Mark Jones, partner at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, is a seasoned energy lawyer with extensive in-house and private practice experience. He has advised on a large volume of transactions, including a multi-hundred-million-dollar acquisition of oil and gas assets in the Permian Basin, a multi-billion-dollar cross-border deal in North America, and another multi-billion-dollar energy transaction in Latin America. He also regularly advises overseas investors on renewable energy projects and serves as outside general counsel to mid-sized energy companies in Houston.

Jesse Lotay, Chair of the energy practice at Jackson Walker L.L.P., focuses on midstream and infrastructure energy transactions. His recent work includes handling complex acquisitions tied to significant litigation and negotiating long-term natural gas supply agreements for data centers. He advises clients on operational and regulatory challenges across a range of energy sectors, including natural gas transportation. Lotay’s practice also involves cross-border transactions and supporting clients in the semiconductor industry with critical energy supply arrangements.

Jeremy Mouton , co-chair of Porter Hedges LLP’s energy section, is a prominent figure in Houston’s energy transactional market. His practice focuses on upstream and midstream oil and gas clients, including Chevron, The Williams Companies, and Alpine Summit. Recently, he advised Chevron on the $525m sale of East Texas gas assets to a Tokyo Gas affiliate and represented Alpine Summit as debtor counsel in a $125m asset-backed facility tied to bankruptcy proceedings.

James Thompson, co-chair of the energy section at Porter Hedges LLP, focuses on a diverse range of energy transactions including oil and gas, renewables, and carbon capture projects. His work spans acquisitions and divestitures from $10 million to nearly $1bn. Recent matters include advising Franco-Nevada on a $125m mineral asset acquisition and Black Stone Minerals on a multi-year development agreement. He regularly handles complex contract negotiations and supports both domestic and international clients in US basins.

Cindy Muller at Jones Walker LLP, has deep experience across the energy space, leveraging in-house experience, including leading a public company through Chapter 11. She now advises national and multinational clients across oil and gas, midstream, and OEM sectors. Recent work includes a regulatory-heavy charging station deal, a multi-hundred-million dollar pipeline drilling project in Alaska, and multi-state E&P contracting work.

Matthew Penny of Jackson Walker L.L.P. specializes in project development and serves as outside general counsel to energy clients, drawing on his extensive in-house experience. His work focuses on high-value projects including data center power developments, solar farms, battery storage, and carbon capture initiatives. Penny’s role spans from financing and procurement through construction and project completion, often addressing the complex interplay of EPC contracts, regulatory requirements, and client business needs.

Patrick Schenkel at Oliva Gibbs LLP, specializes in midmarket energy deals ranging from $20m up to $500m. Working out of the Houston office, he manages transactions across Texas, Louisiana, and North Dakota. His recent work includes leading the due diligence effort for a $500m deal in North Dakota, a $25m multi-state mineral divestiture with complex buyer negotiations, and coordinating a multi-party sale involving 10 separate deals. He also handles title work for novel lithium projects, combining practical solutions with outside general counsel support.

Stephen Szalkowski, founder of Szalkowski Law PLLC, brings extensive experience to his growing solo practice, focusing on upstream and midstream oil and gas transactions, as well as emerging renewable projects. He often acts as outside general counsel to energy clients, including smaller developers in Houston’s growing data center scene, balancing regulatory complexities with commercial priorities. His background includes handling multi-jurisdictional deals involving federal, state, and tribal regulations.

Kirk Tucker at Jackson Walker L.L.P., focuses primarily on energy transactions with an emphasis on oil and gas, including significant cross-border M&A. His recent work includes advising on a major multi-million dollar acquisition that required complex multi-jurisdictional regulatory approvals. Tucker also advises clients in the produced water sector and provides outside general counsel services to select clients.

Joel Ephross at Duane Morris LLP, is a trusted corporate advisor on large-scale energy and infrastructure transactions. Based in Houston, he recently represented Quanta Services in a $2.2bn bridge financing for the Blattner acquisition and a $1.25bn senior notes offering tied to the Cupertino Electric deal. His practice also spans financial services – he advised Merrick Bank on a $500m loan participation purchase with options up to $360m.

Bradley Gibbs at Oliva Gibbs LLP is a highly experienced energy lawyer with a strong national practice focused on oil and gas transactions, representing supermajors, PE-backed operators, and mineral acquisition groups. Gibbs is a trusted advisor on complex, high-value deals – recently guiding transactions ranging from $20m to $150m. He is also advising on emerging energy technologies, helping clients navigate novel legal and regulatory frameworks in a rapidly evolving sector.

Anna Irion at Jackson Walker L.L.P. advises on a wide range of midstream and upstream energy transactions. Her recent work includes a complex multi-year carbon sequestration project involving tax structuring, right-of-way negotiations, and reimbursement arrangements. She is also active in the data center and terminal space, and is advising on cross-border propane transport with Mexico.

Steven Lehrbass at Kuiper Law Firm PLLC focuses his practice on upstream and midstream oil and gas transactions, with a diverse client base across the sector. He advises clients on title matters, regulatory issues, and operational strategy, leveraging extensive in-house experience to deliver practical, business-aligned solutions. Lehrbass also supports a major multinational energy company as it expands into renewables.

Zack Oliva, founding artner of Oliva Gibbs LLP, has built a nationally recognized oil and gas practice from the ground up.He remains deeply involved in guiding the firm’s work on emerging and cutting-edge energy developments and resources. Oliva has expertise in cross-border deals, working with clients across a wide variety of jurisdictions.