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Forrest’s practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, including trial and appellate work, with a particular emphasis in energy and oil and gas. 

Forrest has considerable experience representing plaintiffs and defendants in fiduciary and investment matters, commercial torts, property disputes, and business and contractual claims, both upstream and those involving natural gas assets and gathering and processing agreements in the midstream segment, along with the related proceedings for emergency and temporary injunctive relief. He also frequently advises individuals and companies in structuring, negotiating, and documenting oil and gas transactions with purchase and sale agreements, joint operating agreements, assignments and leases, participation agreements, farmouts, and other agreements used in the exploration and development of oil and gas.

Prior to joining the bar, he worked in public accounting and served as a judicial intern to the Honorable Marcia A. Crone (U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas) and the Honorable Xavier Rodriguez (U. S. District Court, Western District of Texas). Forrest is Board Certified in Oil, Gas and Mineral Law and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant. 

Bar Admissions

  • State Bar of Texas (2014)
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas

Education

  • University of Houston Law Center, J.D., 2014
  • University of Houston, B.B.A., 2008

Board Certified, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Oil, Gas and Mineral Law (2024)

  • Speaker, Joint Operating Agreement Impact on Record Title, AAPL Seminar – August 30, 2019 
  • Co-Presenter, Master Service Agreements for Oil and Gas: Negotiating and Structuring Techniques, Key Provisions, Court Treatment, Strafford Webcast – December 19, 2019 
  • Tough Decision, Right Call: Texas Railroad Commission Declines to Prorate Crude Oil Production, AAPL Landman Magazine – July/August 2020 

Notable Cases

  • Gates Mineral Company, Ltd., et al. v. Chesapeake Energy Corporation, et al. (In re Chesapeake Energy Corporation, et al.), (Bankr. S. D. Tex. 2020, Adv. Pro. No. 20-03451) (trial counsel represented non-operator in bench trial; obtained favorable, joint-settlement of royalty dispute and lease interpretation claims following witnesses’ testimony, and before defendants presented their case)
  • Jarnail Sihota and GTHCC, Inc. v. City of Midland, No. 11-21-00171-CV, 2022 WL 17996996 (Tex. App.—Eastland December 30, 2022) (trial counsel; obtained dismissal on grounds of lack of subject matter jurisdiction resulting in disposal of all claims with prejudice, decision affirmed)

 

Representative Experience

  • Secured favorable settlement for regional fuel transporter in multi-party, commercial non-delivery case