Energy Law Career Guide
Updated July 2022
Books
Richard L. Hermann, Energy Law: Fueling a Dynamic Legal Career (2017).
Explains how energy law has grown from a niche field to a major practice area.
Publisher's Description
KF299 .E54 H47 2017 V.4 (OCS)
Articles
Brian Baxter, Big Firms Fuel Up on Energy Sector Bankruptcies, American Lawyer, April 28, 2016.
Describes an increase in workload for law firms assisting troubled oil producers.
Jess Davis, Texas Legal Market Stays Hot Despite Plunging Oil Prices, Law360, Feb. 25, 2015.
Explains how the drop in oil prices is affecting law firms in Texas.
Chris Galford, Energy Industry Lawyers Discuss Diversity, Inclusion Among Legal Partners at NARUC Meeting, Daily Energy Insider, Nov. 6, 2020.
Discusses strategies for improving racial diversity among energy lawyers.
Keith Goldberg, The 17 Firms GCs Love for Energy Work, Law360, June 28, 2016.
This article names the leading law firms in energy law.
Brenda Sapino Jeffreys, What's So Appealing About Texas? For Law Firms, Apparently Everything, Legal Intelligencer, March 13, 2018, at 1.
Discusses the expanding legal industry in Texas, with an emphasis on energy law.
Bill Kroger & Jason Newman, Understanding Hydrocarbon Trends: Ten Issues that Lawyers Can Help the Energy Industry Solve, Houston Lawyer, Nov./Dec. 2014, at 10.
Summary of the legal issues that lawyers address when representing the fracking industry.
Law.com, Why California's Energy Crisis Is Driving Demand for Regulatory Lawyers, The American Lawyer, December 17, 2021.
Interview with Michael Day, energy attorney in California, about the growth of energy law and practice in California.
Cynthia Marlette, Advocate For An Agency: Ex-FERC GC Cynthia Marlette, Law360, March 29, 2017.
A former General Counsel for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission describes what it's like to work for this agency.
John B. McFarland, Oil and Gas Law, GP Solo, March-April 2013, at 38.
A Texas lawyer explains how he entered this field and describes his work experiences.
Dan Packel, After Rough Patch, Pa. Firms Bullish on Energy, Law360, April 26, 2017.
Describes a recent uptick in energy law work in Pennsylvania.
Joshua D. Rhodes, The State of the U.S. Energy Sector, 4 Oil & Gas, Natural Resources & Energy J. 547 (2018).
Provides an overview of economic trends in the U.S. energy sector.
Cara Smith, Meet the Fast 100: Houston-Area Law Firm Sees Spike in Oil Slump-Related Litigation, Houston Business Journal, Aug. 13, 2015.
Explains new litigation scenarios that are emerging with the downturn in the oil industry.
Matthew Stevens, Energized Law: Is North Carolina Becoming a Booming State for an Energy Law Attorney?, North Carolina Lawyers Weekly, June 15, 2015.
Describes opportunities for attorneys in North Carolina's diverse energy industry.
Tommer Yoked et al, Up the Learning Curve: Tips for New Energy Transactional Lawyers, Texas Lawyer, Jan. 27, 2020.
Detailed and practical advice for new lawyers starting their careers as energy transactional attorneys.
Periodicals
Infrastructure
A quarterly newsletter from the ABA's Section of Public Utility, Communications and Transportation Law.
Available from the ABA and HeinOnline.
Natural Resources & Environment
A quarterly newsletter from the ABA's Section of Environment, Energy and Resources.
Available on HeinOnline.
Organizations
ABA Section of Environment, Energy and Resources
321 North Clark St
Chicago, IL 60610
tel: (312) 988-5625
e-mail: environ@americanbar.org
website: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/environment_energy_resources.html
This ABA section is for lawyers working in the areas of environmental law, natural resources law, and energy law. "The Section is committed to providing members with opportunities to enhance professional skills, stay on top of developments and to participate in dialogue in these substantive areas. It represents more than 10,000 members with a wide range of professional interests. . . . . The Section keeps its members abreast of development trends, current court decisions, legislative initiatives, and statutes concerning environmental, natural resources, and energy law." --From the website
ABA Section of Infrastructure and Regulated Industries
321 North Clark St
Chicago, IL 60610
tel: (312) 988-6238
e-mail: infrastructure@americanbar.org
website: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/infrastructure-regulated-industries/
"The American Bar Association Infrastructure and Regulated Industries Section is the leading professional organization for those interested in the rapidly changing legal environment in the communications, cable TV, internet, electricity, gas, oil pipelines, aviation, motor carriers, railroads, and water industries." --From the website
Energy Bar Association
2000 M Street, N.W., Suite 715
Washington, D.C. 20036
tel: (202) 223-5625
fax: (202) 833-5596
e-mail: admin@eba-net.org
website: https://www.eba-net.org/
The Energy Bar Association's website includes a job bank, membership directory and information on meetings and events. Student memberships are available.
Institute for Energy Law
5201 Democracy Dr.
Plano, TX 75024-3561
tel.: (972) 244-3400
fax: (972) 244-3401
e-mail: iel@cailaw.org
website: https://www.cailaw.org/iel/
The Institute for Energy Law, part of the Center for American and International Law, offers educational programs, scholarly publications and membership activities for energy lawyers.
Photo: Associated Press