Denver lawyer Matthew Lepore will lead the state Oil and Gas Conservation Commission as the agency's new director, the state Department of Natural Resources said Thursday.

Lepore, former state assistant attorney general, recently served as lead counsel for the commission, representing the agency in environmental protection, permitting and regulatory enforcement matters. Lepore, whose legal career spans nearly 20 years, also has worked for private firms.

"Matt is a longtime Coloradan whose love and appreciation of the outdoors and experience with legal and natural resource issues make him an ideal leader for the Commission," Gov. John Hickenlooper said in a statement. "We expect Matt and the Commission to maintain the high standards that protect the environment and help Colorado's economy to continue moving forward."

Lepore joins the commission five months after former director David Neslin resigned to join Davis Graham & Stubbs, a law firm specializing in oil and natural gas and public lands practices.