Raymond “Ray” S. Rudnicki

Ray Rudnicki joined Hall Estill as a shareholder in 2016.  Prior to joining Hall Estill, Ray was a shareholder at a sizeable firm in Midland, Texas, where his work included representing clients in oil and gas acquisitions and divestitures, transactions and general corporate matters.  

Ray served as senior corporate counsel for BJ Services Company (now Baker Hughes) where he was responsible for global sales and operations legal support, including structuring and drafting complex business transactions, resolving job problems and customer disputes, real estate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, maritime transactions and advising on compliance issues.  Ray also led negotiations for many large international projects in China, India, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Earlier in his career, Ray held positions at Honeywell International where he focused on negotiating complex global agreements and managing compliance issues.

Ray has significant experience representing oil and gas operators, service companies and oil and gas investors, including:

• Over 30 energy transactions, each in excess of $100 Million, involving asset sales, divestitures and corporate mergers/acquisitions.  
• Equity and mezzanine financing transactions, bank financing transactions, and debt restructuring. 
• Providing outside general counsel services, including litigation management, risk management, human resources, and general business issues
• Negotiation of master service contracts, ISDA, operating agreements, participation agreements, production sharing agreements, mineral deeds, farm-in and farm-out agreements.
• Oil and gas title issues, leases and rights of way, pipeline, gas purchasing and gathering agreements. 
• Confidentiality agreements and payment disputes, including lien foreclosures. 
• Internal investigations and corporate compliance matters. 
• Commercial real estate and construction transactions, leases.
• Complex corporate entity structuring.