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Joanie Bayhi

504.299.6122

Overview

Kathleen Doody is an accomplished oil and gas attorney practicing in the firm’s New Orleans office, with over 15 years of transactional experience representing and advising E&P companies, oilfield service companies and lending institutions on a broad range of corporate, energy, regulatory, secured financing and real estate matters.

Kathleen’s current practice is primarily focused on the following:

  • Representing clients in the drafting and negotiation of various oil and gas related agreements, including operating agreements, memorandum of operating agreements, like-kind exchanges, areas of mutual interests, and withdrawals from joint operating agreements.
  • Representing clients in connection with appeals of BOEM and BSEE orders to the Interior Board of Land Appeals in connection with issues related to supplemental bonding and incidents of non-compliance.
  • Providing legal analysis and advice to oil and gas companies related to preserving and perfecting security rights under their joint operating agreements. 
  • Representing clients in connection with the purchase and sale, financing and refinancing of mineral properties and other assets, including negotiating purchase and sale agreements and security instruments and the rendition of third-party closing opinions. 
  • Providing legal analysis and advice to lending institutions related to secured financial transactions, including those secured by real and personal property, their rights upon debtor distress and issues arising in Chapter 11 bankruptcies. 
  • Examination of onshore and offshore mineral title and advising clients on complex mineral title issues and title curative solutions.

Kathleen also routinely provides general advice to clients on various secured transaction matters, Louisiana Uniform Commercial Code matters, mineral rights and real estate matters, business and corporate matters, including business entity selection and formation, and regulatory and permitting matters relating to onshore and offshore mineral leasing. 

Prior to joining a law firm, Kathleen was senior counsel at Chevron North America Exploration and Production Company, a division of Chevron U.S.A. Inc.  As senior counsel, she reviewed, drafted and negotiated a broad range of commercial contracts and agreements related to the acquisition and divestiture of oil and gas leases and in support of the development and production of oil and gas, including asset purchase and sale agreements, farmout agreements, confidentiality agreements, production handling agreements, and master service agreements. 

Kathleen has helped her clients identify, assess and mitigate their risks, solve problems and achieve positive outcomes in complex and difficult scenarios and under tight time constraints.  She is a results-driven advocate, committed to meeting and exceeding client expectations.

Notable Experience

Kathleen has many years of experience helping the Gulf region’s energy companies and their lending institutions with various commercial transactions, regulatory compliance and disputes involving mineral issues in Louisiana and on the Outer Continental Shelf.  Here’s a list of selected, representative matters:

  • Representation of a solar development company in its acquisition and financing of a large Louisiana solar project.
  • Representation of upstream and midstream companies and financial institutions in connection with energy related financings (and refinancings), including the preparation, negotiation and filing of mortgages, security agreements and other related transaction instruments, coordination with opposing counsel to successfully resolve ownership and title issues and other transactional issues impeding closing and facilitation of post-closing integration.
  • Representation of oil and gas companies in connection with drafting and negotiation of various energy related agreements, such as purchase and sale agreements, farmout and farmin agreements, participation agreements, assignments of interests, transitional agreements, master service agreements, mineral leases, operating agreements, production handling agreements, platform use agreements, and provision of legal analysis and advice related to assumption of risks.
  • Representation of oil and gas companies and financial institutions in connection with filing, perfecting, maintaining perfection, and releasing/terminating mortgages and other security instruments under joint operating agreements, and in connection with liens and claims arising under the Louisiana Oil Well Lien Act (La. R.S. 9:4861, et seq.), the Louisiana Operators/Non- Operators Lien Act (La. R.S. 9:4881, et seq.), and the Louisiana Private Works Act (La. R.S. 9:4801, et seq.).
  • Provided legal analysis and advice to financial institution in connection with various legal issues arising from an invalid Louisiana mortgage, potential curative measures and potential treatment in a bankruptcy setting.
  • Representation of oil and gas companies in contractual disputes with their co-working interest owners, including disputes related to non-payment of royalties, operational issues, gas imbalances, unpaid joint interest billings, lease operating expense disputes, and withdrawals from joint operating agreements.
  • Representation of a start-up independent oil and gas company in its formation, initial acquisition and financing of mineral properties, valued at $235 million.
  • Representation of an international oil and gas company in connection with its acquisition of over 200 outer continental shelf and deepwater leases located in the Gulf of Mexico, valued over $2 billion, including negotiation of purchase and sale agreement, drafting assignment forms and other related regulatory forms, conducting and managing extensive corporate, title, operational, and contractual due diligence, and evaluating title defects and preparing title defect notices.
  • Provided legal analysis and advice to oil and gas companies and financial institutions on various legal issues arising in connection with Chapter 11 bankruptcies, including the treatment of encumbrances on real estate, and in connection with post-bankruptcy “clean-up” matters in compliance with the rules and regulations of the BOEM/BSEE, the Louisiana Office of Conservation, and the Louisiana State Mineral & Energy Board.
  • Representation of clients in connection with mineral title examination, including the rendition of title opinions, on complex mineral and surface titles in Louisiana and on the Outer Continental Shelf, and provision of legal analysis and advice related to various mineral title issues, title curative and regulatory matters.

Involvement

  • The Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law, Member
  • Louisiana State Bar Association
  • New Orleans Bar Association
  • Professional Landmen’s Association of New Orleans (Board Member 2012-2015)
  • Louisiana Land Title Association
  • Texas State Bar Association
  • Houston Association of Professional Landmen
  • Energy Bar Association
  • American Association of Professional Landmen

Recognition

The Best Lawyers in America®, 2023

Credentials

Education

  • Loyola University New Orleans College of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 2002)
    • Loyola Law Review
    • William L. Crowe Scholar
  • Loyola University New Orleans (B.A., 1993)
  • University of Houston (Sustainable Energy Development Program)
    • Bronze Badge 1: Energy Transition
    • Bronze Badge 2: Energy Value Chain

Bar Admissions

  • Louisiana, 2002
  • Texas, 2020

Presentations

Kathleen regularly speaks at seminars on various oil and gas topics.  Some of the recent topics have included the following:

  • "Offshore Energy Development," LSU Law Center's 70th Mineral Law Institute, March 23, 2023
  • Security Rights Provisions in Offshore Operating Agreements
  • “2021 Federal Offshore Update,” Liskow & Lewis Webinar, February 10, 2021
  • Law of Servitudes: Legal Issues and Practical Considerations in Louisiana
  • Inadvertent Disclosure and Maintenance of Confidentiality: Ethical Considerations for the Landman and Mineral Lawyer
  • OCS and State Lease Title Opinions
  • Title Examination in Louisiana
  • Commentary on Recent Legislation and Executive Action Dealing with Drilling and Royalties
  • Choice of Entity (cosponsored by the Louisiana Mineral Law Institute)

Publications

After Hours

A New Orleans native, Kathleen enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends, playing in the garden, and reading sappy romance novels. She and her husband share a love for animals, and are the proud parents of many fur-babies, several of which were adopted from area shelters or rescued off the streets.

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