Richard R. Hall

Partner

Boise, ID

P: 208.387.4211

Salt Lake City, UT

P: 801.578.6960

Overview
Experience
Honors & Activities
Insights & Presentations

Overview

About Richard

Richard Hall’s practice focuses on mining, natural resources and real estate law, with an emphasis on the sale, acquisition, development and operation of mining and energy projects. Richard has extensive experience in transactions for the purchase and sale of mining and energy projects. He advises clients in operational and regulatory matters relating to the acquisition, due diligence, title review, permitting and maintenance of mineral, surface and access rights required to support mining, energy and industrial projects. His past experience as a civil engineer for a large electrical utility allows him to combine his legal experience with a technical understanding of resource and energy development projects.

Richard represents clients in the hardrock, coal and industrial mineral industries. In the course of his practice, Richard has assisted mining and energy clients in structuring and negotiating complex mining and energy project transactions, land acquisition and lease agreements, as well as permitting projects on public, private and tribal lands. He has vast experience with public land law issues relating to use of and access over public lands, and location, maintenance and title review of mining and millsite claims under the Federal Mining Law of 1872. He also regularly handles water rights matters in Utah, Idaho, Wyoming and Montana.

Richard represents clients before various federal, state and local regulatory, land use and resource management agencies, including the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and various state environmental quality, state trust lands and water rights agencies.

He also has extensive experience in land and mineral title matters. In addition to general title reviews conducted in conjunction with land acquisitions, Richard’s experience includes the preparation of numerous mineral title opinions for mining and oil/gas operators in several states.

Prior Work Experience

Civil Engineer, Seattle City Light, Generation Division, 1999-2000
Law Clerk, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, Washington, D.C., 2002

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Experience

Represented a solar developer in a land purchase loan and construction loan for a 3 MW solar project in Napa County, California.
Represented numerous mine operators in the sale or acquisition of operating coal, aggregate and hardrock mines and mining properties,
Represents clients on ongoing operational and regulatory matters relating to the operation of hardrock, coal and industrial mineral mining projects.
Represented numerous clients in working with the BLM in obtaining and maintaining various property interests in federal lands, including mineral leases and mining claims.
Represented several mine operators in the sale or acquisition of operating coal, aggregate and hardrock mines and mining properties.
Authored numerous mineral title opinions for coal, oil, gas, limestone, geothermal and oil sands interests on public, private and tribal lands in Alaska, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington.
Drafted permit applications and coordinated the application process for BLM right-of-way grants.
Represented a major building materials and concrete supplier in numerous real estate leasing and acquisition transactions, including mining properties and water rights.
Assisted an in-situ coal gasification developer in the acquisition of over 150 mineral leases in Wyoming, Montana and Colorado.
Represents numerous mining, energy and industrial developers in water rights matters in Utah, Idaho, Wyoming and Montana, including the water right appropriation, transfer and change application processes.
Assists clients in water rights adjudications before the Idaho Water Court and Montana Water Court (pro hac vice).
Represents an industrial client in the negotiation of land and water rights acquisition, joint venture agreements, and the obtaining of local and federal land use permits in connection with the development and construction of a large industrial facility.
Assisted in the representation a large electrical utility in two separate proceedings before the Utah Utility Facility Review Board.
Represents electrical and gas utilities before state regulatory commissions.
Represents wind, geothermal, biomass and biofuels developers in the acquisition and lease of real estate for project development.

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Honors

Honors & Activities

Selected as one of “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business” (Idaho & Utah) by Chambers USA for:
- Natural Resources & Environment (ID), 2013-2020;
- Environment, Natural Resources & Regulated Industries (UT), 2016-2020
Listed in Mountain States Super Lawyers^® (Energy & Natural Resources, Real Estate, Land Use/Zoning), 2018-2020
Member, Bureau of Land Management Resource Advisory Council, Boise (Idaho) District, (Energy Development, Land Exchange and Permit Renewal/Litigation Subcommittees), Mar. 2011-present
Chair, Environmental and Natural Resources Section, Idaho State Bar, 2009-2011
Chair, Mining Law Section, Utah State Bar, 2007-2008
Chair, Mining Section, Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation’s Annual Institute, July 2014
Long Range Planning Committee Member, Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation
Member, Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation
Member, Idaho Mining Association
Board of Directors, J. Reuben Clark Law Society
Board of Directors, Idaho Botanical Garden, 2011
Member, Idaho State Bar Association
Member, Utah State Bar Association
Member, Wyoming Bar Association

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Insights & Presentations

“Material Contracts and Unrecorded Documents,” RMMLF Special Institute on Due Diligence in Oil & Gas and Mining Transactions, Sept. 28, 2018
“Real Estate Development: Environmental Due Diligence,” Water and Real Estate Development in Idaho, Law Seminars International, Oct. 11, 2017
“Conflicting Estates? Understanding the Interaction between Surface Ownership and Mineral Rights.” Western Land Symposium, Aug. 25, 2014
“What Lies Beneath? Understanding the Interaction Between Agricultural Use and Mineral Rights,” Idaho State Bar, Real Property Section, March 29, 2013
“Real Estate Issues” Chapter, The Law of Biorefineries and Advanced Biofuels, Stoel Rives LLP, 2012 Edition
“Geothermal Development,” Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES) Geothermal Energy Workshop, Idaho Falls, Idaho, April 21, 2011
“The General Mining Law of 1872 – Past, Present and Future,” Idaho State Bar, Environmental and Natural Resources Section, Feb. 26, 2011

Related News & Publications

Client Deal Spotlight: Silver Mountain Resort in Idaho Acquired by Seattle Buyer - 11/30/2016

Clean Water Act Client Alert: US Supreme Court Concludes US Army Corps of Engineers Wetland "Jurisdictional Determinations" Subject to Judicial Review - 6/2/2016

EDF Renewable Energy and Riverbank Power Form Pumped Storage Joint Venture - 4/19/2012

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