Credit Available - See Credits tab below.
Total Credits: 16.0 Louisiana, 16.0 Pennsylvania
Recordings from IEL’s 74th Annual Energy Law Conference, which was held in-person in Houston on February 16-17, 2023. As the world’s long running energy law conference, the 74th Annual Energy Law Conference will bring together legal leaders and other professionals in the energy industry for two days of excellent educational programming covering the oil, gas, and renewables sectors of the energy industry.
| Accreditation Status: Approved |
Total Credits: 16.0 |
General Credits: 16.0 |
Ethics Credits: 2.0 |
Professionalism Credits: |
Law Office PracticeCredits: |
| Accreditation Status: Approved (Up to 6.0 credits may be through pre-recorded online credits) |
Total Credits: 16.0 |
General Credits: 16.0 |
Ethics Credits: 2.0 |
Bianca Roberson is Legal Counsel for Shell in the Contracts and Procurement group. Bianca collaborates with business partners in the drafting and negotiation of contracts for commercial projects globally. Prior to joining Shell, Bianca worked as an Assistant District Attorney for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office for three years. Bianca is a graduate of Thurgood Marshall School of Law where she received a Juris Doctorate in 2013. Bianca is a member of the Houston Bar Association, the Executive Director of the Downtown Group, and President of the Young Energy Professional Committee. Bianca is also the Founder of WE WILL, a non-profit that seeks to access, educate, and inspire high achieving but underserved high school women about careers in law.
Bianca grew up in Texas City, Texas and after graduation attended Howard University in Washington, DC. After graduating with a BBA in Finance, Bianca worked for two years on the commodities trading floor at Morgan Stanley in New York City. Bianca is also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc – a public service organization. Bianca has also worked extensively with Team in Training, which is the fundraising arm of the Leukemia and Lymphoma. Within her work with TNT, Bianca has completed several triathlons and marathons to raise money to fund cancer research.
Bianca is a true “foodie” and dotes a lot of time chasing her nine-year old daughter, Sloane, five-year-old son, Duke, and three-year old daughter, Ella.
Professor Christopher Kulander teaches at the South Texas College of Law—Houston and currently serves as Director of the Harry L. Reed Oil & Gas Law Institute. He has taught Domestic Energy Law, Property, Mining Law, and beginning and advanced Oil & Gas Law courses. In addition, he teaches International Energy Law at Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania, as a permanent visiting professor. He is licensed in Texas and New Mexico. Professor Kulander has published over twenty law review articles, as well as many other articles with a more practical focus in the industry literature, on diverse topics including energy lending, finance, oil & gas law, land use control, American Indian law, as well as on geology, and petroleum seismology. He is a prolific speaker and expert witness.
He received his J.D. from the University of Oklahoma, where he was managing editor for the Oklahoma Bar Mineral Law Newsletter and note editor and assisting managing editor for the American Indian Law Review. Before teaching, Professor Kulander practiced for four years in the Houston office of Haynes and Boone, LLP, focusing on energy lending, finance, and bankruptcy. Prior to that, he practiced for two years with Cotton & Bledsoe in Midland, Texas, focusing on oil and gas title, leasing, and litigation support.
Before law school, he received his B.S. in geology and M.S. in geophysics from Wright State in Dayton, Ohio, and his Ph.D. in geophysics (petroleum seismology) from Texas A&M University, after which he worked for the U.S. Geological Survey as a geophysicist.
Dan Brouillette is president of Sempra Infrastructure, a leading global energy company focused on three key development platforms: LNG and net-zero carbon solutions, renewable power, and modernized energy networks.
Prior to joining Sempra, Brouillette served as the 15th United States Secretary of Energy. In this capacity, he led a workforce of 105,000 employees and federal contractors, with direct responsibility for the nation’s nuclear weapons arsenal, coordination of federal energy policy, management of seventeen national research laboratories, and direction of the department’s $44 billion annual budget. He served as the President’s primary advisor on energy and nuclear matters, and was a member of the President’s National Security Council as well as the Vice President’s National Space Council. Under his leadership, the Department unveiled the world’s fastest supercomputer, developed specialized transportation fuels and photographic equipment for the Mars Perserverance Rover, launched the nation’s first quantum internet system, established the country’s first scientific laboratory dedicated exclusively to the advancement of battery storage technologies, and initiated nearly $16 billion in research on issues related to carbon management, hydrogen development, and advanced materials and chemicals science.
Brouillette also served as U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy, the chief operating officer of the department, managing nearly $38 billion of federal construction projects. Brouillette is the only person ever to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve in both roles.
In the private sector, Brouillette was a senior vice president and corporate officer of USAA, the nation’s leading provider of financial services to the military community. Before joining USAA, Brouillette was a vice president of Ford Motor Company, where he served on its North American Operating Committee. At Ford and USAA, he was assigned to management teams that brought to market advanced consumer products related to remote deposit capture, a technology invented by USAA that allows for smartphone processing of financial documents, and the adaptive cruise control systems that were a precursor to fully autonomous vehicles.
Brouillette is a veteran and former tank commander with the U.S. Army’s highly decorated 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. He has received Distinguished Public Service medals from both the U.S. Secretary of Defense and the U.S. Secretary of State, the highest award an individual can receive by either department. For his leadership in both the public and private sectors, he was awarded an honorary doctorate of public administration from the University of South Carolina and has been recognized as a Distinguished Alumni of the University of Maryland.
He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and has served as a guest lecturer at the National War College and the Army War College. He and his wife Adrienne, also an Army veteran, are the parents of nine children and reside near Washington, DC.
Mark R. Robeck joined Golden Pass in June 2021, with over 30 years working with domestic and international clients in across nearly every sector of the energy industry. Prior to Golden Pass, Mark served the Department of Energy as the Deputy General Counsel for Energy Policy, counseling Department leadership on wide-ranging legal and policy issues affecting program initiatives and actions, interagency and intergovernmental engagements and negotiations, rule-making initiatives, and major litigation and conflicts. His nearly three decades of private practice focused on dispute resolution, investigations, risk management, and compliance counseling, including representation of clients in state and federal courts, domestic and international arbitrations, and responding to federal and state civil, criminal, regulatory, and legislative investigations.
Meghan McElvy represents clients in a broad range of energy, construction and commercial litigation matters. She primarily focuses on energy litigation and regulatory proceedings, including disputes before state and federal courts and arbitral tribunals. She is also experienced in construction and lien disputes. Meghan routinely advises energy clients on most aspects of legal and operational issues arising from the development of shale plays and horizontal drilling throughout Texas and elsewhere in the United States, including disputes involving oil and gas leases, joint operating and joint development agreements, participation agreements, royalty obligations, surface use, mineral title, service contractors, commingling and allocation wells. Her energy practice also extends internationally, where she has represented and counseled clients on matters subject to ICC and UNCITRAL arbitration. She also counsels clients regarding disputes and obligations arising from offshore development in the Gulf of Mexico.
In addition to her active litigation practice, Meghan routinely represents clients in contested regulatory proceedings before the Texas Public Utility Commission and Texas Railroad Commission concerning rates, permits, and licensing or abandonment of energy infrastructure.
Lucian T. Pera is a partner with the Memphis, Tennessee, office of Adams and Reese LLP. His practice includes civil trial work, including commercial litigation and media law, and he counsels and represents lawyers, law firms, and others on questions of legal ethics and the professional responsibility of lawyers. A Memphis native, he is a graduate of Princeton University and Vanderbilt University School of Law and served as a law clerk for U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit Harry W. Wellford. Pera joined Adams and Reese in 2006 to help open the firm’s Memphis office, after practicing law for 20 years with Armstrong Allen, PLLC.
Pera has served as president of the Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers (APRL), the national membership organization of lawyers who work in the legal ethics arena. He has chaired and served as a member of the editorial board of the ABA/BNA Lawyers’ Manual on Professional Conduct. He has chaired ethics committees for the ABA Section of Business Law and the Media Law Resource Center Defense Counsel Section. He recently completed a three-year term as chair of the governing board of the ABA Center for Professional Responsibility. He currently serves as President of the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government.
He is a member of the American Law Institute, the American Bar Foundation, and is recognized in The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of First Amendment Law, Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law, Commercial Litigation, Health Care Law, and Legal Malpractice Law.
Pera is a former American Bar Association Treasurer and has served on the ABA Board of Governors and Executive Committee. With the exception of three years in the late 1990s, he has been a member of the ABA House of Delegates since 1991. He is also a past President of the Tennessee Bar Association.
