Jackson Walker partner Julia Mann was quoted in a May 15, 2015, San Antonio Business Journal article titled “Energy lawyers roll with oil and gas boom-bust cycle.”

The article discusses the recent downturn in oil prices, which has increased demand for lawyers in the Eagle Ford shale but has shifted the type of work from drafting leases to settling disputes and terminating leases. Julia said that the current bust may also drive changes to oil lease agreements in the future.

“The mineral owners this time around were much more sophisticated,” she said. “They negotiated better terms for themselves putting on a bit more onerous obligations to continue to develop the minerals.”

Julia said leases written during the last oil boom might not fit the needs of a bust.

“I do think that there are lessons learned to provide a bit more flexibility in the event of a downturn,” she said.

Julia is a partner in the Litigation section of Jackson Walker. She represents a wide range of clients in civil litigation, arbitration and appeals. Her primary focus is on oil and gas litigation, commercial litigation and e-Discovery. Her practice encompasses contractual disputes, professional liability claims, royalty disputes, and business torts such as fraud, negligent misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duty, tortious interference, and creditors’ rights. Julia’s practice involves handling cases in federal and state trial courts, the Texas Court of Appeals, Texas Supreme Court, and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, as well as alternative dispute resolution forums such as AAA and NASD arbitrations and mediations.