Mason W. Smith

BIOGRAPHY

Mason W. Smith is an associate in the firm’s Oil & Gas/Energy section. He represents landowners, oil and gas operators, mineral/royalty owners, and surface developers in a variety of oil and gas matters. His primary area of focus is transactional work, which involves handling the buying and selling of working interest properties, mineral interests, and midstream assets. He also deals with oil and gas leases, surface use agreements, water use and disposal agreements, water leases, pipeline easements, and agreements pertaining to renewable energy projects like wind and solar initiatives. Additionally, Mr. Smith provides assistance to clients involved in energy-related disputes, particularly cases concerning oil and gas royalty matters.

Beyond his regular practice, Mr. Smith dedicates his time to pro bono work, with a particular emphasis on estate planning. He actively participates in estate planning clinics organized by Tarrant County Volunteer Attorney Services.

Before joining the firm, Mr. Smith served as a judicial law clerk for Justice Jeffrey S. Boyd at the Supreme Court of Texas.

EXPERIENCE AND HIGHLIGHTS

• Represented Kimbell Royalty Partners in acquisition of Cherry Creek Minerals, an entity controlled by LongPoint Minerals ($455 million; cash and stock)
• Represented private equity portfolio companies in sale of SCOOP and STACK mineral/royalty assets ($230 million)
• Represented privately held entities in sale of Midland Basin mineral/royalty assets ($184 million)
• Represented Kimbell Royalty Partners in acquisition of Midland Basin mineral/royalty assets from MB Minerals ($140 million; cash and stock)
• Represented privately held entities in sale of Permian Basin mineral/royalty assets ($140 million)
• Represented private equity portfolio company in sale of Midland Basin operated leasehold assets ($112 million)
• Represented private equity portfolio company in acquisition of Permian Basin mineral/royalty assets ($99 million)
• Represented various other privately held entities and private equity portfolio companies in the purchase and sale of mineral, royalty and leasehold assets, with transaction values ranging from $10 million to $40 million
• Represented privately held E&P entity in negotiation of numerous Eagle Ford oil and gas leases
• Represented privately held entities in negotiation of numerous Eagle Ford surface use agreements, easements, and water contracts
• Represented privately held midstream entity in negotiation of numerous Delaware Basin pipeline and roadway easements
• Represented privately held real estate developer in negotiation of numerous Barnett Shale surface-use-related agreements

AFFILIATIONS

• Tarrant County Bar Association
• Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association
• The Hills Church, West Fort Worth Campus

HONORS

• Texas Super Lawyers Rising Stars, Thomson Reuters, 2023, 2024
  • Energy & Resources
• Top Attorney, Fort Worth Magazine, 2024
• Top Attorney, 360 West magazine, 2021-2024
  • Oil & Gas Law
• Top Attorney less than five years in practice, 360 West magazine, 2020
  • Oil & Gas Law

EDUCATION

• University of Oklahoma College of Law, J.D., 2018
  • Order of the Coif
  • National Order of Scribes
  • Editor in Chief, Oil and Gas, Natural Resources, and Energy Journal
  • Teaching Assistant, Legal Research and Writing
• Abilene Christian University, B.B.A., summa cum laude, 2014
  • Honor Man Award Recipient
  • President, Sub T-16 Men’s Social Club
  • Baseball Team, Two-Year Letterman
  • Teaching Assistant, Intro to Management Science

ADMISSIONS

• State Bar of Texas
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas

SPEECHES & PUBLICATIONS

• Author, The Texas Agritourism Act: Why the Texas Legislature Put Farmer Liability Out to Pasture, 2 Oil & Gas, Nat. Resources & Energy J. 685, 2017