Our People

Buford Boyd Pollett is a licensed Attorney in Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, and Georgia.  He is also a licensed Geoscientist in Texas and a proctor in maritime law.  Pollett is also the Genave King Rogers Associate Professor of Energy Law and AIEN & AAPL Director of Energy Programs and Energy Law Journal Faculty Advisor. He brings over 20 years of domestic and international legal experience serving his clients at the senior counsel, manager and director level.

His energy experience includes work with Eni (the Italian National Oil Company), Wilson Offshore & Marine, McDermott, Technip, Entergy, Amoco, Texaco, Nabors, and a Shell-Exxon joint venture in Germany (BEB Erdgas und Erdöl).

He has a Master's and a Bachelor's degree in Geology from the University of Georgia, a Master's in International Business Management degree from Pepperdine University, and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola University School of Law, New Orleans.

During his career, he has worked on the following projects: 

• United States - Shell Stones, Eni Nikaitchuq, BP Atlantis, Williams Devils Tower, BP Holstein, BP King West, BP Mad Dog, Chevron/Total Matterhorn, Shell Na Kika, Kerr McGee Navajo, Kerr McGee Red Hawk, Mariner Swordfish, ENI K2, Dominion Triton/Goldfinger, Kerr McGee Ticonderoga,
• West Africa - Total Pazflor, Total Usan, Murphy Azurite, Shell Bonny Island Train 7, Esso Kizomba C, Agip ABO Extension Project, MEGI Ekanga and Zafiro, Vaalco Avouma, Sonangol Gimboa , and
• Middle East/Asia - Eni Zubair,  Eni Kashagan, Exxon Mobil AKG-2, Reliance Offshore Facilities_KGD6.

Likewise, Pollett:

• Provides leadership on projects with partners,
• Provides legal support on acquisitions and divestitures,
  
• Develops strategies to manage risks on major global energy projects,
• Counsels on corporate governance, regulatory, securities and tax compliance policies,
• Works with federal & state governmental agencies, tribes, industry & joint venture partners,
• Drafts and negotiates domestic and international transactions within budgets and deadlines, and
• Provides legal training to key stakeholders on regulatory, contractual and commercial matters.

Educational Background:

• Bachelor of Business Administration (Accounting) with Highest Honors, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
• Doctor of Jurisprudence, University of Texas, Austin, Texas
• Master of Laws, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.

Professional Licenses:
State Bar of Texas

Practice Areas:
John’s practice includes all areas of business (federal tax, financial accounting, regulatory, and strategy development) relating to the O&G and Power & Utility Industries. John advises clients on the:

• Formation and operation of MLPs, Up C IPOs, structured financings, asset securitizations, and other capital market transactions;
• Federal taxation of natural resources (with emphasis on the oil and gas, and coal industries), and electric utilities; and
• Development of strategies to address deregulation, tax reform, decommissioning, and other factors affecting the Energy Industries
• Developing a Decommissioning Strategy based on insurance and insured fixed-price incentive contracts that substantially reduce the economic costs of both issues.

Work Experience:
Ernst & Young (Oct. 1978 – Sep 1988), Senior Manager

• John has ten years of experience with Ernst & Young (EY) including six years in EY’s Houston Office specializing in federal tax issues concerning the oil and gas industry.
• The remaining four years were in EY’s National Tax Department (NTD) in Washington, D.C. where he co-authored a three-volume treatise on the federal taxation of natural resources (Energy Resources Tax Reporter, CCH, 1984). 

Shell Oil Company (Oct. 1988 – Jan. 2003), Senior Tax Counsel
John has fourteen years of experience with Shell’s “Research and Planning Group” where he designed, developed, and implemented structured transactions including acquisitions, divestments, joint ventures, equity financings, and asset securitizations.

Black River Capital (Feb. 2003 to Jun. 2007), Partner  

• In 2003, John co-founded Black River Capital, LLC (BRC) an energy-focused consulting and investment banking firm that provided tax, consulting, investment banking, financial advisory, and related services.
• In March 2004, TXU (now EFH), an electric utility in Dallas, Texas, engaged BRC to participate in the design, development, and execution of the corporate initiatives sponsored by a newly-appointed management team.

Magnolia Hill Capital (Jul. 2007 to Jan. 2013), Managing Partner 
John formed Magnolia Hill Capital (MHC) to provide services similar to those of BRC to private equity groups invested in the Oil & Gas and Power & Utility Industries.

Ernst & Young (Feb. 2013 to Jan. 2017), Contractor    

• In 2013, John was engaged by EY as a client-serving contractor to develop strategic business relationships within the O&G Industry. John’s relationship with Shell Oil resulted in EY’s participation in the formation of Shell Midstream Partners.
• Since 2014, John’s primary focus has been development of the Decommissioning Strategy.

Magnolia Hill Capital (Feb. 2017 to Apr. 2017), Managing Partner  
Since Feb. 2017, John has continued development of the Decommissioning Strategy and developed other strategies to assist the Energy Industries in addressing current federal tax and regulatory issues including proposed tax reforms and deregulation.