Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Kimberly Jackson Accepts Colorado Oil and Gas Planner Position



Kimberly Jackson, LLM'13 recently accepted a position in the CO Department of Public Health and Environment. She will be serving as the state's Oil and Gas Planner. Congratulations to Ms. Jackson for obtaining an exciting and demanding new position!




Ms. Jackson shared the following with Administrative Director, Lucy Daberkow:

"I recently accepted a position with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment as the state’s Oil and Gas Planner. Colorado currently has in excess of 50,000 active oil and gas wells, with many more anticipated to become operational over the next few years. My primary responsibility is to collaboratively engage with local and federal governmental entities, community groups, operators, and other interested stakeholders to ensure that oil and gas operations are conducted in a way that allows for the safe exploration and production of oil and gas while simultaneously ensuring the protection of our environmental resources as well as the health and safety of everyone that lives, works, and recreates in our beautiful state.

My LL.M. studies have afforded me the opportunity to learn so much about the laws, policies, regulations, and administrative aspects that govern the work that I will engage in on behalf of the state. From natural resource and environmental law to principles of sustainable development, land use, petroleum transactions, and—most importantly for me right now—oil & gas law and mining law, the wide array of course offerings that I took as a student were invaluable in allowing me to gain a comprehensive understanding of not only the law, but the manner in which these laws influence the way we think about natural resources and the environment on a local, regional, national, and international scale.

Now that my role has evolved from a student of natural resources and environmental law to a practitioner, I realize just how much benefit I gained from the incredible course offerings and first-class instruction that I received during my time in the Environmental and Natural Resources Law and Policy Program. I know without question that what I have learned during my time in the program as both a J.D. and an LL.M. student will serve me well as I begin to engage with numerous others in our state and in our region about the emerging issues of energy development, environmental protections, and public health. "

Congratulations to Ms. Jackson from the Environmental and Natural Resources Law and Policy Program! We are sure that she will experience great success in her new position!

Monday, April 29, 2013

Denver Law Professionals Play Major Role in Rocky Mountain Mineral Law International Institute in Columbia

Denver Law South American LLM Graduates (left to right): Marcelo Olivares (Chile); Leonardo Rodriguez (Argentina); Carla Araya (Chile); Nino Coppero (Peru); Carolina Crespo (Argentina); Don Smith; Eduardo Paseta (Peru); Roger Boing (Brazil).
The strength of the University of Denver Sturm College of Law Environmental and Natural Resources Law (ENRL) program was on full display at the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation (RMMLF) International Institute on Mining and Oil And Gas held recently in Cartagena, Columbia.

Of the 300 attendees, who came from 45 countries and five continents, more than 20 had Denver Law connections.  Specifically, there were 12 Denver Law ENRL LLM graduates, four DU JD graduates, and six current or former adjunct professors. 

In nearly half the sessions at the Institute, there was at least one Denver Law-connected participant.  This is very noteworthy because the RMMLF is considered one of the most prestigious and high profile organizations of its kind in the world.  For more than 50 years, the RMMLF has provided opportunities for the world’s leading resource attorneys to gather and discuss the most important issues facing these sectors.  Thus, the presenters at RMMLF conferences are considered the world’s top mining and oil & gas lawyers.

A more specific look at the overall Institute program provides an even clearer indication of the prominence of Denver Law at the event.

