Kentucky Oil & Gas Association Annual Meeting July 16, 2015 “The Unauthorized Practice of Law (UPL) By LandmenCurrent Issues” Presented By Richard D. Adkins, CPL A. George Mason, Jr., RPL, Esquire George Mason Law Firm, PSC George Mason Law Firm, PSC George Mason Law Firm, PSC Landmen tend to be proactive problem solvers by nature and good ones quickly achieve a trusting relationship with landowners, so it’s not surprising that these landowners and others around them rely on the Landman’s experience and expertise to deal with a variety of questions or concerns. Some landowners can- and do- take this reliance and trust to another level and seek guidance on issues beyond the Landman’s expertise or background. Good idea to always stay within your area of expertise and avoid situations where you may be enticed to give advice on the specialties of other disciplines such as law, accounting, taxes, engineering, oil & gas or mining operations, or geology. George Mason Law Firm, PSC Applicable Standards for Landmen AAPL Code of Ethics, Sec. 2: Landmen shall represent himself to others “only in his areas of expertise and shall not represent himself to be skilled in professional areas in which he is not qualified”… Land Professionals “shall exercise the utmost good faith and loyalty to his employer (or client) and shall not act adversely or engage in any enterprise in conflict with (their) interest”…. AAPL Best Practices for Landmen, Standard # 6: Land Professionals “shall provide a level of competent service in keeping with the standards of practice in… which he or she customarily engages” and “shall not represent himself to be skilled in nor engage in professional areas is which he or she is not qualified.” George Mason Law Firm, PSC Overview West Virginia, Ohio & Kentucky WEST VIRGINIA Unauthorized Practice of Law opinion (UPL) states that attorneys must be directly involved with all aspects of real estate transactions, including the search of the public records; contract searches should be done by or under the supervision of a West Virginia attorney. George Mason Law Firm, PSC Overview West Virginia, Ohio & Kentucky OHIO An attorney licensed to practice law in Ohio must prepare deeds, powers of attorney, and other instruments that are to be recorded. One exception is that a party to the transaction may prepare an instrument in which they are a party. A non-attorney can prepare a document that will be recorded, if that document is self-prepared for the preparer’s benefit (for instance, a power of attorney) and does not affect the rights of others. A deed could likewise be self-prepared in a situation where it is from grantor to grantor’s trust or LLC. All documents to be recorded must be prepared by an attorney other than the limited exceptions discussed above. A non-attorney may perform searches and examinations, sign documents, and close transactions. George Mason Law Firm, PSC Overview West Virginia, Ohio & Kentucky KENTUCKY . Laypersons may conduct real estate closings, but may not answer legal questions that arise at the closing, or offer any legal advice to the parties. However, preparation of deeds and mortgages constitutes the practice of law and must be prepared by an attorney. Countrywide Home Loans, Inc .v. Kentucky Bar Association;,113 S.W.3d 105 (Ky 2003). “Preparation” is also considered as filling in blanks on pre-printed forms. See Federal Intermediate Credit Bank of Louisville v. Kentucky Bar Association, 540 S.W.2d 14 (Ky. 1976). George Mason Law Firm, PSC -West Virginia State Bar, Committee on Unlawful Practice of Law – Advisory Opinion 2007-01 ARE LAND MEN PRACTICING LAW? The answer to the question of whether any of a landmen' s traditional work involves the practice of law seems self-evident if the issue is presented as a question about the activity of others doing the same work as landmen, but without the deference traditionally given to landmen. Assume that a non-lawyer was: (I) interpreting documents found in a title search: (2) locating heirs AND having them sign quit claim deeds and leases; (3) offering advice to Landowners and mineral rights owners of their legal ownership interest and the meaning of contract language; (4) preparing operating agreements and similar contracts to be executed by other parties; Could it be plainer that the Unlawful Practice Committee would not hesitate to find that the non-lawyer was engaged in the unauthorized practice of law? George Mason Law Firm, PSC -West Virginia State Bar, Committee on Unlawful Practice of Law – Advisory Opinion 2007-01 CONCLUSION We do not have a specific complaint before us. Therefore no finding is made that a specific Landman is practicing law. However, the work of a Landmen is neither exempted or excepted from the West Virginia definition of the practice of law. Until the issue