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Stephen R. McNamara Stephen R. McNamara

Stephen “Steve” R. McNamara

Of Counsel

T 918-594-0618 | F 918-594-0505

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Steve McNamara has practiced oil and gas law since 1979. He was formerly chief counsel of Reading & Bates Petroleum Co. in Tulsa from 1980 through 1987. He was primarily responsible for the company's domestic exploration and production activities. While serving in that capacity, Steve worked extensively on Reading & Bates' interest in the S.E. Sumatra and N.W. Java concessions of Indonesia and on the initial exploration and development of the Harriet oil field offshore western Australia, including platform construction, infrastructure and related development. He also handled transactions in Egypt, Colombia, Peru and Argentina.

Since leaving Reading & Bates in 1987, Steve has represented dozens of independent oil and gas producers in Oklahoma and elsewhere. He maintains an active Oklahoma Corporation Commission practice, and has been involved in several complex cases involving gas measurement, gas processing and natural gas liquids. Steve is a third generation Tulsan. One of his grandfathers was an executive with Sinclair Oil Company and another discovered the Earlsboro field in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma. Steve has extensive experience in Hunton de-watering and Woodford Shale development projects.

In addition, Steve has provided outstanding representation to myriad clients, including:

  • Boston Ave. Management, Inc. v. Associated Resources, Inc., 152 P.3d 880 (Okla. 2007)
  • Black Hawk Oil Co. v. Exxon Corp., 969 P.2d 337 (Okla. 1998)
  • Taylor International, Inc. v. Duke Energy Field Services, L.P., No. CJ-97-116, District Court of Creek County, Oklahoma (filed October 9, 1997) (Settled)
  • Bank of America, as Trustee. v. El Paso Natural Gas Company & Burlington Resources Oil and Gas Company, No. CJ-1997-68, District Court for Washita County, Oklahoma (Settled, January 2006)

Further, Steve has also mediated dozens of complex oil and gas disputes. 

Education

  • University of Tulsa College of Law (J.D., 1978)
  • University of Notre Dame (B.A. in Psychology, 1976)

Admissions

  • Oklahoma
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern and Western Districts of Oklahoma
  • 2019-Present Hall Estill
  • 2008-2019 McNamara, Inbody & Parrish PLLC
  • 1990-2008 Sneed Lang Herrold
  • 1987-1990 Solo Practitioner
  • 1980-1987 Reading & Bates Petroleum Co., Chief Counsel
  • Tulsa Parking Authority (2004 - 2006)
  • St. Francis Catholic School Scholarship Fund, Co-Chair for Diocese of Eastern Oklahoma (2006 - 2007), Board Member 2007 - Present
  • Oklahoma Bar Association (Chair, Mineral Law Section, 2006 - 2007)
  • Tulsa County Bar Association (Chair, Mineral Law Section, 1987 - 1988
  • Oklahoma Bar Association, Professional Responsibility Tribunal (Member, 2007 - 2013)
  • Member, Legal Advisory Group, Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association (1985 - 1988)
  • Adjunct Professor, University of Tulsa, Collins School of Business, Oil & Gas Land Management, 2008-2011
  • Kansas Bar Association and Kansas Independent Oil and Gas Association, 2001
  • National Association of Royalty Owners ("NARO") Annual Convention (Austin 2003, Denver 2004 and Tulsa 2005)
  • Presentation on Oklahoma Force Pooling Issues to the Council of Petroleum Accountants Societies (Tulsa 2007)
  • Author: "Oklahoma's Production Revenue Standards Act Post FERC Order 636 — Measurement, Delivery and Quantity Issues, 29 Tulsa Law Journal 634 (1994)
  • Author: "Natural Gas Measurement," University of Oklahoma Conference on Natural Resources Law and Policy (2000)