About DONALD G. SINEX

Mr. Sinex, a 1964 Petroleum Landman Management graduate from Oklahoma University, was employed as a petroleum landman for two major oil companies, Union Oil Company of California and Getty Oil Company, prior to 1971. This led naturally into a law practice emphasizing oil, gas and mineral law upon graduation from South Texas College of Law in 1971.

As Vice-President and General Counsel for ITR Petroleum, Inc. from 1984 to 1987, Mr. Sinex was extensively involved in oil and gas property acquisitions, including acquisition of financially troubled companies in bankruptcy.

Mr. Sinex's practice today continues to be principally involved with the oil and gas industry and, in particular, matters involving exploration and production. This includes transactional matters regarding acquisition and sale, bank financing, and oil and gas exploration, involving contracts and title to oil and gas properties and mediation of disputes involving related oil and gas issues. As a result of litigation experience early in his practice, Mr. Sinex continues to be involved in supervising oil and gas related litigation matters for various client.

Practice Description

All areas of oil and gas law, with extensive experience in exploration and production, acquisition and sale of producing properties, including title examination, and preparation of related documents and litigation.

Activities Affiliation

• State Bar of Texas - Admitted April, 1971
• Southern District of Texas, United States District Court - Admitted June 20, 1972
• Board Certified in Oil, Gas and Mineral Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since December, 1986
• Member of the Texas Board of Legal Specialization Advisory Committee, 1994-1996
• Fellow, The College of the State Bar of Texas
• Houston Bar Association, Oil and Gas Section
• Chairman of Oil and Gas Section, 1993/1994
• Houston Association of Professional Landmen
• American Association of Professional Landmen
• Selected for inclusion in listing of Top Lawyers in Houston, H Texas Magazine, 2004, 2005, 2008 - 2014
• Selected for inclusion in listing of Texas Super Lawyers, Texas Monthly, 2003 - 2017
• Selected for inclusion in listing of Texas’ Best Lawyers, 2009 Houston Edition
• Listed in Super Lawyers, Corporate Counsel Edition, 2009 – 2010
• Listed in Super Lawyers inaugural 2011, and 2012-2017, national publication, Super Lawyers Business Edition (formerly Corporate Counsel), under the business-related practice group of Construction & Real Estate (Energy and Natural Resources)
• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America, 2005 – 2017 in the areas of Natural Resources Law and Oil and Gas Law
• U.S. News - Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” 2010 Inaugural Edition - Zukowski, Bresenhan & Sinex, L.L.P. given a first-tier national ranking in Oil and Gas Law; 2011 – 2015 – maintained a national ranking in Oil and Gas Law
• Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Lawyer Rating, contributing to a 2012 Texas Top Ranked Law Firm listing in The Wall Street Journal

Publication Representations

• Co-authored with Scott Petry, Susan Stanton, David C. Martin and Pascal P. Piazza, "Real Estate vs. Oil and Gas Developers", State Bar of Texas 32nd Annual Advanced Real Estate Law Course, San Antonio, Texas, July 8 - 10, 2010

• Co-authored with Susan A. Stanton and Terry I. Cross, "Drafting Basic Agreements Used in Developing Oil and Gas Prospects", presented to 2009 Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation, Special Institute on Oil and Gas Agreements: The Exploration Phase, Santa Fe, New Mexico, April 30 - May 1, 2009

• Co-authored with Susan A. Stanton, Scott C. Petry and Terry I. Cross, "Preparing and Drafting Agreements Used in Developing Oil & Gas Prospects", 2008 AAPL Summer Land Institute, Houston, Texas, August 26, 2008

• Co-authored with Susan Stanton, "After Acquired Title Revisited," presented at the Ernest Smith Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Institute, University of Texas, Houston, Texas, March 26, 2004: Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation Journal, Vol. 42, No. 2, 2005

• "Seller's Duty to Disclose to Buyer," American Association of Professional Landmen, Landman's Workshop on Acquisitions and Divestitures, May 21, 1999; The Landman, July/August 1999; The 47th Mineral Law Institute, LSU Law Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, March 30-31, 2000; the Energy Law Institute, Oil & Gas/Power, South Texas College of Law, Houston, Texas, August 17-18, 2000.

• "Lease Maintenance and Shut-in Royalty Issues," The Landman, November/December, 1998

• "Lease Maintenance and Term Royalty Issues," Houston Association of Professional Landmen 29th Annual Technical Workshop, Houston, Texas, April 6, 1998.

• "Ethical Responsibilities of Attorneys and Landmen in Oil and Gas Transactions," Houston Bar Association - Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Section, December 12, 1995; Exxon Corporation, May 17, 1996; AAPL International Conference, Albuquerque, New Mexico, June 20, 1996; Dallas Bar Association, Energy Law Section, December 18, 1996; The Landman, January/February, 1997; Association of Lease and Title Analysts (ALTA), February 18, 1997; West Houston Association of Professional Landmen, July 18, 1997; South Texas College of Law, Oil & Gas Institute, August 7, 1997; Dallas Bar Association Energy Law Section, Review of Oil and Gas Law XII, August 21, 1997; The AAPL 1997 Gulf Coast Institute, November 7, 1997.

Education

South Texas College of Law, Houston, Texas, J.D., May, 1971

Oklahoma University, B.B.A., Petroleum Land Management, January, 1964