The Energy & Mineral Law held its 45th Annual Institute June 9-11, 2024, in Savannah, Georgia, drawing the largest attendance at an Annual Institute since before the COVID pandemic. Executive Director Anna Fletcher noted:
“The attendance this year was greater than last year, and the attendance last year was higher than the year before that. The organization is continuing to gain strength and momentum after the pandemic years. Further, the attendees included law students from several schools — including the Appalachia School of Law, Louisiana State University, Oklahoma University, Pittsburgh, and West Virginia—indicating that EMLF is attracting new members.”
The Annual Institute opened with a reception on the evening of Sunday, June 9, followed later in the evening by a reception that EMLF’s Young Professionals hosted for all attendees at a rooftop bar on the river. Another reception on Monday after the last substantive presentation of the day, along with a Women’s Energy Network Lunch midday on Monday and several well-attended Dine-Around dinners Monday night provided additional opportunities for socializing and networking.
The substantive program began on the morning of Monday, June 10 with Kevin Colosimo of Frost Brown Todd moderated a keynote panel that provided a 20-year retrospective look at the development of the Marcellus Shale. This look back was immediately followed by a forward-looking presentation on “The Promise of the ARCH2 Hydrogen Hub” to drive an energy transition in Appalachia. Other presentations on Monday, included a discussion of recent U.S. Department of Labor initiatives on distinguishing employees and independent contractors, the application of artificial intelligence in the energy industry, the effect that an overruling of Chevron-deference would have on energy industry regulation, a caselaw update, and an in-house counsel panel discussion.
On Tuesday, attendees heard presentations on permitting renewable energy projects in Appalachia, EPA’s methane reduction rule, best practices for managing root cause investigations, trade secret litigation in the oil and gas industry, indemnity provisions in oilfield master service agreements, legal issues arising from the use of drone surveillance in the operation of pipelines and mines, and legal issues relating to the extraction of lithium from brine.
At the reception on Sunday night, former EMLF President Natalie Jefferis presented EMLF’s McClaugherty Award to Kevin Colosimo—himself a former President of EMLF. The McClaugherty Award recognizes outstanding contributions to the field of energy and mineral law, as well as contributions to EMLF itself, and is the organization’s highest honor.
On Tuesday morning, June 11, a group of nearly ten people gathered for the Fitness Walk and Run Networking Event. One participant in the Fitness Run noted that the combination of runners and walkers was the largest he had ever seen in several years of his participation in the Fitness Walk and Run Networking Event.
EMLF’s Executive Committee held its traditional pre-Annual Institute meeting on Sunday, June 10. Following the Executive Committee meeting, EMLF’s Board of Trustees held its annual meeting. At that meeting, Executive Director Anna Fletcher announced the good news that EMLF’s conference revenues continue to increase, and we had our first profitable in-person conference in 2023, after many years of decreased revenues post-pandemic.
Jamie Chapman of Antero Resources, Kevin Douglass of Babst Calland, and Tyler Adkins of Ramaco served as Conference Co-Chairs for the Annual Institute.
