For nearly 30 years, clients have trusted and relied on Karl Hesse for their oil and gas and real estate legal needs. Clients benefit from Karl’s depth and diversity of experience and broad skill set in complementary areas of the law, attributes that are increasingly rare in lawyers. His varied experience in energy, real estate, employment, tort, and probate law enables him to help business clients identify potential landmines and develop strategies to avoid disputes and litigation whenever possible.
His experience in the energy industry began at Koch Industries, where he ultimately became General Counsel for Koch Oil Company and Koch Refining Company after developing skills in both the trial and business legal departments. Today, Karl assists landowners and mineral owners with negotiating oil and gas leases; oil and gas producers with title examination and other everyday business issues; and represents midstream clients in transactions involving the transportation and exchange of petroleum products.
Karl has a broad real estate practice, from the straightforward property transfer, lease or transaction involving real estate, to complex commercial development and wind energy projects. His real estate practice encompasses many of his other legal practice areas. Additionally, he has represented clients in exemption and valuation tax appeals before the Kansas Court of Tax Appeals. Licensed in Kansas, Colorado, and North Dakota, Karl has earned Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory’s highest "AV" rating for lawyers.
When not at work, Karl enjoys running, sampling craft beers, hiking in the Rocky Mountains, and spending time with his family—wife, Pam, a real estate agent, sons Cole and Max, and daughter, Jean.
Education
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Washburn University
(J.D., cum laude, 1992)
Washburn Law Journal, Comments Editor; Phi Delta Phi International Law Graduate of the Year
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Wichita State University
(B.S. in Administration of Justice, magna cum laude, 1988)
Admissions
- Kansas (1992)
- Colorado (2019)
- North Dakota (2020)
- U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas (1992)