Alexandra “Ally” Lizano (3L) spent her 1L summer as a law clerk for the United States Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD).  She was placed in the Natural Resources Section (NRS) field office in Sacramento, California. For Lizano, the placement worked out perfectly since she is originally from California and was able to learn from some of the best environmental lawyers currently representing the United States. 

Scott McDonald graduated from Texas A&M University with a BBA in Finance in 1988 and later attended Texas Wesleyan School of Law (now Texas A&M University School of Law). McDonald began his career practicing corporate law with firm in Round Rock, TX before joining the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)’s Litigation Division in 1999.  In this role, he handled cases involving water, air, and waste for two-years in Austin, Texas, followed by two-years in TCEQ’s Dallas-Fort Worth Regional Office. In 2002, Mr. McDonald began working for EPA Region 6 in the Office of Regional Counsel, Enforcement Division, where he dealt with the  Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and RCRA (hazardous waste statute).  Since 2006, he has served as the Water Branch Chief for Region 6.

This semester, eight upper level students are participating in the school’s first International Oil and Gas Negotiations course, led by Professor Guillermo J. Garcia Sanchez. The course features an experiential component where students participate in mock negotiations with a parallel class being taught at Southern Methodist University by Executive Professor Harry Sullivan, who teaches at both law schools. In the class, students will learn the basics of international petroleum transactions, as well as how international oil companies draft contractual provisions, negotiate deals with governments, and adopt best practices in their operations. Also, this course provides hands-on, practical negotiation experience through a series of simulated exercises where students role-play as lawyers representing clients on different sides of an acquisition of oil and gas exploration rights in a foreign country.

On September 26^th, the Texas A&M EENRS Law Program hosted Ann Drumm from Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL). CLL is a non-profit, nonpartisan, grassroots advocacy organization focused on national policies for addressing climate change.

This past September 17, students, faculty, and local attorneys gathered over hors devours' to network and celebrate the launch of the Energy, Environmental, and Natural Resource Systems (EENRS) Law Program at the Texas A&M School University of Law. The program endeavors to train and offer real world experience to students on law and policy issues related to the use, management, and conservation of the world’s natural resources.  It also seeks to advance research into natural resource areas and issues that connect with other disciplines and with communities globally. Professor of Law and Director of the EENRS Law Program, Gabriel Eckstein, regards the change as “reflecting the strength and breadth of our program and all that it has to offer” and noted that he and the rest of the faculty “really look forward to continue building on the academic and research excellence and career opportunities that we have established here.”

PUBLICATIONS

Isaac Olson’s (3L) article, “New Challenges to Transboundary Unitization in the Gulf of Mexico,” was selected for publication in the Texas A&M Journal of Property Law. The article discusses the impact of new technology on oil companies’ ability to drill at deeper ocean depths to tap offshore reserves. Offshore drilling poses problems where oil reserves hundreds of miles from shore cross an international boundary line. Olson explains that while American courts typically apply the rule of capture to determine who owns the subsoil resources, international law requires countries to work together to maximize the efficient, safe extraction of the resources. In 2012, the United States and Mexico drafted a treaty that would govern the unitization of an offshore transboundary oil field. Today, Mexico’s energy laws are very different, a new administration threatens to unravel recent liberal reforms and the 

On April 30, Texas A&M Law faculty met with members of the Texas A&M Energy Institute to discuss opportunities to collaborate at the Energy, Law and Policy Workshop. Among other issues, participants discussed potential joint and dual degrees and certificate programs, research collaborations, student scholarships, and related topics. Two distinct research topics and one academic area were identified as opportunities for further engagement.

Mr. Skip Alvarado visited Texas A&M School of Law to speak with students and faculty members about his 50-year career in the oil and gas Industry. Since graduating from Texas A&M University in 1968 with a degree in Architectural Construction, Alvarado has led an exciting career distinguished by his leadership in extinguishing more than 700 oil and gas fires in Kuwait lit by retreating Iraqi forces during the first Gulf War. 

Texas A&M Law Professors Vanessa Casado Pérez and Felix Mormann participated in a panel discussion for students at a lunch-hour event on March 18, 2019. The panel moderated by Professor Gabriel Eckstein focused on how the current administration’s rollback of environmental regulations might affect legal job market. The discussion was attended by a room full of students concerned that the current administration could affect their job prospects.

On March 25, students and faculty gathered for the 6th Annual Water Lecture Series at Texas A&M University School of Law in Fort Worth. 

Former Israeli Ambassador Ram Aviram and Dr. Francesco Sindico from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, each gave a brief presentation highlighting their areas of expertise and knowledge on transboundary groundwater resources and the international agreements (or lack thereof) governing their use.