Ohio Supreme Court Holds Oil-and-Gas Landmen Must Be Licensed Real Estate Brokers to Recover Compensation for Lease Negotiation

The Supreme Court of Ohio held that oil-and-gas land professionals who negotiate oil-and-gas leases for compensation must hold real-estate-broker licenses under Ohio Rev. Code §§ 4735.01(A) and 4735.02(A), affirming dismissal of Thomas Dundics's claims against Eric Petroleum Corporation. The court applied the statute's unambiguous definition of "real estate" to include "leaseholds" and "any and every interest or estate in land," rejecting arguments that the unique nature of oil-and-gas leases creates an exception to the licensing requirement.