David M. Harper, Jr. is an Associate Attorney with Aundrea Stone Hanna PLLC. An Arkansas-licensed attorney with nearly two decades of experience spanning energy, real estate development, finance, and executive leadership, Mr. Harper offers clients an uncommon combination: the strategic judgment of a chief executive and the technical precision of a trained lawyer.
Over the course of his career, Mr. Harper has raised more than $15 million in equity and debt capital, underwritten and modeled projects totaling hundreds of millions of dollars in enterprise value, and guided organizations through periods of significant growth, restructuring, and transformation. He has negotiated mineral leases covering tens of thousands of acres, led multidisciplinary teams through billion-dollar asset transactions, and served as a trusted advisor to investors, lenders, and boards of directors.
PRACTICE AREAS
- Contracts
- Real Estate Transactions
- Estate Planning
- Business & Financial Transactions
- Oil, Gas & Mineral Law
- Construction Law
- Corporate Law
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
The Norris Group — Chief Legal Officer, Development, Finance & Strategic Initiatives. Mr. Harper comes to the firm from the Norris Group, a diversified real estate development company, where as Chief Legal Officer he led the company's legal, finance, development, and strategic initiatives — including acquisitions, divestitures, fundraising, investor relations, financial modeling, and project underwriting. He played a leading role in securing and closing the company's first syndicated real estate project, including a $15.3 million construction loan, and developed financial models and investment analyses supporting more than $100 million in projected development value. He also maintained key relationships with lenders, debt brokers, investors, and institutional partners, helping preserve financing for the company's flagship project.
Rockland Exploration, LLC — Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer. In 2016, Mr. Harper co-founded Rockland Exploration, LLC, an independent oil and gas exploration company focused on prospect generation and development in southern Arkansas, where he serves as chief executive officer. He oversees all strategic, financial, and operational aspects of the company, including securing capital and development partners for drilling, leasing, and asset evaluation. Despite challenging commodity markets, he raised more than $5 million in equity and investment capital across multiple offerings, leased more than 10,000 net acres across multiple prospects, supervised drilling and development activities, and advised buyers and sellers on more than fifteen negotiated and auction asset transactions.
Southwestern Energy Company — Land Manager, Strategic Transactions & Asset Integration. Previously, Mr. Harper served as a Land Manager at Southwestern Energy Company, a major U.S. natural gas producer, where he reported directly to the Senior Vice President of Land & Regulatory on acquisitions, divestitures, and strategic initiatives. He acted as in-house counsel on land-related litigation while leading multidisciplinary teams focused on acquisitions and divestitures — including the integration of more than $5.4 billion in acquired Marcellus and Utica assets and a $218 million asset divestiture recognized through nomination for the company's Spirit of SWN Award. He also led teams responsible for litigation, title, and complex curative matters that resulted in the release of more than $42 million in suspended funds.
Hanna Oil and Gas Company — Landman, In-House Counsel & Assistant Secretary. Mr. Harper began his career in his hometown of Fort Smith, Arkansas, as a landman and in-house counsel at Hanna Oil and Gas Company, where he also served as Assistant Secretary of the Corporation. He negotiated and leased more than 15,000 net mineral acres across multiple basins and served as the land lead on drilling unit formation and major title and transactional matters, earning recognition as an expert in petroleum land work by Arkansas and Oklahoma regulators.
ADMISSIONS & PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS
- Licensed to practice law in the State of Arkansas
- Recognized expert before the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission
- Recognized expert before the Oklahoma Corporation Commission
EDUCATION
- Juris Doctor, University of Arkansas School of Law, Fayetteville, Arkansas
- A., Biology, with honors, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas
PERSONAL
A Fort Smith native, Mr. Harper has three children.
