Will C. Jones IV

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I have served for 38 years as corporate legal counsel for companies dealing with engineering, energy, water and real property interests and as manager of the commercial department of a major title company. I have worked on large acquisitions, innovative corporate finance, federal and state securities matters, operations of growing companies, and corporate internal affairs. I am “AV” rated by Martindale-Hubbell. I also have 7 years experience as a construction engineer.

Prior Professional Experience

• Assisted in several tax-increment financing projects in Bexar County.
• Completed numerous purchases and sales of businesses and corporate re-organizations.
• Negotiated many purchases and sales of producing oil & gas assets and other real estate transactions.
• Closed several long-term natural gas fuel supply contracts for independent power producers and assisted in planning and financing electric power plants.
• Represented owners of several thousand acre-feet of Edwards Aquifer groundwater rights before the Edwards Aquifer Authority in permit proceedings.
• Formed water purveyor and pipeline companies.
• Advised clients in groundwater issues in several groundwater conservation districts around the state as they dealt with regulatory authorities and planned for their future water needs.
• Managed the commercial division of a large title insurance agent in Bexar County.

Licenses

• Texas, Attorney, 1983
• Texas, Professional Engineer, 1981

Education

• J.D., South Texas College of Law, 1982;
• B.S. in Civil Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, 1978

Professional

• Elected as a Fellow to the Texas Bar Foundation
• Co-founded Conflict Solutions, LLC, an administrator of mediations and arbitrations of employment and business disputes
• Chairman of Environmental Committee of the San Antonio World Trade Association
• Corporate Secretary of Association of South Texas Communities, a nonprofit organization formed to serve as a forum for international commerce concerns in the South Texas area
• Chairman of the Natural Resources section of the San Antonio Bar Association
• Founding Member of the Environmental Section of the San Antonio Bar Association
• Speaker at Continuing Legal Education and Continuing Professional Education seminars

Civic

• City councilman of local community
• Local leader in initial formation of Texans for Lawsuit Reform
• Active in local United Way funding process and local and statewide political campaigns.

Detailed Employer History

• 2006 – present. The Jones Law Firm PC. I concentrate my law practice on natural resources and real property matters. I am outside counsel for investor-owned water utility companies, a groundwater conservation district and landowners concerned about the value of their water rights, both groundwater and surface water. I represent landowners and non-operators in oil and gas leasing and related business matters, and I am representing domestic and foreign companies interested in the electric generation business and the related aspects of transmission and retail sales.
• 2006 (January – October). First Land Title. I began the San Antonio office of First Land Title and was part of the statewide management team of First American Title, the owner of First Land Title.
• 2003 – 2005. Stewart Title Insurance. I managed the Commercial Property Division of the San Antonio office of Stewart Title.
• 2001 – 2002 Earl & Brown. I joined as a shareholder and represented many clients in front of the Edwards Aquifer Authority and helped finalize several sales of large water permits to public and private entities.
• 1998 – 2000 Haynes and Boone. I was Of Counsel at Haynes and Boone and joined them to access the breadth of its experience representing publicly-listed energy companies at a time when my principal client was expanding rapidly in the public market.
• 1992 – 1998 Jones & Faye PLLC. As a principal in a small firm, I began working with independent power producers on fuel and transportation contracts while continuing my oil and gas practice.
• 1990 - 1992 Butler & Binion. I was Of Counsel with Butler & Binion, a multi-city firm. I began assisting an experienced securities counsel during this time and worked on a variety of Blue Sky and SEC matters in that capacity.
• 1986 – 1990 Foster, Lewis, Langley, Gardner & Banack. I started as an associate and was later asked to become a shareholder of the firm. My practice concentrated on oil & gas transactional and litigation matters.
• 1983 – 1986 Russell & Vickers. I was an associate attorney dealing mainly with oil and gas transactions and financing. This included drafting of stand-up title opinions and extensive pre-trial litigation practice in several Texas district courts.
• 1980 – 1983 Columbia Gulf Transmission, Pipeline Engineer. I was responsible for design and construction of onshore and offshore natural gas gathering and transmission pipelines.
• 1976 -1980 Houston Lighting & Power, Geotechnical Engineer for power plant construction unit. I was lead geotechnical engineering representative for owners’ consortium for the South Texas Nuclear Project.