In this episode, we're joined by Chris Canon, VP of Land at Ridge Runner Resources II, LLC, for a candid and insightful conversation that pulls back the curtain on the complex world of land deals in the energy industry. With years of hands-on experience navigating high-stakes negotiations and intricate transactions, Chris offers a wealth of knowledge on the strategic decision-making that drives successful land acquisitions, trades, and swaps. We discuss how to identify when it’s the right time to trade or swap properties, the critical elements that make a deal truly beneficial for all parties involved, and the foundational role that trust and reputation play in this often tight-knit industry.

Chris also emphasizes the importance of thorough due diligence; why it’s not just a box to check, but a critical process that can reveal hidden risks, prevent costly mistakes, and strengthen your negotiating position. He shares lessons from his career journey, including key insights from deals that went well and a few that didn’t. In addition, we explore the often overlooked 1031 Exchange and tax implications that come with swapping properties and take a deep dive into a recent caselaw update that could have serious consequences for your next transaction.

Whether you’re a land professional, investor, or simply curious about the behind-the-scenes dynamics of dealmaking in the energy space, this episode is packed with practical knowledge, sharp insights, and real-world strategies you can put to use.

For more detailed show notes, navigate using the timestamps below:

[0:00] Introduction

[1:51] Chris discusses his work experience

[5:56] Halloween Dealmakers Haunted Hall Gala

[7:00] Discussion of how to know when to trade or swap a property

[9:10] The importance of networking and making a good impression

[12:00] Tips to make good trades and swaps

[14:25] Discussing Due Diligence in swaps

[15:24] Trustworthy people

[17:38] 1031 Exchange and tax implications of swapping

[21:34] Caselaw update

If you enjoyed this conversation and would like to discuss how RR&A’s Outsourced Legal Department can help your company, visit the R. Reese & Associates Website: https://rreeselaw.com/

Want more ways to stay up to date on the latest industry-specific news? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter: https://rreeselaw.com/insights/an-ounce-of-prevention-by-rra/

In this episode, we sit down with Leslie Armentrout, CEO of Silver Cross Energy Partners, to discuss the critical role of legal strategy in complex transactions. Leslie shares her professional journey, the importance of strong networks in business, and what’s on the horizon for her company. We also dive into a key caselaw update and share exciting news about the upcoming Dealmakers Haunted Hall Gala.

Whether you're a business owner, investor, or advisor, this episode offers valuable insights on protecting your interests, avoiding costly mistakes, and staying legally informed.

Whether you’re a business owner, investor, or professional dealing with complex transactions, understanding the right legal documents is crucial for safeguarding your interests. Tune in to stay informed and proactive about the best ways to protect your deals and avoid costly pitfalls. If you’d like to learn how RR&A’s Outsourced Legal Department can support your company, visit R. Reese & Associates. For more legal insights and industry updates, subscribe to our monthly newsletter, An Ounce of Prevention.

For more detailed show notes, navigate using the timestamps below:

[0:00] Introduction

[1:51] Dealmakers Haunted Hall Gala event announcement

[3:06] Leslie Armentrout shares her story

[14:00] The importance of networking

[20:00] What is next for Silver Cross Energy

[24:04] Caselaw update

If you enjoyed this conversation and would like to discuss how RR&A’s Outsourced Legal Department can help your company, visit the R. Reese & Associates Website: https://rreeselaw.com/

Want more ways to stay up to date on the latest industry-specific news? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter: https://rreeselaw.com/insights/an-ounce-of-prevention-by-rra/

In this episode, we dive into the essential topic of how to “paper up” your transactions for
maximum protection and peace of mind. We explore the different types of agreements you can
put in place to secure your deals before closing, helping you navigate the legal nuances that
can make or break a transaction. Plus, we share a quick update on a fun Halloween event and
unpack a recent ruling from the Texas Supreme Court that could have significant implications for
your business agreements.

Whether you’re a business owner, investor, or professional dealing with complex transactions,
understanding the right legal documents is crucial for safeguarding your interests. Tune in to
stay informed and proactive about the best ways to protect your deals and avoid costly pitfalls. If
you’d like to learn how RR&A’s Outsourced Legal Department can support your company, visit
R. Reese & Associates. For more legal insights and industry updates, subscribe to our monthly
newsletter, An Ounce of Prevention.

