Ryan Ray
Ryan represents publicly traded and privately held oil & gas companies in a wide array of transactional matters. His primary areas of practice include title examination and due diligence analysis for acquisition and divestures of oil & gas properties. He assists clients with drafting, negotiating and closing of purchase and sale agreements, assignments, conveyances, joint operating agreements, letter agreements, farmout agreements and other documents required for modern oil and gas development.
Ryan received his Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law Houston in 2011 where he graduated cum laude. Prior to law school, Ryan obtained a B.A., with double majors in Political Science and English from Stephen F. Austin State University where he graduated summa cum laude. Ryan is licensed to practice law in Texas and New Mexico.
Thomas Feighny
Thomas provides counsel to clients on purchase and sale agreements, assignments, closing documents, and other pertinent aspects of upstream oil & gas transactions. Thomas oversees due diligence efforts in connection with oil & gas asset acquisitions, where he and his team perform a full scale title analysis of a selling company’s lease files, title opinions, drilling and completion schedules, joint operating agreements, material contracts, and other information that serve as the seller’s basis for providing marketable title to a purchasing company.
Thomas manages title evaluation and confirmation workflow for operators as they develop oil & gas properties, specifically in the context of identifying best practices for horizontal well drilling and development, continuous development compliance, acreage and depth right retention, and confirming rights to production via the issuance of division order title opinions.
Thomas obtained his Juris Doctorate from Texas Tech University in 2006, where he was a recipient of the Board of Regents Full Tuition Scholarship. Thomas obtained his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Colorado State University where he was a recipient of the George T. Abell Foundation Scholarship. Thomas applies an engineering mindset to all legal engagements, with a focus on functional design and scalability. Thomas is licensed to practice law in Texas, Louisiana, and Massachusetts.
Casey Hartle
Casey represents upstream exploration and production companies in a variety of transactional matters pertaining to oil & gas development. His practice focuses on the acquisition and divestiture of oil & gas properties, title examination, due diligence, and providing daily operational counsel to oil and gas operators.
Prior to receiving a Juris Doctorate from Texas A&M University School of Law, Casey received a B.A. with double majors in Political Science and History from Texas State University. Before practicing law, Casey spent time as an independent petroleum landman preparing runsheets for oil & gas companies. Casey is licensed to practice law in Texas, Oklahoma, and North Dakota.
Eric Ocwieja
Eric practices oil & gas law with a focus on North Dakota and the Bakken. He received his B.A. from Michigan State University and his J.D. from Wayne State University Law School in Michigan. He also holds an advanced (LL.M.) degree in Natural Resources Law with a specialization in Energy Law from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.
Before making the transition to practicing law on a full-time basis, Eric spent 12 years working nearly every basin in the Lower 48 as a Land Negotiator and Land Manager for various companies including Occidental Petroleum and Oasis Petroleum. His career as a Land Manager has equipped him with the pragmatism and day-to-day advice that his clients find valuable. Eric is licensed to practice law in Texas, North Dakota, Michigan, and Wyoming.
Lance Joiner
Lance’s practice focuses on advising clients in a variety of upstream and midstream energy matters, including acquisitions and divestitures of producing and nonproducing assets; mineral and leasehold ownership disputes; interpretation and drafting of deeds, oil and gas leases, assignments, and various industry agreements; title curative procedures; pooling; PSA/Allocation Wells; regulatory issues; and negotiation and drafting of geothermal energy leases and carbon sequestration agreements.
He has drafted and reviewed hundreds of title opinions, including acquisition, drilling, division order, and supplemental title opinions. He has managed teams of attorneys working in conjunction with landmen, division order analysts, and in-house counsel to conduct extensive title examination and transactional due diligence.
Lance also counsels clients in the estate planning process, identifying individual goals and preparing wills, trusts, medical directives, HIPAA releases, and powers of attorney tailored to meet client needs and protect their legacies.
Prior to practicing law, Lance earned his B.A. in Government from The University of Texas at Austin and his J.D. from South Texas College of Law. Following law school, he worked as a petroleum landman and as an attorney with two highly recognized Houston-based oil and gas law firms. He is licensed to practice law in Texas, Ohio, and Nebraska, is Board Certified in Oil, Gas, and Mineral Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, was named a Texas Super Lawyer (2022 and 2023), and was named a Houstonia Magazine Top Lawyer in Houston (2021).
