52^nd Annual Ernest E. Smith

Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Institute

Houston Apr 16-17, 2026 Royal Sonesta Hotel Houston $650 Individual | $750 after Apr 2 $585 Group rate per person (5 registrants minimum) | $675 after Apr 2 $520 Group rate per person (10 registrants minimum) | $600 after Apr 2

Live Webcast Apr 16-17, 2026 $750 Individual $675 Group rate per person (5 registrants minimum) $600 Group rate per person (10 registrants minimum) $100 Add-on rate for in-person registrants

Overview

Now in its 52nd year, the Ernest E. Smith Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Institute continues to be the definitive course for attorneys, corporate lawyers, E&P operators, and landmen, and it brings together a distinguished faculty of academics and practitioners for presentations on the latest oil and gas developments.

Conference Faculty

J. Amber Ahmed

Beveridge & Diamond
Austin, TX

Owen L. Anderson

The University of Texas School of Law
Austin, TX

J. McLean Bell III

McGinnis Lochridge
Austin, TX

John H. H. Bennett

Osborn & Bennett LLP
Austin, TX

Austin W. Brister

McGinnis Lochridge
Houston, TX

Hon. Grant Dorfman

Texas Business Court, Eleventh Division
Houston, TX

Douglas R. Hafer

Curnutt & Hafer, LLP
Arlington, TX

Christopher Michael Hogan

Hogan Thompson Schuelke LLP
Houston, TX

Kelli Tieken Kenney

McElroy, Sullivan, Miller & Weber, LLP
Austin, TX

Edmund Knolle

Gulf Coast Midstream Partners
Houston, TX

Olga Kobzar

Scott Douglass & McConnico LLP
Austin, TX

Christopher S. Kulander

The University of Texas School of Law
Austin, TX

Gregory S. Mathews

Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
Houston, TX

Rachel Seshan

Public Utility Commission of Texas
Austin, TX

Brett A. Snyder

Blank Rome LLP
Washington, DC

Planning Committee

John K. Arnold—Co-Chair

Troutman Pepper Locke
Houston, TX

Daniel Mathis—Co-Chair

Devon Energy Production Company, L.P.
Oklahoma City, OK

Jonathan D. Baughman

McGinnis Lochridge
Houston, TX

J. Byron (Trace) Burton III

Uhl, Fitzsimons, Jewett, Burton, Wolff & Rangel, PLLC
San Antonio, TX

TJ Campbell

Howard Energy Partners
San Antonio, TX

Gregory C. Cox

EOG Resources, Inc.
Houston, TX

Brandon Durrett

Jackson Walker LLP
San Antonio, TX

Monika U. Ehrman

SMU Dedman School of Law
Dallas, TX

Christopher Michael Hogan

Hogan Thompson Schuelke LLP
Houston, TX

Norma Rosner Iacovo

Tenaska Power Services Co.
Irving, TX

Michael D. Jones

Jones Gill Porter Crawford & Crawford LLP
Houston, TX

Kelli Tieken Kenney

McElroy, Sullivan, Miller & Weber, LLP
Austin, TX

Olga Kobzar

Scott Douglass & McConnico LLP
Austin, TX

Christopher S. Kulander

The University of Texas School of Law
Austin, TX

Ricardo E. Morales

Person, Mohrer, Morales, Boddy, Garcia & Gutierrez, PLLC
Laredo, TX

Michael P. Pearson

Jackson Walker LLP
Houston, TX

J. Derrick Price

McGinnis Lochridge
Austin, TX

Jaime S. Rangel

Uhl, Fitzsimons, Burton, Wolff & Rangel, PLLC
San Antonio, TX

April Rogers

The University of Texas School of Law
Austin, TX

Paul Santoyo

Santoyo Wehmeyer P.C.
San Antonio, TX

Ernest E. Smith

The University of Texas School of Law
Austin, TX

Key Dates

Houston – Apr 16-17, 2026 – Royal Sonesta Hotel Houston

Live Webcast – Apr 16-17, 2026

Houston
Live Webcast

Individual
Last day for $650.00 Regular pricing: Apr 2, 2026
$750.00 for registrations received after this time

