Member
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Paul Upsons practices in the area of natural resources law, with an emphasis on mineral title examination. After being admitted to the Colorado bar in 1994, he practiced as a transactional and litigation attorney in the areas of water law, zoning, and land use. Since joining Poulson, Odell & Peterson, LLC in 2001, Mr. Upsons has specialized in oil and gas law, including title examination and the preparation of oil and gas title opinions covering fee, state, and federal lands in Colorado, North Dakota, and Wyoming. His title opinions provide a detailed analysis of any relevant title issues, and a clear road map for curing those issues. Mr. Upsons also provides clients with the transactional and litigation services that are required to achieve the level of title security that the client desires.
Mr. Upsons has given presentations on real property and mineral law issues to various organizations, including the presentation of papers at the 2007, 2015, 2019, and 2024 Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation Special Institutes on Mineral Title Examination. He has published various articles and papers, and he is the updating author of the chapter on Bonds in "The Law of Federal Oil and Gas Leases." He obtained a B.A. degree from the University of Denver in 1991, with a double major in History and English, and a J.D. degree from the University of Denver College of Law in 1994. While in law school, Mr. Upsons won first place in the Colorado Bar Association's Natural Resources Writing Competition. He is admitted to practice law in Colorado, Wyoming and North Dakota, and he is a member of the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation.
Education
- B.A., University of Denver (1991)
Double major of History and English
Recipient of Honors Scholarship
Presented Honors Thesis on the allocation of the Colorado River between the states of the Upper Colorado River Basin
- J.D., University of Denver College of Law (1994)
Recipient of Law Alumni Merit Scholarship
Specialized in natural resources coursework, and completed a natural resources writing seminar that culminated in the publication of an award-winning paper
Bar Admissions
- Colorado
- North Dakota
- Wyoming
Publications/Presentations
Publications
- Author: “The Art of the Title Opinion: Requirements and Curative,” Special Institute on Mineral Title Examination, The Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law (f/k/a RMMLF) (2024)
- Author, "Title Opinions: Types, Basis, Format, and Intended Audience,” Special Institute on Oil & Gas Mineral Title Examination, Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation (2019)
- Author, "Title Opinions: Types, Basis, Format, and Intended Audience,” Nuts and Bolts of Mineral Title Examination, Paper 5, Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation (2015)
- Author, "Putting It All Together: Incorporating the Information Obtained from a Title Examination into a Title Opinion," Paper 15, Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation (2007)
- Updating author of the chapter on Bonds in "Law of Federal Oil and Gas Leases" (LexisNexis, Matthew Bender)
- Author, “Valid Existing Rights Under the SMCRA and Takings Implications," Colorado Lawyer, November 1993
- Author, "Adverse Possession: Those Who Snooze May Lose," The Rocky Mountain Landman, May 2006
- Author, "Recording Statutes," The Rocky Mountain Landman, March 2006
- Author, "Life Estates,” The Rocky Mountain Landman, January 2006
- Author, "Proportionate Reduction of Overriding Royalty Interests," The Rocky Mountain Landman, November 2005
- Author, "The New Wyoming Split Estate Law," The Rocky Mountain Landman, September 2005
- Author, "Judgment Liens in Colorado," The Rocky Mountain Landman, May 2005
- Author, "Joint Tenancies and Tenancies by the Entirety in Wyoming," The Rocky Mountain Landman, February 2005
- Author, “The Erosion of the Stranger to Title Doctrine,” The Rocky Mountain Landman, December 2004
Presentations
- Presenter, “The Art of the Title Opinion: Requirements and Curative,” at The Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law (f/k/a RMMLF) 2024 Special Institute on Mineral Title Examination
- Presenter, “Purpose and Basis of Title Opinions, Types of Opinions, and Layout of Opinions,” at the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation's 2019 Special Institute on Oil & Gas Mineral Title Examination
- Presenter, “Title Opinions: Types, Basis, Format, and Intended Audience,” at the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation's 2015 Special Institute on the Nuts and Bolts of Mineral Title Examination
- Presenter, "Putting It All Together: Incorporating the Information Obtained from a Title Examination into a Title Opinion," at the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation's 2007 Special Institute on Mineral Title Examination
- Presenter, “Bonding Requirements for Oil and Gas Leases Under Federal, Colorado and Wyoming Law,” at the 2005 Fall Land Institute of the Denver Association of Petroleum Landmen
- Presenter, "Legal Consequences of Concurrent Ownership of Mineral Estates in Colorado and Wyoming," to the Denver Association of Lease and Title Analysts (April, 2005)