Presentations / Publications
- Carbon Capture Projects: Considerations, Potential Roadblocks, Contractual Provisions, and State Regulatory Oversight, Houston Association of Professional Landmen Technical Workshop (April 2022); American Association of Professional Landmen Southwest Land Institute (August 2022).
- Pooling without Pooling: The History of PSA and Allocation Wells in Texas, Section Report of the Oil, Gas & Energy Resources Law Section of the State Bar of Texas (November 2021).
- To Pool or Not to Pool: The Path to PSA and Allocation Wells, Houston Association of Division Order Analysts Luncheon at the Petroleum Club of Houston (August 2021).
- Oil and Gas Deed Interpretation, Houston Association of Division Order Analysts Luncheon at the Petroleum Club of Houston (October 2018); Permian Basin Association of Division Order Analysts Spring Seminar (April 2019); Permian Basin Landmen’s Association Spring Education Seminar (April 2021).
- Yours, Mine, and Ours – Operating Agreements and the Parties they Govern, Operating Agreements in Oil and Gas, Half Moon Education (October 2015).
- The Inherent Ambiguity of Instrument Interpretation or – How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Not Being Omniscient, State Bar of Texas Continuing Legal Education Seminar (August 2012).
- Clarifying the Parties’ Intent – Grains of Clarity in a Desert of Interpretive Confusion, State Bar of Texas Continuing Legal Education Seminar (November 2010).
Cory Page
Cory represents upstream exploration and production companies, oilfield service companies and mineral acquisition companies. He provides counsel on a variety of transactional matters including drafting and negotiating purchase and sale agreements, letter agreements, assignments, joint operating agreements, master service agreements, and other pertinent agreements and documents used in connection with the acquisition, divestiture, and operation of oil and gas properties. His practice also focuses on title examination and due diligence efforts.
Cory received his Juris Doctorate from Texas Tech University School of Law in 2012. Prior to law school, Cory earned his B.S. in Agricultural Economics from Texas A&M University in 2009. He is licensed to practice law in Texas.
Staci Griffin
Staci focuses her practice on all aspects of commercial lending, commercial real estate transactions, and general corporate/business transactions.
Staci represents banks, credit unions, financial institutions and third-party private lenders in reviewing and drafting loan documentation packages and ancillary agreements. She is adept at preparing loan packages for unsecured and secured commercial matters (including construction loans). Staci is also well-versed in preparing SBA 7(a) and 504 loan packages for various SBA preferred lenders. Her experience in commercial real estate and corporate/business law enables her to provide a robust amount of knowledge and advice to her commercial and SBA lending clients to ensure loan documents are properly and accurately drafted, collateral has been properly secured, SBA guidelines have been followed and a smooth and timely loan closing can occur.
Staci’s commercial real estate practice includes drafting and reviewing leases representing both tenants and landlords, purchase and sale agreements, owner-financing transactions, curative matters for title work, easements, and a variety of other genre of real estate contracts and agreements.
Staci also focuses her practice on all aspects of corporate and business law including entity choice and formation for limited liability companies, corporations, general partnerships, limited partnerships and joint ventures, asset and stock purchase and sale agreements, business succession planning, private placement memorandums, non-disclosure agreements, indemnity agreements and general contracts and other transactional matters. Her clients are active in a variety of business industries. Many of her clients are well established businesses but she also enjoys working with and addressing the needs of new, growing and expanding businesses.
Staci also has experience in the field of probate and estate planning.
Staci is a Director and President of Second Chance Pets, a 501(c)(3) non-profit.
