Christian University before going to law school at Texas Tech University School of Law. After graduating law school I started working for Isaac M. Castro in Hamlin, Texas. In 1999 I was made a partner in the new law firm Castrro & Davis, L.L.P. Subsequently, in August 2000, I moved to Cleburne, Texas, and went to work as in-house counsel for gimmeabid.com, then located in Dallas, Texas....

Scott Zimmer is a partner in the Shreveport office of Kean Miller and practices in the commercial litigation group. He assists clients in all manner of litigation, including commercial, environmental, transportation, gaming industry litigation, and complex personal injury matters.

Scott is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell. He is listed in Louisiana Super Lawyers 2018 - 2019.

Scott earned his B.S. from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1994. He earned his J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center in 1998.

Rudy Santos is a proud Texan who is dedicated to the people of the state. He studied law at Texas Tech University and has been committed to practicing law in this community for more than a decade. With a focus on family law, he firmly believes that families are the heart of the Laredo community. As a lawyer dedicated to helping people resolve family-related issues, Rudy Santos is dedicated to assisting families in the community by providing the crucial legal help they need. He works closely with every client to create a personalized case strategy that is most likely to...

Clint J. Hays is a Senior Attorney in the Oil & Gas Division with Kearney, McWilliams & Davis, PLLC. He has over seventeen years’ experience in the oil and gas industry, with a focus on complex title examination and oil and gas transactional matters. Clint has been Board Certified in Oil, Gas and Mineral Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 2009. After graduating from the Texas Tech School of Law in 2004, Clint began his career as a Petroleum Landman/Associate General Counsel for a land services company in Midland, TX, and has spent the last sixteen years as...

Mr. Childers joined Freeman Mills PC with more than 20 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. He began his career as an independent field landman performing all aspects of onshore land services for domestic exploration and production companies. From 2006 to 2015 he held the following positions with independent domestic upstream operating companies: Land Manager, Land Manager and General Counsel, Vice President - Land, Executive Vice-President - Exploration and Production, Chief Operating Officer and President.

During his tenure in the energy business, Mr. Childers has been charged with leading the management of exploration and production operations, the acquisition...

A business attorney with more than 10 years experience with business law, property law, oil and gas law experience. Cliff also helps people, from time to time, with family law and other litigation issues. Cliff has degrees in Business Management and for 20 years prior to law school, Cliff spent his time in a variety of sales and management positions. He is aware of what it takes to make a profit, secure a business and project a great image to the community. For a free consultation, please feel free to call or visit my web page. For more information, visit: https://bcwilliamslaw.com

I represent plaintiffs who have been hurt. I am board certified in Personal Injury Trial Law and handle catastrophic personal injury cases, but I also practice construction, securities, and complex commercial litigation, for companies and individuals. I am a native Houstonian and attended St. Thomas High School where I currently serve on the board. I went to Harvard and graduated with high honors, magna cum laude, in 2004. At Harvard, I served as Historian of the Harvard Political Union, the College's debating society, and as Secretary of Harvard CHANCE, a group dedicated to mentoring and tutoring students from Cambridge...

Joseph Tung brings nearly 20 years of business and legal experience to the table that began with investment banking and continued through an appellate judicial clerkship, a regional and national law firm, and a global oilfield services company. In 2009, Joseph started a full-service private practice offering general counsel services for a variety of businesses and investors. His practice areas included corporate, transactional, employment, litigation, intellectual property, mergers, acquisition, and real estate law. By 2016, Tung Law Firm, PLLC now represents a diverse range of clients in many industries ranging from information technology, construction, oil and...

Joe’s clients benefit from his extensive hands-on experience with researching, drafting pleadings, and discovery. As a trusted advocate, Joe learns his client’s business objectives to effectively litigate matters involving a variety of complex oil and gas disputes, contract disputes, and a variety of other civil matters even through the state and federal appeal process if necessary. His research and experience with drafting briefs in both the state and federal appeals and has helped bring favorable solutions to his clients in previous disputes. In addition to his experience in the courtroom, Joe has provided advice and prepared agreements that cover...

Nick Morrow is an aggressive and relentless trial lawyer, committed to getting his clients results as quickly as possible. From growing up in a small town to succeeding at the highest levels of corporate law, Nick has a unique life experience. This helps him understand his clients’ needs, solve complicated problems, negotiate settlements with large and powerful companies, and connect with judges and juries. Most importantly, he is fiercely loyal to his clients. Nick is a fourth-generation Texan. He grew up in a middle class family in Sealy. He was brought up in a home that valued hard work,...

