Jeffrey Allen

BIOGRAPHY

Jeffrey Allen is a partner in the firm’s Oil & Gas section. He has extensive experience representing landowners in renewable energy matters including wind and solar energy, battery storage, and data mining center transactions. Mr. Allen’s renewable energy experience includes working with developers and producers on real estate title matters, accommodation agreements, crossing agreements, and surface use and waiver agreements. In addition to his experience in renewable energy matters, Mr. Allen has maintained an oil and gas practice including representing producers, operators, mineral buyers, and landowners in a variety of oil and gas transactions, including a focus on oil and gas title examination. 

Mr. Allen is well-versed in a wide range of real estate law. His practice areas include land use, zoning, and permitting at both municipal and state levels; real estate negotiation, document preparation, management, and closing; litigation and dispute resolution; oil and gas contract and lease negotiation and preparation; corporate entity formation and management; and financial document negotiation and preparation. He also has a broad range of experience in municipal law, including economic development, as well as drafting and negotiating tax abatement agreements.

Prior to joining Kelly Hart, Mr. Allen was a partner at Wetsel, Carmichael, Allen, & Lederle, LLP in Sweetwater, Texas, and served as city attorney for the City of Sweetwater, Texas. He is also an Instructor with the National Wind Institute at Texas Tech University, where he teaches educational programs on renewable energy law and policy, as well as wind energy, to both graduate and undergraduate students.

Outside of the office, Mr. Allen serves on the Board of Directors for a number of organizations, including the Pioneer County-City Museum, Rolling Plaines Memorial Hospital Foundation, and the Board of Trustees of the Sweetwater Independent School District.

EXPERIENCE AND HIGHLIGHTS

• Represented landowners in wind energy, solar energy, battery storage, and data mining agreements
• Represented counties and developers in tax abatement agreements
• Drafted ordinances, memoranda, easements, leases, and other documents affecting city-owned real property agreements for developers and landowners
• Draft economic development incentive agreements and related documents
• Represented operators and interest owners in seismic agreements, gas leases, surface use agreements, pipeline easements,
• Drafted ancillary agreements related to the operation of wind energy, solar energy, battery storage, and data mining
• Advised clients in numerous matters involving various aspects of energy law
• Represented clients in mediations concerning oil and gas issues, including contract interpretation, property boundaries, and insurance coverage, achieving favorable settlements

AFFILIATIONS

• Midland Bar Association
• State Bar of Texas
• Pioneer County-City Museum, Board
• Rolling Plains Memorial Hospital Foundation, Board
• Sweetwater Independent School District, Board of Trustees

EDUCATION

• Instructor, National Wind Institute, Texas Tech University
  • RE4311 – Renewable Energy Law & Policy (undergraduate)
  • WE5310 – Renewable Energy Law & Policy (graduate)
  • WE5311 – Wind Energy Economics and Finance
• Texas Tech University School of Law, J.D., 2007
• Texas Tech University, M.B.A., 2007
• Texas A&M University, B.A., magna cum laude, 2003

ADMISSIONS

• State Bar of Texas, 2007
• State Bar of New Mexico 2008
• US District Court, Northern District of Texas

SPEECHES & PUBLICATIONS

• Co-Author, (Forthcoming) Jeffrey L. Allen, Matt Madison, and Cashe Dupree “Surface Accommodation and Mineral Development for Solar Projects” (Title to be confirmed). Oil & Gas Title Examination 2024 Course by TexasBar CLE; June 14, 2024, South Texas College of Law, Houston, Texas
• Co-Author, Jeffrey Allen, Ingrid Myers, Becky Diffen, and Jessica Rodriguez, edited by Jonathan Ayre, “A Guide for the Modern Law Practitioner: Comparing Traditional Resources and Renewable Energy Legal Concepts,” 72nd Annual Oil & Gas Law Conference, sponsored by The Institute for Energy Law of The Center for American and International Law,” April 21 to 23, 2021, virtual attendance
• Co-Author, Roderick Wetsel, Jeffrey L. Allen & Laura M. Bowen, Avoid Voidance – How to Draft Oil and Gas Legal Descriptions in Compliance with the Texas Statute of Frauds, 53 Tex. Tech L. Rev. 139 (2020)
• Speaker, “A Primer in Mineral and Renewable Energy Development Conflicts in Texas” AAPL 2019 Southwest Land Institute, sponsored by American Association of Professional Landmen at Arlington, Texas (August 29, 2019)
• Speaker “Avoid Voidance – How to Draft Oil and Gas Legal Descriptions in Compliance with the Texas Statute of Frauds,” The Center for American and International Law, May 2, 2013, and May 14, 2015, Houston, Texas
• Speaker, “Selected Issues in Multi-Party Lease Negotiations,” Wind Energy Law Symposium, Texas A&M School of Law, November 15, 2013, Fort Worth, Texas
• Speaker, “Landowner Issues in Wind & Solar Leasing,” New Mexico Landmen’s Association Spring Seminar, Roswell, New Mexico (May 2010)
• Speaker, “Solar Energy-Toward a Unified Energy Lease,” Lone Star Solar Summit, Sweetwater, Texas (April 2009)
• Speaker, “What to Look for When Looking at a Wind Lease,” Agricultural Technology Camp, sponsored by Texas State Technical College, Sweetwater, Texas (July 2009)
• Speaker, “Wind Energy,” Update on Statutory & Regulatory Issues Related to USDA, sponsored by Texas Rural Mediation Services, Lubbock, Texas (September 2008)