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General Counsel (Solo) Resume Example

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GENERAL COUNSEL (SOLO)
Professional Summary
Highly accomplished In House Attorney bringing extensive legal counsel experience in a wide variety of disciplines, with emphasis in exploration and production, corporate and maritime law. Dedicated and a team-oriented lawyer who works to increase understanding and proficiencies in all areas of legal practice and provided in house legal resource to public and private oil and gas companies for over 15 years.
Skills
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Acquisitions/Divestitures
  • Corporate Governance
  • Fluent in Spanish
  • In-depth knowledge of HR Compliance/Employment & Labor Law
  • Risk Management
  • Management of Commercial  Insurance
  • EPC Industry Experience
  • Admiralty/Maritime Law
  • Litigation, Arbitration and Mediation experience
Work History
General Counsel (Solo), 02/2013 to Current
 Black Elk Energy Offshore Operations, LLC – Houston, TX
  • Gulf of Mexico Shelf Operator specializing in oil and natural gas engaged in exploration, development, production and exploitation of 60% oil and 40% natural gas properties.
  • Established the first legal department for Company.
  • Engaged in complex civil litigation due to West Delta incident offshore Gulf of Mexico; assist and manage Federal Regulatory investigation; manage environmental and personal injury claims.
  • Serve as Corporate Secretary to Board of Directors; Draft and prepare SEC filings such as 8k, quarterly and annual reports and other SEC disclosures; prepares and maintains corporate records of the Company, organize quarterly earnings call;
  • Provide counsel to executive management regarding day to day onshore and offshore legal issues; Participate in management and operations meetings to advice and assist in various oil and gas agreements relating to exploration and production operations;
  • Developed strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation in litigation, mediation and arbitration.
  • Interpreted laws, rulings and regulations for key executive management and business units.
  • Worked with management and staff to resolve pre-litigation disputes.
  • Engaged in acquisitions and divestitures for various offshore assets totaling approximately $170 million dollars.
  • Addressed employee management concerns regarding Reduction in Force and Restructuring.
General Counsel, 08/2009 to 02/2013
 Boa Marine Services, Inc – Houston, TX
  • Subsidiary of Boa Group, Trondheim, Norway - Marine contractors and engineers providing specialty services in vessel chartering, project execution and subsea construction for international marine operations and the Gulf of Mexico.
  • Successfully negotiated and secured $35 million contract with  major operator May, 2010;
  • Provide legal advice to executive management, perform legal analysis and research compliance, regulatory matters involving vessel chartering;
  • Initiate, manage and complete special projects as directed by the President for start-up company and established HR and Legal Department; ensure smooth flow of information to and from Norway; manage day to day legal processes to ensure effective and timely response to the internal business units and manage DNV audit and compliance program;
  • Responsible for providing legal support and assistance to Parent company and Houston operations for  North Sea, Australia and Mexico and Brazil regions;
  • Interpreted laws, rulings and regulations for business units and proactively identified legal risks and opportunities and strategies for mitigating those risks on global basis;
  • Worked with management and staff to resolve pre-litigation disputes.
Corporate Counsel (Contract), 01/2009 to 04/2009
 Anadarko Petroleum – The Woodlands, TX
  • Corporate Counsel for the domestic Exploration and Production Company Primary responsibilities included providing legal counsel to Company management and business project teams for Gulf of Mexico- Texas and Louisiana exploration and production; Duties also included onshore/offshore acquisitions, exploration, seismic activities, development and production.
  • Oversaw compliance and regulatory issues concerning MMS, FERC, Texas Railroad Commission.
  • Reviewed, negotiated and drafted master agreements, oilfield service contracts, Areas of Mutual Interest, Joint Bidding, Gathering and Processing Agreements, Production Handling Agreements, Oil/Gas Leases, Seismic Acquisitions/License Agreements; Hardcore minerals (Rockies), Industrial Mineral Agreements; Monitored and advised on general surface/subsurface access issues, mineral owner demands/claims and litigation.
  • Additional responsibilities included drafting and negotiating oil and gas acquisition and divestiture agreements.
Corporate Counsel, 11/2007 to 12/2008
 Yuma Exploration and Production – Houston, TX
  • Corporate Counsel for the domestic Exploration and Production Company Primary responsibilities included providing legal counsel to Company management and business project teams for Gulf of Mexico- Texas and Louisiana exploration and production.
