James W. Skelton, Jr.

Professional Experience: 

Mr. Skelton will act as Of Counsel to the Firm and provide focused service to clients as onsite counsel and for special projects.

Mr. Skelton has over 32 years of experience as an international energy lawyer providing legal advice to oil and gas and energy industry companies. His work on projects has taken him to more than 30 countries in the Former Soviet Union, the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, Europe, South America, and other oil and gas producing regions of the world. His practice is focused on international strategic relationships, such as joint ventures, financings, asset allocations, business development in emerging markets, acquisitions and divestitures, tender bidding and acquisition, and providing counsel regarding U.S. sanctions regulations.

Mr. Skelton worked for over 27 years as in house counsel for ConocoPhillips, a major oil and gas company, until his retirement at the end of 2007. During this time he gained and developed the expertise necessary to provide solutions to many issues facing companies in today's increasingly complex global market.

Mr. Skelton’s body of work includes the following highlights:

• Negotiation and preparation of joint venture agreements in Russia, including the first greenfield joint venture and project financing in Russia, and a key joint venture between American and Russian major oil companies.

• Handling international corporate acquisitions and dispositions, including, for example, acquisitions of large international upstream affiliates of major oil companies.
• Structuring joint ventures and similar business arrangements in Southeast Asia, West Africa and Eastern Europe, focused primarily on upstream oil and gas ventures.
• Preparing and negotiating production sharing agreements, joint operating agreements, service agreements, and related agreements for exploration and production of hydrocarbons throughout the world.
• Providing assistance in the legislative arena in Russia by serving as (1) a Director of the E&P Licensing Group for the University of Houston's Russian Petroleum Legislation Project in the early 1990's, (2) Chairman of the Legislation Subcommittee of the Energy Committee of the U.S.-Russian Business Council from 1993 to 2001, and (3) an active member of the Legal and Legislative Committee of the Petroleum Advisory Forum from 1992 to 2002.
• Numerous negotiations of farmout agreements and asset sale agreements for interests in various properties in West Africa, Southeast Asia and the Middle East .

Mr. Skelton is also a sought after speaker at industry conferences, and has published numerous articles and book reviews in legal periodicals.

Admissions and Qualifications:
The Supreme Court of the State of Texas
The District of Columbia Court of Appeals
The Supreme Court of the United States of America

Education:
Master of Laws in International Legal Studies, New York University School of Law, 1978
Doctor of Jurisprudence, Cum Laude, South Texas College of Law, 1975
Bachelor of Science, Arizona State University, 1968

Professional Affiliations:
The State Bar of Texas; District of Columbia Bar (inactive); American Bar Association; Houston Bar Association; American Society of International Law; Association of International Petroleum Negotiators; United Nations Association of the U.S.A.; World Affairs Council of Houston; Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Houston Journal of International Law (1999 to present); Advisory Board of Currents, the International Trade Law Journal of South Texas College of Law; and Sustaining Life Fellow of the Houston Bar Foundation.