Chris is Co-Managing Partner of Quinn Emanuel’s Houston office. Chris is an experienced trial lawyer focused on the key disputes businesses face – from breach of contract and trade secret claims to business torts and antitrust disputes. A natural in the courtroom, Chris brings substantive jury-trial experience and commands the respect of judges and juries alike. His comfort level with going to trial is a formidable competitive advantage for his clients – both in and outside the courtroom.
Chris represents plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal courts throughout Texas and elsewhere. A key to his approach (and success) is developing a close working relationship with his clients and maintaining an open, ongoing dialogue that ensures the best strategic decisions at every stage of litigation. Whether his clients are looking to obtain a quick settlement, or to see their matter through trial, he is prepared every step of the way.
A distinctly business-oriented trial lawyer, Chris studied Business Administration with a concentration in Finance at The University of Texas at El Paso, where he was also a student government senator, captain of the football team, and a bowl game MVP. His demonstrated work ethic today comes in large part from his early drive to succeed. After working in the insurance industry for two years, Chris graduated with honors from the University of Michigan Law School. He then completed a judicial clerkship with the Honorable Philip R. Martinez in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas.
In 2022, Chris was ranked by Chambers USA in General Commercial Litigation and most recently has been named Litigator of the Week by The American Lawyer. He has also been repeatedly recognized as a “Texas Rising Star” by Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers, and he has been named to the Texas Super Lawyers list from 2020-2022. Chris has also been selected to the Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers guide from 2020-2022. Chris currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Houston Parks Board.
Kelly Herrera is Lead Counsel, Litigation at ConocoPhillips Company. In that role, she has managed a wide variety of litigation for the company from commercial and environmental disputes, personal injury and international arbitration. Kelly has also served as the Director of Public Policy at ConocoPhillips, in which she helped to develop the corporate policy and strategies related to legislative and regulatory actions and related advocacy positions.
Michael is an experienced trial attorney, having served as trial counsel in over 30 contested matters in state courts, federal courts, arbitrations, and administrative proceedings throughout the United States. His practice is focused on a wide range of complex commercial disputes and also includes significant experience in the defense of toxic tort, environmental, catastrophic event and insurance coverage litigation.
Michael J. Mazzone is a partner in the Litigation section of Haynes and Boone, LLP. Mazzone frequently represents energy companies in civil litigation including environmental contamination and construction defect. Mazzone is a frequent speaker and author. Mazzone received a B.A. in Business Administration from the University of South Carolina in 1977 and his J.D. from Suffolk University Law School in Boston in 1983.
Serving as a dedicated associate in Haynes and Boone’s Litigation Practice Group, Julia Peebles focuses on navigating clients through the litigation process and providing legal guidance on complex matters. Julia leverages her extensive oral and written advocacy skills to deliver results-driven legal advice on various practice areas, including commercial, energy, and employment law.
Julia’s experience includes representing clients in all stages of litigation, from successfully negotiating deals, to composing winning trial and appellate briefs on various subjects including discrimination claims and breach of contract disputes.
Julia earned her law degree from the University of Houston Law Center, where she served as the Moot Court team’s Executive Director and received the State Bar of Texas Appellate Section’s Award for Appellate Excellence in Appellate Advocacy for the University of Houston Law Center.
When not serving clients, she is committed to the professional development of current law students at her alma mater. She is a coach for the University of Houston’s Moot Court team, providing advice on oral and written advocacy.
When you ask Courtney Ervin to describe herself as a lawyer, she says, “I’m a problem‐solver.” While she is one of the top up‐and‐coming trial lawyers in Texas, she also finds immense satisfaction using her business acumen to defuse disputes early, when possible.
“Look, I welcome a good fight,” says Ervin. “That’s an essential part of a trial lawyer’s DNA. However, I never forget that my clients call me when they have a problem, which means they’d rather never have to call me. So when they do, it’s my responsibility to find quick and efficient solutions so they can get back to business with the least amount of disruption.”
Ms. Ervin literally grew up in business; her father spent his entire career in the energy industry ‐ as a business executive at a major exploration and production company ‐ based in Houston. His career moved the family to The Hague, The Netherlands and London, England, providing Courtney with a global perspective to relationships and problem solving. Her familiarity and nuanced understanding of solving complex business issues has made her an invaluable asset to her clients in finding creative and effective solutions to disputes. She takes particular pride in the fact that she has worked on important, cutting‐ edge energy matters involving first‐of‐its kind business ventures.
Her focus is on high‐stakes commercial litigation in state and federal court and in arbitration. Her clients include business of all sizes in the oil and gas, energy, insurance, construction, real estate, private equity, information technology, and health care industries She has a wealth of experience involving energy‐related and insurance coverage litigation serving as lead counsel for a global exploration and production company and for one of the largest commercial property casualty insurance companies.
While she is passionate about serving her clients and eschews personal accolades, she is piling up the honors. Ms. Ervin has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America every year since 2021 for her work in energy law, identified as a Future Star by Benchmark Litigation from 2021‐2023, and is repeatedly recognized by Texas Super Lawyers. She was also named to Lawdragon’s inaugural list of 500 Leading Litigators in America in 2023 and was profiled as one of the leading energy litigation lawyers in the U.S. in 2016 by The Legal 500. She earned her law degree from the University of Houston Law Center, magna cum laude, and her Bachelor of Science degree from Colorado State University. Ms. Ervin is a member of the State Bar of Texas, Houston Bar Association and the Texas Bar Foundation.
A list of Representative Cases may be found here: https://www.hicks‐thomas.com/attorneys/courtney‐e‐ervin/
A successful and prolific trial lawyer with many high-value “wins” under his belt, George can effectively cross-examine the most difficult and experienced expert witnesses because he speaks “engineering,” and at the same time, effortlessly connect with juries because of his engaging personality. He routinely tries complex commercial and insurance cases for both plaintiffs and defendants, including coverage, subrogation, architectural and engineering professional malpractice cases, take or pay contract disputes, and upstream and pipeline transportation issues that earn him Verdict Hall of Fame accolades.
George is recognized for his depth of knowledge and superb handling of oil and gas well blowouts, as well as product liability defects involving cutting-edge technologies in multi-billion dollar onshore and offshore construction projects. He sometimes litigates or arbitrates cases in Alaska, the United Kingdom, West Africa, South America, or China but is most often found trying cases in Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma.
As a shareholder at Hall Maines Lugrin, Reece focuses his practice on trying commercial disputes, including coverage and subrogation litigation involving the London and domestic energy insurance market. His breadth of practice over the last 20 years gives him a distinctive point of view with which to advise clients and represent them in federal and state courts, as well as arbitration tribunals. As recently noted by opposing counsel, “I found Reece to be an extremely well prepared lawyer who was well-versed in the substantive law and in evidentiary issues. He is the rare breed of litigator who can aggressively promote his client’s interest while still maintaining his professionalism.”
Prior to joining Hall Maines Lugrin, Reece served with distinction as a Texas District Court judge for nearly nine years, presiding over more than 125 jury trials. He also worked on corporate/securities matters for a national law firm, advising clients on mergers, acquisitions and public securities offerings. In addition, Reece taught Trial Advocacy at the University of Houston Law Center for over four years.
Colin Watterson is a litigator with experience assisting clients in the energy industry successfully navigate complex legal issues while taking their business goals and objectives into consideration. Mr. Watterson has represented companies in all segments of the oil and gas industry in contract and lease disputes, environmental claims, and royalty litigation. Mr. Watterson also practices general commercial litigation and has experience litigating insurance claims, business torts, and intellectual property disputes.
Mr. Watterson graduated with highest honors from The University of Texas School of Law. After law school, Mr. Watterson clerked for the Hon. John Rogers of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Since then, he has practiced law in Houston, Texas. “Texas Super Lawyers” has recognized Mr. Watterson as a Rising Star.
John Chadd has the ability to look at the big picture while at the same time making sure all of the small details are addressed. He has a unique combination of knowledge and experience in both the finance and energy industries. He is a trusted adviser for companies and investors on a broad spectrum of energy transactions, including oil and gas and renewable energy matters, and is often at the table when deals are being structured, negotiated, and closed. His skill is particularly valuable when financial institutions and operating companies need a knowledgeable lawyer to assist with commercial transactions, lending, M&A, and securities offerings. No matter the client, John looks beyond the deal at how the transaction intersects with the company’s overall business, financial strategy and long-term goals.
