Message from Our President

Welcome to the Energy & Mineral Law Foundation (EMLF).  EMLF fosters the study of energy, mineral and natural resources law and provides opportunities for professional development and networking among lawyers, law students, and other professionals practicing within this exciting and ever-changing field. As a national nonprofit educational organization, we want to identify, and more importantly, meet the needs of our members. This purpose becomes more relevant in this ever-changing area of law. Our deliberate and timely response to our members is paramount.

WE WANT YOU —to make EMLF your EMLF, to become passionate about advancing EMLF’s mission by serving on or leading a committee, speaking at a conference or a webinar, writing an article, mentoring our younger members, encouraging colleagues and co-workers to attend EMLF programs, including members or potential members in your EMLF activities, and identifying other new and innovative way to deliver value to our members.

Your passion and your involvement will go a long way to realizing our Strategic Plan and will keep EMLF in the forefront of the energy sector. Our Strategic Plan focuses on our core priorities: achieving continued excellence in professional education; expanding the field of professionals who look to EMLF as a primary source of education and collegial dialogue; supporting the scholarly efforts of law students and law professors; and promoting high standards of professionalism and collegiality among legal practitioners and professionals in the energy sector.

EMLF has implemented several specific actions, but your input and dedication will help us take further action to advance our four core Strategic Plan goals:

• Value: build a greater community of energy and legal professionals by understanding needs and interests of our members, both current and prospective.
• Structure: create pathways for emerging leaders and mentorship within EMLF by identifying impediments to participation.
• Sustainability and Stewardship: engage members by designing a whole new member experience in an inclusive and diverse environment.
• Education: deliver educational content at the times and places and in the manner that is best suited to our members’ diverse needs and the evolving energy marketplace.

From the day I first attended an EMLF program, I knew that EMLF could offer me opportunities for education. What I came to learn over the years was the kindness of the gracious members of EMLF who encouraged me, mentored me, taught me, and included me. EMLF offers all of us a place to belong. As President, I am thrilled to have this opportunity to give back to EMLF. I want everyone to see EMLF as a place for all to belong, to grow, to develop, to lead, and to succeed. I hope to serve you and EMLF by urging our members to serve this wonderful organization; by inspiring full involvement of all members and by asking each of you to encourage, mentor, teach and include our members, so that they will be encouraged and uplifted as I was.

THANK YOU—Thank you to each of you who have given of yourselves to EMLF by being involved in one of the many ways noted above. You are part of the 40 plus-year success that is EMLF. And to those who have not yet shared in this work, please take this opportunity to attend one of our conferences, volunteer to speak or write, join a committee, or mentor a law student. Through your efforts, EMLF will continue to offer education, development, camaraderie, scholarship and a little something for everyone and in doing so offer a place to belong. You will become part of the new EMLF.