is addressed by the West Virginia Legislature, it is the recommendation of the Unlawful Practice Committee that Landmen perform the work, that seems to fit within the prohibition against the unauthorized practice of law, only under the direct supervision and control of an attorney licensed to practice law in West Virginia. George Mason Law Firm, PSC -Stipulation and Agreed Order entered on March 31, 2010 in the case of McMahon v. Advanced Title Services, Brooke County WV Circuit, CA No. 01-C-121 Exhibit A to the McMahon case states as follows: (1) Is a lay person not under the direct supervision or control of an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of West Virginia engaged in the unlawful practice of law when performing a title examination, search, review or inspection of records, and providing any certificate, notes (handwritten or otherwise), abstract, summary, opinion, guarantee, verbal verification and/or report of any kind or nature as to the status or marketability of real estate title and/or reflecting matters of record? ANSWER: George Mason Law Firm, PSC YES -Stipulation and Agreed Order entered on March 31, 2010 in the case of McMahon v. Advanced Title Services, Brooke County WV Circuit, CA No. 01-C-121 Exhibit A to the McMahon case states as follows: (5) Is a lay person not under the direct supervision or control of an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of West Virginia engaged in the unlawful practice of law by mailing or hand-carrying instruments to the courthouse after the real estate closing for recording when the recordation of instruments takes place as part of a real estate transaction? ANSWER: George Mason Law Firm, PSC YES UPL Current Issues In Our Basin Close to Home In Our AOI’s: -West Virginia State Bar, Committee on Unlawful Practice of Law – Advisory Opinion 2010-002 (Amended) Though individuals have the right to represent themselves, there is no right to represent another in legal matters unless the person seeking to represent that person is a licensed attorney at law. The West Virginia Supreme Court has the inherent power to define the practice of law in this State, and this committee acts as its agent. Prior opinions of this committee have clearly indicated that the activity of conducting a real estate title examination and real estate closing are the practice of law and cannot be conducted by a lay person unless (1) that person is under the direct supervision and control of a licensed lawyer, or (2) the lay person conducts such activities on behalf of his regular employer as set forth herein. An examination of the complaints before the committee over the last several years has demonstrated an alarmingly wide disparity in the degree of such supervision and control of persons engaged in these activities. George Mason Law Firm, PSC UPL Current Issues In Our Basin Close to Home In Our AOI’s: -West Virginia State Bar, Committee on Unlawful Practice of Law – Advisory Opinion 2010-002 (Amended) By Order of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia entered November 17, 2010 (Case No. 101027) and modified by Order entered January 27, 2011, the Court refused the petition for appeal and, in the modification Order, further found that the findings of the Circuit Court of Brooke County were “plainly right”. George Mason Law Firm, PSC Dijkstra v. Carenbauer; Home Loan Center, dba Lendingtree Loans, et al., U.S. District Court, N.D. West Virginia, CA No. 5:11-CV-152, 2014 WL 791140 (Feb. 26, 2014). The Court certified the following class: All West Virginia consumers who obtained mortgage loans through LendingTree, and whose loans were closed by persons not admitted to the practice of law in West Virginia or by person not under the direct supervision of a lawyer admitted to the practice of law in West Virginia, and whose loans were in effect at any time after November 8, 2007. The Court found that the following questions were common to all potential class members: (1) whether LendingTree’s “witness only” closings constitute unauthorized practice of law; Individual Facts In May 2005, Plaintiff borrowed $114,350 from HLC [Home Loan Center] as part of a loan refinancing. In connection with the closing of the loan, HLC hired a third party to present loan documents to borrowers for the signing portion of the loan closing process. Harry Carenbauer was the notary public engaged by a third party to gather signatures from Plaintiff on HLC’s behalf. On May 25, 2005, Mr. Carenbauer went to plaintiff’s residence to witness plaintiff sign necessary loan documents. Mr. Carenbauer presented the documents to plaintiff, and plaintiff signed the documents. George Mason Law Firm, PSC Dijkstra v. Carenbauer; Home Loan Center, dba Lendingtree Loans, et al., U.S. District Court, N.D. West Virginia, CA No. 5:11-CV-152, 