Brent is an experienced energy and natural resources attorney with extensive knowledge of the challenges faced by exploration and production, midstream and downstream/utility companies operating in the energy industry. He regularly represents his clients in complex commercial litigation disputes, business transactions, administrative/regulatory law and procedure, and title examination matters. In his litigation practice, Brent frequently defends his clients’ interests in the courtroom, in arbitration and in mediation related to various mineral matters, including constitutional, contract and real property issues. For his clients that are undertaking transactions, he provides guidance on title, due diligence and contractual issues during the purchase and sale of oil, gas and mining properties involving mixed fee, state, federal and tribal rights, and prepares accompanying sale, indemnity, surface use and subsurface penetration agreements.
In the regulatory realm, Brent advocates for his clients before various state and federal oil, gas and mining agencies; prepares and presents regulatory applications for well spacing, well density, well location exemptions, statutory pooling, flaring, bonding, and mine delineation; undertakes administrative appeals of negative agency decisions and inspections; and defends application protests.
Additionally, Brent regularly prepares comprehensive drilling, division order and acquisition mineral title opinions involving fee, state, federal and tribal lands. These include, but are not limited to, specialty opinions involving natural gas storage units, solution mining, hard rock mines, and “gob gas” areas. Brent also routinely counsels clients in tackling title curative matters, including negotiating and drafting various mineral and surface title instruments.
Prior to joining Steptoe & Johnson, Brent was a partner at a large national oil and gas firm, and two Denver-based energy firms, focusing on energy and natural resources litigation, oil and gas transactions, administrative and regulatory matters and title examination due diligence.
Denny Ng serves as Senior Counsel, Mid-Continent Business Unit, for Chevron Americas Exploration and Production Company (a Chevron U.S.A. Inc. division). In this role, Denny oversees commercial contract coordination for Texas and New Mexico, geophysical and seismic contracting, non-operated and joint venture work in Alaska and East Texas, and acquisitions, divestitures, and swaps. Denny started his legal career as an oil and gas lawyer for Baker Botts and Porter Hedges in Houston prior to joining Chevron’s CNAEP Headquarters Law group in 2018. Denny holds a B.A. (History, Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations) from Rice University, a M.Ed. (Curriculum and Instruction) from UNLV, and a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School. Prior to law school, Denny taught elementary school (4th and 5th grades) in Las Vegas, Nevada. He currently lives with his wife and four children in Katy, TX.
Anthony Carna is the chair of McGuireWoods’ oil and gas practice. Mr. Carna regularly advises publicly traded and privately held energy companies in mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, project development, regulatory matters, mineral conveyancing, and other transactions in the energy industry.
Mr. Carna also regularly advises clients on matters involving gas and crude oil gathering and processing agreements, joint development and exploration agreements, participation agreements, gas and crude oil storage agreements, oil and gas sublease and farmout agreements, coal and pipeline cooperation agreements, master services agreements, disputes arising from oil and gas leases and pipeline right of way agreements, and the development and construction of midstream, transmission, wastewater disposal and fresh water facilities. In addition, he regularly provides general business counsel to a number of energy, transportation, and construction companies.
Mr. Carna received his BS from Westminster College and earned his J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Among his many honors, he is recognized by Chambers USA and Legal 500 US for his work on oil and gas deals.
Rich Frazier is an attorney at TotalEnergies, a leading global energy company. He specializes in transactions, negotiation, and special projects, with a focus on purchase and sale agreements, joint operating agreements, and contractual infrastructure and design for new entities, including supply chain contracts, oil and gas leases, seismic agreements, and confidentiality agreements.
Mr. Frazier currently serves as the manager of the Corporate legal department, which includes responsibility for legal operations, corporate governance and services, and intellectual property.
His practice is a cross-company practice, with responsibilities ranging from offshore wind to Barnett shale operations to aviation fuels. His most recent work has been related to the TotalEnergies Renewables portfolio, focusing on offshore wind SPVs and projects. Mr. Frazier also served as the lead attorney for the integration and transition of TotalEnergies’s acquisition of Oxy/Anadarko’s African assets, an $8.8 billion transaction.
Before TotalEnergies, Mr. Frazier worked as Senior Counsel at LINN Energy, handling upstream and midstream transactional, pre-litigation, and bankruptcy issues.
Mr. Frazier began his legal career as an Associate in the Global Projects department at Baker Botts in Houston where he provided transactional advice to domestic and international clients.
Mr. Frazier graduated from the University of Texas with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and a Master in Professional Accounting. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Chicago. He has three children, all of whom are his favorite.
Eric is an experienced investigator, federal securities laws advisor, civil litigator, and trial attorney who represents clients in connection with securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Department of Justice (DOJ); Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) inquires or investigations; internal investigations; and a variety of federal securities laws compliance-related matters, including those related to digital assets, insider trading policies and procedures, brokerdealer AML policies and procedures, auditor independence rules, and the marketing rule applicable to investment advisers.
Before joining DLA Piper, Eric served as a senior trial and enforcement attorney with the SEC for 15 years, where he developed a deep understanding of the SEC and the laws it enforces, as well as knowledge in such areas as digital asset-related securities registration rules and life science company disclosure obligations.
At the SEC, Eric coordinated parallel investigations with such agencies as the Federal Bureau of Investigation and worked on matters with the assistance of FINRA. Additionally, he was a member of the SEC's Market Abuse Unit, focusing on matters related to complex insider trading, broker-dealer and hedge fund conduct and market manipulation.
Eric previously worked as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, where he conducted federal jury trials in cases concerning conspiracy; securities, mail and wire fraud; witness tampering; false statements; and structuring. He also worked on all aspects of criminal prosecutions, including grand jury investigations and plea negotiations.
Eric is a recipient of the Paul R. Carey Award, a national award conferred by the SEC to recognize individuals with exceptional personal commitment and effectiveness, unquestioned integrity, unlimited enthusiasm, and unwavering dedication to the protection of the individual investor.
Deanna Reitman has over 20 years of experience working in commodity markets and more than 18 years of senior management experience. Her background encompasses legal, regulatory and business experience in commodities, with a particular focus on energy. She has extensive global energy commodity legal and regulatory experience.
Deanna is a skilled communicator and team manager with a record of success in achieving complicated objectives. Her core competency is in legal and regulatory global commodity marketing and trading, in both physical and financial markets.
At DLA Piper, Deanna draws upon her experience as an in-house counsel for energy commodities marketing and trading firms to advise on the structuring of transactions and provide regulatory and commercial advice to energy clients.
James C. Row, CFA - is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Capturiant and the Managing Partner of Entoro, LLC and its 20+ subsidiaries. Capturiant is a regulated environmental assets exchange based in Houston and Nassau. Capturiant is validator, registry, exchange all based on blockchain for carbon and biodiversity credits, water rights and other environmental assets. Entoro is a financial services group primarily focused on middle market investment banking, broker/dealer, registered investment advisor, and merchant banking. Other entities include: OfferBoard (technology), Clear Rating (valuation), insurance, tokenization, and financial media. Mr. Row has 30+ years of experience in capital raising, deal structuring and finance, including project finance, equity and debt securities, risk management, commodities, and digital securities. He has originated and arranged funding, in excess of $10 billion. Mr. Row is a Chartered Financial Analyst and maintains Series 7, 14, 24, 28, 63, 79 and 99 FINRA securities licenses. Mr. Row holds a B.S. in Finance from the University of Wyoming, an MBA in Finance from Arizona State University, and a CAS from the American Graduate School of International Management (Thunderbird).
Hillary Holmes is a partner in the global law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP and Co-Chair of the firm’s Capital Markets practice group. Hillary advises corporations, banks and private equity firms on long-term and strategic capital raising. She also counsels boards of directors, special committees and financial advisors in M&A transactions and complex situations. She regularly advises companies on obligations under federal securities laws, corporate governance and ESG issues.
Hillary is ranked among the leading business lawyers in the energy industry. She was named one of the 25 Most Influential Women in Energy, is the only woman to be recognized in the top tier by both Chambers USA and Chambers Global in the category that covers energy capital markets, and she has been recognized as a Capital Markets Trailblazer by The National Law Journal, a Most Effective Dealmaker by Texas Lawyer, a Woman Who Means Business by the Houston Business Journal, and received accolades from Legal 500, Law 360, LawDragon 500, the National Association of Women Attorneys, among others. Hillary frequently speaks and writes on topics relating to the energy industry, US capital markets and ESG issues.
Hillary received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and her Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, from Duke University. An advocate for equal access to legal services for all members of Houston’s community, she is a former member of the Board of Directors of Houston Volunteer Lawyers, a member of the Board of Directors of the Houston Bar Foundation, and donates a significant amount of legal services to the community each year. Hillary also serves on the Advisory Committee of the Institute for Energy Law and on the Editorial Board of Insights.
