Ryan Sears focuses his practice on mergers & acquisitions and asset deals. He serves clients as outside general counsel, advising on day-to-day transactions—including oil and gas leases, joint operating agreements, entity structuring, vendor contracts, title and environmental issues, and corporate governance matters.
Ryan has served as Chair of the Energy Law Section of the Dallas Bar Association, and as a member of the Energy Section of the Houston Bar Association and the Energy and Natural Resources Section of the Oklahoma Bar Association. He is also a sought-after speaker and writer on the evolution of both energy law and energy transactions and structuring.
Consistently named one of the best lawyers in Dallas by D Magazine and recognized as a “Rising Star” in Texas Super Lawyers, Ryan is a trusted and respected advisor to independent oil and gas companies—many backed by private equity or family companies—in the upstream and midstream oil and gas sectors.
- Represented buyer in a 12-day, three-way transaction whereby it acquired the outstanding debt and all of the membership interests of a private equity portfolio company with oil and gas producing assets primarily in West Texas. In a simultaneous transaction, the client secured acquisition financing from a bank and equity commitments from an Oklahoma City-based family office to complete the transactions.
- Represented a publicly-traded Chinese company on an acquisition valued at more than $500 million of a privately owned oil and gas company based in Fort Worth, Texas, with operations in the Woodbine/Eaglebine play in East Texas. The representation included advice on the $150 million issuance of debt and guidance on CFIUS approval.
- Represented a publicly-traded E&P company on its $100 million acquisition of producing oil and gas wells in the Eaglebine play in East Texas. Representation included day-to-day support of the company in all facets of its operations following closing.
- Represented a publicly-traded E&P company in the $90 million sale of producing Haynesville Shale assets, where a portion of the purchase price was in the form of drilling credits which could be applied by the Seller against drilling costs attributable to the Seller’s retained minority share.
- Represented a privately-held E&P company on acquisitions and associated senior debt financing of producing oil and wells located in Andrews and Crane County, Texas, aggregating $50 million.
- Represented a private-equity-backed company on a $31 million acquisition of producing oil and gas and pipeline assets in Wood County, Texas.
- Represented a private-equity-backed company in two divestitures of an Austin Chalk formation leasehold in South Texas, with an aggregate value of $40 million.
- Represented a privately-held E&P company on a multimillion-dollar joint venture with Indian investors for development of a project in South Louisiana.
- Represented a partnership on securities offering documents, capital raise, and acquisition of natural gas producing assets in South Texas.
- Represented other energy clients on acquisitions and divestitures of oil and gas assets in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Kansas, Louisiana, and Utah with a combined value in excess of $500 million.
- Advised a private-equity-backed midstream company on gathering and service agreements with its upstream customers.
- Advise upstream clients on numerous commercial agreements affecting daily operations.
Admissions
Bar Admissions
- Texas
- Oklahoma
Education
- University of Oklahoma, J.D.
- University of Oklahoma, B.A.: Economics and Political Science
Honors & Awards
- Recognized by Best Lawyers in America for Oil and Gas Law in Dallas, TX (2024-2025)
- Recommended by The Legal 500 US for Project Finance (2023)
- Selected by D Magazine as a Best Lawyer in Dallas (2020-2021)
Professional Activities
Member
- Houston Bar Association, Energy Section
- Dallas Bar Association, Former Chairman, Energy Law Section
- Oklahoma Bar Association, Energy and Natural Resources Section
Speaker
- “Produced Water Law & Policy Update,” 3rd Annual Oilfield Water Markets Conference (May 18, 2023)
- “Gas in the Energy Transition,” AIEN Seminar at NAPE (January 31, 2023)
- “Energy Bankruptcy & Finance Update,” ADAM Energy Forum (August 6, 2020)
- “Top 10 Texas Oil & Gas Cases of 2019,” Dallas Association of Petroleum Landmen (January 22, 2020)
- “Top 10 Texas Oil & Gas Cases of 2019,” East Texas Association of Petroleum Landmen (January 16, 2020)
- “Lessons Learned from Recent O&G Deals,” Dallas Association of Petroleum Landmen / Young Professionals in Energy - Dallas / Women's Energy Network – North Texas / Dallas Geological Society (July 31, 2019)
- “Allocation Wells and PSA Wells,” Women's Energy Network - North Texas (March 19, 2019)
- “Top 10 Cases of 2018,” Fort Worth Association of Professional Landmen (February 28, 2019)
- “Top 10 Cases of 2018,” East Texas Association of Petroleum Landmen (January 17, 2019)
- “JOAs and Allocation Wells,” Dallas Association of Petroleum Landmen / Young Professionals in Energy (October 16, 2018)
- “Top 10 Cases Texas Energy Cases from the Past Twelve Months,” Dallas Bar Association's Energy Law: Review of Oil & Gas Law XXXIII (August 2, 2018)
- “Top 10 Texas O&G Cases of 2017 (So Far),” HAPL Monthly Luncheon (December 5, 2017)
- Top 10 Texas O&G Cases of 2017 (So Far),” AAPL Southwest Land Institute (September 25, 2017)
Author
- “Top 10 Texas Oil & Gas Cases of 2020,” Various publications (2021)
- “Top 10 Texas Oil and Gas Cases of 2019,” Landman Magazine (March/April 2020)
- “Top 10 Texas Oil & Gas Cases of 2019,” Various publications (2020)
- “Top Ten Texas Oil and Gas Cases of 2018,” Texas Association of Defense Counsel Magazine (Summer 2019)
- “Top Texas Oil and Gas Cases of 2018,” Landman Magazine (January/February 2019)
- “Top 10 Texas Oil and Gas Cases of 2018,” Various Publications (2018/2019)
- “Top 10 Texas O&G Cases in the First 11 Months of 2017,” Landman Magazine (January/February 2018)
- “Top 10 Texas Oil and Gas Cases of 2017,” Various Publications (2017/2018)
Related Practices
Related Industries