2014 WL 791140 (Feb. 26, 2014). Individual Facts (continued) At no time while attending to the signing portion of the loan closing did Mr. Carenbauer hold himself out as a lawyer or provide any legal advice. Mr. Carenbauer handed documents to plaintiff and showed him where he needed to sign his name, or, if necessary, affix his initials. Mr. Carenbauer did not explain anything to plaintiff about the loan transaction or instruct plaintiff about the meaning of any terms contained in the document. Plaintiff asked no questions of Mr. Carenbauer. **** Mr. Dijkstra further stated that an attorney would have explained to him what an adjustable rate mortgage was and that his interest rate was set to increase to 12% with the new loan – frustrating Mr. Dijkstra’s intention in getting the loan, which was to decrease his interest rate. Discussion One of the central and overriding issues in this litigation is whether a “witness-only” closing conducted by a notary public who is not a lawyer, who is not an employee of the lender, and who is not acting under the direct supervision of a lawyer is the unauthorized practice of law. It is clear that such a closing is, in fact, the unauthorized practice of law. George Mason Law Firm, PSC Dijkstra v. Carenbauer; Home Loan Center, dba Lendingtree Loans, et al., U.S. District Court, N.D. West Virginia, CA No. 5:11-CV-152, 2014 WL 791140 (Feb. 26, 2014). Discussion (continued) On March 31, 2010, Judge Gaughan entered a Stipulation and Agreed Order in MCMahon, which stated, inter alia: “[A] number of documents executed at a real estate closing materially affect the legal rights and obligations of the parties to a real estate transaction,” and that “inherent in a real estate closing that legal issues may arise requiring explanation or discussion.” While some documents executed at a real estate closing may be self explanatory to a person of average intelligence, other more complex documents included within the process require the special skills and knowledge of those within the legal profession to be able to explain their applicability and effect on an individual’s legal rights and obligations, such as the borrowers and lenders obligations, rights and duties under the deed of trust and promissory note. **** Notwithstanding the standardization of real estate closing documentation, the settlement agent may not present important legal documents of the seller, buyer, borrower and/or lender of the closing without legal questions being asked and without giving legal advice. George Mason Law Firm, PSC Dijkstra v. Carenbauer; Home Loan Center, dba Lendingtree Loans, et al., U.S. District Court, N.D. West Virginia, CA No. 5:11-CV-152, 2014 WL 791140 (Feb. 26, 2014). Opinion Based upon the foregoing, it is the opinion of this Court that the Supreme Court of Appeals, acting through its Committee on Unlawful Practice has found that the closing of real estate loans by persons who are not licensed attorneys, who are not acting under the direct supervision of a license attorney, and who are not a bona fide full-time lay employee performing legal services for his or her regular employer constitutes the unlawful practice of law since at least 2003. Question 1 from the Letter dated August 7, 2014 from the West Virginia State Bar to M. Shawn Lundy, Penn Stuart Law Firm, concerning UPL Questions: QUESTION: If the client has documentation in its possession which may or may not have been compiled by an attorney or under the supervision of any attorney, but certainly not compiled by myself or my firm, can I review the documentation and give an opinion on the documentation provided by the client with appropriate disclosure. Would the answer change if I am certain the documentation was prepared for the client (but not by my office) in violation of the UPL guidelines? ANSWER: The McMahon case clearly indicates that title examinations must be conducted by the attorney or another “under the direct supervision and control” of the attorney. The question posed seems to indicate that though there is some attorney involvement, there is not a direct relationship between the attorney giving the ultimate title opinion and those who are actually conducting the field investigation. It is the opinion of the Committee that a disclaimer or disclosure would do nothing but encourage the unlawful practice of law by those conducting the search or generating the documentation as described. George Mason Law Firm, PSC Question 2 from the Letter dated August 7, 2014 from the West Virginia State Bar to M. Shawn Lundy, Penn Stuart Law Firm, concerning UPL Questions: Are there any nuances or differences in the UPL guidelines for land agents or title searchers/abstractors who are employees of a company? In other words, can an employee of the company compile title information