Group (5 registrants minimum)
Last day for $585.00 Regular pricing: Apr 2, 2026
$675.00 for registrations received after this time

Group (10 registrants minimum)
Last day for $520.00 Regular pricing: Apr 2, 2026
$600.00 for registrations received after this time

Cancellation Policy
Last day for full refund cancellation: Apr 10, 2026
$50 processing fee applied after this date
Last day for cancellation: Apr 13, 2026

Individual
$750.00

Group (5 registrants minimum)
$675.00

Group (10 registrants minimum)
$600.00

Add-on (in-person registration required)
$100.00

Cancellation Policy
Last day for full refund cancellation: Apr 10, 2026
$50 processing fee applied after this date
Last day for cancellation: Apr 13, 2026

Venue

Royal Sonesta Hotel Houston

2222 West Loop South
Houston, TX 77027-3502
713.627.7600
Map

Accommodations

We’ve arranged a room block at the Royal Sonesta Hotel Houston for event attendees. Information about the room block, including how to book and access the discounted rate, will be provided via email as it becomes available. Be sure to keep an eye on your inbox and book early, as rooms are limited and based on availability!

Parking Information

$15 Daily Self-Parking
$25.50 Overnight Self-Parking
$20 Daily Valet Parking
$33.75 Overnight Valet Parking

Additional Information

The conference will take place in the Founders Ballroom, located on the main level of the hotel.

Our Sponsors

Thank you to our sponsors! Click each logo below to learn more.

Hogan Thompson Schuelke LLP

Hogan Thompson Schuelke LLP
www.hoganthompson.com/

Hogan Thompson Schuelke LLP is a Houston-based commercial litigation boutique with a focus on the energy industry. Since its founding in 2020, Hogan Thompson Schuelke has rapidly grown from two founding partners to an eight-attorney team representing clients nationwide. Our clients include Fortune 500 companies, mid-sized businesses, and individuals across the country. We excel at resolving complex legal disputes in upstream and midstream oil and gas, construction related to energy projects, and renewable energy—with the goal of getting the best results possible for our clients’ businesses. Our key areas of focus include oil and gas litigation, shale litigation, and royalty litigation. To learn more, visit www.hoganthompson.com.
Jackson Walker

Jackson Walker
jw.com

Founded more than 135 years ago, Jackson Walker has played a vital role in the growth and development of business in Texas and around the world. With more than 500 attorneys across six Texas offices, the Firm represents Fortune 500 companies, multinational corporations, major financial institutions, insurance companies, and a wide range of public companies and private businesses. The Firm is ranked nationally in 26 practice areas in the U.S. News' "Best Law Firms" rankings, has 23 Chambers-ranked practices, and has more attorneys ranked by Best Lawyers than any other firm in Texas.
McGinnis Lochridge

McGinnis Lochridge
mcginnislaw.com

McGinnis Lochridge is a Texas-based firm with offices in Austin, Houston, Dallas, and Decatur providing quality legal services for more than 90 years. We represent clients throughout the petroleum industry in Texas and across the country. We represent major oil and gas companies, independents and landowners in disputes and lawsuits, ranging from individual tract claims to nationwide class actions. Building on a firm history dating back nearly a century, McGinnis Lochridge lawyers have dealt with the developing issues in unconventional shale plays throughout Texas and North America. Our work in the unconventional shale plays in South Texas and the Permian Basin builds on decades of a strong firm presence in courtrooms throughout South Texas and West Texas. We also work regularly with Texas governmental agencies including the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) and the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality (TCEQ), as well as local municipalities and water districts.

Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Institute

Overview

Conference Faculty

Planning Committee

Key Dates

Venue

Royal Sonesta Hotel Houston

Accommodations

Parking Information

Additional Information

Our Sponsors

Hogan Thompson Schuelke LLP

Jackson Walker

McGinnis Lochridge

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