Best Lawyers in America for Mining Law
Walter brings more than thirty-five years of experience providing representation, advice and counsel to businesses and individuals in their dealings with Indian tribes and public land management agencies, like the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service and New Mexico State Land Office. Walter’s practice is focused on natural resources, energy and environmental law. Clients throughout the west and across the country seek Walter’s advice in matters involving transac...
Area of Emphasis Joe Bunn is a shareholder in the Corporate and Commercial Group of Babst Calland. Before obtaining his law degree, Mr. Bunn worked for a Fortune 500 company and a middle market company where he served in numerous roles involving strategic planning, capital raises, acquisitions and divestitures. Armed with a deep understanding of the practical needs of business owners, he now assists clients in financial transactions, mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. Mr. Bunn also coun...
Area of Emphasis Kip Power is a shareholder in the Energy and Natural Resources and Litigation groups of Babst Calland. Mr. Power helps clients comply with environmental laws and defend related litigation while keeping their businesses running profitably. He regularly represents companies when permitting and enforcement disputes arise and prosecutes civil actions and appeals challenging unlawful agency actions. Over the course of his career, he has successfully negotiated favorable resolution...
Tom Lane is a partner in the Charleston, West Virginia office of Bowles Rice and is licensed to practice law in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. He practices primarily in the areas of natural resources, coal, oil and gas, commercial real estate, zoning and land development This practice ranges from complex transactions of mineral property and companies to complex litigation of natural resource issues. He also engages in lobbying and government relations, particularly on issues affecting the mi...
Charles B. Dollison is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Energy Law, Mining Law and Oil and Gas Law. Charles B. practices law in Charleston, West Virginia Best Lawyers has recognized Charles B. Dollison since 2020. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Charles B. Dollison is held by other lawyers.
Shane Swindle, a partner in the firm's Litigation practice, focuses on commercial litigation, particularly environmental, contract and insurance coverage disputes. Most of Mr. Swindle’s time is devoted to his active litigation practice, but he also regularly advises clients on environmental, contract, and insurance coverage issues for business planning purposes.
Erika Eaton Malmen is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Energy Law, Environmental Law and Mining Law. Erika Eaton practices law in Boise, Idaho Best Lawyers has recognized Erika Eaton Malmen since 2019. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Erika Eaton Malmen is held by other lawyers.
Bill Gorton is Chair of the Environmental, Natural Resources & Energy Service Group for the firm. He is national counsel to numerous clients on environmental regulatory and land and water resources matters. He advises healthcare clients in permitting, acquisitions and environmental compliance matters. Bill has represented clients in the waste management sector including acquisitions, due diligence, compliance and contracting. He has been counsel in the development of numerous independent ...
Eric Fjelstad, a partner in the Environment, Energy & Resources practice, is managing partner of the Alaska office and leads the firm’s Alaska EER practice. His practice is focused on natural resources project development, defense of governmental and citizen enforcement actions, and compliance counseling. Eric’s project development is focused on due diligence and permitting of mining, oil and gas, energy, forestry, and heavy infrastructure projects. He regularly counsels Alask...
Malcolm S. Murchison is licensed to practice in Louisiana and Texas and enjoys a broad based commercial law practice. His variety of skills equip him to handle a wide range of legal issues for his clients, including oil and gas, real estate, corporate formations/mergers/dissolutions, commercial lending and financing arrangements, state/local tax disputes, and land-use issues. He has significant experience in handling Louisiana mineral interest issues ranging from acquisitions, title examinati...
R. Henry Moore is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Mining Law and Natural Resources Law. R. Henry practices law in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Best Lawyers has recognized R. Henry Moore since 2009. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which R. Henry Moore is held by other lawyers.
Steven Christiansen has over 30 years experience with environmental permitting and enforcement matters, RCRA and CERCLA remediation, air emission credits transactions, climate change, state implementation plan development, environmental legislation, NEPA, public lands permitting, environmental aspects of business transactions, brownfield redevelopment, and the administrative rule-making process. He also works in the areas of energy and public utilities law. Mr. Christiansen actively represent...
Stuart Butzier has assisted mining, energy, high-tech, industrial and ranching clients throughout his thirty-plus year legal career with Modrall Sperling. His counsel has included helping clients strategically navigate the maze of environmental and mining regulatory and permitting regimes, the morass of litigation, and the unique challenges of complex deals and real property transactions involving private, Federal, State, Indian and split-estate lands. Recognized in the area of Natural Resour...
Dan Jensen has been practicing natural resources law since 1988. His practice encompasses mining, water, oil and gas, public land and administrative law. Mr. Jensen focuses on transactional work involving mineral interests, water rights and public lands, acquisitions and transfers of mineral land and water rights, title and due diligence reviews, land use entitlements, and development agreements. Mr. Jensen also handles related litigation, including disputes concerning property titles and bou...
Melanie J. Kilpatrick is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Administrative / Regulatory Law, Employment Law - Management, Energy Regulatory Law, Litigation - Labor and Employment and Mining Law. Melanie J. practices law in Lexington, Kentucky Best Lawyers has recognized Melanie J. Kilpatrick since 2020. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professio...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.
