Watts Ueltschey was admitted to the bar in 1975. He worked as Special Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of State of the State of Mississippi and was a partner in two law firms before joining the Brunini Firm in 1988.

He has represented a number of companies in the energy sector on a variety of matters, including handling disputes with land owners; preparation of mining, drilling and division order title opinions; transactions involving the purchase and sale of producing properties; and representation before the Mississippi State Oil and Gas Board. He has represented clients in connection with gas storage, including acquisition of existing storage facilities; acquisition of surface and subsurface rights for the construction of storage facilities in salt domes and depleted gas fields; and obtaining regulatory authority for such facilities at the state level. Watts's litigation experience also includes controversies over deed construction, joint operating agreements, boundary line disputes and expiration of oil and gas leases on school lands. In addition to his oil and gas practice, Watts has been involved with issues involving hard minerals, including lignite and bentonite. He has also been a frequent speaker at seminars and is active in a number of civic organizations.

All of this experience and expertise has been noted by Best Lawyers in America® in the fields of Energy Law, Mining Law and Oil and Gas Law and by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in the field of  Energy and Natural Resources.

Representative Matters

• Partial summary judgment on the central issue of lease termination.  The lease was for underground storage of natural gas and hydrocarbon liquids. Although payment under the lease was not tendered on the due date, the Court found that  time was not of the essence under the lease and that there was no lease provision for termination for late payment of rental. Therefore, the remedy for failing to tender payment timely was not termination of the lease.  Leaf River Energy Center, LLC v. Ford, No. 3:10cv49 (S.D. Miss. 2011) [Leaf River Opinion and Order]
• AARCO Oil and Gas Company  et al. v. EOG Resources, Inc. et al.
• The Estate of Francis N. Burgess, Sr., Deceased, by and through Dorothy F. Burgess, duly appointed Executor, Francis N. Burgess, Jr., and Lula Burgess  v. H. Alex Trotter, 6 So. 3d 1109 (Miss. Ct. App. 2009).
• Knight v. Minter, 749 So. 2d 128, 143 Oil & Gas Rep. 248 (Miss. 1999).
• Exxon Corporation v. Board of Education of Lamar County, et al., 849 F. Supp. 479, 128 Oil & Gas Rep. 279, 91 Ed. Law Rep. 103 (S.D. Miss. 1994).

Speeches & Publications

• Co-Chair Triennial Oil and Gas Institute, Mississippi Oil and Gas Lawyers Association (Oil and Gas Update)
• Mississippi Association of Petroleum Landmen (Oil and Gas Update)
• National Business Institute (Easements)
• Baton Rouge Association of Petroleum Landmen (Operations in Mississippi)
• Ark-La-Tex Petroleum Landmen (Well Permitting in Mississippi)
• Natural Resources Section of Mississippi State Bar (Oil and Gas Lease Expiration on School Lands)
• Intestate Succession in Oil and Gas Producing States (Paper)
• Gulf Coast Landmen's Institute (Royalty Payments and Marketable Title)
• ABA Year-In-Review (2002-2010)
• Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation Journal (Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Industry, Mississippi Update, 2006-2009)
• 2010 Voluntary and Compulsory Unitization in Mississippi
• 2011 Triennial Oil and Gas Institute (Oil and Gas Update)

Community & Professional Activities

• Capital Area Bar Association
• Mississippi Bar Association (Member, Sections on Natural Resources and Real Property)
• Mississippi Oil and Gas Lawyers Association (Member, Board of Directors, Secretary, Treasurer, Vice-President,President)
• Natural Gas Roundtable
• Mississippi Association of Petroleum Landmen
• American Association of Professional Landmen
• The American Bar Association (Member, Section on Natural Resources)
• Tri-County Real Estate Attorneys Association (Treasurer, Vice-President, President)
• St. Richard CYO Adult Advisor
• St. Richard Parish Council
• St. Richard Finance Council
• Diocesan Youth Retreat Team
• St. Richard Catholic School Board (President)
• St. Joseph Jr. High Development Steering Committee
• Northeast Jackson Soccer Association (Treasurer and Commissioner)
• Youth Soccer Coach (16 years)
• Jackson Futbol Club (Board and Manager of Select Soccer Team)
• Good Samaritan Center Board
• Operation Shoestring Board
• Catholic Charities - Guardian Ad Litem for Parental Rights Termination
• Mississippi State Bar Pro Bono Project
• Capital Club (Board of Directors)