Directed to the energy executive and landman, as well as the in-house attorney, Energy and The Law is a resource for legal developments, commentary and analysis of the law of oil and gas and alternative energy resources.

My goal for this blog is to report to you, the reader, on developments in energy law in a way that is easy to understand and convenient to use. If you are an operator, landman, engineer, investor, royalty owner, or manager, I want you to be able to determine how, or if, a recent court decision, statute, regulation or news item could affect your business. If you are a practitioner or in-house counsel, I want you to be able to determine quickly and efficiently whether a recent development in the law might require more of your attention.

For more information, or for an answer to a question on the topics presented, contact me, Charles Sartain, at csartain@grayreed.com or 469.320.6100.

About Charles Sartain

Charlie-Sartain

Leader of Gray Reed’s Energy Litigation Practice Group, I am an experienced trial lawyer who primarily focuses on resolving complex energy disputes in Texas and Louisiana through litigation, arbitration and negotiation. My clients include oil and gas producers and investors, midstream transportation operators, and mineral and royalty owners involved all types of contractual, payment and operational disputes.

I am also on the short list for parties seeking an arbitrator with deep experience in resolving commercial disputes involving energy, healthcare, non-compete agreements and trade secrets.

Before starting my private practice, I worked as in-house transactional counsel for Sun Oil Company, where I learned the nuts and bolts of contract and title law and gained a first-hand understanding of clients’ goals and concerns within the energy industry. This experience gave me a rare insider’s knowledge of the oil and gas business, and over time I found that my problem-solving and negotiation skills are a perfect match for litigation, arbitration and prevention of commercial disputes.

There’s more to my life than “loving the law” though. I live in Dallas with my wife Erica and our mutt Quigley. We are active at Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church in Dallas. We’re also empty-nesters currently recovering from our two children, Philip and Katherine, after spending all of our money during their time at Rhodes College and LSU.

Practice Areas

  • Energy litigation in state and federal courts
  • Arbitration
  • Commercial litigation and dispute resolution

Professional Associations

  • State Bar of Texas — Energy Law and Litigation Sections
  • Dallas Bar Association — Energy Law Section
  • Louisiana State Bar Association
  • Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association

Education

  • Louisiana State University – BS
  • LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center – JD

Bar & Court Admissions

  • Texas, 1978
  • Louisiana, 1976
  • United States — Northern, Western, Eastern and Southern Districts of Texas; Middle, Western and Eastern Districts of Louisiana; Fifth Circuit