Dante practices in Leonard, Street and Deinard’s Energy group, working out of the firm’s Bismarck office.

Dante represents clients in a wide variety of Oil and Gas and Energy related matters relating to exploration, production and development of oil and gas at the local, state, and federal levels. His experience includes:

• Oil, gas and mineral title examination and preparation of drilling, division order and supplemental title opinions.
• Representation of clients before the North Dakota Industrial Commission in spacing and unitization, pooling, salt water disposal and oil field services hearings as well as negotiation of contested cases.
• Drafting and reviewing farm-out agreements, joint operating agreements, assignments of oil and gas interests, oil and gas leasing agreements.
• Oil and Gas related litigation in federal and state court.
• Emergency response to work-site death and injury, including management during OSHA inspection and potential liability assessment.
• Advisement of clients owning non-operating interests in the Bakken, Three-Forks and Rocky Mountain regions.

Working in the economically flourishing environment in North Dakota, Dante’s practice also has naturally evolved to include representation of a broad range of business clientele in corporate transaction and business development matters in oil field services and related operations.

In 2012, Dante returned to his home in Bismarck after previously having worked as an oil and gas attorney for Beatty & Wozniak in Denver and Crowley Fleck in Bismarck, where he advised clients on a variety of regulatory, transactional and litigation issues. Dante also spent a year as a landman involved in operations and curative while working for Petro-Hunt, L.L.C. in Bismarck.

Personally, Dante enjoys hunting, fishing, golfing, hockey, softball and, because it has it all, western North Dakota.

Professional and Civic Activities

• Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation
• North Dakota Petroleum Council
• Landman’s Association of North Dakota
• Colorado Oil and Gas Association
• American Association of Petroleum Landmen
• State Bar Association of North Dakota
• American Bar Association (Natural Resources Section)
• Big Muddy Bar Association
• Denver Association of Oil and Gas Attorneys

Education

• J.D., with Academic Distinction, University of North Dakota School of Law, 2008
• B.A., summa cum laude, Economics, College of St. Scholastica, 2005

Admissions

• State of North Dakota, 2009
• U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota, 2009 
• State of Montana, 2013
• State of Colorado, 2011
• State of Minnesota, 2008