Mr. Petry is a south Louisiana native and 1995 honors graduate of Louisiana State University. Upon graduation, he was employed as a field engineer for Sperry-Sun Drilling Services, where he provided real-time, downhole monitoring in electromagnetic wave resistivity, gamma radiation, radioactive source and position monitoring tools in the offshore oilfield environment. He is a 2000 graduate from the University of Texas School of Law, where he was  research assistant to Professor Ernest Smith, Rex G. Baker Centennial Chair in Natural Resources Law.

His background in oil and gas led to a position as a hearings examiner (administrative law judge) with the Railroad Commission of Texas from 2000 to 2004. While an examiner at the Railroad Commission, Mr. Petry adjudicated oil & gas hearings, including lease line spacing and density exception cases pursuant to Statewide Rules 37 and 38, prepared legal recommendations to the elected Commissioners, and assisted the public with navigating the intricacies of Railroad Commission rules and regulations.

From 2004 to 2006, Mr. Petry was an oil and gas associate with Thompson & Knight, LLP, where he expanded his focus to include oil and gas transactional work, including oil and gas property acquisitions, due diligence reviews, title examinations, and preparation of oil and gas agreements. He joined Zukowski, Bresenhan & Sinex, LLP, in 2006, where he advises his clients in all areas of oil and gas law.