F. Parks Brown
Partner
Parks Brown represents landowners, mineral owners and fiduciaries in the negotiation and management of oil and gas leases, solar leases, wind leases, pipeline easements, surface use agreements, mining leases, carbon sequestration agreements, and related land use contracts.
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- Address4040 Broadway, Suite 430 San Antonio
Biography
Parks Brown represents landowners, mineral owners and fiduciaries in the negotiation and management of oil and gas leases, solar leases, wind leases, pipeline easements, surface use agreements, mining leases, carbon sequestration agreements, and related land use contracts. His practice also includes farm and ranch transactions, groundwater and surface water matters, mitigation banking, conservation easements and the representation of land trusts. He is a sixth-generation Texan and a cum laude graduate of St. Mary’s University School of Law, where he served as Articles Editor for the St. Mary’s Law Journal and was named its Editor of the Year. Prior to joining the firm, Parks served as an intern to Judge Edward Prado of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Before attending law school, Parks spent six years working as a landman for various oil companies throughout Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. He has authored articles on topics in mineral law, surface use and renewable energy published by the State Bar of Texas, University of Texas Law CLE and the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Journal.
Professional Qualifications
Admitted to the Texas Bar in 2013
Legal Education:
St. Mary’s University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 2013); Phi Delta Phi; Dean’s List; John M. Harlan Honors Society
Undergraduate Education:
Washington & Lee University (B.A., 2004); Young Scholar in Philosophy
Representative Experience
- Drafting and negotiation of oil and gas leases, deeds and mineral title instruments
- Representation of land trusts in negotiation of conservation easements and mitigation banking transactions
- Matters relating to development and preservation of groundwater resources
- Drafting and negotiation of solar leases, wind leases and related option agreements
- Drafting and negotiation of pipeline, road and electric easements, cell tower leases, hunting leases, grazing leases, agricultural leases and other surface matters
- Matters relating to mining of coal, lignite, uranium and asphalt
- Negotiation of salt water disposal agreements and protest of waste disposal facilities
- Representation of landowners in the purchase and sale of farm and ranch properties
- Mineral title research on thousands of acres of mineral properties in multiple states
- Representation of mineral owners in deed interpretation disputes and royalty recoupment matters
Professional Affiliations and Awards
- State Bar of Texas (Oil, Gas, & Energy Resources Section)
- Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation
- San Antonio Bar Association
- Board of Directors, Green Spaces Alliance (2018-present)
- Texas Super Lawyers – Rising Star (2018-2023)
- St. Mary’s University School of Law “10 Under 10” Award Recipient (2017)
Publications and Presentations
- “Real Estate Issues in Solar and Wind Development” – Texas Bar Advanced Real Estate Law Course, San Antonio, Texas (2022)
- “Current Issues in Renewable Energy Development” – San Antonio Bar Association Natural Resources Section Meeting, San Antonio, Texas (2022)
- “Accommodating Multiple Users of Real Property for Energy Development” – Texas Bar Agricultural Law Course, Lubbock, Texas (2022)
- “Landowner Issues in Energy Leasing: Preserving Land and Balancing Competing Interests” – Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Seguin, Texas (2021)
- “Negotiation of Renewable Energy Contracts” – Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Convention, Fort Worth, Texas (2021)
- “Renewable Energy Development” – Texas Bar Summer School, Galveston, Texas (2021)
- “Legal Issues Associated with Solar Leasing and Development” – Texas Bar Agricultural Law Course, Lubbock, Texas (2021)
- “Loss of Agricultural Lands and Growing Role of Agricultural Land Trusts” – Panel Presentation with Joseph Fitzsimons – Texas Bar Agricultural Law Course, Lubbock, Texas (2021)
- “Solar Lease Negotiations from the Landowner’s Perspective” – Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation Journal, Vol. 58, No. 1 (2021); republished in Texas Bar Oil Gas, and Energy Resources Law Section Report, Vol. 44, No. 3 (2020); republished in Texas Bar Business Law Section Report, Vol. 49, No. 2 (2020).
- “What Does a Growing Solar Industry Mean for Land and Mineral Owners?” – Texas Land and Mineral Owners Association Newsletter, Vol. 21, No. 1 (2021)
- “Solar Development and Mineral Ownership Issues” – Texas Land and Mineral Owners Statewide Members Meeting, San Antonio, Texas (2020)
- “Drafting Solar Leases from the Landowner’s Perspective: Negotiation of Key Provisions” – Texas Bar Advanced Real Estate Drafting Course, Dallas, Texas (2020)
- “Conservation Easements and Water Resources” – Texas Agricultural Land Trust Board of Directors Conference, San Antonio, Texas (2020)
- “Understanding Water Rights” – San Antonio Board of Realtors Meeting, San Antonio, Texas (2019)
- “Assessing Mineral Development Risks for Conservation Easements” – Texas Agricultural Land Trust Board of Directors Conference, San Antonio, Texas (2019)
- “Emerging Issues in Surface Use and Energy Development” – Texas Bar Agricultural Law Course, Lubbock, Texas (2019)
- “Update on Surface Use Agreements and Disputes” –University of Texas Ernest Smith Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Conference, Houston, Texas (2019)
- “Balancing Energy Development with Competing Surface Uses” – Texas Bar Agricultural Law Course, Lubbock, Texas (2018)
- “Surface Use Negotiations from the Landowner’s Perspective” – Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation Journal, Vol. 54, No. 2 (2017)
- “Why Texas Needs a Surface Damages Act” – Texas Bar Agricultural Law Course, Lubbock, Texas (2017)
- “Interpreting Royalty Reservations” – Texas Bar Advanced Oil, Gas & Energy Resources Law Course, Houston, Texas (2015)
- “Legislative and Energy Policy Update” – TSCRA Summer Meeting, Marfa, Texas (2023)
- “Carbon Capture and Sequestration, Geothermal Energy and the Surface Owner/Mineral Owner Distinction” – Texas Bar Agricultural Law Course, Lubbock, Texas (2023)
- “Mineral Subordination and Surface Development” – NARO National Convention, Tulsa, Oklahoma (2022)
- “Competing (and Cooperative) Use of Property for Renewable Energy and Mineral Development – SAAPL Luncheon, San Antonio, Texas (2022)