Michael J. Byrd serves as chair of the Firm’s North America Oil & Gas Practice Group. He is recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer by Law and Politics, and is likewise recommended by The Best Lawyers in America for his work in his field. Mr. Byrd has published numerous articles on energy matters for various publications, such as the State Bar of Texas Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Law Section Report and Landman.  He is admitted to practice in Texas, Louisiana and Pennsylvania. Mr. Byrd is Board Certified in Oil, Gas, and Mineral Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Practice Focus

Mr. Byrd is experienced in acquisitions and divestitures of producing properties and oil and gas companies. He also counsels clients on the preparation of agreements covering a variety of upstream transactions, including farmouts, exploration agreements and other joint ventures, operating agreements, and seismic license agreements. He advises oil and gas company land departments on numerous day-to-day operations issues. He also represents clients in leasing and conveyancing transactions. He has extensive experience in US shale areas. Mr. Byrd also represents his clients in various oil and gas litigation matters, such as disputes over trespass and conversion, breach of contract, lease termination, operating agreements, surface access, nonpayment of royalty, and title and environmental defects asserted in connection with purchases of producing properties.

Representative Legal Matters

• Lead counsel for a private E&P company in the acquisition of assets in the Anadarko Basin, Texas and Oklahoma, for USD655 million.
• Lead counsel for a private E&P company in the acquisition of assets in the Eagle Ford Shale for USD81 million.
• Lead counsel for a NYSE-listed E&P company in the sale of oil and gas assets in East Texas to Memorial Production Operating LLC for USD95 million.
• Lead counsel for a public company in the sale of one-half of its entire interest in the Gulf of Mexico for USD500 million.
• Lead counsel for a public company in the USD750 million acquisition of a privately held oil and gas company with assets in the Texas Panhandle and Permian Basin.
• Lead counsel for a Pittsburgh company in an USD83 million acquisition of leases in the Utica Shale in Ohio, and a corresponding related Exploration and Area of Mutual Interest Agreement.
• Lead counsel for a leading US independent oil company in a divestiture of producing properties in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi for USD320 million.
• Lead counsel for a client in a farmout and participation agreement in the Eagle Ford Shale in a transaction for USD16 million at closing plus an ORRI and a multi-well carried working interest.
• Lead counsel for a client in a USD33 million acquisition in the Marcellus Shale.
• Lead co-counsel for a client in a USD100 million dispute over lease termination and slander of title to over 4,000 net mineral acres in the Haynesville Shale, East Texas, obtaining a very favorable settlement, and documented a multi-well joint venture agreement in conjunction with the settlement.
• Lead co-counsel for a public oil and gas company in a USD35 million dispute over title and environmental defects asserted by the client against the former shareholders of a company acquired by the client, obtaining a very favorable settlement.

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Houston Bar Association - Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Section
• Texas Board of Legal Specialization - Chairman, Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Advisory Commission, 2008-2011
• Texas Board of Legal Specialization - Chairman, Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Exam Commission, 2009-2012
• American and Houston Associations of Professional Landmen - Member
• Houston Producers' Forum - Member
• Institute for Energy Law - Member, Institute Advisory Board

Admission

Pennsylvania~United States (2010)
Louisiana~United States (1997)
Texas~United States (1987)

Education

University of Texas School of Law  (J.D. Honors) (1987)
University of Texas at Austin  (Bachelor of Business Administration Honors) (1980)