for my review? If so, what disclosures/limitations am I allowed to make in my opinion? ANSWER: If the examination and opinions are for internal use OF THE COMPANY only then this is similar to self-representation. However, if the “Company” is actually engaged in abstracting and the employees of that company are under the “direct supervision and control” of the Company owners and not the attorney, AND if the abstracts etc. are submitted to others as a statement of title or lien status, this is not “direct supervision and control”. See also UPL opinion 2007-I as a cautionary note. George Mason Law Firm, PSC Question 3 from the Letter dated August 7, 2014 from the West Virginia State Bar to M. Shawn Lundy, Penn Stuart Law Firm, concerning UPL Questions: QUESTION: Lastly, I understand I have to supervise anyone that is independent from me and conducting title research upon which I may give an opinion, but is there a rule or definition as to exactly how much/what kind of supervision is required? ANSWER: This is an open issue. The Committee considered some time ago proposed guidelines, but declined to implement them based, in part, on the recognition that this would be more of a disciplinary committee issue. However, in UPL 2010-002 (Amended) the Committee reserved the right to review matters not judicially resolved in McMahon, including a precise definition for what would be considered “reasonable directs[sic] supervision and control” of lay persons. The Committee has previously determined that distance may, in and of itself, constitute a lack of supervision and control depending on the circumstances. However, simply having the person being supervised within close proximity does not ensure that proper supervision is being conducted. George Mason Law Firm, PSC -Ohio Legislature considered and introduced Legislation 2012-2013 due to furor over “Talking Points for Oil & Gas Leasing Handbook” and alleged Landowner Fraud Issues in Utica Play In March 2012 , State Rep. Mark Okey (D-Carrollton) an attorney who advises landowners in negotiations with oil and gas companies, introduced the Truth in Leasing Act (House Bill 493). The bill failed in committee and never reached the floor for a full vote thanks in large measure to heavy lobbying by the AAPL, MLBC Chapter and NALA Chapter of AAPL, and the Ohio Oil & Gas Association. Among its provisions were requirements that landmen register with the state and they provide landowners with disclosure forms on land lease or mineral rights sale. Okey has accused some landmen of predatory practices in their dealings with landowners in eastern Ohio where there has been heavy leasing activity in the Utica shale play. His House district is at the center of that activity, especially Carroll County where his law office is located. “(Landmen) are dealing with a lot of people who are not very sophisticated,” Okey said “and they’re charmed when nice, young people show up at their house. They let their guard down and sign away their rights without understanding what they’re doing.” George Mason Law Firm, PSC -In Wellington Res. Group LLC v. Beck Energy Corp., 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 134838, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio considered whether a Landman or Broker must have a real estate license to buy or sell oil and gas properties. The facts in Wellington arise from a nightmarish set of facts for a broker in any new shale play state: set up a very large acreage acquisition, and then be denied your commission under a rudimentary law that conflicts with the way that you’ve been doing business for years. In Wellington, Transact Partners International, LLC (“Transact”) was approached by Wellington Resource Group, LLC (“Wellington”) in October 2010. Wellington represented Beck Energy Corp. (“Beck”) relating to the potential sale of oil and gas assets. Wellington showed Transact the assets owned by Beck, which included oil and gas leases, oil and gas wells, and related assets in Monroe, Belmont, and Noble Counties in Ohio. Transact and Wellington agreed to enter into a co-brokerage agreement, whereby if Transact was successful in presenting a ready and willing purchaser, and that purchaser completed the purchase of the Beck Assets, then Transact would receive 2% of the total transaction price as compensation. In a separate written agreement executed in February 2011 between Wellington and Beck, Wellington agreed to provide Beck with prospective purchasers for oil and gas leases that Beck owned. After an initial unsuccessful attempt, Transact contacted XTO Energy, Inc. (“XTO”), which expressed interest in the Beck Assets. Several meetings and telephone conferences occurred between XTO, Wellington, and Beck. In August and September 2011, Transact sought information from Wellington regarding the