People

Tiffany Means
Tiffany Means
Senior Associate

Overview

Tiffany Means has extensive experience representing companies in complex, commercial disputes in the energy, oil and gas, power, technology, and renewable sectors. With a practical knowledge of the energy industry from upstream exploration and production matters across multi-basin portfolios, to downstream operations focused on processing plants, electric cooperatives, and evolving, global LNG markets, Tiffany works closely with operators and project developers across the value chain. In counseling domestic and international clients, Tiffany has efficiently managed and resolved a broad range of high stakes matters involving:

  • contracts such as joint operating agreements, midstream agreements, joint venture agreements, master service agreements, indemnity provisions, force majeure clauses, purchase-and-sale agreements, assignments, gas purchase contracts, easements (surface, subsurface, horizontal drilling, pore space, pipeline, wind, and solar), confidentiality and trade secrets, oil and gas leases, and royalty and mineral deeds;
  • environmental issues related to byproducts entrained in the production stream such as produced water and CO2, emissions, injection wells, and carbon sequestration; and
  • regulatory standards pertinent to the Texas Railroad Commission, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Bureau of Land Management, the General Land Office, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and specifically, energy industry enforcement, investigations, and compliance.

Tiffany Means presently serves on the Energy Law Section Council for the Houston Bar Association. The President of the State Bar of Texas appointed Tiffany to the Pattern Jury Charge - Oil and Gas Committee. Tiffany also serves as an officer for the Institute for Energy Law's Oilfield and Energy Services Practice Committee. Tiffany has previously served on the planning committee for the State Bar of Texas Annual Advanced Oil, Gas, and Energy Resources Law Course. Tiffany is the Past President of the Midland Bar Association.

Tiffany also has an active pro bono practice serving as pro bono general counsel for Bloys Campmeeting Association.

Before joining the firm, Tiffany clerked for the Honorable Robert Junell and the Honorable David Counts of the United States District Court, Western District of Texas, Midland/Odessa and Pecos Divisions.

Admissions & Affiliations

  • State Bar of Texas
  • Oil, Gas & Energy Resources Law Section of the State Bar of Texas
  • Houston Bar Association
  • HBA Energy Law Section, Council Member
  • Midland Bar Association, Past President
  • J.D., Baylor Law School 2013
    cum laude
    Executive Editor, Baylor Law Review
    Order of the Barristers
  • B.B.A., Real Estate, Baylor University 2010
    magna cum laude
    Beta Gamma Sigma
    Business Honors Society

Experience

  • Domestic operator – defended dozens of depositions, took expert depositions, deposed Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Principal/Owner of energy investment firm, argued dispositive motions, pre-trial motions, evidentiary objections, and cross-examined and presented multiple witnesses over the course of a two-week trial in Harris County as 1st-chair trial counsel with experience in all aspects of trial from opening to closing statements culminating in a verdict dismissing oil and gas fraud claims against client and settling contract claims post-verdict.
  • International operator – represented renewable subsidiary of foreign energy company in $768 million acquisition of portfolio including onshore wind, solar, and battery assets with 20 gigawatts of aggregated capacity across the United States.
  • Natural gas trading company – defended against market manipulation charges asserted in an enforcement investigation appearing before FERC’s Division of Investigations in Washington, D.C. for the client’s deposition and settlement discussions.
  • Mineral interest owner – secured favorable arbitration award in dispute involving millions of dollars in suspended royalties.
  • Oil and gas companies – represented major E&P operators in claims relating to property damage purportedly resulting from oil and gas production and alleged contamination of groundwater.
  • Offshore drilling company – advised relating to contractual dispute.
  • Electric cooperative – counseled regarding contractual obligations.
  • Energy companies – advised multiple clients launching innovative carbon capture projects.
  • Royalty interest owner – secured dismissal of all claims in Harris County concerning disputed mineral interest.
  • Global manufacturer – counseled regarding purchase of subsidiary industrial energy company.
  • Wind farm developer – advised relating to executive rights, mineral waivers, and property acquisition.
  • International operator – drafted agreements from wellhead to sales point in evolving LNG-export markets.
  • Domestic energy company – represented independent operator in disputes related to the EPA, Clean Air Act, emissions standards, including New Source Review/Prevention of Significant Deterioration (NSR/PSD), regulatory compliance strategies, and installation of air emissions control technology.
  • Property lessee – obtained summary dismissal of appeal of arbitration award in Harris County District Court.
  • 15 mineral interest owners – secured summary judgment on claims for trespass to try title, suit to quiet title, and rescission of mineral deeds in Howard County, which was affirmed on appeal.
  • National operator – secured complete dismissal of all claims in Midland County relating to a master services agreement.
  • Global operator – secured summary judgment in dispute pertaining to leasing rights under an overriding royalty interest assignment in New Mexico.
  • Multiple solar developers – advised relating to surface use of lands with mineral development, setting aside drilling islands, and horizontal drilling corridors.
  • Mineral lessee – secured summary judgment in Martin County concerning executive rights ownership.
  • National operator – counseled regarding construction of gas purchase contracts.
  • National operator – litigation involving a subcontractor claim on a drilling well site.
  • Global operator – suit involving contractors’ liens against oil and gas wells.
  • National operator – suit involving proceeds of production due to working interest owners under joint operating agreement.
  • National operator – dispute regarding defective drilling operations.
  • National operator – dispute regarding fees deductible from gas payable under a gas processing agreement.
  • Trademark holder – authored successful motion for preliminary injunction and obtained permanent injunction in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas for trademark infringement.
  • Oil and gas company – authored appellate brief on authority of a trustee to convey minerals and prevailed on appeal.
  • Mineral interest owner – secured summary judgment in Martin County on construction of a will provision devising a fee determinable interest.
  • Trust – secured summary judgment on the validity of a royalty reservation.
  • Mineral interest owner - secured summary judgment on the validity of a correction deed reserving certain mineral rights.

Awards and Community

Appointed to the Texas State Bar Pattern Jury Charge Committee for Oil and Gas

Elected to the Energy Law Section Council for the Houston Bar Association

Appointed to the Oilfield and Energy Services Practice Committee by the Institute for Energy Law

Selected for the 7th Leadership Class of the Institute of Energy Law