Education:
- University of Houston Law Center Class – J.D., 2009
Houston Law Review, Member and Articles Editor
Magna Cum Laude - Texas A&M University – B.A., 2006
Summa Cum Laude
Admissions:
- State of Texas
- United States District Court for the Southern, Northern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas
Rachel Lee
Rachel received both her B.A. and J.D. from Michigan State University. Shortly after graduation, she began working in the energy industry as a landman in Fort Worth, Texas. During that time her responsibilities ranged from title abstracting and curative efforts to managing complex due diligence projects, providing her with a wealth of knowledge and experience. Since then, she has focused her practice on land and title related issues across Texas, Colorado, Wyoming, and Louisiana. Rachel is a member of the Colorado Hispanic Bar Association as well as the Colorado Women’s Bar Association. Rachel lives in Colorado with her husband and two boys.
Steven Boening
Steven’s practice primarily focuses on rendering accurate, pragmatic title opinions for oil & gas companies. Steven received his Juris Doctorate from Texas Tech University School of Law in 2011, where he wrote and edited for the Texas Tech Law Review. Steven obtained a B.A. in Government and a B.S. in Radio-Television-Film at the University of Texas in Austin. Before practicing law, Steven spent several years working in the courthouses of the Permian Basin as an independent petroleum landman. Steven is licensed to practice law in the State of Texas.
Aaron Nielsen
Aaron graduated from Brigham Young University in 2006 and obtained his JD from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 2009.
Aaron's oil and gas practice consists of representing upstream exploration and production companies and mineral buying companies in a wide variety of transactional matters, including the acquisition and divestiture of oil and gas properties, title examination, curative, and due diligence. In addition to his practice of law, Aaron worked as an in-house landman at Chevron in Houston for several years.
Aaron is licensed to practice law in Texas, Oklahoma, and Utah. He is also Board Certified in Oil, Gas, and Mineral Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
Jennifer Martin
Jennifer Martin joined RFH in 2024 having dedicated thirteen years to practicing law in the oil and gas sector. Although the bulk of her experience lies in drafting oil and gas title opinions and related curative and operational materials, she brings additional experience in transactional and contracting matters, as well as an understanding of managing projects to build long-lasting client relationships. In 2021, she lent her expertise to South Texas College of Law and the University of Houston School of Law, teaching a specialized class focusing on the structure and drafting of oil and gas leases.
After graduating from the University of Houston with her bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Jennifer attended law school at St. Mary’s University and went on to obtain an LL.M. in Energy and Environmental Law from the University of Texas School of Law in 2011. She is licensed to practice in Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and North Dakota.
Jennifer is no stranger to oil and gas, with her father, grandfather, and great-grandfather all working in the industry before her. As a fourth-generation member of the “family business,” she understands not just the day-to-day aspects, but also the long-term legacies her clients are working to establish and uphold.
Clayton Wheat
Clayton joined the firm in October 2024. Before then, Clayton partnered in or worked with nationally recognized oil and gas law firms in Houston & San Antonio, and as a landman in the Uintah Basin and Eagle Ford Shale. Clayton is licensed to practice law in Texas (Oil, Gas, and Energy Resources Section) and North Dakota (Real Property, Trusts, and Probate Section). Clayton grew up in Sugar Land, Texas.
Clayton’s extensive oil and gas experience has been focused on leasing, regulatory & acquisition issues, and title opinions. He is a member of the Houston Producer’s Forum, Houston Association for Professional Landmen, West Houston Association of Petroleum Landmen, and the Sons of the Republic of Texas.
Gregory Sharry
Greg graduated from Franklin and Marshall College in 2004, and obtained his J.D. from St. Thomas University School of Law in 2008. He currently resides in Dallas, Texas.
Prior to joining RFH, Greg worked for a national law firm with a focus on Energy Law. He has over 10 years of experience drafting and reviewing drilling, division order, supplemental, and acquisition title opinions for exploration and production companies operating throughout the continental United States, including Texas, Colorado, North Dakota, Wyoming, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Montana, and Utah. During his career, he has advised both private and public energy companies on the implications of their intended operations, and prides himself on providing practical solutions to complex legal issues. He has a wealth of knowledge dealing with Federal and Indian lands and has been a reliable source for clients operating within those domains. Greg is licensed to practice law in Texas.
Edward Lentz
Eddie’s oil and gas practice consists of representing upstream exploration and production companies in a wide variety of transactional matters pertaining to oil & gas development, including the acquisition and divestiture of oil & gas properties, title examination and due diligence. Eddie’s banking practice includes experience in representing banks, mortgage companies, and private lenders in a wide variety of matters including residential mortgage document preparation, commercial loan document preparation, compliance, regulatory, corporate governance, and lending.
