John Harris

Overview

John Harris chairs the firm's Oil, Gas and Energy Practice Group and brings over 30 years of experience to the firm, representing operators, working interest owners, mineral and land owners, public agencies, and industrial clients on oil and gas, energy, and environmental matters. John has extensive experience in all aspects of the oil industry, including the wide range of operational problems faced by exploration and production companies operating in California and in other states, as well as the unique problems of landowners and royalty owners in dealing with operators. 

Due to his broad oil and gas transactional experience, John has helped industry clients and mineral owners in the purchase and sale of oil and gas producing properties and pipelines, operating agreements, financing transactions and production purchase and sales agreements, oil and gas lease negotiations, as well as agreements with governmental agencies.  He provides mineral title opinions to operators and landowners and also assists clients in solving complex title problems.

John has extensive experience in the day-to-day legal issues that face operators in California, from obtaining permits for producing equipment to dealing with environmental regulators. John also advises clients and interacts with legislators and regulators regarding matters affecting the energy industry in California.

John has litigated many different types of oil and gas cases, such as lawsuits over the rights of working interest owners under operating agreements, accounting disputes, claims by landowners and royalty owners under oil and gas lease, lease termination disputes, drainage and development and subsurface trespass claims, actions for breach of implied covenants and fiduciary duty, quiet title matters and other title disputes, claims for misuse of confidential information, constitutional questions, secured transactions issues and securities fraud cases. John’ experience has given him a unique opportunity to gain an understanding of the engineering, geologic and other technical issues, as well as the business, practical, and political considerations involved in oil operations in California.

The nature of oil and gas practice in California has changed substantially in recent years, reflecting the steadily increasing impact of federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations on the oil industry. John' practice has evolved as well and he regularly advises clients on the impact of federal and California environmental law on the purchase, sale, financing and leasing of properties, and the acquisition of business entities.

Clients have called upon John to assist them in dealing with and obtaining permits and approvals from California environmental agencies, such as the Regional Water Quality Control Board and the Department of Toxic Substances, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District, as well as local and other agencies. He has negotiated remediation agreements and consent decrees with California environmental agencies and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. He has represented landowners and oil companies in negotiations for the abandonment and remediation of oil producing properties. He is also currently advising clients throughout California on their Clean Water Act compliance efforts, and, in particular, issues relating to the control of storm water and urban runoff and NPDES issues.

John's environmental litigation practice has included CERCLA cases, contaminated property clean-up and cost recovery cases, as well as environmental insurance coverage claims.