Source: https://www.lewisbess.com/attorneys/ezekiel-zeke-j-williams
Timestamp: 2019-04-18 22:52:15+00:00

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Ezekiel (Zeke) J. Williams Attorney Profile - Lewis, Bess, Williams & Weese P.C.
Zeke Williams solves problems and disputes involving natural resources, oil and gas, energy, the environment, and federal public lands. Zeke also helps clients obtain permits and authorizations for ski area, energy, resort, and other development projects. Zeke combines extensive substantive knowledge of federal lands, energy, environmental, and administrative laws with expertise in a number of industries. His clients include oil and gas companies, ski areas, solar energy developers, pipeline companies, mining companies, trade associations, resort owners, and individuals.
Energy Litigation. Zeke has over twenty years of energy and oil and gas litigation experience in state and federal courts, and in arbitration proceedings. Zeke has litigated disputes involving energy contracts, mineral leases, development agreements, joint venture accounting, gas purchase and processing agreements, dedication claims, gathering agreements, AMI provisions, operating agreements, mineral royalties, capital expenditure audits, gas processing audits, coal purchase agreements, unit agreements, asset purchase agreements, and net profits contracts. He is deeply familiar with upstream and midstream industry contracts, and has litigated scores of disputes for public and private companies, operators, non-operators, and others.
Government Agency Litigation. Zeke represents clients in federal court litigation and appeals against or in defense of government agencies of the United States. He has obtained nationwide injunctions against the United States government in federal court, and obtained rulings invalidating illegal federal regulations, arbitrary agency policies, and erroneous government decisions. Zeke has successfully obtained court rulings upholding federal and state government decisions that authorized clients to undertake energy, resort, and federal lands development projects.
Project Permitting. Zeke is a national expert on federal lands managed by the United States Forest Service and the United States Bureau of Land Management. Zeke helps his clients obtain, operate, develop, finance, and defend ski area, energy, pipeline, resort, and other projects on federal lands. Zeke has deep experience with Forest Service special use permits, ski area permits, resort permits, BLM decisions, Forest Service and BLM land use plans, federal oil and gas leases, federal rights-of-way, land exchanges, and renewable energy development authorizations. Zeke routinely helps clients obtain government approvals that will authorize future actions, including environmental impact statements, federal land use plans, leases, special use permits, rulemakings, and environmental permits.
Strategic Counseling. Zeke acts as a strategic counselor for clients in complex natural resource matters. Zeke has helped clients restructure energy development ventures, resolve disagreements over billions of dollars of accounting practices, renegotiate oil and gas service contracts, divide jointly owned assets, and terminate failed contracts.
Obtained federal court ruling that the United States Bureau of Land Management violated the National Environmental Policy Act when it authorized a third party to act in a manner that created hazards for client’s helicopter skiing operation. Triumvirate, LLC v. Bernhardt, 2019 WL 691771 (D. Alaska Feb. 19, 2019).
Represented resort owner in federal court litigation challenging decision by the United States Forest Service to terminate one of the resort’s long-term special use permits for use of Forest Service lands. Obtained settlement under which the agency withdrew the termination decision and issued five new long-term special use permits to the resort.
Represented upstream oil and gas company in state court litigation involving gas gathering and processing dedications and area of mutual interest (AMI) provisions.
Represented oil and gas producer in litigation asserting audit claims under gas processing agreements against midstream gas processor and purchaser.
Represented midstream oil and gas company in defending rights-of-way and easements against claims brought by surface owner.
Obtained federal right-of-way for client as favorable settlement of federal court litigation challenge by client to federal decision refusing to issue the same right-of-way.
Represented over 40 ski areas in at least 9 states in obtaining, operating, developing, financing, and defending Forest Service ski area special use permits.
Represented oil and gas company in asserting significant audit claims under development agreement and joint operating agreement against operator. Successfully resolved audit claims by restructuring multi-billion dollar joint venture and client taking over operations from operator.
Represented the National Ski Areas Association as amicus curiae in litigation involving ski area development on federal public lands. BARK v. Northrop, 2016 WL 1191672 (D. Oregon March 25, 2016).
Obtained U.S. Court of Appeals ruling upholding provisions of federal regulations applicable to 13 Colorado ski areas operating on public lands. The Ark Initiative v. Tidwell, 816 F.3d 119 (D.C. Cir. 2016).
Advised multiple oil and gas midstream companies on permitting strategies to obtain NEPA documents and federal and state authorizations necessary for rights-of-way and ancillary permits for hundreds of miles of pipelines on federal, state, and private lands in multiple states.
Obtained Colorado Supreme Court reversal of trial court discovery rulings in complex commercial litigation involving natural gas gathering and processing. In re DCP Midstream, LP v. Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, 303 P.3d 1187 (Colo. 2013).
Advised multiple oil and gas companies acting as operator on audit claims raised by non-operating interest owners under operating agreements and accounting procedures.
Represented coal mine in coal price arbitration against multiple utility companies.
Advised solar energy developer on NEPA, Endangered Species Act, and other permitting requirements for 250 MW solar photovoltaic generating project on tribal lands.
Obtained D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in favor of client Aspen Skiing Company in appeal involving the Administrative Procedure Act, Colorado Roadless Rule, and National Environmental Policy Act. The Ark Initiative v. Tidwell, U.S. Forest Service and Aspen Skiing Company, 749 F.3d 1071 (D.C. Cir. 2014).
Obtained federal court nationwide injunction of federal policies applicable to 122 ski areas in 13 states on behalf of trade association of ski areas. National Ski Areas Association, Inc. v. United States Forest Service, 910 F.Supp.2d 1269 (D. Colo. 2012).
Represented oil and gas companies, ski areas, and trade associations in multiple federal rulemakings involving federal lands, energy, and environmental issues.
Obtained federal court nationwide injunction of federal oil and gas development policies on behalf of trade association Western Energy Alliance. Western Energy Alliance v. Salazar, 2011 WL 3738340 (D. Wyo. Aug. 12, 2011).
Represented oil and gas company in defending oil and gas development authorizations against federal court challenge and appeal. San Juan Citizens Alliance v. Stiles, 654 F.3d 1038 (10th Cir. 2011).
fee, and tribal lands in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana, Texas and North Dakota.
Represented trade association Colorado Ski Country USA as amicus curiae in Tenth Circuit proceeding. The Ark Initiative v. U.S. Forest Service, 660 F.3d 1256 (10th Cir. 2011).
Successfully defended claim that oil and gas company was liable for penalties under state royalty payment act. Ultra Resources, Inc. v. Harman, 226 P.3d 889 (Wyo. 2010).
Represented oil and gas companies and mineral owners in negotiating, litigating, and defending federal, state, private, and tribal oil and gas leases.
Represented oil and gas company in successfully defending federal land use plan and conditions of approval applicable to oil and gas development on federal lands. Western Organization of Resource Councils v. Bureau of Land Management, 591 F. Supp.2d 1206 (D. Wyo. 2008).
Represented trade association National Ski Areas Association as amicus party in en banc Ninth Circuit Proceeding. Navajo Nation v. U.S. Forest Service, 535 F.3d 1058 (9th Cir. 2008).
Best Lawyers 2014 Denver Administrative/ Regulatory Law "Lawyer of the Year"
Best Lawyers 2013 Denver Natural Resources Law "Lawyer of the Year"

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