UW Hosts Rocky Mountain Professional Landman Conference May 5

The University of Wyoming’s School of Energy Resources (SER) and the Student Chapter of Energy Resources will host the second Rocky Mountain Professional Landman (PLM) Conference Friday, May 5.

The in-person forum brings together energy industry professionals, legal practitioners and PLM alumni in the Rocky Mountain region to highlight the profession; discuss current topics and issues facing the industry; and explore career paths and opportunities for future graduates.

The conference will take place from 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at the UW Conference Center. The conference is free and open to the public, but registration is required. To register and for more details -- including the agenda, speaker bios, and travel and accommodation information -- visit the event website here.

John McKinley, current UW Board of Trustees chairman and a natural resources attorney, will be the conference’s keynote speaker.

“We are honored to have Trustee McKinley play a prominent role in our event,” says Kris Koski, PLM Program director and an SER associate lecturer. “As a former landman himself and a current land attorney, he brings a wealth of experience and professionalism, which is always a great example for our students.”

The conference also includes other expert landmen, many who serve on the PLM Advisory Board for SER, as well as a legal ethics presentation from PLM Advisory Board Vice Chair Jacob Haseman, of Beatty & Wozniak P.C. Topics of discussion will include developing federal land issues, carbon capture and storage, and leasing and unitization matters.

“This event really showcases our land management program and brings in knowledgeable speakers on emerging land issues,” Koski says. “In particular, there will be some focus on evolving federal land issues, which are a key component to energy development in the West. These hot topics are not only facing our current industry professionals, but are important considerations for our students to be aware of before they enter the workforce. This conference is a great opportunity for professionals and students alike to learn together.”

The conference provides 4.5 continuing education credits and one ethics credit for a total of 5.5 credits through the American Association of Professional Landmen. It has been approved for five hours of continuing legal education credits -- including one hour of ethics credit -- through the Wyoming State Bar.

SER will host the Rocky Mountain Roundup networking reception -- with support of the Wyoming Association of Professional Landmen -- from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, May 4, in UW’s Energy Innovation Center. The reception will include a tour of the facility and a raffle to support the student club. All conference registrants are invited to attend and connect with current UW students as well as other industry professionals.

For more information, call Christine Reed, SER outreach director, at (307) 766-6708 or email christine.reed@uwyo.edu.

About the Professional Land Management Program

SER’s PLM Program offers an interdisciplinary degree that exposes students to many different disciplines, including law, business, mathematics and environmental science. It is among only 11 undergraduate programs accredited nationally by the American Association of Professional Landmen.

The program specifically trains graduates to determine mineral and surface ownership, prepare necessary reports and serve as the public-facing agent for mineral and energy development lease negotiations. Students are trained for a career addressing the business and legal challenges within the industry.