Chris A. Paul

cpaul@joycepaul.com

Chris Paul focuses his practice on business issues and complex transactional and regulatory matters. He assists clients with resolution of all aspects of transactions, including pre-transaction due diligence, risk assessment and evaluation and preparation of contracts, and post-transaction implementation of contractual protections and best operating practices.

Mr. Paul does significant environmental work involving site remediation and issues of natural resource damage claims, application of risk-based closure requirements, cost recovery actions, and environmental compliance planning and programs.

Mr. Paul has significant legal and management experience in providing counseling to refining and manufacturing operations in areas of liabilities and exposures, environmental requirements, risk communication, environmental program auditing and upgrading, operational compliance, security regulations and programs, and development of compliance training, tracking and management systems. He is working with emerging regulatory issues involving environmental, health, and safety issues associated with nanotechnology. He has done extensive work with companies to establish systems for managing large numbers of risks and liabilities with a coordinated team approach that increases efficiencies and results in more predictable and consistent outcomes. Additionally, he has a background in energy regulation, having been responsible for transitioning plant natural gas supply to a deregulated environment, and work with pipeline tariff issues.

Mr. Paul does extensive work with midstream and downstream energy companies, with a particular focus on pipeline and storage logistics for oil and gas companies. He has significant and unique experience in products, crude oil and NGL pipeline management and operations, including system acquisitions and divestitures, capacity leasing, real estate transactions, feedstock and product quality issues, employment issues, operating agreements and contracting, SCADA issues, and coordination of compliance (DOT, EPA, OSHA, TSA), emergency response, and litigation activities. His SCADA and security work is also of particular interest to other utility and transportation companies.

Mr. Paul is admitted to the Oklahoma Bar, the Arkansas Bar, the Kansas Bar, the Pennsylvania Bar, the United States Supreme Court, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the United States District Courts for the Northern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Oklahoma. He is an adjunct instructor for the Oklahoma State University (OSU) Engineering Extension Environmental Management Certificate Program, and an instructor for the OSU/Oklahoma Society of Professional Engineers joint continuing education program, as well as numerous other industry and professional organizations.

Mr. Paul is a graduate of Leadership Tulsa Class XXII (1990) and Leadership Oklahoma Class XXII (2009). He was a board member and then chair of the Eastern Oklahoma Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation, and served as a National Trustee of the Arthritis Foundation and chair of the Audit Committee. He is the legal advisor for the Tulsa Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. He is also a member of the Transportation Lawyers Association, the Oklahoma Academy of Mediators and Arbitrators, the Oklahoma Academy, the American Legion, the Association of the United States Army, and the National Rifle Association. He has served on the Fee Dispute, Professionalism and Professional Responsibility (Grievance) committees of the Tulsa County Bar Association. Mr. Paul is certified as a mediator by The Mediation Institute. He is TWIC qualified.

Mr. Paul earned his J.D. from the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William and Mary in 1983, and his B.A. in International Studies and History from Dickinson College in 1980.

Professional Background: Mr. Paul was formerly a Partner, Gardere & Wynne, L.L.P. He was also in-house counsel for Sun Company and Sun Pipe Line Company, and served as Environmental Manager, Sun Company, Tulsa Refinery. He served on active duty for four years as a U.S. Army JAGC lawyer with the Seventh Infantry Division where he concentrated in criminal trial work and military operations law, and concurrently served as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern District of California.