Natural Resources
Ranked #1 in the US in Mining Law by The Best Lawyers in America® 2009
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Transactions and Corporate Experience
Dinsmore & Shohl LLP’s attorneys routinely represent clients engaged in every facet of the ownership, development, leasing, extraction, transportation, purchase, and sale of mineral reserves and other natural resources. The attorneys in the firm’s Natural Resources Practice Group offer a broad depth of experience and services in dealing with the unique problems and issues faced by the mining and resource industries.
Our natural resources attorneys regularly handle the negotiation and drafting, as well as the interpretation and - when necessary - arbitration or litigation of every type of contractual arrangement common to the industry. These typically include long-term supply contracts, mineral and surface deeds and leases, merger or acquisition agreements, contract mining agreements, and transportation arrangements. We also routinely represent both borrowers and lenders in all types of financing arrangements utilized in connection with the industry. This includes assisting our clients in work-out situations or with the orderly disposition of assets pursuant to the financing agreements when the mining operations do not perform as expected.
Our attorneys, several of whom are nationally recognized in the area of natural resources law, have handled every aspect of the transfer of property and mining interests from simple lease assignments for individuals in Appalachia, to complex stock purchase agreements between South African and British interests. We can assist in each phase of any of these transactions, from planning and organizing data rooms, conducting large-scale due diligence reviews, obtaining all necessary approvals and consents, to arranging and negotiating necessary financing and negotiating, drafting and closing the final agreements.
Environmental Regulation and Litigation
Mineral development has long been one of the most heavily regulated and scrutinized industries in our economy. The attorneys in our Natural Resources Practice Group have substantial experience in helping clients sort through this maze of regulatory requirements, including providing counsel on all aspects of resource development, entailing representation before various state and federal administrative agencies, courts, and legislative bodies. As a part of this regional practice, we regularly provide assistance in interpreting and applying the myriad environmental and related regulatory programs which govern the mining of coal, and have represented private companies and trade associations in several landmark court cases affecting the coal industry. Our attorneys are also involved in defending clients against civil actions involving alleged mining-related damages, and citizens' suits claiming violations of federal and state statutes.
Like all of the attorneys at Dinsmore & Shohl LLP, our natural resources attorneys are particularly sensitive to the needs of our clients in order to achieve the best results in a practical, cost-effective manner. We will not recommend complicated solutions to routine problems, and our experience in this field of law has trained us to recognize and recommend the answer that best addresses the problems faced by our clients.