  •  Duties included onshore/offshore acquisitions, exploration and production, seismic activities;
  •  Oversaw compliance and regulatory issues concerning MMS, FERC, Texas Railroad Commission;
  • Reviewed, negotiated and drafted master agreements, oilfield service contracts, Areas of Mutual Interest, Joint Bidding, Gathering and Processing Agreements, Production Handling Agreements, Oil/Gas Leases, Seismic Acquisitions/License Agreements; Hardcore minerals (Rockies), Industrial Mineral Agreements;
  • Managed and advised on general surface/subsurface access issues, mineral owner demands/claims and litigation; Additional responsibilities included drafting and negotiating oil and gas acquisition and divestiture agreements, acreage trade agreements.
Corporate Counsel, 10/2003 to 11/2007
 The Houston Exploration Company – Houston, TX
  • Exploration and production company specializing in Gulf of Mexico offshore and Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas onshore exploration, exploitation and production of natural gas.
  • Legal advisor to Senior management, Board of Directors and other Operations personnel throughout the Company on various legal matters, including corporate and project planning, risk management, finance, exploration, land and marketing units.
  • Established Records and Information Management program, including strategic planning, development and implementation of policies, standards and procedures for management and retention of documents, supervised communication and training for all business units related to records management and retention program.
  • Provided legal business advice on wide variety of corporate issues, including human resources, benefits, worker's compensation, and other personnel issues.
  • Supported outside counsel, resolution of disputes, litigation in federal and state courts, mediation, arbitration, evaluating financial exposure, reserves and litigation.
Corporate In-House Counsel and HR Director, 05/2000 to 10/2003
 Grant Geophysical Corporation – Houston, TX
  • International geophysical service company providing over 70 years of proven seismic acquisition and processing expertise in US, Canada, Latin America, Europe, Africa, Middle East, Eastern Hemisphere and Asia Pacific.
  • Responsibilities included managing a wide variety of legal issues both domestic and international for specialized land, shallow water and transition zone seismic data acquisition and processing services;.
  • Negotiated, drafted and administered all aspects of contracts to obtain, license and market seismic data for Gulf of Mexico and international shallow water in addition to land, including third party international oil and gas contracts, vendor agreements, purchase and sale agreements, agency/representative contracts, and international government contracts;.
  • Duties also included extensive travel to Europe, South America (Colombia, Ecuador, and Brazil) and Canada to supervise local legal departments and exercise overview of lawsuits with direct reports and outside counsel.
HR Manager and InHouse Counsel, 01/1996 to 05/2000
 Torch, Inc – New Orleans, LA
  • Human Resources Director and In-House Counsel.
  • Privately owned offshore service company providing marine construction services, including pipeline construction, platform installation and removal, diving and subsea services and construction support.
Human Resources Director, 05/1994 to 01/1996
 Smedvig Industries – New Orleans, LA
  • Norwegian Start-up Company in US, specializing in ultra-deep water drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.
Education
Louisiana State Bar Licensure: Louisiana: Dec. 1999
  • Guest Speaker with Hispanic National Bar Association annual meeting, Orlando, FL Spring 2014
J.D.: Law, 1991
 Texas Southern University Law School - Houston, TX
Bachelor of Science: Management, 1987
 University of Texas at Pan American - Edinburg, Texas
Summer Law School Program: Summer 1990
 University of Notre Dame - London, England UK
  • Coursework in International Business
Affiliations

Louisiana State Bar Association

Women in Energy (WEN)

Women's International Shipping and Trade Association

Association of Corporate Counsel

Hispanic National Bar Association

Volunteer- The Women's Resource Group


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Resume Overview

Companies Worked For:

  • Black Elk Energy Offshore Operations, LLC
  • Boa Marine Services, Inc
  • Anadarko Petroleum
  • Yuma Exploration and Production
  • The Houston Exploration Company
  • Grant Geophysical Corporation
  • Torch, Inc
  • Smedvig Industries

School Attended

  • Texas Southern University Law School
  • University of Texas at Pan American
  • University of Notre Dame

Job Titles Held:

  • General Counsel (Solo)
  • General Counsel
  • Corporate Counsel (Contract)
  • Corporate Counsel
  • Corporate In-House Counsel and HR Director
  • HR Manager and InHouse Counsel
  • Human Resources Director

Degrees

  • Louisiana State Bar Licensure: Louisiana : Dec. 1999
    J.D. : Law , 1991
    Bachelor of Science : Management , 1987
    Summer Law School Program : Summer 1990

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