Jennifer L. McDowell

Practice Areas

Business Law

Acquisitions & Divestitures

Taxation

Oil & Gas Transactions

Real Estate

Appeals

Corporate Law

Public Companies & Securities

Employment

Career

Jennifer McDowell represents owners and their businesses in all forms and sizes from formation through sale. She is nationally recognized for her mergers and acquisitions practice. She assists and advises businesses and their owners in organizational planning, succession planning, mergers, divestitures and acquisitions, employment matters, general contracts and business transactions, real estate, financing, tax compliance, and tax planning. Ms. McDowell also provides expert and consulting services on Wyoming tax and related matters. She began her career in a state and local tax litigation boutique, where she honed her tax and financial expertise and developed a proficiency in administrative and appellate practice. She continues to guide business taxpayers through audit, refund, protest, and other administrative processes; work with governmental authorities to obtain positive outcomes for her clients; and litigate state and local tax disputes.

Publications

Author, “Know When to Hold ’Em, Know When to Fold ’Em: Managing Deal Fatigue in Mergers and Acquisitions,” Wyoming Lawyer, Vol. 42, February 2019, p. 22.

Instructor, Continuing Legal Education Seminar entitled “Negotiating Oil and Gas Agreements Oil and Gas Master Service Agreements”, November 2013

Co-Author “Keeping Your Lease Alive in Good Times and in Bad” 55 Rocky. Mt. Min. L. Inst. 23-1 (2009)

Author, “Update on the Hatfields and McCoys: Did the Tax Collectors and Producer-Processors’ Collaboration Solve Wyoming’s Gas Valuation Problem?” National Association of Division Order Analysts, Volume MMVIII, No. 3 (September 2008)

Author, “Your CEO Must Sign on the Dotted Line! The Louisiana Department of Revenue Defines Who Can Validly Sign Agreements,” Louisiana State and Local Tax Report, Volume 15, No. 4, State Tax Press (Apr. 2006)

Author, “Confidentiality of Juvenile Information Since the Public Information Act,” Texas State Bar Juvenile Section Report, Volume 17, No. 2 (June 2003)

Special Events Editor for The Review of Litigation Journal, The University of Texas School of Law

Instructor, Continuing Legal Education seminar entitled “Sales and Use Tax: A Beginner’s Basic Course

Personal

Child Development Center of Natrona County, Former Director

Cowboy Joe Club, University of Wyoming, Former Director

United Way of Natrona County, Former Director

Casper College Foundation, Former Director

Wyoming State Bar, Business Section, Former Secretary/Treasurer, Former At-Large Member

The Tate Foundation, Current Trustee

Work Highlights

Lead Seller’s counsel in the reorganization and partial sale of a broadband company worth over $100 million (Visionary Broadband)

Lead Seller’s counsel in >$15 million sale of historic, operating Wyoming ranch (Bixby Ranch)

Provides consulting and expert services on Wyoming and Colorado state and local taxation and secured transactions

Recent expert work includes advising bankruptcy attorneys and advisors in four different bankruptcy matters concerning Wyoming severance and ad valorem tax matters as well as lien status and priority

Recent consulting and opinion matters include Colorado and Wyoming state and local tax analysis in the $1.33 billion Oxy land sale as well as providing the Wyoming lending opinion in the Oxy sale

Won Motion to Dismiss >$20 million lawsuit by Johnson County concerning ad valorem taxes on produced minerals (currently on appeal)

Advises and represents principal owners in forming corporations, limited liability companies, joint ventures and partnerships and succession planning for same

Represents business entities as general counsel for various contract, employment, and owner issues

Provides opinion letters for lenders and borrowers in commercial lending transactions

Represents both oil and gas production and service companies in Master Service Contract drafting, review, and negotiations

Represents a Non-Profit Developer in the business formation and financing matters related to Low Income Housing Tax Credit, HOME Investment Partnership Program, and other HUD affordable housing projects

Represents working interest owners in their acquisition of production properties along with negotiations involving Areas of Mutual Interest, Joint Operating Agreements, and Gathering Agreements

Represented an oil and gas services company in two EEOC claims and corresponding Wyoming Department of Labor claims

Provided a Sophisticated Investor Opinion in compliance with federal and Wyoming securities laws

Represented oil and gas services companies in minimum wage audits

Represented an oil and gas operator in a federal royalty investigation by the Inspector General

Represented a majority shareholder in a shareholder derivative action

Represented business taxpayers in mineral, severance, income, franchise, sales, and use tax audits and disputes in Colorado, Wyoming and Louisiana

Provided election law compliance services and campaign finance reporting for Candidate for Wyoming State House of Representatives

Represented an integrated oil and gas company before the Louisiana Board of Tax Appeals and in the appeal to Louisiana District Court in a Louisiana franchise tax Mark to Market Securities valuation dispute