GableGotwals Welcomes Tim Sowecke and Alex R. Telarik to the Firm

January 18, 2024 | GableGotwals is pleased to announce the recent additions of Tim Sowecke as a Shareholder and Alex R. Telarik as Of Counsel to the Firm’s offices in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, respectively.

Tim Sowecke maintains a comprehensive energy and environmental practice in which he assists energy, chemical, manufacturing, real estate, and agricultural clients in federal and state environmental litigation and regulatory compliance and enforcement. His regulatory practice runs the gamut of federal and state regulations under the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Clean Air Act (CAA), Clean Water Act (CWA), Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), Resource Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA), Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund), Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), Toxics Release Inventory program (TRI), Endangered Species Act (ESA), and National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). He regularly guides his clients through permitting, compliance, and enforcement actions in front of various state and federal administrative agencies. Tim also assists clients with complex environmental litigation related to environmental pollution and contamination issues associated with upstream oil and gas operations, pipelines, and disposal of oil field wastes, including assisting clients with issues related to Underground Injection Control (UIC) wells falling under federal and state jurisdiction.

Tim also assists clients in drafting and submitting comments to proposed rules and regulations related to state and federal environmental laws. He regularly counsels land departments in upstream and midstream companies with title issues and securing various easements and agreements, including conducting environmental due diligence to assist clients with management of environmental risks associated with the acquisition and divestiture of various assets. In addition, he counsels real estate clients in permitting and zoning applications related to residential and commercial developments and the sale and acquisition of real estate.

Tim holds an advanced degree in environmental and natural resources management, which allows him to collaborate and advise on highly technical issues with a range of consulting and testifying experts as well as technical staff at state and federal agencies. He also has significant experience working on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) issues, including site investigations and development of appropriate response measures, including containment and remedial measures.

He is an active member of the Mineral Lawyers Society of Oklahoma City, the American Bar Association, the Wyoming Bar Association, and the Oklahoma County Bar Association. Prior to joining private practice, Tim served as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Kate Fox of the Wyoming Supreme Court. He received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Wyoming College of Law, his Master of Environmental and Natural Resources from the University of Wyoming, and his Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Philosophy of Science from The Evergreen State College.

Alex Telarik advises clients in complex commercial litigation, oil and gas matters, and appellate law. Through his commercial law experience, Alex has handled business sale issues, shareholder disputes, commercial contract disputes, misappropriation of trade secrets, tortious interference with business relations, and breach of fiduciary duty. His energy litigation experience includes matters involving oil and gas accounting, pollution, title disputes, lease cancellation, and the Oklahoma Surface Damages Act.

Alex is an active member of the Oklahoma Bar Association, the Tulsa County Bar Association, and the Tulsa Association of Petroleum Landmen. He received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, majoring in Accounting and Finance, from The University of Tulsa, and his Juris Doctorate from Wake Forest University of Law.

“We are excited to welcome Tim and Alex to the Firm,” said John Dale, GableGotwals CEO. “With their knowledge and expertise, I am confident they will be great additions to our litigation team and advance the Firm’s energy, oil and gas, and environmental law practices.”

About GableGotwals
GableGotwals® is a full-service law firm with nearly 100 attorneys and more than 70 other professionals in Oklahoma and Texas. We represent a diversified client base across the nation, and our connections and reach are global. Fortune 500 corporations, privately owned companies, entrepreneurs, foundations, and individuals entrust us every day with the stewardship and strategic management of their legal challenges.