Philip Robert Brinson is an experienced trial lawyer who possesses unique skills derived from experience outside of the legal fields that have made him not only a trusted advocate for his clients, but also a formidable adversary in the courtroom. Mr. Brinson has extensive legal experience in a variety of practice areas, including hospitality and dram shop, entertainment, premises liability, products liability, professional liability, employment, oil field services, and business and commercial litigation. Mr. Brinson has litigation experience on both sides of the docket in handling infringement actions in copyright and trademark actions in the entertainment and hospitality industries, including...

Practice Areas: Maritime, Energy Transportation, and Insurance Law. Experience Includes: Maritime liens, vessel allisions & collisions, maritime personal injuries, ocean marine and inland cargo, interpretation of insurance policies, insurance bad faith actions, premises liability, acting as a mediator and arbitrator Services: Along with providing legal services to clients I am also asked from time to time to provide consulting services and expert testimony on maritime law and insurance law matters. I am also asked from time to time to act as an arbitrator and/or mediator in disputes. Peer Rated: AV Preeminent by the Martindale â Hubbell peer review rating system, the highest...

Will Stafford is Of Counsel in Crain Caton’s Corporate, Business Transactions and Tax Group. With over a decade of legal experience, Will has developed a broad corporate practice, with an emphasis on securities offerings, business transactions, and general corporate governance. He has extensive experience representing individuals, public and private companies, financial institutions and local governments in a wide variety of matters including capital markets transactions, mergers and acquisitions, early-stage and venture capital investments, technology transactions, commercial contracts, securities regulation and compliance, corporate structuring and formation, and general corporate matters.

Will has represented corporations in the issuance of debt, equity and convertible...

Robert W. St. Clair, born Pampa, Texas, July 5, 1957; admitted to Texas bar, 1982; also admitted to practice before: United States Supreme Court,1998; United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, 1988; United States District and Bankruptcy Courts, Northern (1982), Western (1987), Eastern (1987), and Southern (1987) Districts of Texas. Preparatory education, Abilene Christian University (B.B.A., 1979); legal education, South Texas College of Law (J.D., 1982). Board Certified, Business Bankruptcy Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization (since 1988). Member: State Bar of Texas (Bankruptcy Section, Member; Litigation Section, Member); Lubbock County Bar Association; and West Texas Bankruptcy Bar Association (Secretary 1989-90, President 1997-98). Fellow: Texas Bar Foundation. Texas...

Paul Grinke is Managing Partner of McCathern’s office at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Mr. Grinke has broad experience on a national level, litigating complex commercial and catastrophic event claims from both sides of the docket. He has successfully litigated commercial breach of contract, fiduciary duty, and employment covenant claims. In addition, Mr. Grinke prosecutes and defends claims involving personal injury, wrongful death, and disastrous property damage arising from construction defect, product defect, trucking, and liquor liability.

Mr. Grinke leads McCathern’s Construction Defect, Product Liability and related Fire Litigation practices. He has particular expertise in counseling institutional clients involved in tragic...

Linkedin Bio at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/smarrs. TRIAL ATTORNEY and ARBITRATOR. Over 20 years of experience in complex international and energy arbitrations and lawsuits: oil & gas, energy, chemical, commercial, international and intellectual property matters, including disputes relating to: upstream and downstream agreements and operations, alternative energy, biofuels, pipelines, supply agreements, exploration, production, refining and processing, service company issues, title, drilling, royalty, transportation, catastrophic events, accounting, international, fiduciary duty, fraud, products liability, environmental, rig and plant construction matters. Represents plaintiffs and defendants (apx 50/50). Also experienced with intellectual property, including disputes involving patent, trademark, copyright and trade secrets. ...

RUDY BEUTTENMULLER, born St. Louis, Missouri, December 20, 1953; admitted to bar, 1980, Texas. Also admitted to U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas; U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of Texas; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas; U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Texas; U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas; U.S. Tax Court. Education: Princeton University (B.A., cum laude, 1976); Duke University (J.D., with distinction, 1980). Staff Member, 1978-1979 and Articles Editor, 1979-1980, Duke Law Journal. Author: Comment, "The Goal of The New Premerger Notification Requirements: Preliminary Relief Against Anticompetitive Mergers," Duke Law Journal 249, 1979....