Monica Hwang is a partner in O'Melveny's Houston office. She counsels clients on energy-related project development matters, including joint ventures and complex commercial transactions. She has extensive experience working on liquefied natural gas import and export projects, handling the structuring for equity lifting; implementing tolling and sales models; and advising on gas supply and marketing arrangements. Among her vast industry experience is serving an integral role in the development of Freeport LNG—at the time, the largest non-recourse project financing in history—as well a consortium of investors into the Dominican Republic LNG import terminal, for which the joint venture won Latin American Finance Project of the Year.
Shaw Ottis is Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary of Freeport LNG Development, L.P. He joined Freeport LNG in 2011. Prior to working at Freeport LNG, Mr. Ottis was an attorney in King & Spalding LLP’s Houston Office as a member of the Global Transactions Practice Group. As outside counsel with King & Spalding, Mr. Ottis focused his efforts representing owners in developing turnkey, non-recourse project-financed energy infrastructure projects, including liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminals, power plants, pipelines, and bulk storage and terminal facilities. At Freeport LNG, Mr. Ottis’s primary responsibility was the development of Freeport LNG’s $14 billion natural gas liquefaction project, including drafting, negotiating and administering EPC contracts for three natural gas pretreatment and liquefaction trains. He also drafted and negotiated numerous ancillary EPC and construction agreements related to the liquefaction project. Mr. Ottis is now actively involved in Freeport LNG’s development of its fourth liquefaction train. In addition to his project development work, Mr. Ottis manages the legal department at Freeport LNG and holds various responsibilities for regulatory compliance, compliance with financing agreements, supporting Freeport LNG’s refinancing efforts and litigation support.
Mr. Ottis has a B.S., summa cum laude, in Chemical Engineering from Texas A&M University and a J.D., summa cum laude, from University of Houston Law Center.
John Renneisen has provided legal advice on environmental issues in the context of mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity financing, and compliance counseling for over 30 years. His practice spans the spectrum of environmental matters at the federal, state, and local levels, including transactional due diligence and contract negotiation, hazardous waste management, hazardous site remediation, water pollution, air pollution, and toxic substance regulation. John also conducts property and compliance diligence, drafts and negotiates transaction agreements, and monitors project progress in connection with asset purchases, underwritings, securitizations, leases, and sale-leaseback transactions.
Drawing on his deep technical background and knowledge of environmental law, John, who has a Masters of Science in Engineering from MIT as well as a JD from Duke, helps clients identify problems and craft effective solutions. On transactional matters, he remains focused on the overall size and structure of the deal in order to help resolve material Issues in the most efficient manner. John represents institutional and private equity investors with interests and portfolio companies in a range of industries, including oil and gas exploration and production and renewable electricity generation. In addition to his work in conventional and alternative energy, he has experience in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and other industrial, manufacturing and commercial sectors.
Neil Chen is a Managing Director at Intrepid Financial Partners ("Intrepid"), the energy focused merchant bank.
He is a founding employee of Intrepid and is a seasoned investment banker and investor. Currently, Neil focuses his time on Intrepid's Investment Management business where he leads the energy transition investing effort. Prior to that, Neil was involved with building Intrepid’s Investment Banking business and helped advise on and execute ~$40 billion of Intrepid's early Investment Banking transactions. Neil is member of Intrepid's senior management team and serves on Intrepid's investment committee and fairness opinion committee.
Before joining Intrepid, Neil held a variety of roles at Barclays and Lehman Brothers. He spent most of his career there as an Investment Banker in the Mergers & Acquisitions group, responsible for the execution of a number of strategic and financing transactions. Most recently, he was a member of Barclays’ executive management team and Americas Management Committee and served as the Chief of Staff to the CEO (Americas), where he helped manage the Investment Banking, Corporate Banking, Credit Card and Wealth & Investment Management businesses in the region. He was involved with all aspects of the business including corporate development, investments, strategy, client development and strategic partnerships.
Neil holds a B.A. with honors from Princeton University.
Michael De Voe Piazza is a partner in Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s Houston office, and is Co-Chair of the firm’s U.S. Private Equity Practice. Mr. Piazza focuses his private equity practice on mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, and equity and debt offerings, including control, minority and preferred investments and structured equity and asset-level investments and financings. He regularly represents clients in the financial, oil and gas, energy transition and power sectors. Mr. Piazza has significant experience advising private equity funds and other financial sponsors in “GP stakes” transactions, leveraged buyouts, portfolio company investments and fund formation projects. He also has developed expertise in transactions involving the mineral and royalty business, the renewable natural gas business, volumetric production payments and “DrillCo” structures.
Mr. Piazza was named Energy & Industrials Dealmaker of the Year at The Deal’s Middle Market Awards in 2020. In 2015, he was one of only seven lawyers under the age of 40 to be named a “Rising Star” by Law360 in the area of Energy. It was his third consecutive “Rising Star” honor. In 2013, Mr. Piazza was also named a “Legal Leader on the Rise” by Texas Lawyer.
Chambers USA (2021/2022) ranks Mr. Piazza among the leading individuals practicing in the areas of Energy: Oil & Gas (Transactional) in the United States and Private Equity and Corporate/M&A in Texas. He is also nationally recognized in the Legal 500 for Energy Transactions: Oil and Gas, M&A: Large Deals, Private Equity Funds and Private Equity Buyouts. According to the Legal 500, Mr. Piazza is “exceptional.” Clients singled out Mr. Piazza for his “outstanding ability to see transactions through his client’s eyes and do everything possible to secure a maximum beneficial outcome.”
Before joining Gibson Dunn, Mr. Piazza was a partner at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP where he served as Co-Head of the firm’s Energy practice and Co-Managing Partner of its Houston office.
Mr. Piazza graduated from Georgetown University Law Center cum laude in 2008 and received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University magna cum laude in 2001.
I've spent my career as a trial attorney helping energy companies resolve complex business disputes inside and outside the courtroom. Clients value my focus on boiling complex issues down to the most important facts they need to make decisions -or that I will need to advocate successfully to a judge or jury. My clients and their business teams want direct, actionable solutions to facilitate their work. I have the experience and judgment to provide the concise, insightful advice sophisticated clients demand.
Honored as a Texas Rising Star, my litigation practice has spanned a broad range of commercial litigation issues, including breach of contract disputes, environmental and toxic tort matters, trade secret claims, personal injury and product liability cases, and white collar criminal investigations. Whether preparing cases for court, working side-by-side with corporate clients in their offices, or interviewing pipeline engineers, forensic accountants, or other experts in the field, my goal is always to help clients efficiently achieve success as they define it.
My attention to business results and financial impact is rooted in my education and affinity for numbers. I graduated first in my class in Finance from the Business Honors Program at Texas A&M University. Later, applying that analytical approach to legal problem-solving, I attained my law degree from the University of Houston Law Center magna cum laude and Order of the Coif. I spent the first half of my career in the Litigation Department of Vinson & Elkins LLP, where I worked closely with Morgan Copeland. Now, as partners at Copeland & Rice LLP, we have the privilege of resolving complicated disputes by providing high quality legal services in a more flexible, less costly environment with fewer conflicts.
I previously served as a Board Member for Aurora Picture Show and enjoy spending time with my husband and three children. I also volunteer at Dress for Success Houston.
Meghan is the Vice-President of Legal Operations for Ovintiv Inc. (formerly Encana Corporation) and heads up the legal team that supports Ovintiv’s operations, which includes major plays in both the US and Canada. Early in her career, Meghan transitioned inhouse with Noble Energy, working her way through the various business units of the company until she managed the Domestic Operations legal team, which supported Noble’s operations in the Marcellus, Permian, Eagle Ford and DJ basins, as well as the company’s operations in the Gulf of Mexico. In 2017, Meghan joined Newfield Exploration where she served as the company’s Associate General Counsel of operations until the company merged with Encana. In 2020, Meghan received the Texas Lawyer’s Women in Energy Profession Excellence award, which recognized her work in both the Newfield/Encana merger and in Encana’s corporate reorganization and name change to Ovintiv.
Meghan graduated from Houston Baptist University with a double B.A. in Economics and Political Science and received her law degree from Baylor Law School.
