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SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS:Professional Attorney and Landman representing title and oil and gas companies, financial institutions, personal, business, and public clients; with over twenty five years of experience in the oil and gas/right-of-way business and the general civil practice of law, private, public, corporate, legal, and intergovernmental liaison representations, and in various business environments, with extensive experience in both land work, civil legal and business matters encompassing litigation, business, land, and drilling/contract negotiations, leases, probate, trust, employment, corporate, and mineral law, and expert in all aspects of land, abstract, title, field work, real estate title law, curative, and transactional work. Hands on experience in business. Skilled negotiator.
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OBJECTIVE: Landman
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WORK EXPERIENCE:1986-2005 Attorney and Counselor at Law, New Orleans, Metairie, Mandeville, and Covington, Louisiana.
Maintained a general civil practice of law with emphasis on real estate, title law and examinations, title insurance, real estate contracts, and transactional work, with broad title curative experience. In association with other law firms, I was responsible for large commercial and public projects in addition to a heavy volume of residential and commercial closings with experience in complex lending packages and security devices, work-outs, and foreclosures fora variety of local, regional, and national lenders. A licensed title insurance agent that has represented both local and national title insurance companies, including claims and underwriting counsel fora national underwriter, my private practice has also included civil litigation and mediation, Appellate, Probate, Succession, Family, and Divorce law, Trusts, estate planning, commercial and residential leases, business, corporate, public, and mineral law. I was a Special A.D.A. for the civil division of the Parish of St. Tammany (22 n1 J.D.C.) District Attorney's office, where myduties included litigation defense (and appeals) and claim/case management for the Parish and insurer(s) through the contracted Third Party Administrator; then served as the primary real estate and right-of-way attorney for various St. Tammany Parish public bodies handling acquisitions for/and multiple public works projects, expropriations, landowner contact, contract negotiations, and intergovernmental relations. Other public clients have included the Cities of New Orleans and Mandeville, Louisiana.
1982-1986 Assistant Vice-PresidentlLand Manager, Rathborne Land Company & Rathborne Properties, Inc., Harvey, Louisiana.
As Land Manager I assisted the President and Sr.V.P. in the management, strategic planning, and negotiations for the Oil and Gas interests of the company and stockholders, including leasing and exploration development with royalty management and distributions. Following my promotion to Asst. Vice President, I was directly responsible for the management of the company's 45,000 acres of cypress/tupelo swamp lands including pipeline corridor ROW negotiation and management, ancillary contracts such as drill site and access issues, damage releases, flow line agreements, etc., administration of timber management, sales, and harvesting, hunting, trapping, (craw)fishing, alligator, and agricultural leases, including the coordination of these with the drilling activities. I was solely responsible for boundary and possession records management, levee and flood control, and private waterway management. As in house counsel, I acted as the legal liaison between the company and its various attorneys and Law Firms for litigation, real estate, mineral, and general civil matters, including dissident shareholders. My administrative law duties included unitization hearings before the State Mineral Board and dealing with the US Army Corps of Engineers on wetlands issues. I also oversaw the development, management, and marketing of a residential subdivision developed by the company and was involved in the management of the company's industrial, commercial, and residential properties..
1979-1982 Independent Landman/Lease Broker, Harry P. Gamble, IV, Martin Exploration Co., Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Beginning as a Landman on a day rate, I negotiated landowner contacts and obtained oil and gas leases, until I began brokering mineral leases. After forming and becoming managing partner of Silverside Minerals, I managed a crew of up to 22 landmen for one of the largest mineral leasing programs of its kind in the nation, comprising over 25 square miles of primarily residential lots and small parcels, representing thousands of individual landowners. I was also responsible for the ownership and title research in connection therewith, including the research, contact, and bid preparation for the publicly held lands in the area. In addition, I maintained a limited practice of law with an emphasis on real estate and minerals, including mineral and royalty owner title opinions for private and institutional investors such as royalty trusts, while continuing abstract and title searches, title opinions, curative, and pipeline right-of-way work.
1974-1979 AbstractorlManaging Abstractor, Statewide Abstract & Title Co., Inc., Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
While attending Law School, I worked as an abstractor researching title to real estate, and thereafter was promoted to full time Managing Abstractor, with training duties for other abstractors in addition to the managerial functions and client relations.
EDUCATION & CERTIFICATION:
EDUCATION
1973-1977 Louisiana State University, School of Law, Baton Rouge, La. Juris Doctor Degree
1970-1973 L.S.U., College of Arts and Sciences
[Due to a combination of my G.P.A. and high LSAT score (98' percentile), I was the last individual in state history to be allowed to enter Law School after only three years, without an undergraduate degree.]
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND RELATED ACTIVITIES
Admitted as an Expert Witness in Real Estate Title Law and Public Records Doctrine in the Parishes of Tangipahoa and Jefferson, State of Louisiana
Former La. licensed Title Insurance Agent, Agent for Commonwealth Land Title Former Special Asst. District Atty. - Civil Division (22ndJ.D.C. - St. Tammany)
Former member: Louisiana District Attorneys Association, Louisiana Association of Notaries,
New Orleans Notary Association, New Orleans Bar Association, Petroleum Landman
Association of New Orleans (PLANO), Louisiana State Bar Association, Federal Bar
Association, Louisiana Land Title Association
Board of Directors - Willowdale Country Club - 1983-1985
Board of Directors - Double "F" Realty, Inc. - 2001-2004
Harvey Canal Industrial Association - 1982-1986
Chairman, Drainage Committee - 1984
Chairman, Membership Committee - 1985,6
Porsche Sales Certified since 2006
Licensed by the La. Motor Vehicle Commission as a Motor Vehicle Salesman
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