TU Law Partners at Boulder Energy Firm Hire Two Recent TU Law Graduates

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Rene Annesley

Rene Annesley

 Devon Trupp

Devon Trupp

Two 2011 graduates of The University of Tulsa College of Law have begun their legal careers in Boulder, Colorado, working for two other TU law graduates.

Rene Annesley and Devon Trupp are new associates with Caldwell Hathcoat LLC, a firm that focuses on natural resources law and civil litigation. The three-year-old firm continues to grow, with Annesley and Trupp joining 1991 TU law graduates Todd Caldwell and Richard Hathcoat, who met in law school.

Caldwell said Boulder is an ideal place for a firm with a natural resources focus, due to its proximity to Denver and various areas for oil and gas production throughout the State of Colorado. Caldwell and Hathcoat looked at associate candidates from TU, as well as other law schools. "But what we really wanted were people with an interest in energy law," Caldwell said. "We were impressed by the background and experience of all of the TU candidates."

There is no mistaking Annesley’s and Trupp’s career interest. They knew exactly what kind of law they wanted to practice, sought out activities and work experience during law school to supplement their class work, and found their dream jobs.

Like Caldwell, Trupp worked on TU’s Energy Law Journal, serving as Executive Notes and Comments Editor, and for about a year she did oil and gas lease review and conducted division order reconciliations for Samson Investment Company in Tulsa.

"The new job is exactly what I wanted," Trupp said. "I want to write oil and gas title opinions. I have some interest in litigation, but I’m particularly interested in the transactional side."

Annesley discovered an interest in natural resources and water law while at the TU College of Law. She earned a certificate at TU in Sustainable Energy and Resources Law (SERL) by passing 16 hours of courses in energy, environmental and natural resources law and completing an externship.

She secured one of the highest grades in the Water Law class of Professor and Vice Dean Gary Allison, director of the SERL program. From her work in that class, Allison put her in touch with Tulsa attorney Jason Aamodt for a possible externship. At the Aamodt Law Firm, she contributed to a 50-state research project regarding surface mining operations’ use of groundwater when dewatering excavated pits. She also wrote a memorandum that was included in materials presented to the Oklahoma legislature as part of a groundwater regulation matter.

"After the externship, I definitely decided on practicing natural resources law," Annesley said. "The externship program at TU is an excellent way to get students out in the workforce and see first hand what it’s really like. It’s also a benefit to the school because it makes me think I’d like to do this for a student some day."

Trupp advises new law students to take advantage of as many work opportunities as possible and take a wide variety of classes to discover what might interest them.

"I became interested in this field through taking Oil and Gas Law," Trupp said. "I had never had any exposure to it before then."

Contact:
Scott Been
918-631-2568
scott-been@utulsa.edu