Lawrence Bender

Lawrence has deep expertise in oil and gas law, public utility law and other regulatory matters.

Lawrence represents oil and gas exploration companies, drilling companies, oil field service companies, pipeline companies, and other businesses in state and federal litigation and contested proceedings before various state and federal agencies. He represents and advises a wide variety of natural resources and energy related companies regarding contractual matters and compliance with state and federal regulations. Lawrence’s extensive experience in real estate law allows him to offer professional assistance with the sale and purchase of oil and gas properties, as well as title examination and complex financing transactions.

Prior to joining the firm, Lawrence served as an Assistant Attorney General of the State of North Dakota and as Counsel for the North Dakota Industrial Commission, Oil and Gas Division, and the North Dakota Board of University and School Lands, giving him first-hand knowledge of the regulation of oil and gas companies in the state.

Administrative Work

North Dakota

• Industrial Commission, Department of Mineral Resources, Oil & Gas Division
• Public Service Commission
• North Dakota Department of Trust Lands
• Tax Department
• Water Commission
• North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality

South Dakota

• Department of Environment & Natural Resources
• Department of School and Public Lands

Federal

• Bureau of Land Management
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Bureau of Indian Affairs

Litigation

• Disputes between operators and non-operators of oil and gas properties
• Disputes between oil and gas exploration companies, public utilities and private entities in real estate matters

Transactional Work

• Mergers and acquisitions, financings and refinancing, complex exploration and farmout agreements

Appeals

• Great Plains Royalty Corporation v. Earl Schwartz Company: __ N.W.2d __, 2021 WL 1244667 (N.D. 2021)
• Environmental Law & Policy Center v. North Dakota Public Service Comm’n: 948 N.W.2d 838 (N.D. 2020)
• Nat'l Parks Conservation Assn., et al. v. ND Dep't of Environmental Quality, et al.:, 945 N.W.2d 318 (N.D. 2020)
• Wilkinson, et al. v. Board of University and School Lands of the State of N.D., et al.: 947 N.W.2d 910 (N.D. 2020)
• Pitchblack Oil, LLC v. Hess Bakken Investments II: LLC, 949 F.3d 424 (N.D. 2020)
• Continental Resources, Inc. v. North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality: 935 N.W.2d 780 (N.D. 2019)
• Janvrin v. Continental Resources, Inc.: 934 F.3d 845 (N.D. 2019)
• Kodiak Oil & Gas (USA) Inc. v. Burr: 932 F.3d 1125 (N.D. 2019)
• Twin City Technical, LLC, et al. v. Williams County, et al.: 927 N.W.2d 467 (N.D. 2019)
• Great Plans Royalty Corporation v. Earl Schwartz Company, et al.: 927 N.W.2d 880 (N.D. 2019)
• Pennington, et al. v. Continental Resources, Inc.: 932 N.W.2d 897 (N.D. 2019)
• Newfield Exploration Company, et al. v. State, et al.: 931 N.W.2d 478I (N.D. 2019)
• Seccombe, et al. v. Rohde, et al.: 921 N.W.2d 413 (N.D. 2019)
• Continental Resources, Inc. v. P&P Industries, LLC I, et al.: 906 N.W.2d 105 (N.D. 2018)
• Siana Oil & Gas Co., LLC v. Dublin Co., et al.: 915 N.W.2d 134 (N.D. 2018)
• Tank v. ABH Baxter LP, et al.: 915 N.W.2d 134 (N.D. 2018)
• Gerrity Bakken, LLC v. Oasis Petroleum North America LLC, et al.: 915 N.W.2d 677 (N.D. 2018)
• Olin v. Dakota Access, LLC: 910 F.3d 1072 (N.D. 2018)
• Johnson, et al. v. Statoil Oil & Gas LP, et al.: 918 N.W.2d 58 (N.D. 2018)
• Krenz, et al. v. XTO Energy, Inc.: 890 N.W.2d 222 (N.D. 2017)
• GEM Razorback, LLC v. Zenergy, Inc.: 890 N.W.2d 544 (N.D. 2017)
• Wilkinson, et al. v. Board of University and School Lands of the State of N.D.: 903 N.W.2d 51 (N.D. 2017)
• Statoil Oil & Gas, LP v. Abaco Energy, LLC, et al.: 897 N.W.2d 1 (N.D. 2017)
• Langved v. Continental Resources, Inc., et al.: 899 N.W.2d 267 (N.D. 2017)
• Mosser, et al. v. Denbury Resources, Inc., et al.: 898 N.W.2d 406 (N.D. 2017)
• Maragos, et al. v. Newfield Production Company: 900 N.W.2d 44 (N.D. 2017)
• Beach Railport, LLC v. Michels, et al.: 903 N.W.2d 88 (N.D. 2017)
• Horob v. Zavanna, LLC: 883 N.W.2d 855 (N.D. 2015)
• Northern Oil and Gas, Inc. v. Moen: 808 F.3d 373 (N.D. 2015)
• Meyer v. Engebretson: 872 N.W.2d 633 (N.D. 2015)
• Fleck v. Missouri River Royalty Corp.: 872 N.W.2d 329 (N.D. 2015)
• EOG Resources, Inc. v. Soo Line Railroad Co.: 867 N.W.2d 308 (N.D. 2015)
• Capps v. Weflen: 855 N.W.2d 637 (N.D. 2014)
• Tank v. Citation Oil & Gas Corp.: 848 N.W.2d 691 (N.D. 2014)
• Armstrong v. Berco Res.: LLC, U.S. App. LEXIS 9030 (8th Cir. 2014)
• Alliance Pipeline L.P. v. 4.360 Acres of Land: 746 F.3d 362 (8th Cir. N.D. 2014)
• Sagebrush Res., LLC v. Peterson: 841 N.W.2d 705 (N.D. 2014)
• A.G. Golden v. SM Energy Company: 826 N.W.2d 610 (N.D. 2013)
• Reep v. State: 841 N.W.2d 664 (N.D. 2013)
• Capps v. Weflen: 826 N.W.2d 605 (N.D. 2013)
• Northern Oil & Gas, Inc. v. Creighton: 830 N.W.2d 556 (N.D. 2013)
• Gadeco v. Indus. Comm’n: 830 N.W.2d 535 (N.D. 2013)
• Golden v. SM Energy Co.: 826 N.W.2d 610 (N.D. 2013)
• Alliance Pipeline L.P. v. Smith: 833 N.W.2d 464 (N.D. 2013)
• Lario Oil and Gas Co. v. EOG Resources, Inc.: 832 N.W.2d 49 (N.D. 2013)
• Dahm v. Stark County Bd. Of County Comm’r: 841 N.W.2d 416 (N.D. 2013)
• Brigham Oil & Gas, L.P. v. N.D. Bd. Of University & School Lands: 841 N.W.2d 664 (N.D. 2013)
• Wenco v. EOG Res., Inc.: 822 N.W.2d 701 (N.D. 2012)
• Gadeco v. Indus. Comm’n: 812 N.W.3d 405 (N.D. 2012)
• Dakota Res. Council v. Stark County Bd. Of County Comm’rs: 817 N.W.2d 373 (N.D. 2012)
• Come Big or Stay Home, LLC v. EOG Res., Inc.: 816 N.W.2d 80 (N.D. 2012)
• Clarkson and Co. v. Continental Resources, Inc.: 806 N.W.2d 615 (N.D. 2011)
• Sorenson v. Felton: 793 N.W.2d 799 (N.D. 2011)
• State ex rel. Stenehjem v. Phillip Morris Inc.: 732 N.W.2d 720 (N.D. 2007)
• Hild v. Johnson: 723 N.W.2d 389 (N.D. 2006)
• Continental Resources, Inc. v. Schmalenberger: 656 N.W.2d 730 (N.D. 2003)
• Luallin v. Koehler: 644 N.W.2d 591 (N.D. 2001)
• United States v. Neset: 235 F.3d 415 (8th Cir. 2000)
• North Dakota Workers Compensation Bureau v. General Inv. Corp.: 619 N.W.2d 863 (N.D. 2000)
• Olvera v. Johnson: 609 N.W.2d 432 (N.D. 2000)
• Egeland v. Continental Resources, Inc.: 616 N.W.2d 861 (N.D. 2000)
• Nygaard v. Continental Resources, Inc.: 598 N.W.2d 851 (N.D. 1999)
• Continental Resources, Inc. v. Farrar Oil Co.: 559 N.W.2d 841 (N.D. 1997)
• Texaco, Inc. v. Mercury Exploration Co.: 994 F.2d 463 (C.A.8 (N.D.) 1993)
• J.P. Furlong Enterprises, Inc. v. Sun Exploration and Production Co.: 423 N.W.2d 130 (N.D. 1988)
• Imperial Oil of North Dakota, Inc. v. Industrial Com’n of State: 406 N.W.2d 700 (N.D. 1987)
• Hystad v. Industrial Com’n: 389 N.W.2d 590 (N.D. 1986)
• State of N.D. ex rel. Bd. Of University of School Lands v. Block: 798 F.2d 1308 (C.A.8 (N.D.) 1986)
• Murphy v. Amoco Production Co.: 729 F.2d 552 (C.A.8 (N.D.) 1984)

