Oil, Gas, and Energy Development:
Federal, state, and tribal laws impact how indigenous peoples develop, regulate, litigate, manage, conserve, and profit from oil, gas, and energy development, oil and gas reserves, other energy resources, related leases and contracts, associated rights-of-way, allied land assignments, and collateral arrangements and accords.
Counsel for Tribal Nations’ & Citizens’ – Resource Development & Management Conflicts
C.J. Lee & Associates provide tribes and their citizens with experienced legal representation for a broad array of Indian Country land use, regulatory, and natural resources matters, including, but not limited to, estate planning, sovereignty defense and improvement, customary negotiation services, ‘peacemaker’ arbitrations, additional alternative dispute resolution, and litigation for common land use, ownership, oil, gas, and energy development, right-of-way, trespass, and economic advancement subjects.
Our focus is on protecting and enhancing individual and tribal rights, negotiating favorable agreements, managing environmental disputes, and assisting tribes and individuals in creating effective approaches to supporting and defending their land and resource use and stewardship. We will also advise tribes on internal policies and procedures to proactively achieve their relevant goals and objectives in managing their economically and culturally valuable resources.
Oil and gas reserves, in particular, can provide Native tribes and their members with a much needed flow of revenue. Threatened and actual interference to that flow can often be better evaluated and overcome with experienced and innovative Indian Country problem solvers—which C.J. Lee & Associates continually strive to be. The more common circumstances where our offered services can be of benefit are:
- Oil and Gas Lease Compliance
- Water Rights Acquisition, Allocation, Regulation, and Dispute Resolution
- Land Use and Conservation, and Related Damages Claims
- RightofWay Conflicts & Inadequate Fees
- Identification and Allocation of Environmental Issue Responsibility
- Oil, Gas, and Energy Development Conflicts and Collateral Litigation
- Wide-ranging Regulatory Matters
- Community Impacts from Energy Development
- Coordination of BIA, BLM, Federal Indian Minerals Office, Office of Special Trustee,
- Tribal, and/or Allottee Cooperation on Complex Issues
Native Nations’, Private Individuals’, and Allottees’ Lands & Resources
Federal Indian law, in concert with tribal law and state law applicable to Indian Country, is the most complex body of law in the American legal system. Addressing, clarifying, and easing that complexity for clients is a first order of business for our firm. We take on this task with consummate effort, experience, confidence, and focused skill. Our goal is to assist tribes, individuals, and allottees in addressing and resolving vexing problems, reducing negative economic and cultural impacts, and advancing tribes toward financial and other benefits they deserve, while protecting tribal and individual rights and heritage.
More Particularized Legal Services
Attorney Calvin Lee, Jr., owner of Calvin Lee Associates, has dedicated his legal practice to serving Native people and protecting their rights and interests. He has a breadth of experience in resolving multifaceted problems affecting his Indian Country clients.
He also holds a unique and exceptional level of expertise in speaking to the expanse of issues associated with Natives who have national and tribal park concessionaire/vendor rights and responsibilities.
Finally, the firm has supplementary experience in such specific practice areas as:
- wrongful death of tribal members,
- investigation and proving of flood damage liability among the BIA, allottees, tribes, sureties, and natural causes,
- background investigations of persons and entities of all kinds,
- the potential role of climate change on land and natural resources damages subjects of various types,
- Indian Country landlord-tenant disputes,
- allottee and non-allottee probate matters,
- estate planning and wealth management for Native business owners and allottees, and
- equitable settlement of intense and problematic energy company right-of-way damages, bad faith complications, and unjust enrichment to the full satisfaction of allotment client land owners and our firm—occasionally far in excess of the original lofty goals we jointly identified and worked toward with the landowner clients.
If you have any questions, or would like to speak to an attorney, please contact our law office today!