IEL Announces Inaugural Leadership Class

The Institute for Energy Law (IEL) is honored to announce the thirty-five unique and accomplished individuals selected for its inaugural Leadership Class. IEL received an overwhelming number of outstanding applications for this first class, which made it very difficult for the selection committee. The class consists of attorneys from seven states and the District of Columbia and their experience ranges from three to twelve years of practice. The class includes a former military officer, business owners, a top scorer on the Texas bar exam, first generation immigrants, and even someone that can read and write in hieroglyphics. Members of the class have in-depth experience not just in oil and gas, but also in environmental, health and safety, power, mining, bankruptcy, cybersecurity, construction and much more! Multiple members teach as adjunct professors in their spare time and the class as a whole is incredibly involved in their communities and are dedicated to pro bono efforts.

The class will meet in September for a day and a half leadership retreat geared specifically towards energy attorneys. The class will continue through April 2019 with webinars, networking events, programming at IEL’s 70th Annual Oil and Gas Law Conference, culminating with graduation at the 3rd National Young Energy Professionals’ Law Conference in San Antonio, Texas.

The inaugural class consists of the following individuals:

  • Erich Almonte, King & Spalding LLP, Houston, Texas
  • Brian Anderson, Chevron North America Exploration & Production Company, Coraopolis, Pennsylvania
  • Nadège Assalé, Bradley Murchison Kelly & Shea LLC, New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Lisa Butler, Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP, Houston, Texas
  • Eric Camp, Decker Jones, P.C., Fort Worth, Texas
  • Aaron Friess, Stinson Leonard Street LLP, Bismark, North Dakota
  • Amanda Hanks, Plains All American Pipeline, L.P., Houston, Texas
  • Jackie Hickman, Liskow & Lewis, New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Jeffrey Johnson, BHP Billiton Petroleum, Houston, Texas
  • Jennifer Johnson, Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, Houston, Texas
  • Benedict Kirchner, Steptoe & Johnson PLLC, Meadville, Pennsylvania
  • Brad Knapp, Locke Lord LLP, New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Lucas Liben, Reed Smith LLP, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Jesse Lotay, Jackson Walker LLP, San Antonio, Texas
  • Jillian Marullo, Liskow & Lewis, Houston, Texas
  • Luis Miranda, Miranda Law Firm, Houston, Texas
  • Nick Morrell, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, Houston, Texas
  • Christopher L. Morrow, The Williams Companies, Inc., Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Cristina Mulcahy, Stein & Brockmann, P.A., Santa Fe, New Mexico
  • Sarah Nealis, Shearman & Sterling LLP, Houston, Texas
  • Tina Nguyen, Baker Botts LLP, Houston, Texas
  • Kelly O'Bryan da Mota, Cimmaron Land, Inc., Bridgeville, Pennsylvania
  • Bryon Rice, Beck Redden LLP, Houston, Texas
  • Tracey Rice, Copeland & Rice LLP, Houston, Texas
  • Betty Richmond, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, Houston, Texas
  • Bianca Roberson, Shell Oil Company, Houston, Texas
  • Jay Rothrock, Vinson & Elkins LLP, Washington, D.C.
  • Brittany Salup, Chevron Upstream Law, Covington, Louisiana
  • Rachel Scarafia, Kelly Hart & Pitre, New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Jessica Schmidt, Holland & Hart LLP, Denver, Colorado
  • Meghan Smith, Jones Walker, LLP, New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Trevor Smith, The Williams Companies, Inc., Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Aditi Suresh, SunPower Corporation, Austin, Texas
  • Justin Tschoepe, Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP, Houston, Texas
  • Lauren Woodard, Shell Oil Company, Houston, Texas