AUSTIN, TEXAS (May 8, 2007) – Bruce M. Kramer, one of the Nation’s preeminent oil, gas, energy and land-use legal scholars and long-time professor at Texas Tech University School of Law, has joined the Texas-based law firm McGinnis, Lochridge & Kilgore, L.L.P.
Kramer is the co-author of several books that have become the definitive references for energy lawyers, including two multi-volume treatises, The Law of Pooling and Unitization and Williams and Meyers Oil and Gas Law (since 1996), as well as the last three editions of the Manual of Oil and Gas Terms. Kramer also is a nationally recognized scholar and authority on land use, zoning, and the conflicts that arise between mineral property owners.
In his new role with McGinnis, Lochridge & Kilgore, L.L.P., Kramer will advise clients on a wide array of legal issues and strategies within his broad scholarship and experience.
“Bruce Kramer is one of the most brilliant and widely-recognized authorities on oil, gas and energy law anywhere in the world. He’s a keen intellect behind textbooks and manuals that energy lawyers refer to every day around the globe. He’s taught a generation of students who are lawyers today. He brings intellectual horsepower to every endeavor, and now to our firm and our clients,” said Pat Lochridge, managing partner of McGinnis, Lochridge and Kilgore, L.L.P. “We know Bruce well, and we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to build and grow our energy practice with his expertise readily available to our clients. It’s collegial consulting at the highest level. He is an important addition to our firm."
Among his many accomplishments, Kramer’s books and articles have been cited in scores of rulings by such courts as the Texas Supreme Court, Alaska Supreme Court, Louisiana Supreme Court, Montana Supreme Court, New Mexico Supreme Court, North Dakota Supreme Court, numerous state intermediate courts of appeals, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, and numerous District Courts. His expertise includes:
- All aspects of oil and gas law
- Oil and gas contracts
- Pooling and unitization
- Royalty disputes
- Governmental regulation
- Public land law
- Oil and gas leasing
- Zoning, subdivision and land use regulation
- State and local governmental law
- Inter-governmental conflicts
- Surface use disputes
- International petroleum transactions and oil and gas contracts
Kramer was a law professor at Texas Tech Law School for over 32 years. For 20 of those years, Kramer also consulted and served as an expert witness in oil and gas disputes. He has consulted with in-house counsel and law firms throughout the country on various matters ranging from complex oil and gas issues to land use issues. He has worked with corporations of all sizes ranging from some of the largest multinational corporations in the world to the mid-size corporations, as well as family owned oil and gas companies. Kramer has prepared papers and spoken at more than 80 continuing education programs for lawyers and other professionals in the oil and gas and real estate/land use industry. He will continue to speak at various CLE conferences.
“I’m delighted and thrilled to be joining the fine professionals at McGinnis, Lochridge and Kilgore whom I have had the pleasure of working with on several different occasions over the past 20 years. I am excited about the new challenges of starting a second career at the age of 60 even as I continue my work as co-author of the several treatises in the oil and gas law field,” said Kramer.
“For Bruce Kramer to join our firm is a clear signal of our strength in oil and gas and other energy law matters. We are excited about having Bruce join our firm at this when new advances in the oil and gas industry are leading to new and exciting legal issues,” said Lochridge.
Until later this year, Kramer will office in Lubbock. By the end of the year, his permanent office will be in Keystone, Colorado. He will also maintain an office in McGinnis, Lochridge & Kilgore’s Houston office.