Matthew has a national practice covering environmental and regulatory matters and has been recognized for his expertise in the areas of environmental litigation, regulation and transactional matters by both Chambers and the Legal 500, as well also being recognized by the Texas Lawyer in 2022 as an attorney “On the Rise”. Matthew’s practice focuses on complex environmental regulatory counseling, navigating the energy transition (including management of ESG risks and opportunities) and pipeline safety issues at both the state and federal level. He routinely counsels private equity, financial institutions, and public and private company clients on environmental liabilities across an array of industries, including all segments of the oil and gas sector, renewable power and fuels, waste recycling and disposal, and the mining, chemicals, and paper industries. He also experience advising clients on low carbon ventures, including CCS, hydrogen and renewable fuels, as well as general ESG expertise related to net-zero goal setting, responding to shareholder proposals on climate and environmental issues, and helping companies to build out their ESG strategy.
Rachel Clingman is Executive Vice President, Sustainability and Governance for McDermott. She leads the company’s sustainability, enterprise risk management, legal and compliance functions and serves as Corporate Secretary.
Before joining McDermott in 2021, Rachel was Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Noble Energy, Inc., which merged with Chevron in 2020. Before joining Noble, Rachel was Vice President and General Counsel for the global petroleum and Americas minerals businesses of BHP. She started her career at a prominent international law firm and has served as a registered lobbyist.
Rachel has held leadership roles in a number of civic and charitable organizations and currently serves on the board of the American Heart Association in Houston. She is active in the National Association of Corporate Directors, the Executive Women’s Partnership, Direct Women and the General Counsel Forum.
Rachel earned a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Political Science from Rice University and a law degree from the University of Texas where she served on the Texas Law Review.
Heather Palmer is a Partner in Sidley’s Environmental and Energy practices based in Houston, Texas. As a co-leader of Sidley’s global ESG and climate change practices, she plays a strategic role in advising clients on a broad range of ESG issues, including sustainability, the disclosure of ESG risks in securities filings, and the development of corporate ESG programs and goals. She has been recognized in numerous publications, including Chambers and Partners Crisis & Risk Management Guide for Global Environmental, Social & Governance Risk, and was named to the 2021 National Association of Corporate Directors Directorship 100 in recognition of her significant impact on boardroom practices and performance.
Gabrielle Sitomer has 20 years of legal experience advising clients on complex litigation, oil & gas commercial matters, midstream commercial matters, regulatory compliance, ESG (environmental, social and governance) matters, environmental and safety reporting, corporate governance, crisis and continuity management, internal investigations, audits, public policy, communications, and advocacy. She consistently works directly with key senior leaders and front-line managers to enable delivery of value through safe and efficient operations and sound internal and external policy. After graduating from the University of Texas School of Law in 2003, Gabrielle began her career at Susman Godfrey L.L.P. where she represented both plaintiffs and defendants in connection with complex commercial litigation matters. In 2006 Gabrielle joined Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.’s Litigation and Environmental Regulatory Department where her practice included a mix of complex commercial litigation, environmental regulatory counseling, and environmental counseling in connection with transactions, especially for energy clients.
In 2013 Gabrielle became a member of bp’s legal department, where she has spent the last 10 years of her career counseling the company on environmental, health, and safety issues, including ESG and climate issues. Gabrielle assists in developing proactive approaches to managing regulatory issues affecting oil & gas production, including matters related to the Endangered Species Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, state and federal spill reporting, SPCC planning, NEPA, state oil & gas commission regulations, Bureau of Land Management regulations, Forest Service regulations, pipeline safety regulations and OSHA.
Gabrielle advises the company on development and implementation of internal requirements and standards relating to operational safety, environmental performance and risk, including the company’s operating management system (OMS). She routinely leads internal investigations, and provides legal advice in connection with internal and external environmental & safety reporting, and crisis & continuity management. She also provides legal support to the company on issues involving external affairs, policy, and communications with investors and other stakeholders. Gabrielle lives in Houston, Texas with her husband and three children. When she’s not working, or cheering for her children at a sporting event, you can find her at the barn riding her horses. Gabrielle is an accomplished equestrian with multiple national level wins.
Sarah Chaffin is an Associate General Counsel at Occidental. In her role, she and her team support Occidental’s onshore upstream business units, which includes oil, gas, and enhanced oil recovery operations in Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. Sarah is also increasingly supporting Occidental’s Low Carbon Ventures business unit.
Prior to joining Occidental, Sarah practiced at Vinson & Elkins in the Mergers and Acquisitions practice group. Sarah earned a Bachelor of Finance degree from The University of Texas at Austin and a JD from the University of Houston.
Trevor Pinkerton is a partner in King & Spalding’s Corporate, Finance and Investments practice. Trevor’s practice focuses on representing public companies in their securities, mergers & acquisitions and governance matters. He serves clients in a range of industries, including renewable energy, oil and natural gas E&P, oilfield services, manufacturing, commercial banking and finance and investment banking.
Trevor Pinkerton is experienced in domestic and cross-border initial public offerings (IPOs) and follow-on offerings, public and private M&A (including substantial cross-border experience) and SPAC transactions. He also assists public company clients with annual Exchange Act reporting, beneficial ownership and Section 16 issues and corporate governance. He represents certain select private companies with their board-level governance issues, shareholder engagement and investment matters.
Simon is senior legal counsel in TotalEnergies’ US renewables team, advising on all aspects of solar and offshore wind projects with a focus on construction and offtake arrangements.
Simon recently joined from Allen & Overy, where he spent 10 years advising developers, contractors and lenders on renewable projects across the globe and here in the US, including solar, battery, onshore and offshore wind and hydro projects. He has practiced in the UK, Australia and, for the last four years, in the US, providing a global view on the renewables sector and different trends arising across jurisdictions. Simon earned his LLB from Queen Mary’s College of the University of London.
Deanne Barrow's practice focuses on the development and financing of energy and infrastructure projects. Drawing on her background as a chemical engineer, she helps companies develop and finance solar, wind, energy storage, EV charging infrastructure, hydrogen and carbon capture projects. Her clients include developers, sponsors, lenders and investors. Deanne grew up in Belize, resides in San Francisco and enjoys cycling and gardening.
Harriet Amelia Wessel is a tax lawyer focusing on tax planning and deal work, as well as tax controversies and litigation across a range of industries, including energy and infrastructure projects.
Murray Greene is Senior Lead Counsel at TotalEnergies American Services, Inc. He primarily supports major capital projects for TotalEnergies. Murray’s current project is Attentive Energy LLC, an exciting new offshore wind development project in the New York Bight Area with an anticipated installed capacity of 3 Gigawatts. He has also been involved with IEL for over 15 years and is currently Chair of the IEL Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.
Murray has over 28 years of inhouse and law firm legal experience. Prior to joining TotalEnergies, Murray held a variety of roles at BP, including Assistant General Counsel for BP’s Global Projects Organization (which designed, constructed and installed all upstream major projects for BP around the world), Managing Counsel for BP’s US Lower 48 onshore production business, legal support to the Deepwater Horizon incident, and various individual contributor roles. Prior to joining BP, Murray was in private practice with Vinson & Elkins in Houston, Texas and with Kean Miller in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Murray received a Juris Doctor from Emory University School of Law in 1994 and a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1991.
Kevin Poloncarz is a partner with Covington & Burling LLP and co-chairs the firm’s Environmental and Energy Practice Group, Energy Industry Group and ESG Practice. He is ranked by Chambers among the nation’s top five climate change lawyers and California’s top eight environmental lawyers. He advises technology companies and financial institutions on carbon markets and ESG strategy and helps companies advocate for a wide range of climate solutions. Kevin also represents advanced energy interests in litigation defending strong climate and environmental standards for power plants and light-duty vehicles under the Clean Air Act. On behalf of a coalition of major power companies, he argued the key statutory point upon which the D.C. Circuit struck down the Trump Administration’s repeal of the Clean Power Plan, and then second-chaired his Supreme Court partner’s argument alongside the Solicitor General in last term’s landmark climate case, West Virginia v. EPA. He is on the board of directors of the Environmental Law Institute and the Center for Applied Environmental Law and Policy; a fellow and regent of the American College of Environmental Lawyers; and on the advisory board and council of the Institute for Policy Integrity at New York University (NYU) School of Law and the State Energy and Environmental Law Center at NYU School of Law. He is a graduate of Hobart College and the University of Chicago Law School. He, his husband and their rescue whippet spend most of their time together in Napa, where he tends to a small orchard, large garden, flock of hens and two rescue goats.
