Matney Named EMLS Treasurer

        The Energy & Mineral Law Society welcomes Matthew Matney as Treasurer for the 2013-2014 academic year. Matney is from Williamson, West Virginia, and graduated from Marshal University with a B.S. in Criminal Justice in 2010. Among his most important duties is managing membership records for the EMLS.

        Before coming to the Appalachian School of Law in 2012, Matney spent two years working for the Norfolk-Southern Railroad. His time working as a conductor on trains hauling coal, along with his experience growing up in the heart of the West Virginia coalfields, sparked his interest in energy and mineral law. Matney is also a volunteer with the Appalachian School of Law’s mentorship program, and an active member of organizations including Phi Delta Phi (a legal honorary society), the Environmental Law Society, and the Grundy Lions Club. For questions or to get involved, you can reach him at MMatney15@my.asl.edu

 

Morehead Native Named Secretary of EMLS

        The Energy & Mineral Law Society welcomes Staci Shelton Montgomery as Secretary for the 2013-2014 year.  Ms. Shelton Montgomery is from Morehead, Kentucky, and intends to return there to practice law. She will be organizing various events throughout the year, including the Arbor Day event in 2014.  For questions or to get involved, Staci can be reached at sshelton15@my.asl.edu. You can also connect with Staci on LinkedIn by using the tab at the right of the screen.

 

        Staci graduated from Maysville Community College in 2002 with a degree in nursing and Morehead State University with a bachelor’s degree in Criminology in 2012.  She has over 11 years of work experiencs in insurance, healthcare and academia.  Staci is very active on the campus of the Appalachian School of Law and will concurrently serve as Vice President of VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program), as Vice President of Education for Toastmasters and as an active member in several other student organizations.  Staci has been selected as the 2L Ambassador for the Appalachian School of Law and is a volunteer in the ASL mentoring program.

 

Matthew Hardin heads Federalist Society

Matt Hardin wears many hats. Most recently, he was selected as President of the Federalist Society at the Appalachian School of Law, and as Vice Chair for the law school's national moot court program. He remains president of the Energy & Mineral Law Society, and won't be giving up his advocacy on energy issues.

"I'm from Kentucky," Hardin said, "and I understand what it's like in the coalfields right now. That will always be important to me. I hope my new role in the Federalist Society will allow me to bring more national attention to conservative solutions here in Appalachia."

EMLS Welcomes Sabrina Mullins

Sabrina Mullins has been selected as the Energy & Mineral Law Society's new Treasurer. Sabrina is a rising 2L at the Appalachian School of Law, originally from Prestonsburg, Kentucky.

EMLS on the Rise

EMLS Secretary Tori Herman has been selected as Editor-in-Chief for Volume VIII of the Appalachian Natural Resources Law Journal.













EMLS Treasurer Sherra Kissee has been selected as Managing Editor for Volume VIII of the Appalachian Natural Resources Law Journal.

EMLS President Matt Hardin remains on the editorial board of both the Appalachian Journal of Law and the Appalachian Natural Resources Law Journal. Look for his most recent article in next month's edition of the Appalachian Journal of Law.

Black Lung CLE

On March 16, the Energy & Mineral Law Society hosted the First Annual Black Lung Conference at the Appalachian School of Law. Thirty-eight attorneys from four states and dozens of law firms were in attendance. Both the plaintiff's and defense bar were represented, along with one judge and a physician.

Special thanks go out to the EMLS members who helped make the event such a success. Lauren Shadrick (far left), and Misti Napier-Burton (second from left) helped attorneys checking in for the daylong program. Sherra Kissee (second from right) was instrumental in compiling the written materials that the attorneys received. Dominique Ranieri (far right) is editor-in-chief of the Appalachian Natural Resources Law Journal.

Sherri Brown Keller, managing partner in the firm of Fogle Keller Purdy, PLLC, is pictured here receiving a certificate of appreciation for her work as a program instructor. Dean Lucy McGough (left) and President Matt Hardin (right) presented the award.

Colorado Governor Drinks Fracking Fluid

The Washington Times reports that Democratic Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper drank a class of fracking fluid at a meeting in Colorado. The ingredients were so safe, that the governor had no qualms about downing a glass of the fluid, which is used to liberate oil and gas from rock formations.

          EMLS President Matthew Hardin has been selected as an editor for the Appalachian Natural Resources Law Journal (ANRLJ). The ANRLJ is a peer-reviewed journal published deep in the heart of the Appalachian coalfields, and is primarily devoted to topics relating to energy development and natural resources.  Hardin joins EMLS Secretary Tori Herman and EMLS Treasurer Sherra Kissee on the journal's editorial Board.

EMLS Officers Receive Academic Honors

Two Energy & Mineral Law Society officers have recently been named to the Dean's List at the Appalachian School of Law. The Dean's list is reserved for students ranked in the top 25% of the law school class.

President Matt Hardin and Vice President Westley Ketron were among the students honored for academic excellence at the conclusion of the Fall 2012 semester. Both Ketron and Hardin are also currently serving as editors for the Appalachian Journal of Law. Ketron recently accepted a clerkship with the Virginia Supreme Court, and looks forward to working in Richmond this summer.

EMLS President to be Published in Appalachian Journal of Law

     Energy & Mineral Law Society President Matthew Hardin has received notice that an article he wrote over the past several months will soon be published in the Appalachian Journal of Law. Look for his article, "Three Evidentiary Approaches to Party 'Admissions' by Experts" later this spring. The article will be of particular interest for attorneys and corporate officials who are considering the use of outside experts in the context of litigation.

     Matthew Hardin is from rural Kentucky, and received his B.A. from Transylvania University in 2011. He is a J.D. candidate at the Appalachian School of Law in Grundy, Virginia, where he is currently ranked second in the Class of 2014.