Jon Lear

Managing Partner

Jon is the managing partner for Lear & Lear. His practice areas include natural resources and renewable energy development with a focus on renewable natural gas and geothermal issues.

In recent years, Jon’s work has primarily focused on the use of alternative fuels in the nation’s transportation fleet, focusing on all aspects of renewable natural gas development including environmental credit sales, Co2 and methane liquefaction; Jon has also organized and implemented projects across a broad range of natural resource and energy issues.

Practice Areas

Transactional & Due Diligence

Purchase & Sale Agreements
Permitting
Environmental Due Diligence

Acquisition & Divestiture

Due Diligence
Title
Contract Issues
Deal Structuring
- Transfer of Title
- Indemnification
- Confidentiality
- Lien Priority
Third-Party Consents and Waiver
- Consents to Assign
- Waiver of Preferential Purchase Rights
Transactional Documents
- Letter of Intent
- Confidentiality Agreements
- Purchase & Sale Agreements
- Title Defects
Closing Documents
Curative Title Documents

Renewable Energy

Site Identification
Land & Title Issues
Due Diligence
Rights-of-Way
Contractor Agreements
Gas sale agreements
Project Development Documents
Regulatory Compliance
EPA and state environmental credit regimes (RINs)

Natural Resources

American Indian Law
Acquisitions of Mineral Interests on Federal, State & Private Lands
Compliance & Regulation
Permitting
Due Diligence
Transactions
Public Leasing & Permitting
Alternative Energy Projects
Mineral Development
Surface Use & Conservation Easements

Representative Matters

Organization and implementation of coal leases and electrical generation on native Navajo lands
Off-shore Alaska drilling negotiations in the Bering and Beaufort Seas between National groups and 6 major oil companies
North Slope Native American and energy issues (Gwitchen)
Development of an integrated energy plan for Yellowstone National Park.
Organization and implementation of Alternative Fuel/Air Quality Projects in the following locations:
- Denver, Colorado (1987)
- Sacramento, California (1988)
- Los Angeles, California (1989-1994)
- Houston, Austin, Dallas/Ft Worth, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Texas (1994-2002)
- Juarez/ El Paso/ Las Cruces Region (1996-2002)
- Long Island, New York City and Central New York State (1995-2002)
- Hartford, Connecticut (1997-2001)
- Yellowstone National Park and Greater Yellowstone/Teton Region (1998-2002)
- RNG studies for DOE 2009-2010
- Geothermal Development 2009 -
- RNG Project Development 2016 to 2021

Admissions

Jon is admitted to practice in Utah.

Education

University of Utah, (J.D., 1976)
University of Utah (B.A., History, 1972)