2011 Energy Law Symposium

Practicing Energy Law in North Dakota
Brian Bjella
Joshua Swanson
Moderator: Rob Carolin, Alumni Relations

Brian Bjella presentation - view on YouTube

Joshua Swanson presentation and panel discussion - view on YouTube

Presenter Bios

Brian Bjella, Esquire
Crowley Fleck

Brian is a Partner in the Energy, Environment & Natural Resources Department. He joined the firm in 2009 after practicing with Fleck, Mather & Strutz, Ltd., in Bismarck, North Dakota since 1980. His primary areas of practice are natural resources, public utilities and government relations law. Prior to joining the firm, he served as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of North Dakota, representing the Board of University and School Lands.
A significant portion of Brian's practice involves representing energy clients in permitting facilities before the North Dakota Public Service Commission. He has extensive experience in preparation of mineral title opinions. Brian has litigated contract and property law issues before state and federal courts. He also has represented clients in lobbying activities before the North Dakota legislature.
Brian is a board member and treasurer of the Lignite Energy Council, a coal industry trade association. He has been very active in the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation, serving on the Special Institutes Committee and as chair of the Long Range Planning Committee, several program committees and presenting papers at annual or special institutes. He has twice been elected a trustee of the Foundation.

Joshua Swanson, Esquire
Vogel Law Firm

Joshua's practice is centered primarily on litigation where he focuses on energy and natural resource law, commercial litigation, and plaintiff's law.
Before joining the firm, Joshua served as a law clerk to the seven judges of North Dakota's Northwest Judicial District based in Minot and Williston. Prior to that, during law school, he clerked at one of Omaha, Nebraska's largest corporate and estate planning law firms.
A proud native of Maddock, North Dakota, Joshua resides in Fargo. He graduated magna cum laude as one of the McGrath north scholarship recipients from the Creighton university School of Law where he was lead articles editor for the law review, a member of the school's traveling trademark moot court team, vice president of the moot court board, a member of the client counseling and negotiation board, and president of his legal fraternity. Joshua received undergraduate degrees in political science and history, with honors, from North Dakota State University.
Joshua is a passionate North Dakota State University Bison fan, serving on the NDSU Team Makers Board of Directors and the NDSU English Department External Advisory Board. He also writes a column for BisonIllustrated magazine and is an advisor of the NDSU Blue Key student group. In addition, Joshua teaches Government Regulations in the Energy Industry at Bismarck State's National Energy Center of Excellence.