Mary Hazelwood Barkley is a partner at Cantey Hanger LLP, where she has worked for the past 13 years and specializes in real estate litigation, including eminent domain. Ms. Barkley represents both condemning authorities and landowners in easement matters, regulatory takings, inverse condemnation, and statutory condemnation both at trial and on appeal.

Lora Gunter, J.D., SR/WA is the Texas director of right of way at Volkert, Inc. Prior to joining Volkert in the fall of 2019, she was the Right of way project delivery director for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), where she oversaw the department’s statewide right of way acquisition portfolio. She implemented the policies and procedures for right of way project delivery activities, including oversight of right of way acquisition manuals. Ms. Gunter oversaw the ROW Division legal group, which was responsible for compliance with and interpretation of federal and state laws, rules, and regulations (including the Uniform Act). Her legal career began in 2001 at the Texas Attorney General’s Office, where she represented TxDOT in eminent domain matters across the state. She has also worked as a right of way attorney for TxDOT and handled various matters involving property acquisition and real property disposition. Ms. Gunter has also worked in the legal private sector representing large public utility companies in condemnation proceedings and other real property matters.

Bryan J. May is an oil and gas attorney at Harris, Finley & Bogle, P.C., with the unique industry expertise of a landman. He has performed all aspects of onshore land work for domestic exploration and production companies and holds the certified professional landman designation from the American Association of Professional Landmen. Mr. May’s clients benefit from his experience managing operated and non-operated oil and gas assets and his experience negotiating oil and gas leases, right of way agreements, water rights agreements, purchase and sale agreements, and production sharing agreements, and conducting acquisition and divestiture due diligence. Mr. May is a member of ADAM Energy Forum, the Fort Worth Association of Professional Landmen, the Energy and Real Estate Sections of the Tarrant County Bar Association, and the Energy Section of the Dallas Bar Association.

Jason B. Myers is a partner in the Dallas office of Barnes & Thornburg LLP. He is a commercial attorney, author, and speaker skilled in the areas of real estate and finance. His client-driven approach stems from having spent approximately half of his nearly 25-year career as a client himself. His in-house legal and business roles, coupled with his wide-ranging transactional experience, enable Mr. Myers to team with his clients to offer a thoughtful, multi-perspective, problem-solving approach to meeting their business objectives.

Founder at Wilhelm Law Firm
Mr. Wilhelm focuses his practice on oil and gas law and state taxation issues before the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. His oil and gas clients include Fortune 500 oil and gas companies, privately owned oil and gas independents, and sophisticated landowners. Most of the oil and gas practice focuses on real estate (title examination, due diligence, and negotiations) and assisting clients with matters before the General Land Office. In addition to his J.D. degree, Mr. Wilhelm holds a masters degree in Energy and Environmental Law from The Tulane University. He is licensed to practice in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Illinois, and by numerous federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court.

Kenneth A. Wright is the founder and principal attorney of the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wright. He has over 38 years of experience protecting the rights of property owners against the exercise of eminent domain. Mr. Wright is board certified in civil trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and is one of the few board-certified attorneys in the state of Texas practicing eminent domain and condemnation law. He has been selected by Woodward/White, Inc. as one of Texas’ Best Lawyers in eminent domain and condemnation law every year from 2008-2020. Mr. Wright is a frequent speaker and lecturer to attorney groups on eminent domain and condemnation law and has contributed to numerous legal publications in the field. He has served as an expert witness, mediator, consultant, and special commissioner in condemnation matters. Mr. Wright served as the chair of the Eminent Domain section of the Center for American and International Law’s Annual Program on Planning, Zoning, and Eminent Domain from 1996-2010 and is a member of the Attorney-Mediators Institute.