Cynthia A. Nicholson

Member

201 St. Charles Avenue
40th Floor
New Orleans, LA 70170-4000

Main: 504.582.1111

Direct: 504.569.1658

Mobile: 504.453.3458

cnicholson@gordonarata.com

VCard

Bio Download

Cynthia Nicholson’s practice is centered on oil and gas transactions with respect to lands located within the State of Louisiana as well as those located on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). She regularly documents and negotiates acquisitions and divestitures of both onshore and offshore properties and has extensive experience with many types of transaction structures including mergers, asset and stock acquisitions and sales. She routinely counsels clients on a wide range of regulatory issues and has extensive experience counseling clients on issues arising under OCS regulations. Throughout her career, Cynthia has also advised clients on the drafting and interpretation of mineral leases, operating agreements, participation agreements, unitization agreements, servitude agreements and other agreements used in the oil and gas industry.

A significant portion of Cynthia’s practice is also dedicated to the analysis and review of complex land and leasehold titles. She has rendered hundreds of title opinions based on her examination of complex petroleum titles, and she regularly assists clients in the financing of such onshore and offshore properties. Cynthia represents clients before the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE). She has assisted clients in obtaining mineral leases and rights-of-way on the OCS and in the creation of units approved by the BSEE.

Nicholson has expanded her work with midstream energy companies, including acquisitions of OCS assets and pipeline systems, advising clients on federal and state regulatory issues for pipeline assets in the Gulf of Mexico, and assisting with operations issues for onshore and offshore pipeline systems, among other matters. Nicholson also assists her clients in the expanding field of carbon capture, transportation, and sequestration.

Cynthia has been ranked in the prestigious Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business for several years. In 2023, Chambers noted, “Cynthia Nicholson has expertise handling onshore and Outer Continental Shelf regulatory and transactional matters.” Clients have been quoted as saying, “She has a good sense of what the client is looking for and what the client is interested in.” “Cynthia is an excellent title attorney who can render an opinion which is concise and to the point.” “She is great at problem-solving.”

Practice Areas

Bankruptcy, Restructuring and Creditors’ Rights
Commercial Financing & Secured Transactions
Government Regulatory & Corporate Compliance
Mergers, Acquisitions & Divestitures
Oil, Gas and Energy Litigation and Arbitration
Oil, Gas and Energy Regulatory
Oil, Gas and Energy Title Services
Oil, Gas and Energy Transactions
Real Estate
Renewable Energy

Admissions

Louisiana

Experience

Represented client in the acquisition of producing properties, including the examination of complex of lease premises subject to the numerous overlapping units formed by the Louisiana Office of Conservation.
Represented client in divestiture of large holdings in No. Louisiana, including the negotiation of a complex purchase and sale agreement covering hundreds of wells, securing required consents to assign, negotiation of a transition services agreement and post-closing financial security, review of title and preparation of title defect notices.
Represented client in the acquisitions of producing OCS properties, including the negotiation of the acquisition documents and bonding in favor of the seller
Represented client in the appeal of the denial of a Suspension of Production resulting in the granting of a directed suspension.
Represented client in the proposed financing of OCS properties, including the negotiation of the credit agreement, net profits interests, mortgage and security filings, operating agreement with the operator
Represented Texas client in acquisition of producing properties in several parishes, examined title for client, prepared title defect notices, secured approvals from governmental agencies and private parties, negotiated the release of numerous liens and security interests filed by first and second lien creditors
Represented client in connection with the termination of a security agreement and negotiated the replacement of letters of credit with predecessors in title, negotiated new security agreement and the secured letters of credit in favor of private parties.
Represented landowners in connection with title to their properties in Louisiana.
Represented client in the preparation and filing of a concursus proceeding for portions of a producing unit where there were conflicting ownership claims between the state of Louisiana and private landowners.
Represented client in the settlement of concursus proceeding involving complex title issues for producing unit in So. Louisiana.
Represented client in acquisitions of several pipeline systems and related facilities in Louisiana and on the OCS, including negotiation of pipeline interconnection agreements, facilities use agreements and obtaining required consents to assign.
For the last several years, Cynthia has worked with the Louisiana State Mineral and Energy Board in the preparation of their new lease form for the leasing of State owned lands and water bottoms.
Cynthia’s years of experience allows her to quickly analyze and prioritize the issues.

Education

Tulane University, J.D. 1980
H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College, B.S. 1977

Recognition

Chambers USA – Louisiana, Energy & Natural Resources: Oil & Gas, 2018 to Present
2026 Legal 500 New Orleans Elite Guide – Energy Law
The Best Lawyers in America® for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Energy Law, Energy Regulatory Law, Natural Resources Law, Oil and Gas Law (listed in publication since 2013)
Lawdragon 500 Global Leaders in Energy, 2023-2026
Louisiana Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), 2013 to Present
New Orleans CityBusiness Women of the Year Award, 2021
New Orleans CityBusiness Leadership in Law Award, 2021
New Orleans Magazine Top Lawyer – Energy Law and Oil and Gas Law
Rated Martindale-Hubbell® A-V Preeminent™
Special Award by Petroleum Landmen’s Association of New Orleans, 2016

Affiliations

Louisiana State Bar Association
Louisiana State Bar Foundation – Fellow
American Association of Professional Landmen (AAPL)
Houston Association of Professional Landmen (HAPL)
Professional Landmen’s Association of New Orleans (PLANO): President (2017 -2018), Vice President (2016-2017), Board Member (2016-2019)
Women’s Energy Network