Mr. Leopold provides his clients with unparalleled experience with federal and state regulatory agencies and in‐depth knowledge of environmental regulation of air, water, chemicals, and natural resources. As EPA General Counsel, he counseled on the development and defense of the most significant regulations proposed by the agency, including the Affordable Clean Energy Rule, the Navigable Waters Protection Rule, and the Safe Affordable Fuel‐Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule, and he was personally involved in defending the highest profile cases during his tenure, including the County of Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund and Atlantic Richfield Co. v. Christian in the U.S. Supreme Court. Mr. Leopold’s prior government service was as chief attorney at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and an attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division, where he served on the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill trial team. In private practice, Mr. Leopold represents clients facing significant EPA enforcement issues, counsels clients on environmental compliance, assists with difficult contaminated site remediation issues, supports industry with regulatory advocacy before federal agencies, and is litigating federal agency decisions under the Administrative Procedure Act and environmental statutes.
Tom Lorenzen is Co-chair of Crowell & Moring's Environment & Natural Resources Practice Group and is one of just four attorneys in the U.S. ranked as Band 1 in climate change law by Chambers and Partners. With over a decade's experience at the Department of Justice as the Assistant Section Chief responsible for supervising the defense of all Environmental Protection Agency regulations, Tom has a deep understanding of both the federal rulemaking process and the limits of EPA's regulatory authority.
Tom is also known for his extensive appellate and administrative law experience, which he brings to bear when his clients choose to challenge the EPA's and other agencies' regulations in court, and increasingly when they seek to defend regulations that they determine present opportunities for their businesses. Tom was the principal author of electric utility industry's amicus brief in West Virginia v. EPA, in which the industry successfully urged the Supreme Court to preserve EPA's authority to regulate GHG emissions under the Clean Air Act in order to stave off the reemergence of federal tort claims against GHG emitters.
Bethany Davis Noll is an expert in administrative and environmental law and an experienced litigator. She is the Executive Director of the State Energy and Environmental Impact Center at NYU School of Law where she also serves as an adjunct professor. She previously served as Assistant Solicitor General in the New York State Attorney General’s Office, as an associate at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, and as a clerk for the Honorable Chester J. Straub in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and for the Honorable Shira A. Scheindlin in the District Court for the Southern District of New York. Bethany received a J.D. with distinction from Stanford Law School and a B.A., magna cum laude, from Barnard College.
Brett Kerr serves as Vice President of External Affairs at Calpine Corporation, one of the nation’s largest independent competitive power companies. Calpine operates its power plants and retail businesses in 25 states and Ontario, Canada. Calpine is the largest gas fired generator in the United States and operates the world’s largest geothermal generation facility which combined are approximately 27,000 MW’s of capacity or enough generation for more than 25 million homes. Mr. Kerr has held various positions at Calpine throughout his 23 year career at Calpine including roles in the legal department and business development. Currently Mr. Kerr is responsible for Calpine’s state government affairs throughout the Southern states as well as all corporate media relations. He earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Edwards University and a J.D. from South Texas College of Law.
Julie is the General Manager of Decarbonization Strategy at Chevron and is based in California. She leads cross-functional teams in setting external and internal incentives for driving a lower carbon future, like GHG targets including net zero aspirations, carbon footprinting and accounting and other strategic initiatives. She has been the lead author on four TCFD-aligned Climate Resilience Reports and in developing enterprise climate policy positions.
Julie joined Chevron in 2008 after completing her MBA at USC and working in agricultural commodity trading and for the government. She earned her BA in Spanish at UC Davis.
Andrew Westgate is Assistant General Counsel and Senior Analyst for Carbon at Clear Sky. With over 10 years of experience in advisory services, Andrew manages legal and regulatory matters relating to investments in CCAs, RGGI Allowances and other types of carbon credits, provides analysis of regulatory and policy developments, and develops investment strategies and products based on carbon credits.
Prior to joining Clear Sky, Andrew worked as an attorney at Latham & Watkins LLP, where he advised financial institutions and oil and gas, power, industrial companies on a range of environmental matters including climate change, environmental credits, carbon neutrality and carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). His experience includes transactional diligence and contract negotiation, permitting, transaction structuring, and environmental issues at legacy sites. Andrew also advised clients on environmental issues as part of Latham’s Greater China Practice. Prior to joining Latham, Andrew worked in Beijing, China, as a consultant, providing strategic advice to American firms working in China, and at an environmental technology startup.
Andrew graduated magnum cum laude from the University of Wisconsin Law School, and received an BA from Dartmouth College.
Anne Idsal Austin, a nationally recognized environmental lawyer who has held several high-profile federal and state regulatory roles, is an Environmental & Natural Resources partner in Pillsbury’s Washington, DC and Austin, Texas offices. Focused on strategic counseling and policy from the Sunbelt to the Beltway, Anne helps clients navigate the dynamic regulatory and legal waters in an era of energy transition, decarbonization, carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) and carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) and an emphasis on ESG principles, where pragmatic, farsighted solutions to complex regulatory problems are essential to their business imperatives, continued sustainability and growth.
Prior to joining Pillsbury, Anne was the principal deputy assistant administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’ s Office of Air & Radiation (OAR), where she had primary oversight over United States clean air policy and regulation. Before taking the helm at OAR, Anne served as the EPA regional administrator for Region 6, overseeing all federal environmental programs in Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
Anne similarly served important roles in the Texas state government, shaping environmental and energy policy at the highest levels. She was the Chief Clerk and Deputy Land Commissioner for the Texas General Land Office (GLO), which manages all public lands in the state, a position to which she was promoted after serving as the agency’ s general counsel. Previously, Anne was the general counsel for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas’ s state environmental regulator.
Ken McQueen serves as Oklahoma’s Cabinet Secretary of Energy and Environment where he was appointed in 2022 by Governor J. Kevin Stitt. In this role, he is responsible for 36 state agencies, boards, compacts, and commissions as well as advancing policies that encourage economic growth.
Before this appointment, he co-served as US EPA Region 6 Administrator in Dallas TX and US EPA National Energy Policy Advisor.
Before federal service, he was New Mexico’s Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources (EMNRD). EMNRD includes the Departments of Oil Conservation, Forestry, State Parks, Energy Conservation and Management, and Mining.
Industry experience spanned 35 years as a petroleum engineer, retiring as an asset team Vice President for a major upstream energy company in 2016.
His academia background includes serving as a petroleum engineering adjunct professor at University of Tulsa and guest lecturer at other colleges and universities.
In addition to teaching, Mr. McQueen consulted on a wide array of natural resource issues, with particular focus on water use/reuse, the hydrogen economy, helium, oil and gas, electrical generation, and carbon sequestration.
Mr. McQueen graduated from the University of Tulsa with a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering; he currently serves on TU’s Industry Advisory Board where he twice served as chair.
Ethan Shenkman brings more than 16 years of government experience to bear on his wide-ranging environmental practice, which includes representing clients in trial court and appellate matters, and in regulatory matters before federal and state agencies. He is nationally known for his work with climate change policy and the energy transition, counseling clients on cutting-edge issues such as renewable fuels, carbon capture and sequestration, methane regulation, the phaseout of HFCs, renewable energy permitting, as well as NEPA and other climate-related litigation. He frequently represents clients in regulatory litigation before the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals and other courts challenging or defending EPA decisions and programs. His government experience includes serving for seven years as a political appointee in the Obama Administration, most recently as Deputy General Counsel at the US Environmental Protection Agency and, prior to that, as Deputy Assistant Attorney General at the US Department of Justice's Environment and Natural Resources Division. He also served as a career attorney and litigator at DOJ for nine years. Ethan teaches environmental law at the Georgetown University Law Center and is a featured columnist on private practice and public policy for The Environmental Forum.
Anna counsels clients on environmental and regulatory matters before federal and state regulatory bodies, including project development structure and permitting, enforcement defense, compliance counseling, litigation support, and project management. She is an expert at evaluating the entire landscape of an issue, including addressing resource concerns as well as political, economic, and litigation risks, while providing value to clients through creative problem solving and effective communication and negotiation skills.
Anna leverages her experience in leadership roles within government environmental agencies to provide her clients with keen insights on crucial rulemakings and policies. She joined the firm from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency where she served as the principal deputy assistant administrator for the office of water. In that position, Anna managed work on major rulemaking efforts, led the nutrient reduction strategy, crafted policies to help promote environmental markets, and established policies to ensure better transparency and responsiveness of government and reduce the national backlog of Clean Water Act regulatory decisions. She also oversaw and participated in the development of multiple regulatory and deregulatory actions for the agency, including the Navigable Waters Protection Rule, Section 401 Water Quality Certification Rule, Steam Electric Effluent Limitations Guidelines Rule, and agency guidance concerning applicability of the NPDES permit program to discharges of pollutants to waters of the U.S. via groundwater. Anna is the co-host of Troutman Pepper's Reflections on Water podcast and associated website, which cover the latest developments in water law and policy, including interviews with water sector leaders and policymakers.
