print pageTeresa J. James
Kansas City Office
Ph: 913-491-5500
Fx: 913-491-3341
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Bio
Teresa James grew up in Hutchinson, Kansas, and she practiced law in Wichita for over twenty years before transferring to Martin Pringle’s Overland Park office. Having practiced in both cities, Teresa has a uniquely broad perspective of the legal landscape in Kansas and in western Missouri, and she is admitted to practice in both states. Her move to the Kansas City area also brings Teresa closer to the University of Kansas, her alma mater for both her undergraduate and law degrees. An avid Jayhawk fan, Teresa can be found in the stands for most of KU’s home football and men’s and women’s basketball games. Teresa brings the same enthusiasm and dedication to serve her clients’ legal needs. She has twice been nominated by a Fortune 1000 client to the BTI Client All-Star Team for outstanding legal service.
Energy and Oil & Gas Law
Teresa represents natural gas and liquids pipeline clients, as well as wind and other energy clients in diverse practice areas. She has experience advising and consulting energy clients in matters ranging from right of way acquisition and disputes over rights of way/easements, to oil and gas interests, gas storage rights, business acquisitions, complex purchase/sale transactions, and permitting sites. Teresa is intimately familiar with federal, state, and municipal/local laws and regulations governing these areas. She frequently represents energy clients in litigation before federal and state courts, administrative and regulatory bodies, such as the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC), and municipal bodies, such as city councils and planning commissions. Teresa has served as lead counsel in complex litigation involving underground gas storage rights, easement, and pipeline related matters. She is a past president of the Kansas Bar Association Oil and Gas Section.
Condemnation and Real Property Law
Teresa is a recognized authority on the acquisition of pipeline rights of way, fiber optic rights of way, underground gas storage easements, meter and regulator sites, and railroad rights of way. Teresa is frequently involved in negotiations for the acquisition of such interests, and in drafting necessary documents to finalize lease or purchase transactions. She files condemnation proceedings in federal and state courts, and represents clients in the initial valuation stage as well as on appeal. Although condemnation matters often involve only a single tract or handful of tracts, Teresa has also handled right of way acquisition and condemnation projects for pipeline and fiber optic corridors stretching for many miles cross-country.
Education
- University of Kansas School of Law, J.D., 1984
- University of Kansas, B.A., 1981
Bar Admissions
- Kansas, 1984
- United States Supreme Court, 1990
- Missouri, 2006
Professional Affiliations
- Kansas Bar Association, Continuing Legal Education Commission, Board Member, and New Rules Task Force (2010 - 2011) Member
- Kansas Bar Association, Bench Bar Committee Member
- Kansas, Johnson County, and Wichita Bar Associations, Member
- Kansas Bar Foundation, Fellow
- Earl E. O'Connor Inn of Court, Member (2006 - 2009)
- Kansas Judicial Eminent Domain Advisory Committee, Former Member
- Wichita Bar Association Oil and Gas Section, Past President
- Wichita Bar Association, Past Secretary and Vice President
Civic/Social Involvement
- Kansas Area United Methodist Foundation, Board Member and Secretary
- Kansas Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, Director and Treasurer
- University of Kansas Alumni Association, Lifetime Member
- Mainstream PAC, Board Member
Awards and Recognition
- Martindale-Hubbell, AV Rating
- University of Kansas Women's Basketball, Outstanding Person of the Year, 2011
- BTI Consulting, Client Service All-Star, 2002 and 2005
Recent Reported Opinions of Interest
- Colorado Interstate Gas Co. v. Wright, 707 F. Supp. 2d 1169 (D.Kan.Apr. 13, 2010) (prevailed on federal preemption argument; underground gas storage statutes and regulations held unconstitutional)
- Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline, Inc. v. Greuel, 2009 WL1208065 (D.Kan. Apr. 30, 2009) (prevailed on prescriptive easement claims)




