R. Mark Oliver

Principal

Practice Description

Mr. Oliver’s practice centers around oil and gas related matters, as well as having a more broadly based litigation and transaction practice. He primarily represents landowners in oil and gas matters such as oil and gas leases both within the Barnett Shale field around Fort Worth and throughout Texas, as well as surface use disputes, oil and gas lease termination disputes, royalty owner disputes, underpayment claims, pricing disputes, operational issues, disputes involving seismic data, pipeline disputes, development and drainage disputes, pooling and unitization disputes, disputes between working interest owners, title issues, and other issues pertaining to land and mineral ownership. His transactional practice also includes the negotiation and preparation of pipeline agreements, surface use agreements, seismic and geophysical access agreements, lease amendments, and related operations and landowner’s rights agreements.

Mr. Oliver also represents businesses, real estate developers, homeowners’ associations, neighborhood associations and other groups of landowners in oil and gas leasing and related transactions by actively marketing the landowners’ minerals to various oil and gas companies and their brokers to achieve the best possible leasing opportunities, benefits, and protections for his clients. He has also defended landowners in numerous condemnation and eminent domain proceedings involving pipelines and associated easements and land use issues.

Mr. Oliver also prosecutes and defends a variety of civil cases in State and Federal courts throughout Texas. His general litigation practice includes insurance defense and coverage litigation, including wrongful death and survival actions, professional malpractice litigation, premises liability litigation, products liability litigation, bad-faith litigation, construction litigation, probate litigation, commercial litigation, real estate litigation, and appellate litigation. He also defends oil and gas operators in wrongful death, survival and personal injury lawsuits and disputes in the oil patch. He also serves as general corporate counsel for a variety of business entities and their owners seeking general legal advice.

Education

• Texas A&M University (B.S. Political Science 1998)
• Texas Tech University School of Law (J.D. 2001)

Professional Admissions

• State Bar of Texas, 2001
• The Supreme Court of the United States
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Arkansas
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Arkansas

Activities

• Vice Chair of Administration, Board of Barristers, Texas Tech University School of Law
• Member, Delta Theta Phi, Texas Tech University School of Law
• Member, American Bar Association
• Member, Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Section, State Bar of Texas
• Member, Tarrant County Bar Association
• Member, Fort Worth-Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association
• Member, The Eldon B. Mahon American Inn of Court
• Explorer Post Advisor, Explorer Post 7603, Longhorn Council, Boy Scouts of America

Distinctions/Honors

• Named a “Top Attorney” by Fort Worth, Texas Magazine in “Oil & Gas” Matters

Presentations/Publications

• Numerous public and private presentations to other attorneys, landowners, homeowners’ associations, neighborhood associations, churches, non-profit organizations, and business owners involving oil and gas matters, including rural and urban drilling within the Barnett Shale field around Fort Worth and throughout Texas