Nina Jezic joined Constellation in 2003 and currently leads the legal department's transactional team with experience in negotiating and structuring a variety of energy transactions, including wholesale/retail commodity supply, distributed energy and renewable product offerings, as well as other strategic business combinations and financings. Constellation is the nation’s largest producer of carbon-free energy. Prior to joining Constellation, Jezic was vice president and general counsel of Omnicell, Inc., a provider of hardware and software solutions enhancing the effectiveness of the medication-use process and the medical-surgical supply chain. She began her legal career at McGuire Woods LLP in Richmond, Virginia as an associate attorney with an emphasis in mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, including numerous transactions in the energy sector. Jezic is a member of the Big Brother Big Sisters Lone Star - Greater Houston non-profit board and of the United Way of Central Maryland’s Tocqueville Society. Jezic earned her Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Spanish Literature from Stanford University and her Juris Doctor from The University of Michigan Law School.
Elina Teplinsky is a partner in Pillsbury’s Energy practice and key member of Pillsbury’s premier International Nuclear Projects practice. She advises companies worldwide on development, financing and operation of nuclear power facilities. Her clients include nuclear power plant developers, owners, operators, equipment vendors, consultants and investors. Ms. Teplinsky is currently leading Pillsbury’s team assisting a nuclear power plant owner / operator with respect to the development and financing of a nuclear power plant in Turkey and is advising on development of several nuclear facility projects on three different continents.
Ms. Teplinsky regularly advises foreign governments, Nuclear Energy Programme Implementing Organizations (NEPIOs) and government-owned utilities on various aspects of developing domestic nuclear power programs, including recommendations regarding compliance with obligations under international conventions, formation of nuclear legal and regulatory regimes and drafting of domestic nuclear legislation.
Ms. Teplinsky is a recognized expert on nuclear trade and export control issues. She has successfully secured dozens of export license approvals for her clients and drafted comments on behalf of several clients. She regularly assists clients in structuring their export compliance programs, including drafting technology control plans (TCPs), counseling on “best practices” in handling multi-agency compliance requirements, and drafting and negotiating technology transfer agreements and export control provisions.
Mrs. Teplinsky currently advises a number of entities seeking to deploy small and advanced reactors with respect to transactional and regulatory matters. She is on the Policy Committee of the Nuclear Innovation Alliance, a group seeking to pave the pathway for commercialization of advanced nuclear reactors.
Kenneth Wagner was recently appointed as the inaugural Executive Director of the Hamm Institute for American Energy at Oklahoma State University with headquarters in Oklahoma City. The Institute was formed by transformative gifts totaling over $150 Million and the vision of Chairman Harold Hamm to create an institute to help solve humanities’ ever-growing demand for energy with affordable, clean, reliable, and responsibly sourced energy to sustain our country, and the world. The Hamm Institute focuses on innovation, while educating and inspiring the next generations of energy leaders.
Wagner recently stepped down after serving four years as Oklahoma’s Secretary of Energy and Environment where he was appointed in 2019 by Oklahoma Governor J. Kevin Stitt. In this role, he was responsible for over 36 state agencies, boards, compacts, and commissions as well as advancing policies that encourage economic growth, sensible regulation that fosters responsible energy production, protects natural resources, and ensures clean air, land and water for all Oklahomans.
Previously, Mr. Wagner served as the Senior Advisor to the Administrator for Regional and State Affairs within USEPA’s Office of the Administrator in Washington DC. He also served as Director of the Office of Regional Operations. In his duties at EPA, he served as the Administrator’s designee to all 10 regions before regional administrators were appointed, and he continued to coordinate all 10 U.S. EPA Regional Administrators and served as an advocate for the regions at headquarters with all the assistant administrators for each national program and the Administrator’s office.
Other duties included serving as the main point of contact in the Administrator’s Office with all 50 states’ top environmental regulators and tribal governments. He led the efforts to reform and redefine the federal-state relationship and its efforts around cooperative federalism. Mr. Wagner was helped lead numerous policy initiatives for the Administrator.
He was appointed and previously served at the Administrator’s Designee on the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council, also known as the RESTORE Council. EPA and Acting Administrator Wheeler was appointed by President Trump as Chairman of the RESTORE Council which was responsible for implementing the RESTORE Act and administering nearly $8 Billion settlement funds that were paid by BP as a result of the Deep Water Horizon oil spill.
Mr. Wagner was also closely involved in the EPA’s Office of Research & Development’s initiative to better partner with states to solve every day environmental challenges and make their vast inventory of research more readily accessible for states, tribes and the public.
Before joining the US EPA, he was a founding member and managing partner of a successful mid-sized law firm in Tulsa, Oklahoma where he practiced and managed a diverse practice that included commercial, energy and environmental matters. In addition to running a successful law firm, he was involved in numerous successful business and commercial ventures, including being a minority partner in Oklahoma’s Triple-A baseball team based in Oklahoma City from 2003 to 2010.
He received his degrees from the University of Oklahoma and the University of Tulsa College of Law.
Linda Perez Clark is the firm wide Managing Partner of Kean Miller LLP. She has more than 30 years of experience representing clients in a wide variety of transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, and engineering, procurement, construction and construction-related contracts for energy projects in Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico. She also provides general advice to large and small businesses, including assisting clients with master services and supply agreements, development and negotiation of company-wide standard form agreements, and entity structure and governance. She earned her B.A., magna cum laude, from Louisiana Tech University in 1988 and her J.D., cum laude, in 1991 from Tulane University Law School. Linda is listed among the top Corporate/M&A lawyers in the State of Louisiana by Chambers USA 2019.
Linda has been instrumental in diversity and inclusion initiatives at Kean Miller, founding the Kean Miller Connection program, which encourages diverse undergraduate students to consider a career in the legal profession. The program has contributed to the firm receiving the Louisiana State Bar Association “Guardian of Diversity” award in 2020, “You Make a Difference” award in 2013 and “Human Rights Award” in 2012, the Baton Rouge Chapter of the Louis A. Martinet Society, “A.P. Tureaud Award” in 2015, the Council on Legal Education Opportunity “William A. Blakey Diversity Pipeline Architects” honor in 2013, and the YWCA Greater Baton Rouge, “Racial Justice Award” in 2007.
Linda has supported numerous non-profit and community organizations through board service, including with the following organizations: Louisiana Tech Alumni Association National Board of Directors; Urban Restoration Enhancement Corporation; Louisiana Appleseed; Catholic Charities of Baton Rouge; LSU Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute; Forum 35; Serve! Baton Rouge; and the Charles W. Lamar Branch, YMCA.
Carolyn Benton Aiman is senior vice president and chief legal officer for Sempra Infrastructure. She was recently vice president and general counsel for Sempra LNG. She is responsible for all of Sempra Infrastructure's legal affairs, including matters related to legal strategy, LNG development, operations, regulatory, governance and compliance.
Benton Aiman has more than 20 years of in-house legal and private law firm experience. She has worked in energy for most of her career and has supported different lines of business across the energy value chain. Most recently, Benton Aiman was managing counsel – capital projects and global supply chain for Shell, where she provided legal support for Shell’s major capital projects and was also responsible for overseeing legal aspects relating to the global supply chain function for capital projects. Benton Aiman has significant experience in the delivery of major projects across the U.S and global oil and gas, LNG, chemicals and renewables projects and operations.
Prior to that role, Benton Aiman served as senior legal counsel in various of Shell’s business areas, including upstream & wind, alternative fuels, downstream manufacturing & commercial, and regulatory & employment, including managing pre-litigation disputes.
In addition, Benton Aiman served as executive sponsor of Shell Legal’s U.S Diversity Council as well as Shell’s woman focused employee resource group, and related key initiatives. She was also named to the Top 50 Women in the Law 2019 by the National Diversity Council and named Houston Magazine’s Woman of Influence in 2017.
Benton Aiman serves on the boards of Lead Inc. and the Spouses of Barristers.
Benton Aiman has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Texas and received a law degree with honors from the University of Missouri.
Catherine Callaway James serves as Vice President and General Counsel of Kinder Morgan. She leads a team of more than fifty professionals who are responsible for all of Kinder Morgan’s legal affairs including litigation and regulatory matters and provide legal services supporting Kinder Morgan’s operational, commercial, regulatory and corporate areas. Kinder Morgan is one of the largest energy infrastructure companies in North America. It owns an interest in or operates approximately 83,000 miles of pipelines and 144 terminals.
