Crowley Fleck’s Oil and Gas Practice Group provides a wide range of services to the oil and gas industry. We have extensive experience in regulatory matters and the rendering of complex title opinions for acquisitions, mergers, leasing, drilling, division orders, and other specific purposes in Montana, North and South Dakota, and Wyoming. Our lawyers handle all aspects of oil and gas litigation from the most simple quiet title actions to complex contractual disputes and class action royalty litigation. We have the depth and experience to handle complex oil and gas related transactions, including acquisition, financing, development, and divestiture of oil and gas properties and related facilities.
Our nationally recognized lawyers represent exploration and production companies, working interest owners, operators, drilling companies, midstream companies, refiners, private equity companies and lending institutions of all sizes. These clients range from companies found on Forbe’s Fortune 500 list to individuals owning small interests.
Oil and Gas Conservation Commission
Our lawyers regularly appear before the conservation commissions of Montana, North and South Dakota, and Wyoming, representing clients in all aspects of administrative proceedings, including spacing, pooling, complex unitization matters and operations.
Title Examination
Crowley Fleck’s lawyers have extensive experience in all types of title examinations, including fee, federal, state, Indian, patented and unpatented mining claims, and complex riverbed issues. We tailor each title examination and opinion for the specific transaction or project. We render title opinions for acquisitions, mergers, leasing, drilling, mining, division orders, financing, and any other specific purpose. We have the depth and experience to timely and efficiently complete title examination projects of any magnitude or complexity.
Mergers and Acquisitions
Our lawyers have a unique understanding of the industry-specific critical success factors for the acquisition and divestiture of oil and gas assets. We have the expertise to effectively guide our clients through every stage of a transaction from due diligence, deal structuring, financing and closing, through post-deal integration. Time is of the essence to any successful transaction and we have the depth to expeditiously negotiate and close a deal of any size.
Lobbying, Regulatory and Administrative Affairs
We work closely with our clients to monitor legislative, regulatory, and administrative issues. Our attorneys provide clients with tested strategic advice and counsel in dealing with elected officials and federal, state, and local government authorities. We have broad experience managing the sometimes challenging relationship between government and business, including client representation in matters involving environmental, energy, mining, public land, regulated utility, and water law and policy. Our team advocates the interests of our clients before federal, state, and local legislative and administrative bodies by providing information, analysis, and opinion to public officials to positively influence the outcome of the decision.
Litigation
Our lawyers handle every type of energy litigation, including matters involving tax and royalty disputes, environmental contamination, state and federal regulatory matters, pipeline rights-of-way and condemnation, tribal sovereignty, quiet title actions, breach of contract and personal injury. Our litigation team provides our clients with timely, vigorous, and thoughtful representation before state and federal trial courts, appellate courts, tribal courts, arbitration panels, and state and federal agencies.
Environmental
Crowley Fleck’s lawyers have wide-ranging experience in all types of environmental matters, including the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, NEPA, state “mini-NEPAs”, the Endangered Species Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, RCRA/CERCLA, climate change litigation, and the defense of environmental crimes. Whether at the administrative and regulatory level, or in state or federal court, we have the tools to quickly grasp complex environmental issues and offer seasoned legal advice. Environmental issues often attract intense public and government scrutiny, and our lawyers understand the importance of an early and accurate assessment of risks, costs and political outcomes.
Indian Law
Doing business in Indian Country requires an understanding of federal Indian laws, tribal sovereignty and jurisdiction, and state law limitations and interactions. These issues generally intersect with common non-Indian matters such as corporate organization, contracts, legislation, labor, litigation, and natural resources development. Crowley Fleck’s Indian Law Practice Group understands the particulars of tribal, state, and federal laws and has experience in negotiating and litigating a wide range of Indian law matters, including mineral, oil and gas development, environmental and cultural resource compliance, permitting and right-of-way acquisition, condemnation, environmental remediation on tribal lands, project development and finance, taxation, litigation, and alternative dispute resolution.