Among the key organizers of the International Institute:
  • Catherine Boggs, Capital Resource Funds and a DU JD graduate, is President of the RMMLF
  • Scott Anderson, Partner at Hogan Lovells and a Denver Law Adjunct Professor, served as Institute Chair
Program participants with Denver Law connections:
  • Carla Araya, Legal Counsel for Minera Esperanza in Santiago, Chile, and DU LLM gradate spoke on “Water for Mining: Use and Protection of Water Resources”
  • Elisabeth Bastida, Mining Program Director at the University of Dundee who has also taught as an Adjunct Professor at DU, spoke about “Ownership of Mineral Resources”
  • Oscar Benevides, Partner at the Lima, Peru-based firm Rodrigo, Elias And Medrano and a DU LLM graduate, spoke about “Asian Investment in Africa and Latin America: Lessons Learned in Recent Years”
  • Roger Maier Boing, Partner at L.O. Baptista, Schmidt, Valois, Miranda, Ferreira, Agel, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and DU LLM graduate moderated a panel entitled “International Unitization of Oil And Gas Fields: The Experience in Latin America”
  • Nino Coppero, Director of Corporate Affairs and Social Responsibility for Toronto-based Hudbay’s Lima, Peru, office and DU LLM graduate, spoke on “Prior Consultation – The Peruvian Experience: Constancia and Minas Conga”
  • Francisco Corona, Associate at Carey and Cia in Santiago, Chile, and DU LLM graduate, spoke about “Chilean Miners Revisited – Two Years Later”
  • James Cress, Partner at Bryan Cave, a DU JD graduate, and a frequent guest speaker at Denver Law,  moderated a session entitled “Consultation, Accommodation, and Consent in Resource Development” 
  • Florencia Heredia, Partner at HOLT Abogados in Buenos Aries, Argentina, and a DU Adjunct Professor, moderated a panel entitled “Mining in ‘No Go’ Areas: Parks, Forests, and Moorlands”
  • Anya Mallett, Of Counsel at Polsinelli Shughart, a JD and LLM graduate, and a member of the Institute’s Mining Section Steering Committee, moderated a panel entitled, “On the Rocks – What are the Prospects for Safe and Successful Exploration of the Artic, and are they Worth the Risk?”
  • Mark Nesbitt, Of Counsel at Fognani and Faught and former Denver Law Adjunct Professor, was a member of the Institute’s Mining Section Steering Committee
  • James Otto, the founding Director of Denver Law’s Environmental & Natural Resources Law Graduate Program and now a world leading mineral economist and policy advisor to governments around the world, gave a keynote speech entitled “Resource Nationalism and Regulatory Reform”
  • Luis Carlos Rodrigo, a Partner at Rodrigo, Elias & Medrano in Lima, Peru, and a DU Adjunct Professor, spoke about Asian Investment in Africa and Latin America
  • Don Smith, Director of Denver Law’s ENRL program, moderated a panel entitled “Oil And Gas Regulation And Policy in Latin America: Recent Developments”
All told, DU-related participants in the Institute came from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, and the U.S. 

Others with DU Law affiliations who attended the conference included Daniel Altikes, Counsel at Antofagasta Minerals SA in Santiago, Chile, and an LLM graduate; Robert Bassett, Partner at Holland and Hart, and a DU JD graduate and Adjunct Professor; Joel Benson, Partner at Davis Graham and Stubbs, who is a JD law graduate and an Adjunct Professor, Maria Carolina Crespo, from Estudio Beccar Varela in Buenos Aries and LLM graduate; Eduardo Paseta, Counsel at Compania Minera Antamina SA, Lima, Peru, and LLM graduate; Marcelo Olivares, Partner at Quinzio and Cia Abogados in Santiago, Chile, and LLM graduate; Miguel Rivero, Partner at Hoet Pelaez Castillo And Duque in Caracas, Venezuela, and an LLM graduate; and Leonardo Rodriguez, Partner at Marval, O’Farrell and Mairal in Buenos Aries, and an LLM graduate. 

No other educational institution from anywhere in the world came even close to matching Denver Law’s presence at the International Institute.  This says volumes about the prominent role our program is playing on the global natural resources scene.  It also illustrates the caliber of individuals who have been or are involved with our program.  Put simply, there is no better place to study about the important issues involving natural resources than Denver Law. 

Every day Denver Law-connected professionals are making major contributions to how natural resources are developed and used.  This is something we as a group can be proud of and our aspirations should be high as we continue our world-leading efforts.  In a reflection of that, we at Denver Law are ramping up our offerings in the oil and gas sector, an undertaking you will hear us talk more about in future months.

In the meantime, we are reminded each day that our graduates, our friends, and our partners look to us to steadily strengthen and improve the academic program at Denver Law.  We take that seriously and we look forward to working with our community to ensure that Denver Law is “the place” to study about natural resources.
-Don Smith
Director
Environmental and Natural Resources Law Program