McAfee & Taft is pleased to announce the further expansion of its top-ranked Energy and Natural Resources Group with the addition of highly experienced energy and regulatory attorneys Matthew J. Allen and John R. Reeves. Together, they bring more than 70 years of combined experience representing oil and gas operators, working interest owners, and mineral owners before the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, including legislative proceedings, uncontested and contested adjudicative proceedings, and appeals to the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
Throughout their careers, Allen and Reeves have focused their practices on guiding clients through complex and time-sensitive regulatory proceedings affecting oil and gas exploration, drilling, production and development. Their practices frequently involve representing clients in matters involving drilling permits, spacing, pooling, increased density requests, horizontal drilling, location exceptions, and other matters before the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. Known for their expertise in oil and gas law and regulatory policy, both have also contributed to the drafting of multiple pieces of enacted energy legislation in Oklahoma.
“Matt and John are highly regarded lawyers whose experience before the Oklahoma Corporation Commission is especially valuable to our clients,” said managing director Michael Lauderdale. “Energy clients need advisors who understand not only the law, but also the regulatory framework that governs every stage of development and production. Their proven ability to help clients secure regulatory approvals, mitigate risks, and achieve practical business objectives significantly strengthens our energy practice.”
A 2007 graduate of the University of Oklahoma College of Law, Matt Allen currently serves as an adjunct professor of oil and gas regulation law at Oklahoma City University School of Law and has spoken at numerous energy industry events, including the Eugene Kuntz Conference on Natural Resources Law and Policy, as well as those sponsored by the Natural Resources and Energy Law Institute (formerly the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Institute), Mineral Lawyers Society of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City Association of Petroleum Landmen, and Tulsa Association of Petroleum Landmen.
Allen’s achievements have earned him inclusion in Oklahoma Super Lawyers, The Best Lawyers in America, and The Journal Record’s 2016 list of Achievers Under 40 for his contributions to oil and gas legislation in Oklahoma. Best Lawyers recently named him “Energy Regulatory Lawyer of the Year” in Oklahoma City for 2027.
Over the course of his distinguished career, veteran attorney John Reeves has established himself as one of Oklahoma’s most experienced and trusted oil and gas attorneys, highly respected for his sharp legal acumen and a deep knowledge of the energy industry that spans six decades. In addition to having nearly 50 years’ experience negotiating clients’ complex interests when dealing with the model form joint operating agreement, he is a recognized authority on pooling orders, which he analyzes, drafts and presents before the OCC. He has also successfully represented numerous clients in contested cases before the OCC and in appeals to the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
Reeves’ achievements have earned him inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America and Oklahoma Super Lawyers. In 2021, he was honored with the University of Oklahoma College of Law’s Eugene Kuntz Award.
McAfee & Taft’s Energy and Natural Resources Group once again earned a top Band 1 ranking in Oklahoma in the current edition of the prestigious Chambers USA Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. In addition, the firm was one of only 18 firms in the United States to be a awarded a national ranking in the category of Oil & Gas Litigation.