For more detailed show notes, navigate using the timestamps below:

[0:00] Introduction

[0:25] Talking about the different types of agreements to paper up your transaction

[1:13] Halloween event announcement

[2:18] Discussion of transaction agreements

[6:04] Unpacking a recent ruling Texas Supreme Court

If you enjoyed this conversation and would like to discuss how RR&A’s Outsourced Legal Department can help your company, visit the R. Reese & Associates Website: https://rreeselaw.com/

Want more ways to stay up to date on the latest industry-specific news? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter: https://rreeselaw.com/insights/an-ounce-of-prevention-by-rra/

In this episode of Ounce of Prevention, attorneys Miranda and Rachel take listeners behind the scenes of one of the most critical—but often overlooked—parts of any transaction: the closing. Whether you're acquiring an asset, negotiating a sale, or advising clients through the process, knowing how to manage a closing effectively can mean the difference between a smooth handoff and a major headache.

The conversation begins with a clear explanation of what a “closing” really entails—breaking down not just the moment the deal is signed, but the full scope of ancillary documents, logistics, and moving parts. From there, Miranda walks through what a strong closing checklist looks like, including who needs to see it, how early to circulate it, and why it should be tailored to different types of transactions.

Rachel and Miranda also explore when a closing should be handled in person versus virtually—and the real-world consequences of getting it wrong. They share hard-won insights and even a few cautionary tales about closings that went off the rails, followed by a timely caselaw update to keep you in the know.

If you’re a business owner, dealmaker, or legal professional, this episode offers practical advice to help you navigate closings with clarity and confidence—and avoid the most common (and costly) missteps.

🎃 Bonus: Be sure to catch the announcement about the upcoming Halloween Dealmakers Haunted Hall Gala—a spooky-good networking opportunity!

[0:00] Introduction and teaser: topic of discussing transactions

[1:45] Miranda explains what closings of a transaction and ancillary documents are

[4:59] Rachel asks Miranda what a closing checklists should look like for closing on different assets.

[6:00] Who should be seeing the closing checklist?

[6:39] Ad break - Halloween Dealmakers Haunted Hall Gala announcement

[8:04] How to know when a closing should be in person

[9:58] What can happen when a closing goes wrong

[17:08] Caselaw update

If you enjoyed this conversation and would like to discuss how RR&A’s Outsourced Legal Department can help your company, visit the R. Reese & Associates Website: https://rreeselaw.com/

Want more ways to stay up to date on the latest industry-specific news? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter: https://rreeselaw.com/insights/an-ounce-of-prevention-by-rra/

In this episode, the host breaks down Force Majeure—a legal concept commonly found in contracts; including when to use it and when it cannot be used. The term, French for "superior force," is discussed in the context of natural disasters, wars, pandemics, and other unforeseen events. The podcast explains when the clause can be triggered, what kinds of events typically qualify, and why simply being difficult or expensive to perform a contract doesn’t usually count.

Real-world examples are used, like how businesses invoked force majeure during the COVID-19 pandemic to cancel events or delay deliveries. The episode also touches on how courts interpret these clauses and why exact wording matters.

For more detailed show notes, navigate using the time stamps below:

[0:00] Introduction

[1:05] Halloween Dealmakers Haunted Hall Gala announcement

[2:06] When to use force majeure and when you can’t

[3:57] Caselaw update

If you enjoyed this conversation and would like to discuss how RR&A’s Outsourced Legal Department can help your company, visit the R. Reese & Associates Website: https://rreeselaw.com/

Want more ways to stay up to date on the latest industry-specific news? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter: https://rreeselaw.com/insights/an-ounce-of-prevention-by-rra/

How do you go from sale to signing? In today’s episode of An Ounce of Prevention, host Rachel Reese speaks with Robert Ward, the Vice President of Business Development at Kuva Systems, on the tension between making a sale and getting the contract signed. They discuss Kuva’s role in methane mitigation, the sales cycle, the move from a verbal agreement to a contract, and the common points of contention in the contracting process.

As always, we end with our Case Law segment, which will discuss the implications of ConocoPhillips Company v. Kenneth Hahn for Non-Participating Royalty Interest.

For more detailed show notes, navigate using the time stamps below:

[0:00] Introduction

[1:28] Today’s episode will focus on the tension between making the sale and getting the contract signed. Our guest is Robert Ward, the Vice President of Business Development at Kuva Systems.

[1:47] Robert has been in the oil and gas space for thirty years. Six years ago, he was introduced to Kuva’s work on methane mitigation.

[6:20] Following the verbal agreement on a sale, what happens? There are a lot of variables at play, and some MSAs have preexisting conditions that can affect your deals.

[9:41] Following the Kuva team’s responsibilities, they hand things off to RR&A. They have tuned their guardrails over time to accommodate broad MSAs.

[13:17] Robert likes to educate his clients on the nuances of his product as early in the sales process as possible to prepare for common pitfalls in MSAs and labor understandings.

[14:30] Kuva is proactively trying to make things easier on the customer, both in the sales cycle and beyond.

[17:13] The methane space is complicated, and there are fears on the part of many customers. Methane regulation is not a moneymaker for these teams, but it can be addressed at scale cost-effectively.

