Summary: The South Texas College of Law has announced the creation of the Oil & Gas Law Institute, which will be led by Christopher Kulander.
The very first Oil & Gas Law Institute in the region has been established by the South Texas College of Law in Houston, according to an announcement by the school.
The goal of the institute will be to address the legal needs of the energy industry using projects, courses, advocacy, symposia and scholarship.
President and dean Donald J. Guter said, “With the United States in the midst of an historic energy transformation and Houston at the heart of it, South Texas College of Law knew it was the right time to establish the Oil & and Gas Law Institute. Our goal is to be the national leader in oil and gas law education. The needs are great, and we believe there is no better place to have this Institute than at South Texas College of Law in downtown Houston.”
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Christopher Kulander, a visiting associate professor, has been selected as the very first director of the institute. Kulander taught oil and gas law for three years at Texas Tech University. He works as Of Counsel at Haynes and Boone LLP.
“South Texas has a unique opportunity to be the leading law school for educating and training practice-ready graduates in the oil and gas industry – and that is attractive to potential employers,” Kulander said. “The workforce needs of the oil and gas industry continue to grow, particularly in the legal arena. South Texas fully understands this fact and is prepared to address those demands through the Institute’s diverse classes and programs.”
Kulander earned his law degree from the University of Oklahoma. Prior to teaching, Kulander practiced law with Haynes and Boone in the firm’s Energy Practice Group. His practice focused on finance, energy lending and bankruptcy.
He has also practiced with Cotton & Bledsoe in Midland, Texas. While in Midland his practice focused on oil and gas title and leasing. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Kulander worked as a geophysicist for the United States Geological Survey.
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“The Institute is an important endeavor for Houston, the state of Texas and the nation’s oil and gas industry,” Kulander said. “We look forward to significantly enhancing oil and gas law education in this country.”
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Image credit: South Texas College of Law