Sharon Flanery, nationally recognized as a leader in energy and natural resources law, chairs the firm's Energy & Natural Resources Department. As a lawyer and petroleum engineer with an executive, operating, and legal background in the industry, she brings real-world experience to her practice. This experience includes major acquisitions and divestitures, mineral leases, joint ventures, contract mining agreements, joint operating agreements, sales and marketing agreements, and gathering, transportation, and processing agreements. In addition, she has substantial experience with land and legal due diligence associated with mineral transactions, as well as in the legislative and regulatory arenas. Her general property background includes leases, deeds, rights of way, and land use and damage issues. Sharon’s broad legal, business and operating background also extends to handling issues in the environmental, social and governance (ESG) areas and includes extensive work on diversity, equity and inclusion committees for the firm and two non-profit boards.