XTO-Beck negotiations, at which time he was informed that Beck had requested that all communications run through Wellington. Several weeks later, Wellington informed Transact that it too had been shut out of the Beck-XTO negotiations. In November 2011, Beck and XTO executed a purchase and sale agreement for the Beck Assets, and in December Beck executed the Assignments and Bills of Sale conveying the Beck Assets to XTO. The purchase price was $84,961,346.00. Id. Following the Beck-XTO deal, Transact inquired as to the 2% transaction fee, and Wellington’s attorney informed Transact that they would not pay and that Wellington did not consider Transact’s claim for payment of the transaction fee to be “valid.” Subsequently, litigation ensued between the parties. -Wellington Res. Group LLC v. Beck Energy Corp., 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 134838, cont’d. The litigation focused on Beck’s assertion that because Transact was not a duly licensed Ohio real estate broker, the Ohio Revised Code barred recovery for compensation for transaction. The Court described Beck’s argument as following four steps: (1) oil and gas leases are included within the meaning of ‘real estate’ as defined by O.R.C. §4735.01(B); (2) any person that sells, purchases, lists, offers, or negotiates the sale of ‘real estate’ for a commission is a ‘real estate broker’ under §§4735.01(A) and 4725.01(H); (3) a ‘real estate broker’ must be licensed in Ohio, pursuant to §4735.02(A); and (4) no right of action can accrue to, and no compensation can be collected by, real estate brokers who are unlicensed, under §4735.21(A). In rejecting Beck’s argument, the Court considered even the earliest oil and gas cases in Ohio and concluded that Ohio courts consistently have treated oil and gas leases as different from an interest in real property. Therefore, because oil and gas leases are not interests in real property, a person negotiating the sale of same need not be a licensed real estate broker in the State of Ohio. In further support that of its conclusion that an oil and gas broker need not be a licensed real estate broker, the Court addressed a topic very familiar with landmen today: the licensure of landmen, noting that the Ohio legislature was currently considering H.B. 493, which would give the Chief of the Ohio Division of Oil and Gas Resources Management authority to regulate “land professionals,” requiring registration with the Division. The Court explained the introduction of legislation to regulate land professionals is additional evidence that land professionals do not fall within other statutory schemes, including licensure of real estate brokers. George Mason Law Firm, PSC Kentucky KY Bar Opinion U-31 KY Bar Opinion U-63 See KY Supreme Court Opinion in Countrywide Home Loans, Inc .v. Kentucky Bar Association, 113 S.W.3d 105 (Ky. 2003). Vacating a KY Bar Opinion declaring the act of closing a real estate transaction as the practice of law. This opinion considers the term ‘closing’ as simply pointing to signature lines on preprinted, pre-filled forms. It does not address preparation of legal documents [i.e. leases] by lay persons. See KY Supreme Court Opinion in Federal Intermediate Credit Bank of Louisville v. KY Bar Association, 540 S.W.2d 14 (Ky. 1976). Re-affirming that mortgages must be prepared by licensed attorneys. It seems that this could be easily translated to leasing. Filling in blanks without review by an attorney of the final product prior to presenting the documents for signature constitutes the unauthorized practice of law. George Mason Law Firm, PSC UPL NATIONAL ISSUES: AAPL National is diligently fighting for Landmen to continue doing our jobs as land professionals on several fronts across the country at this moment in multiple basins: -Texas -New Mexico -Colorado -Wyoming -Ohio -Maryland -West Virginia Could Kentucky be next to consider some sort of Landman registration process? -Currently only North Carolina requires any kind of registration for Landmen involved in negotiating leases and ROW or Surface Use Agreements with the general public. Argument usually boils down to the industry’s reliance on voluntary certification and Code of Ethics monitoring and enforcement as practiced by the AAPL vs. some sort of Mandatory Licensing Program administered by the states or regulatory agency SCENARIOS 1) Your new client, Fast Buck Promotions LLC, calls from TX wanting you to provide all land services including leasing, due diligence and ROW work for a new project they are undertaking involving an old oil field in an outlier county that is not home to a lot of current activity. After initial title work and some curative leasing are done, the client calls you back and asks if you can make your Ownership Reports “look more like this title opinion” he just