Terry R. Black
Of Counsel
Terry R. Black focuses his practice on banking law, mineral law, real estate law, and general civil matters. Admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1970, he is also admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois and the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
Mr. Black holds a Juris Doctor from Duke University School of Law (1970) and a Bachelor of Arts from Illinois Wesleyan University (1967). His extensive experience in natural resources law includes service as a Board Member of the Energy & Mineral Law Foundation from 1992 to 2000.
His representative clients include prominent energy companies such as The American Coal Company, American Metals & Coal International, Inc., and Sugar Camp Energy, LLC, as well as major financial institutions including Old National Bank and Peoples National Bank, N.A.
A recognized authority in mineral law, Mr. Black has lectured extensively for the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education and the Eastern Mineral Law Foundation. His publications include "Surface Owner Issues" for the Eastern Mineral Law Foundation Special Institute on Subsidence (1989).
Mr. Black has earned an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell and has been elected by his peers as a Leading Lawyer in Natural Resources/Mineral Law, Banking Law, and Real Estate. The Leading Lawyers Network has named him among the Top Ten Downstate Real Estate Lawyers.
Professional affiliations include the Illinois Bar Foundation, Illinois State Bar Association, Jefferson County Bar Association, and Illinois Oil and Gas Association.
Admitted to Practice
- Illinois1970
- United States District Court Southern District of Illinois1971
- United States Court of Appeals 7th Circuit1988
Education
- Illinois Wesleyan UniversityB.A., 1967
- Duke UniversityJ.D., 1970
Practice Areas
Our firm represents several local banks as well as some regional and national banks. We provide our banking clients with representation concerning almost all aspects of their business, including mortgage foreclosures, loan document preparation and analysis, transactional advice, secured property, title examinations, replevin and various other matters. We also represent our banking clients in litigation.
Mineral law is a significant and long-standing practice of our firm in which we provide counsel regarding all aspects of the coal, oil, and gas industry; including ownership, correlative rights, exploration and development, regulatory law, acquisitions and dispositions, and other matters related to mineral law. Our clients include owners, operators, producers, and contractors from national corporations to locally owned small businesses. Services include contract and lease preparation, title examinations, title opinions, civil litigation, purchase and sale transactions, due diligence, and financing arrangements. When necessary, we represent our clients in administrative litigation before the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and in matters before the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. We also represent companies with matters related to other minerals such as fluorspar and rare minerals, as well as non-mineral substances such as gravel, limestone, and dirt.
Our firm handles every aspect of real estate law for both local and out-of-state individuals and companies. We perform legal services in the area of negotiations, document preparation, document examination, title examination, zoning and other activities related to the sale and purchase of real property. We also prosecute and defend real estate litigation such as mortgage foreclosures, lien foreclosures, title issues, reformation, partition, contract enforcement and the like. Our firm is also a member of Attorneys Title Guaranty Fund, Inc. and is an authorized issuer of title insurance policies for the company. Title examination and issuance of title commitments and policies on real estate transactions is handled for individuals, companies, and lenders.
This is a broad category which is already inclusive of many of the specific and defined areas of practice. Feel free to give our firm a call on your particular issue and we will either help or can direct you to a knowledgeable attorney.
Representative Clients
- Ceja Corporation
- The American Coal Company
- American Metals & Coal International, Inc.
- Cline Resources
- Springfield Coal Company
- Sugar Camp Energy, LLC
- Williamson Energy, LLC
- Community First Bank of the Heartland
- Old National Bank
- Peoples National Bank, N.A.
- Ruger Coal Company LLC
- Macoupin Energy LLC
- Hillsboro Energy, LLC

Professional Memberships
- Energy & Mineral Law Foundation
- Former Board Member (1992 - 2000)
- Illinois Bar Foundation
- Illinois State Bar Association
- Jefferson County Bar Association
- Illinois Oil and Gas Association
Special Distinctions
- Member, Board of Trustees, Eastern Mineral Law Foundation 1992-2000
- Frequent speaker - Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education
- Speaker - Eastern Mineral Law Foundation
- Author, Surface Owner Issues, Eastern Mineral Law Foundation Special Institute on Subsidence, 1989
Distinctions
- Elected by peers as Leading Lawyer in Natural Resources/Mineral Law, Banking Law, Real Estate - Residential and Commercial
- Named Top Ten Downstate Real Estate Lawyer by Leading Lawyers Network
- Martindale - Hubbell - AV