From 2011 until its merger with Vistra Energy in 2018, Ms. James was Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Chief Compliance Officer of Dynegy Inc. Dynegy generated approximately 28,000 megawatts of electricity throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, California and Texas – enough to power 23 million homes, and was a retail electricity provider in Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania. During her time at Dynegy, the company grew from owning 12 generating facilities to 45 generation facilities and acquired retail businesses with more than 860,000 residential and commercial customers.
Ms. James has worked in the energy industry for almost 30 years, the majority of the time spent in the independent power and natural gas transportation sectors. She has focused on the development, acquisition, and financing of individual assets and companies, both internationally and domestically. Ms. James has also been involved in a number of significant restructurings in the sector.
Before joining Dynegy in 2011, Ms. James served as General Counsel for NRG Gulf Coast and Reliant Energy. Prior to NRG, she held key legal roles at Calpine Corporation, The Coastal Corporation, and Chevron.
Ms. James is on the Board of Directors of the Friends of Fondren Library of Rice University and a member of the Junior League of Houston.
In 2006, the Houston Business Journal named Ms. James “Best Corporate Counsel Up-and-Comer.” She was a Finalist for the Houston Business Journal’s Best General Counsel Award in both 2014 and 2015.
Ms. James earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Smith College and Juris Doctor from the University of Texas School of Law.
BRADY LONG is Executive Vice President & General Counsel of Transocean Ltd. (NYSE:RIG), the world’s leading offshore drilling contractor. He served as Vice President – General Counsel & Secretary of Ensco plc (NYSE:ESV) from 2011 to 2015 and Pride International, Inc. (NYSE:PDE) from 2009 to 2011, when Pride was acquired by Ensco. He served as Chief Compliance Officer of Pride from 2006 to 2009.
Since 2013, Mr. Long has served as the chair of the Legal Oversight Committee for the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC). He served as Chair of the Ethics & Corporate Compliance Committee for IADC from 2007 to 2011.
In 2009, Mr. Long was named one of the 100 most influential leaders in business ethics in the world by Ethisphere magazine.
Mr. Long graduated with a BA, magna cum laude, from Brigham Young University (1996), a JD, with honors, from the University of Texas School of Law (1999), and an Executive LLM in Tax from New York University (2019).
John Towers Rice joined the Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University faculty in 2021. His research and teaching focuses business and social change, and he regularly presents on issues relating to business litigation, professional responsibility, legislation, and non-discrimination law.
A native of Greenville, South Carolina, Professor Rice graduated from Clemson University in 2008, and then earned his law degree with a concentration in advocacy and dispute resolution from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville College of Law in 2012. During law school, Professor Rice competed on the Dean Jerome Price Evidence Moot Court Team, was one of ten law graduates nominated to the Order of the Barristers, and the College of Law faculty recognized him with ALI-ABA Scholarship and Leadership Award.
Professor Rice has previously taught at the University of Tennessee College of Law and the University of Massachusetts School of Law. He also served as a law clerk for the Supreme Court of Tennessee and was in private practice where he focused on professional liability defense, commercial and business disputes, probate and fiduciary litigation, workplace investigations, and appellate practice. He is a member of the American Bar Association and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. He is admitted to the Tennessee and South Carolina Bars, as well as the bars for the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Middle Districts of Tennessee and the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
| Availability | Module Title | Speaker | Credits | Course Type | Duration | Course Details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| At the time of purchase |
The Future of Domestic and Global Energy Security: Lessons Learned from History and Personal Engagement
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Dan Brouillette,
Bianca Roberson,
Mark Robeck
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N/A | On Demand | 45 Minutes | More info » | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At the time of purchase |
Recent Developments in Energy Law
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Christopher Kulander
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Total Credits: 1.0 Louisiana , 1.0 Pennsylvania | On Demand | 60 Minutes | More info » | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At the time of purchase |
The Legal Ethics Year in Review: News You Can Use
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Lucian Pera
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Total Credits: 1.0 Louisiana , 1.0 Pennsylvania | On Demand | 60 Minutes | More info » | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At the time of purchase |
Hot Topics in Energy Litigation
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Total Credits: 0.75 Louisiana , 0.75 Pennsylvania | On Demand | 45 Minutes | More info » | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At the time of purchase |
The Intersection of the Accommodation Doctrine and the Endangered Species Act
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Michael Mazzone,
Julia Peebles
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Total Credits: 0.75 Louisiana , 0.75 Pennsylvania | On Demand | 45 Minutes | More info » | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At the time of purchase |
Frequently Litigated Provisions of Oil and Gas MSAs
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Total Credits: 0.75 Louisiana , 0.75 Pennsylvania | On Demand | 45 Minutes | More info » | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At the time of purchase |
Why is There a Contractor Lien on My Well?
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John Chadd,
Brent Chicken
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Total Credits: 0.75 Louisiana , 0.75 Pennsylvania | On Demand | 45 Minutes | More info » | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At the time of purchase |
A&D: Deal Trends and Key Terms
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Denny Ng,
Anthony Carna,
Rich Frazier
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Total Credits: 0.75 Louisiana , 0.75 Pennsylvania | On Demand | 45 Minutes | More info » | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At the time of purchase |
Opportunities & Risks of the Carbon/Sustainability Markets
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Eric Forni,
Deanna Reitman,
James Row
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Total Credits: 0.75 Louisiana , 0.75 Pennsylvania | On Demand | 45 Minutes | More info » | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At the time of purchase |
Questions to be Answered in 2023 for the LNG Industry
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Monica Hwang,
Shaw Ottis,
John Renneisen
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Total Credits: 0.75 Louisiana , 0.75 Pennsylvania | On Demand | 45 Minutes | More info » | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At the time of purchase |
The Role of Private Equity in Energy Transition
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Hillary Holmes,
Neil Chen,
Michael Piazza
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Total Credits: 0.75 Louisiana , 0.75 Pennsylvania | On Demand | 44 Minutes | More info » | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At the time of purchase |
The Dual Rise of Net Zero Commitment and Greenwashing Claims
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Total Credits: 0.75 Louisiana , 0.75 Pennsylvania | On Demand | 45 Minutes | More info » | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At the time of purchase |
ESG at a Time of Energy Insecurity
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Total Credits: 0.75 Louisiana , 0.75 Pennsylvania | On Demand | 45 Minutes | More info » | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At the time of purchase |
Overview of Renewable Energy Opportunities in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) with Update on Recent Guidance from the IRS
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Deanne Barrow,
Harriet Wessel
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Total Credits: 0.75 Louisiana , 0.75 Pennsylvania | On Demand | 45 Minutes | More info » | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At the time of purchase |
Offshore Wind Offtake Arrangements in the US
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Simon Hayes,
Murray Greene
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Total Credits: 0.75 Louisiana , 0.75 Pennsylvania | On Demand | 45 Minutes | More info » | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At the time of purchase |
West Virginia v. EPA: How the Major Questions Doctrine Limits Federal Agencies’ Role in Addressing Climate Change and Other Big Problems
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Total Credits: 0.75 Louisiana , 0.75 Pennsylvania | On Demand | 45 minutes | More info » | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At the time of purchase |
Carbon Pricing, Methane Fees, Tax Credits and Command-and-Control Rules: What’s the Best Pathway to Regulate Climate Emissions?
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Total Credits: 0.75 Louisiana , 0.75 Pennsylvania | On Demand | 45 Minutes | More info » | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At the time of purchase |
Permitting Authority for Carbon Capture and Sequestration Projects: Who has it? Who wants it? What does it take to get it from EPA?
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Total Credits: 0.75 Louisiana , 0.75 Pennsylvania | On Demand | 45 Minutes | More info » | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At the time of purchase |
Hydrogen and Nuclear: What Needs to Happen in the Regulatory and Finance Arenas to Put Hydrogen and Nuclear on the Same Playing Field as Other Renewable Energy Sources?
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Total Credits: 0.75 Louisiana , 0.75 Pennsylvania | On Demand | 45 minutes | More info » | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At the time of purchase |
A Look Inside the Energy Company Legal Department
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Total Credits: 1.0 Louisiana , 1.0 Pennsylvania | On Demand | 60 minutes | More info » | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At the time of purchase |
ESG and Ethical Lawyering
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John Rice
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Total Credits: 1.0 Louisiana , 1.0 Pennsylvania | On Demand | 60 Minutes | More info » | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total Conference CE Credits Information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