Prior to receiving a Juris Doctorate from Texas Tech University School of Law, Eddie received a B.S. in Maritime Administration from Texas A&M University. He began preparing title opinions while working as a clerk in law school. Following law school, Eddie worked as a petroleum landman, as an attorney with several Houston-based oil and gas law firms, and most recently for a Houston-based law firm that represents banks, mortgage companies, and private lenders. Eddie is licensed to practice law in Texas and is Board Certified in Oil, Gas and Mineral Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
Jordan Jackson
Jordan’s practice includes litigation and oil and gas transactional law. Jordan has extensive experience in title examination and due diligence for drilling operations and acquisitions of oil & gas properties. He also assists clients in analyzing and drafting documents used in oil & gas transactions.
Jordan graduated with honors from the University of Texas School of Law. Prior to law school, Jordan graduated with distinction from Duke University, where he competed on the wrestling team and earned a B.A., double majoring in History and Sociology with a certificate in Primatology. Jordan is licensed to practice law in Texas, Oklahoma, and North Dakota.
Steven Lehrbass
Steven has focused his career on oil, gas, and mineral law; title examination; acquisitions and divestitures; land management; comprehensive royalty audits; and records/critical data management.
He received his bachelor’s degree in psychology (with an emphasis in behavioral and experimental psychology) from The University of Texas at San Antonio prior to attending St. Mary’s University School of Law, where he obtained his Juris Doctorate in 2010.
After graduating, he gained valuable industry experience working as an independent petroleum landman, field title supervisor, and title attorney in numerous courthouses in counties and parishes throughout Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Colorado. During this time, Steven focused on title due diligence, organic leasing efforts, and business development related to the consolidation of acreage in his clients’ respective areas of interest.
Since then, Steven has worked as In-House Counsel and Land Manager for a quickly growing Houston-based mineral and royalty buying company; Lease & Contracts Supervisor at Noble Energy (subsequently acquired by Chevron in 2020); Director of Land with a small private equity backed, conventional Operator focused on the formation and operation of several large-scale Enhanced Oil Recovery units (with a carbon capture, utilization and storage component) in the Permian Basin; and successfully led a significant business turnaround effort as Interim General Counsel for a Brazilian-based midstream company.
Steven’s wide range of experience spans companies sized from startups, small companies, private equity backed companies, international conglomerates to Fortune 500/100 companies and includes various facets of the upstream and midstream sectors including courthouse research, administrative law hearings, contract negotiation/drafting, field/plant operations, regulatory compliance, acquisitions and divestitures, and direct litigation support.
Since joining RFH, Steven specializes in title examination with highly complex tract ownership and complicated legal issues in the preparation of original drilling title opinions, supplemental title opinions, and division order title opinions. Steven also provides practical day-to-day advice to clients and directly supports them on various upstream and midstream-related projects.
Today, Steven lives in Houston, Texas with his family and enjoys watching, writing, and performing live music; working on hot rods and drag racing; and closely follows boxing, mixed martial arts, and major league baseball during his off time.
Lucas Ray
Lucas represents energy clients in a variety of exploration, development, and production matters. He focuses on due diligence matters for acquisitions and divestitures of oil and gas assets and has prepared numerous drilling, division order, leasehold, and acquisition title opinions. Lucas has represented companies from publicly traded oil and gas companies to private equity-backed start-ups.
Lucas obtained his Juris Doctorate from the Texas Tech School of Law in 2008. Prior to law school, Lucas obtained a B.S. in Political Science from Lamar University where he graduated summa cum laude. Lucas is licensed to practice in the State of Texas.
Thomas O’Connor
Thomas represents various oil and gas operators in transactional matters. His practice mainly focuses on title examination and authoring title opinions for clients ranging from large publicly traded companies to small private ventures. He assists clients in performing due diligence analysis in preparation for acquiring or divesting oil and gas assets. His prior experience includes litigation and performing discovery in royalty underpayment cases related to the Barnett Shale.
