Robert J. Burnett
Practice Areas
Overview
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Lawyer – Protecting Landowners: Negotiation; Leases; Royalties; Litigation; Marcellus Gas
Robert’s practice is exclusively devoted to the representation of landowners and royalty owners in oil and gas matters. Robert is the Chair of the Houston Harbaugh’s Oil & Gas Practice Group and represents landowners and royalty owners in a wide array of oil and gas matters throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Robert assists landowners and royalty owners in the negotiation of new oil and gas leases as well as modifications to existing leases. Robert also negotiates surface use agreements and pipeline right-of-way agreements on behalf of landowners. Robert also advises and counsels clients on complex lease development and expiration issues, including the impact and effect of delay rental and shut-in clauses, as well as the implied covenants to develop and market oil and gas. Robert also represents landowners and royalty owners in disputes arising out of the calculation of production royalties and the deduction of post-production costs. Robert also assists landowners with oil and gas title issues and develops strategies to resolve and cure such title deficiencies. Robert also advises clients on the interplay between oil and gas leases and solar leases and assists clients throughout Pennsylvania in negotiating solar leases. Robert J. Burnett | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Landowner Lawyer | Attorney.
Houston Harbaugh is a full-service firm for landowners and royalty owners in the Marcellus play and elsewhere. We handle litigation and transactional matters in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia for oil, gas and energy matters. Our attorneys regularly assist clients across a wide variety of disciplines that touch upon oil and gas issues, from negotiation of leases, rights-of way and surface use agreements to helping clients create business and estate plans to protect their oil and gas interests, to making sure that production royalties are being paid properly and litigating ownership and lease termination claims in court. Whether you have a small property in the suburbs or thousands of acres, if you have an issue or concern related to oil and gas, the attorneys at Houston Harbaugh are ready to assist.
Oil and gas leases are complex contracts that are drafted and proposed by sophisticated businesses. While a lease “signing bonus” and the potential for royalty payments may be enticing, the modern oil and gas lease contains many provisions that could have a substantial impact on your rights as a royalty owner for decades. Before entering into an oil and gas lease, it is important that you are informed about the contract and what rights that you are granting to the gas company. The oil and gas attorneys at Houston Harbaugh have assisted many clients with the review and negotiation of oil and gas leases to help level the playing field for landowners and royalty owners in their interactions with oil and gas companies.
Many individuals and families across our region have benefitted financially from the Marcellus gas play and other oil and gas leasing and development, whether through lease “signing bonus” payments, production royalty payments or other payments related to surface usage agreements. Preserving and protecting these revenue streams and making sure that future generations have the opportunity to benefit from them are common questions that many royalty owners have. There is no “one size fits all” approach to addressing your oil and gas interests now and into the future. The attorneys at Houston Harbaugh have decades of experience in oil and gas law, energy law, business formation and tax and estate planning.
Robert J. Burnett | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Landowner Lawyer | Attorney
Experience
Education & Credentials
Education
- Duquesne University, J.D., Cum Laude, Member of The Law Review
- John Carroll University, B.A. With Honors
Bar Admissions
- Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
- Third Circuit Court of Appeals
