Ghislaine G. Torres Bruner
Partner
Ghislaine G. Torres Bruner is a partner in the firm’s Environmental, Safety & Health Practice Group. She counsels and represents clients facing business disputes in various industries, including the natural resources, energy, healthcare, real estate, aquaculture and agriculture industries. She has represented oil and gas clients in nearly all major basins.
Ghislaine is a strategic litigator who works closely with her clients to develop effective business strategies to identify potential disputes, reduce risk of litigation and support plans for early resolution. She has received jury verdicts, dismissals in high-profile disputes and favorable appellate opinions, and handled multimillion-dollar energy transactions and extensive regulatory and enforcement matters.
As a native Spanish speaker, Ghislaine's proficiency enhances her ability to serve her Latin American clientele effectively. She has notable experience in complex litigation, regulatory and transactional matters throughout the US, including Colorado, Florida, New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.
Ghislaine also leverages her international litigation training in the European Courts, International Courts of Justice and education in the UK to support her national and international clients.
- Led an interdisciplinary team including oil and gas, corporate M&A, tax and securities attorneys in the preparation of a US$350 million private placement memorandum.
- Represented aquaculture industry clients in tilapia in cross-border distribution agreement disputes.
- Represented a tomato grower in cross-border distribution agreement disputes.
- Obtained dismissal with prejudice for three clients related to a dispute regarding distributor agreement for a chemical used to kill the COVID-19 virus.
- Represented multiple clients against Clean Air Act enforcement actions.
- Obtained dismissal in a PFAS litigation for a manufacturer of fire foam.
- Handled disputes related to the distribution and allocation of tour proceeds among musicians and managers in the entertainment industry.
- Handled the successful appeal of seven consolidated enforcement actions regarding noise and nuisances against an oil and gas operator.
- Successfully obtained variances before state oil and gas regulatory agencies.
- Handled disputes regarding the purchase of ranches.
- Handled the release of oil and gas bonds.
- Handled enforcement actions for financial assurances, air quality and other violations.
- Handled disputes regarding faulty equipment and machinery, including drilling rigs.
- Handled the negotiation and drafting of a development agreement with the surface owner and developer for a large oil and gas well site in a contentious municipality.
- Prepared power purchase agreements for waste to power entities.
- Worked with an operator and municipality on planning, permitting an oil and gas development with over 80 oil and gas wells, including drafting right-of-way agreements, surface use agreement with a county municipality and drafting and assisting with compliance with an oil and gas operator agreement.
- Represented an oil and gas operator as an intervenor in a Colorado Administrative Procedure Act district court case brought by an association against a state agency involving the operators permit for a 22 well oil and gas development.
- Successfully represented an oil and gas operator in a matter of first impression before a City Council on an appeal of a Planning Commissions denial of the Oil and Gas Operators Use by Special Review Permit.
- Represented oil and gas operators in Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) and other local enforcement actions.
- Represented an oil and gas land services company on an audit by the Colorado Department of Labor based on independent contractor agreements.
- Obtained dismissal with prejudice of a land professional in a litigation involving tort action.
- Through startup company formation, negotiated, drafted and analyzed confidentiality agreements, joint venture agreements, operating agreements, surface use agreements, oil and gas leases, right-of-way agreements, easement agreements, letter agreements, joint operating agreement (JOA)’s, settlement agreements, gathering and processing agreements and various other agreements.
- Advised clients and prepared legal opinions to prevent and manage legal risk, including, but not limited to, political risk associated with opposition on projects from stakeholders related to oil and gas operations, drilling, completion and development, landowner and stakeholder issues.
- Negotiated and planned projects for a Canadian oil and gas company extracting lithium from brines in the State of Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration and Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining.
- Advised Denver-Julesburg Basin operator on obtaining an approved amended Form 2A, using the newly promulgated COGCC Rules and applying pertinent exceptions.
- Represented an operator in a COGCC rulemaking matter regarding Large Urban Mitigation Areas (LUMA), including providing comment and preparing testimony; worked closely with the trade associations; and assisted in drafting important exceptions to the COGCC Rules recommended by the Governor’s Taskforce.
- Worked with industry teams and trade associations in providing comment and guidance in the Boulder County, Weld, and City of Thornton Oil and Gas Regulations Rulemakings.
- Served on the industry air quality team of a storage tank workgroup for guidance on the Colorado Department of Health and the Environment (CDPHE).
- Assisted an operator with drafting operator guidance with state regulatory agencies.
- Drafted responses to CDPHE Reg. 7 Compliance Advisory for an oil and gas operator.
Education
- University of Denver, Sturm College of Law, LL.M., Environmental and Natural Resources Law and Policy, 2013
- Nova Southeastern University, J.D., 2001
- Florida International University, M.P.H., Environmental Health and Management, 1998
- University of Michigan, B.S., 1997
Admissions
- Wyoming, 2018
- New Mexico, 2018
- North Dakota, 2017
- Utah, 2016
- Colorado, 2014
- Florida, 2002
Courts
- U.S. Dist. Ct., S. Dist. of Florida
- U.S. Dist. Ct., M. Dist. of Florida
- U.S. Dist. Ct., N. Dist. of Florida
- U.S. Dist. Ct., Dist. of Colorado
- U.S. Dist. Ct., Dist. of New Mexico
Memberships & Affiliations
- Member, American Bar Association, Section for Environmental, Energy and Resources
- Chair, Oil & Gas Committee (2021-Present)
- Vice-Chair, Oil & Gas Committee (2016-2021)
- Vice-Chair, Air Quality Committee (2016-2018)
- Member, Colorado Bar Association, Litigation, Natural Resources and Environmental Sections
- Member Florida Bar Association, Litigation, Natural Resources and Environmental Sections
- Member, Dade County Bar Association
- Member, Cuban American Bar Association
- Member, National Hispanic Bar Association
- Member, Salt Lake City Bar Association
- Member, Arapahoe County Bar Association
- Member, Denver Bar Association
- Member, Women's Energy Network
- Member, Denver Petroleum Club
- Member, Colorado Oil and Gas Association, Environmental, Health and Safety Committee
- Member, Foundation for Natural Resources Law
- Board Member, Imagination Library – Colorado
- Secretary, Colorado Ballet Auxiliary
- Denver Board Member, American Cancer Society
- Board Member, Judi’s House
- Cornell Family Fellows
Languages
- English
- Spanish
- Recognized by Lawdragon as a 500 Leading US Energy Lawyer for Energy Litigation, 2023 and 2024
- Law Week Colorado, Barrister's Best, Barrister's Choice: Oil and Gas Lawyer, 2020
- Law Week Colorado, Top Litigator 2020
- Denver Business Journal, Top Women in Energy (2018, 2019)
- Denver Business Journal, Who’s Who in Energy (2016, 2018, 2019)
- Panelist, “How to Take an Effective Deposition: Strategies for Taking a Killer Deposition,” Hispanic National Bar Association Annual Convention, September 2022.
- Speaker, “Oil and Gas 101,” American Bar Association CLE Webinar, July 2022.
- Guest Lecturer, Environmental Litigation, University of Denver Environmental Law Clinic, April 2022.
- Quoted, “Hemp Buyer Can't Dodge Suit Seeking $4.6 Million For Pot Plants,” Law360, March 31, 2021.
- Speaker, “Presentation on COVID-19 and Its Impact on Oil and Gas Agreements,” National Association of Division Order Analysts, July 2020.
- Guest Lecturer, Oil and Gas Class, University of Wyoming, March 2020.
- Speaker, “Colorado Supreme Court Overturns Hydraulic Fracturing Bans,” National Association of Division Order Analysts, March 2016.