Margaret G. Patton

Margaret G. Patton’s practice focuses primarily on oil, gas and energy law.  Margaret represents major and independent oil and gas companies in title examination, division order work, and litigation, and she routinely advises her clients in all aspects of oil and gas exploration and production operations, including matters related to lease disputes, mineral owner demands, risk fee issues, contract negotiation and interpretation, statutory interpretation and other issues relevant to the drafting and operation of clauses found in mineral leases, joint operating agreements, and conveyances of mineral rights.  

Margaret has drafted hundreds of title opinions for numerous oil and gas companies on acreage in Louisiana’s Haynesville Shale, Cotton Valley and Lower Cotton Valley, Tuscaloosa Marine Shale, Austin Chalk, and other Louisiana plays in both North and South Louisiana and has handled numerous curative projects involving complex title issues.  

Margaret routinely represents oil and gas companies with respect to royalty owner demands and working interest owner demands made against her clients under La. R.S. 30:103.1, La. R.S. 31:137, La. R.S. 31:212.21, and La. R.S. 30:10.  Margaret has a long history of success in reaching favorable and cost effective resolutions of such demands, often times helping her clients avoid costly litigation.

In addition to her work in the area of oil and gas exploration and production, Margaret has represented clients in the negotiation of contracts for renewable energy development, including carbon capture and sequestration projects and solar farm developments. Margaret has represented industrial clients, including oil and gas operators, before LDEQ, LDWF and LDNR, handling permitting and regulatory compliance matters in the areas of air, water and waste.  She also routinely represents clients in matters of commercial real estate and transactions and general business litigation.

Margaret is a frequent speaker on a variety of mineral law issues at various oil and gas industry events. She has authored three papers for the Louisiana Mineral Law Institute and one paper for the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation Institute on Mineral Title Examination. Margaret was selected to the 2020 SuperLawyers® Rising Star list and the 2023 and 2024 SuperLawyers® List in the area of Energy and Natural Resources. She currently serves as a member of the Advisory Council to the LSU John P. Laborde Energy Law Center. Margaret also serves on the Board of Managers of A. Wilbert’s Sons, LLC and Wilbert Mineral Group, LLC, two family-owned land management companies owning substantial agricultural, mineral and timber properties in South Louisiana.