Thomas received his Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law in 2016. Prior to law school, Thomas obtained a B.S. in Forensic Investigative Science from Texas A&M University in 2011. Thomas is licensed to practice law in Texas.
Jo Barrett
Jo represents energy clients in a variety of oil and gas matters. Her practice focuses on title examination and due diligence matters for mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures of oil and gas assets. Jo started her career in oil and gas as an independent petroleum landman where she was initially tasked with performing due diligence for a large acquisition. That transitioned into negotiating agreements, reviewing title, and drilling operations. She has led acquisition and due diligence projects for both privately held and publicly traded oil and gas companies and has written title opinions for drilling operations and acquisitions in Texas, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Jo brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the practice.
Jo received her Juris Doctorate from St. Mary’s University School of Law in 2010. Prior to law school, Jo obtained a B.B.A. in Accounting from Sam Houston State University, where she graduated magna cum laude. Jo is licensed to practice in the State of Texas.
Justin Sheard
Justin obtained his Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law in 2009. He soon thereafter began working in the oil and gas industry in both attorney and landman roles. As an independent landman, and active member of the AAPL since 2011, Justin has provided in-house due diligence services to numerous clients and obtained considerable experience researching title in courthouses across Texas. In 2015 he obtained an LL.M. in Energy, Environmental, and Natural Resources Law from the University of Houston. Justin currently provides of counsel due diligence and title examination services and is licensed to practice law in Texas.
Charles Cottrell
Charles graduated from Louisiana Tech in 2001 with a B.A. in Political Science with a minor in English and obtained his J.D. from the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law in 2004. Charles has over 18 years of experience as an oil, gas and mineral law attorney and landman with additional experience in bankruptcy matters. Charles has drafted and reviewed hundreds of title opinions, including acquisition, drilling, division order and supplemental title opinions covering lands in Texas, Oklahoma, North Dakota, New Mexico, Ohio, and Louisiana. Charles is licensed to practice law in Texas and Oklahoma and Board Certified in Oil, Gas and Mineral Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
Brian Kuczynski
Brian’s practice focuses on real estate transactions, corporate finance, and SBA lending. He assists Lenders in preparing loan packages for all types of commercial and residential transactions, including SBA 7(a) and 504 loans for various SBA preferred lenders. Brian is also well versed in borrower-side representation, where he helps clients navigate from corporate formation to closing. In addition, he serves as a fee attorney for several Texas title companies where he has prepared curative documents for thousands of successful transactions.
Prior to joining RFH, Brian worked at a boutique Houston firm, where he gained extensive experience in real estate purchases, divestitures, and financing. Brian obtained a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Texas A&M University in 2016 and received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Houston in 2019. Brian is licensed to practice law in Texas.
Maria Berlingieri
Maria’s practice focuses on title examination and providing operational counsel to oil and gas operators.
Prior to joining RFH, she worked as an oil and gas attorney in Midland, Texas. She has prepared numerous drilling, division order, leasehold, and acquisition title opinions.
Maria received her law degree from Universidad Del Norte Santo Tomas de Aquino in 2010 and her LL.M. from Texas Tech University School of Law in 2014. She is originally from Argentina, but she is proud to call Texas her home since 2013. Maria is licensed to practice law in the State of Texas.
Joseph McCormack
Joe’s practice focuses on title examination and providing operational counsel to oil and gas operators.
Prior to joining RFH, Joe obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from Southwestern University where he played baseball and served as team captain. He received his Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law, and he is licensed to practice law in Texas.
Kelly O’Bryan da Mota
Kelly’s practice is primarily focused on mineral title matters for corporate clients within the oil & gas industry. In addition to her work as a title attorney, she has spent several years working as a landman and land services broker in plays all over the United States. She graduated from Texas A&M University with a B.B.A. in business management with a focus on small business and entrepreneurship and a minor in Spanish. She received her J.D. from the University of Texas and her LL.M. in international corporate law from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. She is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.
Kelly currently serves on the Board of the Young Professionals Association of the Petroleum Club of Houston and on various committees for the American Association of Professional Landmen (AAPL). She has spoken at various energy industry events, including the Law of Shale Plays Conference and the Appalachian Land Institute. She is the creator of Landman Fridays, a weekly educational newsletter for field and in-house landmen, and Land and Legal Live, a LinkedIn Live show focusing on land and legal issues affecting the energy industry. Her articles have been published in Forbes and the Energy Law Advisor.