Education

• University of North Dakota School of Law, J.D., 1982
• North Dakota State University, B.A., 1976; M.A., 1981

Admissions

• North Dakota, 1982
• Minnesota, 1983
• South Dakota, 2004
• U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota, 2004
• U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota, 1983
• U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, 1983
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, 1983

• Inductee, North Dakota Petroleum Council Hall of Fame, 2024
• Great Plains Super Lawyers, Energy & Resources, 2007-2024
• Martindale-Hubbell, AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated
• BTI Client Service All-Star
• Best Lawyers in America, Energy Law, Natural Resources Law, Oil and Gas, Administrative / Regulatory Law 
• Lawyer of the Year in Bismarck for Natural Resources Law, Best Lawyers
• Lawyer of the Year in Bismarck for Energy Law, Best Lawyers
• Lawyer of the Year in Bismarck for Oil and Gas Law, Best Lawyers
• Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, North Dakota—Litigation: Energy & Natural Resources
• Lawyer of the Year, North Dakota Attorney General’s Office 

Professional Activities

• North Dakota Petroleum Council, Board of Directors, Chairman, 2021-2023; Executive Committee
• State Bar Association of North Dakota
• Minnesota State Bar Association
• South Dakota State Bar Association
• Burleigh County Bar Association
• State of North Dakota, Assistant Attorney General, 1982-1987
• North Dakota Industrial Commission, Department of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas Division and Board of University and School Lands, Counsel, 1982-1987
• Interstate Oil Compact Commission, Governor’s Representative, 1985-1987