Taylor Spalla

BIOGRAPHY

Taylor Spalla is a partner in the Oil and Gas practice group. His primary focus lies in oil and gas transactional matters, although he also frequently lends his expertise to public policy matters and commercial litigation cases.

Mr. Spalla achieved academic excellence, graduating magna cum laude with a J.D. from Texas Tech School of Law. Additionally, he holds an M.B.A. from Texas Tech Rawls College of Business. During his time in law school, he assumed the prestigious role of Editor-in-Chief of the Texas Tech Administrative Law Journal.

Before pursuing his legal education, Mr. Spalla gained valuable experience by working as a staffer in a Texas gubernatorial campaign. He also volunteered domestically and internationally, providing advance work for the White House.

Mr. Spalla completed his undergraduate studies at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, where he earned a double major in business and political science.

EXPERIENCE AND HIGHLIGHTS

OIL AND GAS/ENERGY

  • Representation of private-equity backed midstream energy company in purchase of groundwater rights for purchase price of approximately $500 million
  • Representation of majority sellers of oil and gas properties in Permian Basin to publicly traded oil and gas operator for sale price of approximately $600 million
  • Representation of private energy company in sale of oil and gas properties in Permian Basin to private-equity backed energy company for sale price of approximately $150 million
  • Representation of private energy company in sale of oil and gas properties in Permian Basin to private energy company for sale price of approximately $105 million
  • Representation of private equity-backed energy company in purchase of oil and gas properties in Permian Basin from private energy company for purchase price of approximately $75 million
  • Representation of private-equity backed midstream energy company in purchase of approximately 20,000 acres of freshwater rights, over a hundred freshwater wells, and several saltwater disposal wells
  • Multiple representations of private equity-backed midstream energy companies in purchase and sale of salt water disposal wells
  • Drafting of ancillary agreements related to operation of salt water disposal wells and groundwater wells
  • Perform due diligence for oil and gas acquisitions, salt water disposal acquisitions, and groundwater rights acquisition

CORPORATE

  • Assist in representation of management of an energy company in its $524 million commitment from a private equity fund.
  • Assist in representation of management of a minerals company in its $254 million commitment from a private equity fund.
  • Assist in representation of management of a midstream energy company in its $60 million commitment from a private equity fund.
  • Assist in formation and operation of the nation’s first association-created patent defense product for banks.
  • Assist in formation of multiple entities.

PUBLIC POLICY

  • Petition to the Texas Supreme Court for Writ of Mandamus regarding ballot language in the City of Austin’s election on its ride sharing ordinance.
  • Representation of private clients in briefing and reviewing documents for submission to the Texas Attorney General’s office for open record requests.
  • Representation of private client in briefing Texas Attorney General’s office on Texas Licensed to Carry laws.
  • Representation of private client in briefing to Texas Comptroller’s office regarding certification as a Historically Underutilized Business.
  • Assist private medical practice in its Texas compliance program on delegation and prescriptively authority agreements.
AFFILIATIONS
  • Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow
  • Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association, Member
  • Tarrant County Bar Association
  • Charles Schwab Challenge, Tournament Committee
HONORS
  • Up-and-Coming 100: Texas Rising Stars, Thomson Reuters, 2022, 2023
    • Energy & Resources
  • Texas Super Lawyers Rising Stars, Thomson Reuters, 2019-2023
    • Energy & Resources
  • Top Attorney, Fort Worth Magazine, 2022, 2023
    • Oil & Gas
  • Top Attorney, 360 West magazine, 2021-2023
    • Oil & Gas Law
EDUCATION
  • Texas Tech University School of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, 2013
    • Texas Tech Administrative Law Journal, Editor-in-Chief, 2012-2013
  • Texas Tech Rawls College of Business, M.B.A., 2013
  • Southwestern University, B.A., 2009
ADMISSIONS
  • State Bar of Texas, 2013
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas
SPEECHES & PUBLICATIONS
  • Speaker, “The Latest Trends in Water Midstream Transactions,” Whitley Penn Energy Conference, September 2023
  • Moderator, E&P Water Category Manager Panel, 3rd Annual Oilfield Water Markets Conference, May 2023 
  • Featured Speaker, “Water Law: Considerations for Water Midstream Agreements” Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association CLE Luncheon, July 2021
  • Co-Author,”The Presumed Grant Theory and its Application to Texas Title Disputes.,”Oil and Gas Disputes 2020 Houston, Texas, January 2020 
  • Featured Speaker, “Water Contracting: Working Through The Issues”, 2nd Annual Permian Basin Water In Energy Conference (PBWIEC), February 2019
Texas Super Lawyers Rising Stars, Thomson Reuters, 2019-2023