Bridgette Halley
Bridgette received her Juris Doctorate from Texas A&M University School of Law in 2007. Immediately upon graduation, Bridgette began her career in the oil and gas industry as a Landman performing title examination and title curative work in various counties throughout West Texas. Thereafter, Bridgette began working as an oil and gas title attorney with local law firms in Fort Worth, Texas. As an oil and gas attorney, Bridgette has acquired years of experience drafting and reviewing title opinions.
In addition to oil and gas work, she has also practiced family, probate, and bankruptcy law. Bridgette is licensed to practice law in the State of Texas and the Eastern and Northern Districts of Texas for the United States District Court. She currently resides in Fort Worth, Texas.
Ellen Wardrop
Ellen’s practice focuses on title examination and providing operational counsel to oil and gas operators.
Ellen received her law degree with certificates in both Environmental and International law from Pace Law School in 2012, and an LL.M. in Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources from the University of Houston in 2013. Prior to law school, Ellen attended the University of Oklahoma, where she received a B.S. in Meteorology, cum laude, and minors in Mathematics and Business.
Ellen has previously worked as a field landman in East Texas, and an in-house landman covering West Texas. Prior to joining RFH, she worked as an attorney for a title examination firm in Houston, TX. She has prepared numerous drilling, division order, leasehold, and acquisition title opinions.
Ellen is licensed to practice law in the States of Texas, New York, and North Dakota.
Zachary Harvey
Zach’s practice focuses on title examination and providing operational counsel to oil and gas operators.
Prior to joining RFH, Zach worked on both sides of the bar representing clients in litigation matters. Prior to law school, Zach worked in business development for Oracle.
Zach obtained a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Texas A&M University, and he received his Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law. Zach is licensed to practice law in Texas.
Dana Hruzek
Dana assists various oil and gas operators in transactional matters. Her practice mainly focuses on title examination and authoring title opinions for clients ranging from large publicly traded companies to small private ventures. Prior to working for RFH, Dana practiced Wind, Solar, and Oil and Gas Law in Lubbock, Texas, and the surrounding areas. She is well versed in drafting, reviewing, and negotiating leases, surface use and accommodation agreements, title opinions, and land and mineral deeds.
Dana received her Juris Doctorate from Texas Tech University School of Law in 2020. Prior to law school, Dana obtained a B.A. with double majors in Sociology and Religious Studies from Trinity University. She is licensed to practice law in Texas and New Mexico.
Publications:
Raiders of the Lost Grant, Journal of the Energy Law Practitioner (July 2022).
Alexis Pawelek
Alexis focuses her practice on title examination and providing operational counsel to E&P operators. She received her Juris Doctorate from Texas Tech University School of Law in 2019. Prior to law school, Alexis obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry, and minors in Mathematics, Engineering, and Political Science, from Abilene Christian University in 2016. Alexis is Licensed to practice in Texas.
Prior to joining RFH, Alexis worked as in-house counsel for Rush Enterprises, Inc. She practiced primarily in litigation and claims, employment law, contracts, and property disputes.
Aleena Chaudry
Aleena assists oil and gas operators with transactional matters. Prior to joining RFH, Aleena spent 13 years at a publicly traded exploration and production company during which, she also obtained her Certified Public Accountant license and Juris Doctor degree. Her work focused on areas in which accounting and the law intersect and included roles in Compliance, Audit and Litigation, Internal Audit, and Revenue. She dealt directly with federal, state, and indigenous agencies while navigating the applicable administrative law frameworks. Aleena also analyzed industry contracts, along with the laws, rules, and regulations impacting revenue, royalty, and tax liabilities and provided risk mitigation recommendations to management.
Aleena attended Oklahoma City University School of Law as a Merit Scholar and received the Excellence in Energy Law Award from the Oklahoma Bar Association Energy and Natural Resource Section. Prior to law school, she earned a B.S. in Accounting, cum laude, from the University of Central Oklahoma. Aleena is licensed to practice law in Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Missouri.