happens to have from an attorney friend of his in TX (who charges $650 per hour) for another project from his past. Also, he asks if you can tone down some of the potential ownership issues you are raising in those reports so as to not to “frighten away his potential investors”… What should you do? George Mason Law Firm, PSC SCENARIOS 2.) An old established client of yours, Smoky Mountain Oil & Gas Inc. (“SMOG”), calls you up and asks if you can prepare some new updated lease forms and ratification instruments for him because his old, two-page, Producers 88 forms just won’t cut it with landowners any more because “they all have cousins up in Ohio who have educated them now“ in his opinion. He doesn’t want to use the downtown attorney he keeps on retainer for litigation and regulatory issues and he doesn’t want you to reach out to them either to keep billable hours down… What should you do? George Mason Law Firm, PSC SCENARIOS 3.) A Landowner you have already leased and are now negotiating a surface use agreement with for your client, Big Time Texas Oil Corp., asks you for some legal advice “based on your past experience” not for himself, but for his neighbors, who wants to lease his 200 acre farm to a competitor, Late to the Party Hydrocarbons. You know that your client wants to include at least a portion of the neighbors farm in the unit that will ultimately be formed from the well that will be drilled upon your landowner’s lease and will consider force pooling them if a lease cannot be obtained… What should you do? George Mason Law Firm, PSC SCENARIOS 4.) That old reliable client, Smoky Mountain Oil & Gas Inc. (“SMOG”), calls back and asks your “interpretation” of the intent of the parties to an old, vague conveyance instrument from 1919 that was noted as an exception and curative requirement in the chain of title for a 30 Year Old Title Opinion that he has dusted off. He plans on drilling a new $900,000 horizontal well under this old lease which is being held by vertical production and he makes it clear that he thinks the exception was malarkey in the first place and he wants to proceed without curative nor a supplemental title opinion… What should you do? George Mason Law Firm, PSC RECOMMENDATIONS: -DISCLAIMERS: This Due Diligence Summary Report is offered for your review and opinion subject to any and all errors or omissions found in the records of the appropriate offices where the records reside, any overlapping of legal descriptions that an accurate survey might reveal, and subject to any errors or erroneous information provided by other parties which may or may not be found in recorded instruments of record. Adkins & Associates Land Services LLC has taken all due precautions to ensure that it has reviewed all of the properly indexed records lodged in the Magoffin County Kentucky Clerk’s Office that pertain to the tract that is subject to this limited title report, subject always to any and all errors or omissions that may be in the indices and record books of said County offices. Further, Adkins & Associates Land Services, LLC makes no guarantees nor warranty as to certification of title to the tracts described in this report. We advise that a competent mineral title attorney be engaged to review and critique this report and all source documents referenced herein. Adkins & Associates Land Services, LLC assumes no liability resulting from the use of this information. This Due Diligence Limited Title and Abstract Summary Report is written and offered solely for your information only and may not be interpreted as or relied upon as any form of legal opinion nor as a binding certificate of title as the undersigned is not authorized nor engaged in the general practice of law and does not hold himself out as a practicing attorney nor as a practicing member of the bar of any jurisdiction. In the investigation of the Land Records of Magoffin County, Kentucky and the preparation of this Report that details the results of that investigation, the undersigned title examiner (“Examiner”) exercised diligence and care, but it is understood by the receipt of this report by the Client, Client assumes the full liability resulting from any error or omission herein. -ERR ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION -SPEAK WITH YOUR COMPANY’S IN HOUSE COUNSEL OR CLIENT’S ATTORNEY -STAY PLUGGED IN WITH AAPL NATIONAL AND GET INVOLVED LOCALLY George Mason Law Firm, PSC GOT ROGERSVILLE SHALE? Question: Is it the unauthorized practice of painting if you paint a white mustache on an attorney? George Mason Law Firm, PSC GOT ROGERSVILLE SHALE? This is what happens when your 19 year old son gets a hold of your PowerPoint presentation! George Mason Law Firm, PSC BE CAREFUL OUT THERE! George Mason Law Firm, PSC
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