Bob Duplantis has dedicated his entire career to the oil and gas industry. Prior to joining the firm in 1982 and establishing its Lafayette office, Bob spent more than a decade serving in-house oil company legal departments, including six years as a lobbyist in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Bob’s law practice focuses on Louisiana oil and gas regulation and “meat-and-potato” legal issues. He routinely argues contract disputes affecting the oil and gas industry, including lease interpretation and operational issues, joint operating agreements, oil and gas marketing and sales issues and forced pooling issues. He regularly represents clients before the Louisiana Office of Mineral Resources and the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (primarily the Office of Conservation), where he has handled more than a thousand adjudicatory hearings. He frequently addresses industry groups such as the annual Mineral Law Institute at LSU. He has also previously served on the board of directors for an independent oil company.

Prior to practicing law, Bob spent 10 years working in exploration and production in various engineering and management assignments throughout Louisiana, Texas, California, and New York.

Practices:

  • Oil, Gas and Energy Litigation and Arbitration
  • Oil, Gas and Energy Regulatory
  • Oil, Gas and Energy Transactions

Industries:

  • Construction
  • Energy and Natural Resources

Admissions:

  • Louisiana
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Middle District of LA
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of LA

Education:

  • Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, J.D., 1966
  • LSU, B.S. Petroleum Chemical Engineering, 1961

Affiliations:

  • American Bar Association
  • American Association of Professional Landmen (AAPL) JOA FORM 610 Revision Committee
  • Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association
  • Louisiana State Bar Association
  • Lafayette Parish Bar Association
  • Louisiana State Office of Conservation Intrastate Pipelines Ad Hoc Committee
  • Committee on Revision of Rules of Procedure, La. State Office of Conservation
  • Advisory Committee, La. State Commissioner’s Office of Conservation

Recognition:

  • The Best Lawyers in America - Administrative / Regulatory Law, Energy Law, Oil and Gas Law, 2020 - Present
  • American Bar Foundation - Fellow
  • Acadiana Profile Magazine "Top Lawyers" List - Oil & Gas Law; Administrative/Regulatory Law; Energy Law, 2014, 2015, 2019, and 2020
  • Chambers USA - Energy & Natural Resources:  Oil & Gas, 2006 - Present
  • Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers for Oil and Gas Law, Lafayette, 2018 and 2020; Energy Law, Lafayette, 2016; Energy Law, Baton Rouge, 2012; Oil and Gas Law, Baton Rouge, 2011

Publications:

  • Preferential Rights to Purchase and Consent to Assign Provisions, 46th Mineral Law Institute, March 25-26, 1999
  • The 'Take-or-pay' Controversy: Considerations of the Seller, 32nd Mineral Law Institute, March 28-29, 1985
  • Unanswered Questions after Frey v. Amoco, 40th Mineral Law Institute, March 25-26, 1994