Overview

Jolisa Dobbs is an experienced oil and gas attorney in Holland & Knight's Dallas office. She serves on the leadership team for the firm's Energy & Natural Resources Industry Sector Group as well as a member of the Energy Transition Team. Ms. Dobbs concentrates on acquisition and disposition transactions throughout all oil and gas plays and land rights issues in relation to surface uses by energy companies and midstream development. Ms. Dobbs' background as an internal auditor for a major oil and gas company and as a certified public accountant (inactive) gives her an edge in assessing, understanding and allocating various risks associated with transactions, as well as joint development and complex projects for energy properties.

In addition, Ms. Dobbs counsels clients in oil and gas secured lending, joint venture and development arrangements, and the acquisition and disposition of natural resources companies. Ms. Dobbs also has experience in oil and gas title due diligence in acquisitions of properties, and she regularly advises clients regarding exploration and production activities, including preparation of agreements, Council of Petroleum Accountants Societies (COPAS) issues and leasing issues.

Ms. Dobbs frequently lectures at conferences and seminars and publishes articles in prestigious industry journals on oil and gas-related topics. She also is a prolific contributor to numerous leading oil and gas legal and accounting organizations through the various board and trustee positions in which she has served.

During law school, Mrs. Dobbs received the prestigious Joe Rudd Scholarship from the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation (now known as The Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law) in part due to her clear commitment to the hydrocarbon industry. She later joined, and then led, the foundation's scholarship committee and has held various roles within the organization over the years.

Representative Experience

  • Representation of a Texas-based exploration and production (E&P) company in a multistage sale of North Dakota and Oklahoma upstream assets for more than $100 million
  • Representation of an Oklahoma-based E&P company in its acquisition and joint development of water and pipeline facilities and real property rights with one of the largest land holding entities in Texas, which involved complex sharing arrangements and joint participation terms
  • Representation of Meritage Midstream Services in its $215 million sale of company assets in its Eagle Ford Escondido Gathering System, a gas-gathering system partially owned by Houston-based Laredo Energy, and the wet gas stream Cuervo Creek Gathering System to Howard Energy Partners
  • Representation of a Texas-based company engaged in the acquisition and development of gas reserves in the $194 million sale of oil and gas leasehold acreage in the Utica Shale to a Texas-based independent energy company
  • Representation of a Texas-based E&P company in the $111 million purchase of a net profits interest from a U.S. subsidiary of an Australian-based investment bank
  • Representation of a Midland, Texas-based company in the $75 million sale of various E&P properties located in Texas to an independent oil and gas company focused on the Permian Basin
  • Representation of one of the largest privately held E&P companies in the United States in the $39 million sale of oil and gas leasehold acreage and assets in Wyoming to an Oklahoma-based E&P company
  • Representation of a limited liability partnership in the sale of Texas oil and gas leases to a Dallas-based energy capital fund
  • Representation of the energy financial services business unit of one of the world's largest companies in the sale of North Dakota oil and gas assets to a Fort Worth-based E&P company
  • Representation of a Texas-based E&P company in the purchase of Bakken assets from a group of owners
  • Representation of an E&P company that focuses on South Texas plays in its purchase of South Texas oil and gas leases from a Louisiana-based E&P company, as well as with regard to drafting of related joint development documents
  • Representation of a Houston-based E&P company in the sale of Dimmit County leases to an Austin-based E&P company

  • Representation of a publicly traded, leading U.S. oil and gas producer in an energy transition project involving a hydrogen plant joint venture
  • Representation of a major oilfield service company with the creation of a subsidiary, intercompany agreements and credit facility valued at more than $10 million
  • Representation of the lead agent on several midstream lending facilities valued at more than $100 million
  • Representation of a large global company's finance arm in the sale of portfolio company upstream assets across many plays for more than $1 billion
  • Representation of a New York-based private equity fund in its commitment of $40 million to develop oil and gas properties acquired and to be acquired by an exploration and production (E&P) company that focuses on South Texas plays
  • Representation of a limited liability partnership (LLP) in the $35 million joint development of West Texas oil and gas assets
  • Representation of an LLP in the $18 million joint development of South Texas oil and gas leases

Credentials

Education
  • University of Oklahoma College of Law, J.D., with honors
  • University of Oklahoma, M.Acc.
  • University of Oklahoma, B.Acc., summa cum laude
Bar Admissions/Licenses
  • Texas
Memberships
  • The Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law (formerly Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation), President, 2023; Vice President, 2022-2023; Treasurer, 2015-2017; Trustee, 2006-2010; Executive Committee, 2008-2010
  • American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources (SEER), Oil and Gas Committee, Chairman, 2009-2011
  • Dallas Bar Association, Energy Section, Chairman, 2007
  • State Bar of Texas, Oil and Gas and Energy Resources Law Section, Council Member, 2005-2008; Quarterly Section Report, Editor, 2007-2008
  • Law360 Energy Editorial Advisory Board, 2016
  • University of Oklahoma School of Accounting, Board of Advisors
Honors & Awards
  • Leading Energy Lawyers, Lawdragon 500, 2024
  • The Best Lawyers in America guide, Energy Law, Oil and Gas Law, 2016-2024
  • Best Lawyers in Dallas, D Magazine, Energy and Natural Resources, 2017-2023
  • Top Women in Energy Law, Texas Lawyer, 2016
  • The Legal 500 USA, Energy: Transactions, 2015
  • Who's Who in Energy, Dallas Business Journal, 2015
  • Texas Super Lawyers magazine, Energy and Natural Resources, 2013-2014, 2019-2022
  • Who's Who Legal guide, Energy, 2014-2019
  • Phoenix Award, American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources (SEER), Oil and Gas Committee, 2010

Speaking Engagements