Keaton Mayfield
Keaton’s practice primarily focuses on the energy industry and includes representation of clients in title examination and due diligence related to acquisitions and divestitures of oil and gas assets.
Keaton graduated from the University of Oklahoma School of Law with his JD, where he was an editor for the Oil and Gas, Natural Resources, and Energy Journal and is licensed to practice law in Texas.
Issa Tannous
Issa possesses a diverse skillset and history of experience working in the oil & gas industry. He began doing land work in 2006 buying minerals in East Texas, and has worked for E&P companies in numerous basins across the United States. Issa earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Houston Law Center in 2004. Prior to law school, Issa attended the University of Michigan where he played football on a scholarship.
In addition to his representation of oil & gas clients, Issa represents clients in contract disputes and personal injury litigation.
Christopher Harrell
Chris is an experienced attorney with a focus on real estate, oil and gas law, and civil litigation. Chris graduated from Texas Tech University with a B.S. in Wildlife Management. He obtained his Juris Doctorate in 2002 from St. Mary’s University School of Law where he served as a staff writer and comment editor for the St. Mary’s Law Journal. Chris is a member of the State Bar of Texas and is licensed in the United States District Court – Southern District of Texas.
Tara Hudson
Tara E. Hudson has 15 years of legal experience in the oil and gas industry, serving in private practice as well as at independent exploration and production companies. As a landman, Tara was responsible for the drilling of over 155 horizontal wells, and she has applied that experience to a special focus on complex regulatory issues in Oklahoma and Texas title examination. In college, Tara was Phi Beta Kappa and a finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship, and she graduated with a Bachelors summa cum laude from the University of Oklahoma. Tara also served as Articles Editor for the University of Oklahoma Law Review and obtained a Juris Doctorate with honors.
Michele Parker
Michele boasts over 30 years of experience in the title industry, having built long-standing relationships with numerous title companies across the greater Houston area, showcasing her extensive knowledge and commitment to the field.
Michele's skill set encompasses a diverse range of responsibilities including reviewing title commitments, purchase money contracts, builder contracts, and entity documentation. Michele ensures a smooth closing process for title companies, leveraging her wealth of knowledge and attention to detail.
Michele is proficient in drafting closing documents for both residential and commercial transactions, handling tasks such as owner finance, third-party lender, and builder documentation with ease. Michele's experience also extends to curative title work, demonstrating her versatility and efficiency in addressing various challenges that may arise during real property transactions.
With a solid background in the foreclosure process, Michele adeptly assists her attorney with lender representation, by drafting all phases of documentation from demand letters to final foreclosure sale documentation.
Additionally, Michele offers her knowledge in assisting with the preparation of legal documents such as Wills, Powers of Attorney, and probate documentation.
Her academic background includes a Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies from the University of Houston – Clear Lake, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2013.
Valerie Allison
Valerie serves as a paralegal for RFH and has a diverse work experience in Real Estate, Probate, Guardian and Conservatorships, and Estate Planning.
Valerie assists RFH in real estate transactions, the title industry, probate and estate planning matters. She interacts daily with numerous title companies across the greater Houston area preparing deeds, affidavits, owner financing and third-party lender financing documents, as well as a variety of other closing documents for residential and commercial transactions.
Valerie graduated from May Technical College with an Associates of Applied Science Degree in Paralegal Studies in 1997 in Billings, Montana. Valerie moved to Colorado and eventually relocated to Texas.
Valerie graduated with honors and was awarded the West Law Scholastics Award. Valerie also updated the Paralegal Guidelines for the Colorado Bar Association.
Callie Soltis
Callie serves as the Director of Business Development and Marketing. She received her B. A. in Journalism from Baylor University in 2013. With over a decade of experience, Callie previously worked as a Senior Landman at Wayfinder Resources Operating, LLC where she led the development efforts for the company in the SCOOP, STACK, MERGE trend in Oklahoma. Prior to Wayfinder, Callie served as a Land Technician at Oasis Petroleum for the Williston Basin, and at Purple Land Management, where she worked as a field landman running title in the Arkoma and Appalachian Basins.
