Masterson Takes top Seat of Wyoming State Bar

CHEYENNE – The Wyoming State Bar is pleased to announce that John A. Masterson, an attorney from Casper, Wyoming, has been elected President of its organization.

The 2016/2017 Election of Officers was held according to the Bylaws of the Wyoming State Bar. The results of the election were announced last week in Laramie, Wyoming, at the Bar’s Annual Business Meeting.

Masterson succeeds Devon O’Connell of Laramie, Wyoming.

Masterson’s practice focuses on the areas of Litigation, Energy and Natural Resources, Governmental Relations, Transactional Matters, and Corporate and Non-Profit Governance.

Beginning with a return to his hometown of Casper after graduation from the University of Wyoming’s College of Law, Masterson worked for County and District Courts in Natrona County, performing legal research for judges, drafting opinions and decision letters and assisting the court in hearings and jury trials. Following his one-year term, he began three years of private practice focusing on oil and gas law, criminal defense and domestic relations.

In 1990, Masterson became an Assistant District Attorney in Casper, with extensive experience in the prosecution and litigation of narcotics cases, domestic violence offenses, sexual assault and child exploitation. 1995 found Masterson in the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming, primarily responsible for the enforcement of computer crimes and crimes against children, but also prosecuting the entire spectrum of federal criminal offenses from large, multi-defendant narcotics conspiracies, to gun crimes and bank robberies to immigration offenses and wildlife crimes. During this time, he was also responsible for the training of federal and state law enforcement officers in substantive issues of law as well as interrogation, detention and search and seizure

In 2003, Masterson was tapped by Wyoming’s newly elected Governor, Dave Freudenthal, to be the legal counsel and federal/state relations coordinator within the Governor’s Office. For two and a half years, he performed the daily legal work for the Governor and his office, participated in policy making, inter-agency cooperation, drafting legislation and testifying before legislative and Congressional committees. Masterson served as the Governor’s representative for state, regional and national organizations including the Western Governors Association, the National Governors Association and the University of Wyoming Board of Trustees. For approximately six months, he served as an Interim Director of the Governor’s Planning Office.

In his final months of service to the state, Masterson was the Deputy Director of Wyoming’s Office of State Lands and Investments, participating directly in policy making, oversight and administration of over 3.5 million acres of state surface lands and 4.2 million acres of minerals. This role led Masterson to directly participate in negotiating, legal review and contract drafting of precedent setting state land transactions.

On returning to his hometown of Casper, Masterson joined former Wyoming Governor and United States Ambassador to Ireland Mike Sullivan in the Wyoming office of Rothgerber Johnson & Lyons LLP. There Masterson reentered the private practice of law, serving and representing public and private clients by providing transactional work, legislative and governmental relations, arbitration, and complex litigation in state and federal courts.

Masterson is an active participant in the Casper community, serving on the board of six non-profits, benefitting health care, education, private grant making and young people. His volunteer service also extends to the Wyoming State Bar, where he is the Chairman of the Board of Law Examiners. He also operates a family-owned ranching company and an oil and gas company.

Masterson has extensive trial experience in federal and state courts, as well as numerous appearances before permitting, administrative and legislative hearing bodies. His appellate experience includes the Wyoming Supreme Court and the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.

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