Partner
First City Tower, Suite 2450
1001 Fannin St
Houston, TX 77002
713.437.1824 tel
713.437.1810 fax


Print PDF  | vCard

Michael Donald is partner in the firm's Business & Commercial Litigation Practice Group and practices from the firm's Houston office. He serves as co-chair of the firm's Energy Industry Team.

Mr. Donald serves clients in the oil and gas, electric utilities, natural gas transmission, mining, and transportation industries, and recently served as counsel on several interstate and intrastate pipeline and storage projects that involved salt dome and depleted reservoir matters. He has also served as trial counsel on condemnation/expropriation litigation in Louisiana and Texas.

Within the area of environmental litigation, Mr. Donald has specific experience with matters involving private cost recovery and citizen action suits, subsurface trespass, groundwater contamination, migration of hazardous chemicals, property value diminution, environmental audit supervision, and risk-based corrective actions. His experience includes serving as trial counsel in environmental litigation cases involving jurisdictional, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforcement. Mr. Donald has vast knowledge concerning carbon capture and storage, specifically the geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide. Mr. Donald authored Act 512 which was signed into law July 10, 2009, establishing the Louisiana Geologic Sequestration of Carbon Dioxide Act.

Mr. Donald has been recognized in "Chambers USA-America's Leading Lawyers for Business" in the areas of energy and also has an AV Peer Review rating in Martindale Hubbell.

A 1985 graduate of the Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State University, Mr. Donald served as a law clerk to the Honorable Donald E. Walter, United States District Judge for the Western District of Louisiana, from 1985–1987.

Noteworthy

• Recognized in "Chambers USA – America's Leading Lawyers for Business" in the areas of Energy & Natural Resources: Oil & Gas and Energy & Natural Resources: Utilities (also listed in 2010)
• AV® Peer Review Rating in Martindale Hubbell

News

• QEP Prevails in Lease Cancellation Appeal
• Jones Walker Attorneys Participate in Louisiana Energy Conference
• Jones Walker Receives Unmatched Rankings in Chambers USA
• Donald Serves as Panelist at the 6th Annual Clean Carbon Policy Summit & Project Expo
• Jones Walker Expands Energy Industry Team
• Jones Walker Receives Unparalleled Rankings in Chambers USA

Presentations

• "UT Law's 2010 Geologic Storage Policy: Federal Impacts, Commercial Opportunities", February 16, 2010, Evolving Policies at the State Level Highlights of the Louisiana Statute: Louisiana Takes a Proactive Approach in Act 517
• "How Will Cap & Trade and Green Legislation Affect My Plant?", January 27, 2010
• "Carbon Sequestration: Resource Management through the Storage of Carbon Dioxide in Geologic Structure", April 3, 2009
• "Update on the Regulation of Intrastate Pipelines and Gas Gatheters in Texas", September 27, 2007
• "Soil Remediation", April 29, 2003, Co-Presenter with Drs. Holliday and Deuel
• "Damages, Remediation & Other Remedies Involving Property in Oil & Gas Cases", February 21, 2003

Memberships

• International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (Member)
• Louisiana Bar Foundation (Fellow)
• Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Institute (Member)