[18:30] Today’s case is ConocoPhillips Company v. Kenneth Hahn, a recent ruling by the Texas Supreme Court that provides guidance on whether a Non-Participating Royalty Interest can later be converted into a floating royalty.

If you enjoyed this conversation and would like to discuss how RR&A’s Outsourced Legal Department can help your company, visit the R. Reese & Associates Website: https://rreeselaw.com/

Want more ways to stay up to date on the latest industry-specific news? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter: https://rreeselaw.com/insights/an-ounce-of-prevention-by-rra/

NDAs are used for a wide variety of purposes, from keeping employee trade secrets confidential to sharing relevant information with investors. In today’s episode, Rachel Reese focuses on NDAs as they apply to selling assets. Reviewing your NDAs carefully now can help you avoid legal trouble later, so understanding the common clauses to look for can help your business stay in the clear.

Tune in for an explanation of Non-Disclosure Agreements, clauses that should not be part of them, points to review carefully, and our much-loved case law segment.

For more detailed show notes, navigate using the time stamps below:

[0:00] Introduction

[0:40] NDAs, or Non-Disclosure Agreements, can be used for a variety of purposes. Today’s episode will focus on NDAs in the context of buying and selling assets, typically as a

requirement to access information in a data room.

[2:40] Something that should not be in this type of NDA is a non-solicit provision. Non-solicit provisions should not be a part of an asset sale NDA. Additionally, non-compete clauses should be reviewed carefully for the location specified in Exhibit A.

[4:05] The “return or destroy” clause may say that the buyer must return or destroy all of the confidential information given to them once the NDA terminates. Monitoring these deadlines and gathering the necessary information to return requires significant manpower.

[5:55] Today’s case is a recent ruling from the Supreme Court of North Dakota called Higgins v. Lund is a fixed vs floating royalty case involving a title dispute. In January 2017, the Higgins Plaintiffs sought a judgment to quiet title to mineral interests and to recover oil and gas proceeds. The Lund Defendants denied the allegations and asserted counterclaims seeking quiet title to the minerals.

If you enjoyed this conversation and would like to discuss how RR&A’s Outsourced Legal Department can help your company, visit the R. Reese & Associates Website: https://rreeselaw.com/

Want more ways to stay up to date on the latest industry-specific news? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter: https://rreeselaw.com/insights/an-ounce-of-prevention-by-rra/

Do you know how to read a Certificate of Insurance? Lots of people who handle Certificates of Insurance never learned how to read them, but Certificates of Insurance offer key insights that you will need to understand to minimize your liability. Today, we’re welcoming back Phil Lukefahr, who serves as Senior Vice President within the Natural Resource Group at CAC Specialty.

In this episode of An Ounce of Prevention, Phil and Rachel discuss what Certificates of Insurance are, how to read them, and key sections of Certificates of Insurance to pay attention to. Rachel ends the episode by discussing Franklin v. Regions Bank, a recent ruling on lease extensions.

Follow along by viewing a typical vendor certificate: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DBJJoIBMtLS86zy9B0JIKoKxiZDX9tJX/view?usp=drive_link

For more detailed show notes, navigate using the time stamps below:

[0:00] Introduction

[3:27] Certificates of Insurance are usually requested as proof that companies have the insurance they need to have. However, it is not a guarantee of future coverage. The certificate itself indicates this.

[5:04] The insurers listed to the right are a high-level summary of the insurance companies that will be expanded upon later in the form.

[7:20] The Commercial General Liability Coverage layer is the first million dollars of protection for any third-party bodily injury or property damage. The “primary layers” are general liability, commercial auto, and workers' compensation.

[10:12] Occurrences are any one loss, whereas your umbrella liability is an aggregate.

[11:25] What is the difference between excess and umbrella coverage? Phil says there basically is none. He typically calls the first tranche of umbrella coverage the umbrella, and everything else purchased afterwards is excess.

[14:14] What is the difference between additional insured and the certificate holder? A certificate holder can be someone you engage in an MSA with, or anybody who needs evidence that you are abiding by your contract. The named insured is the policy purchaser, and the additional insured is an endorsement that protects you from additional liability.

[19:01] Today’s case is a recent ruling from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals called Franklin v. Regions Bank. This case stems from a leasing error on a mineral-rich property atop Louisiana’s Haynesville Shale, one of the most valuable natural gas formations in the U.S. The plaintiffs, two lessors, sued Regions Bank, the entity responsible for managing their mineral interests.

If you enjoyed this conversation and would like to discuss how RR&A’s Outsourced Legal Department can help your company, visit the R. Reese & Associates Website: https://rreeselaw.com/

Want more ways to stay up to date on the latest industry-specific news? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter: https://rreeselaw.com/insights/an-ounce-of-prevention-by-rra/