Tonye Oki, 2005 Environmental and Natural Resources Law LLM Graduate, Chief Negotiator for Grynberg Petroleum Company

Tonye Oki, a 2005 LLM graduate of the Environmental and Natural Resources Law & Policy (ENRL) Graduate Program, recently joined the Grynberg Petroleum Company.

Mr. Oki, who is also an Adjunct Professor teaching "Negotiating Natural Resources Agreements" with co-Adjunct James King, hit the ground running in his new job.

"In the first week of my employment I visited five countries and negotiated minerals and land concessions with the highest levels of government - including directly with the Presidents of Rwanda and Burundi," Mr. Oki said.

During the period Mr. Oki has been with Grynberg Petroleum he has been promoted from International Contracting Attorney to being appointed Executive Vice President and Chief International Negotiator for the Grynberg & Affiliates Group of Companies.

Don C. Smith, Director of the ENRL program, said, "Tonye Oki is one of the LLM program's most esteemed graduates as well as now being a professor to and mentor of students all across Denver Law. I had Tonye as a student several years ago. I knew from the moment I met him that he would make important contributions to the legal profession, and his career speaks for itself.

"In his role as an Adjunct Professor, Mr. Oki shares his insights and experience with our students, thus enabling them to benefit from this 21st century natural resources leader. Professors like Tonye Oki are what make DU Law a special place at which to study about environmental and natural resources issues," Lucy Daberkow, Assistant Administrative Director of the ENRL Graduate Program said.

Mr. Oki, who has an LLB from Nigeria, is licensed to practice law in Nigeria as a Barrister, Solicitor, and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. He is also licensed to practice law in the U.S. state of Colorado as has passed the New York Bar exam.