C. Elaine Carleton

Senior Partner

Elaine has extensive business and legal experience in all aspects of the oil and gas industry, including acquisition/divestment, exploration and development. For over 30 years, Elaine has held positions at both major and smaller companies working both in-house and independent, as a Landman, DOI Analyst, Crude Oil Trader, and currently as an Attorney.

Elaine’s practice involves upstream oil and gas work, including complex multi-formation title opinions; drafting, negotiation and review of various industry agreements; due diligence projects, drafting and negotiation of curative documents and Determination of Heirship actions. As part of this practice, Elaine also specializes in advising and representing clients on challenging title curative matters, and she administers and directs the resolution of various legal issues relating to exploration and drilling, including surface and mineral owner conflicts, title defects, and oil and gas transactional issues.

In 1980, Elaine received a BBA from the University of Texas with an emphasis in Petroleum Land Management, and in 1995 graduated from Sturm College of Law at the University of Denver.  She is licensed to practice law in Colorado and Texas. Originally from Midland, Texas with a family history in the energy industry and ranching, Elaine has a solution based philosophy for her business and individual clients. Her work ethic and common sense approach coupled with her experience provides her clients with an efficient and resourceful solution and final product.

Elaine has authored and presented numerous papers covering complex title issues, pooling and spacing, determinations of heirship actions, surface issues, and conveyance of minerals for the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation, Colorado Bar Association’s Natural Resources section and Trust and Estate sections, the Denver Association of Petroleum Landmen, National Association of Division Order Analysts, and local Denver associations.

Elaine is licensed to practice law in Colorado and Texas.

 

Memberships and Affiliations

Colorado Bar Association – Member of Natural Resources & Energy; Trust and Estate Sections

State Bar of Texas – Member of Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Law; Real Estate, Probate and Trust Sections

Denver Bar Association

Colorado Women’s Bar Association

Denver Association of Oil and Gas Title Lawyers

American Association of Professional Landmen – Certified Professional Landman as of 1987

Acknowledgements – Appointments

2016 Top Women in Energy by Denver Business Journal

Past Trustee of Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation

Co-Chair of Oil and Gas Section for Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation Annual Institute

Chair of 2 Title Examination Special Institutes for Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation

Past president and treasurer – Denver Association of Oil and Gas Title Lawyers

Past President and Board Member – Women’s Estate Planning Council