Year: 2020

Babst Calland Ranked in 2021 “Best Law Firms”

Babst Calland has been ranked in the 2021 U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” list nationally in eight practice areas and regionally in 31 practice areas:

  • National Tier 2
    • Environmental Law
    • Land Use & Zoning Law
    • Litigation – Environmental
  • National Tier 3
    • Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
    • Litigation – Construction
    • Mining Law
    • Natural Resources Law
    • Oil & Gas Law
  • Metropolitan Tier 1
    •  Pittsburgh
      • Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
      • Bet-the-Company Litigation
      • Commercial Litigation
      • Construction Law
      • Corporate Law
      • Energy Law
      • Environmental Law
      • Information Technology Law
      • Land Use & Zoning Law
      • Litigation – Bankruptcy
      • Litigation – Construction
      • Litigation – Environmental
      • Litigation – Land Use & Zoning
      • Municipal Law
      • Natural Resources Law
      • Water Law
    •  Charleston-WV
      • Commercial Litigation
      • Energy Law
      • Environmental Law
      • Litigation – Environmental
      • Oil & Gas Law
  • Metropolitan Tier 2
    • Pittsburgh
      • Labor Law – Management
    • Charleston-WV
      • Mining Law
      • Natural Resources Law
    • Washington, D.C.
      • Oil & Gas Law
  • Metropolitan Tier 3
    •  Pittsburgh
      • Mergers & Acquisitions Law
    •  Charleston-WV
      • Bet-the-Company Litigation
      • Litigation – ERISA
      • Real Estate Law
    • Washington, D.C.
      • Environmental Law
      • Litigation – Environmental

Firms included in the 2021 “Best Law Firms” list are recognized for professional excellence with persistently impressive ratings from clients and peers. Achieving a tiered ranking signals a unique combination of quality law practice and breadth of legal expertise.

Ranked firms, presented in tiers, are listed on a national and/or metropolitan scale. Receiving a tier designation reflects the high level of respect a firm has earned among other leading lawyers and clients in the same communities and the same practice areas for their abilities, their professionalism and their integrity.

The 2021 Edition of “Best Law Firms” includes rankings in 75 national practice areas and 127 metropolitan-based practice areas. One “Law Firm of the Year” is named in each of the nationally ranked practice areas.

Cary Snyder Joins Babst Calland

Cary M. Snyder recently joined Babst Calland as an associate in the Litigation Group.

Mr. Snyder primarily works in the areas of complex commercial litigation and appellate practice. He has experience in all stages of litigation, from drafting complaints through dispositive motions, discovery, settlement, and trial. He also represents clients in matters before federal and state appellate courts.

Prior to joining Babst Calland, he was an associate in the Cleveland, Ohio office of a regional law firm where he defended colleges and universities in matters involving claims of defamation, breach of contract, and gender discrimination under Title IX, as well as retailers and other businesses in class action litigation. Mr. Snyder also worked as an associate in the Pittsburgh office of an international law firm where he focused on complex litigation and government regulatory matters on behalf of health care providers. He also defended one of the big three credit bureaus in claims under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Mr. Snyder is a 2011 graduate, magna cum laude, of the University of Minnesota Law School.

Five Babst Calland Attorneys Named as 2021 Best Lawyers® “Lawyers of the Year”, 32 Selected for Inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America©, and 12 Named to Best Lawyers® “Ones to Watch”

Babst Calland is pleased to announce that five lawyers were selected as 2021 Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” in Pittsburgh, Pa. and Charleston, W. Va. (by BL Rankings). Only a single lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area is honored as the “Lawyer of the Year,” making this accolade particularly significant.

Receiving this designation reflects the high level of respect a lawyer has earned among other leading lawyers in the same communities and the same practice areas for their abilities, professionalism, and integrity. Those named to the 2021 Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” include:

Kevin J. Garber, Environmental Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Pittsburgh, Pa. – In addition to the “Lawyer of the Year” award, Kevin Garber was also listed in the 2021 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America in Environmental Law, Natural Resources Law, Energy Law, Water Law, and Litigation – Environmental.

Timothy M. Miller, Litigation – Environmental “Lawyer of the Year” in Charleston, W. Va. – In addition to the “Lawyer of the Year” award, Timothy Miller was also listed in the 2021 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America in Energy Law, Commercial Litigation, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Oil and Gas Law, Litigation – Environmental.

Christopher B. “Kip” Power, Natural Resources Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Charleston, W. Va. – In addition to the “Lawyer of the Year” award, Kip Power was also listed in the 2021 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America in Environmental Law, Natural Resources Law, Energy Law, Commercial Litigation, Mining Law, Oil and Gas Law, Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy), Litigation – Environmental, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, Litigation – Municipal.

Joseph K. Reinhart, Natural Resources Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Pittsburgh, Pa. – In addition to the “Lawyer of the Year” award, Joseph Reinhart was also listed in the 2021 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America in Environmental Law, Natural Resources Law, Energy Law, Litigation – Environmental.

Mychal Sommer Schulz, Litigation – ERISA “Lawyer of the Year” in Charleston, W. Va. In addition to the “Lawyer of the Year” award, Mychal Schulz was also listed in the 2021 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America in Litigation – ERISA.

In addition, 32 Babst Calland lawyers were selected for inclusion in the 2021Edition of The Best Lawyers in America (by BL Rankings), the most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession:

  • Chester R. Babst – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
  • Donald C. Bluedorn II – Environmental Law, Water Law, Litigation – Environmental
  • Dean A. Calland – Environmental Law
  • Matthew S. Casto – Commercial Litigation
  • Frank J. Clements – Corporate Law
  • Kathy K. Condo – Commercial Litigation
  • James Curry – Oil and Gas Law
  • Julie R. Domike – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
  • Kevin K. Douglass – Natural Resources Law
  • Christian A. Farmakis – Corporate Law
  • Kevin J. Garber – Environmental Law, Natural Resources Law, Energy Law, Water Law, Litigation – Environmental
  • Norman E. Gilkey – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy, and Mediation
  • Steven M. Green – Energy Law
  • Lindsay P. Howard – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
  • Blaine A. Lucas – Energy Law, Land Use and Zoning Law, Municipal Law, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning
  • John A. McCreary – Labor Law – Management
  • Janet L. McQuaid – Environmental Law
  • James D. Miller – Construction Law and Litigation – Construction
  • Timothy M. Miller – Energy Law, Commercial Litigation, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Oil and Gas Law, Litigation – Environmental
  • Jean M. Mosites – Environmental Law
  • Christopher B. Power – Environmental Law, Natural Resources Law, Energy Law, Commercial Litigation, Mining Law, Oil and Gas Law, Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy), Litigation – Environmental, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, Litigation – Municipal
  • Joseph K. Reinhart – Environmental Law, Natural Resources Law, Energy Law, Litigation – Environmental
  • Bruce F. Rudoy – Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Corporate Law
  • Charles F.W. Saffer – Real Estate Law
  • Mychal Sommer Schulz – Litigation – ERISA
  • Mark D. Shepard – Commercial Litigation, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Litigation – Environmental
  • Steven B. Silverman – Information Technology Law, Commercial Litigation
  • Krista-Ann M. Staley – Land Use and Zoning Law
  • Laura Stone – Corporate Law
  • Robert M. Stonestreet – Environmental Law, Energy Law, Commercial Litigation
  • David E. White – Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
  • Michael H. Winek – Environmental Law

Twelve Babst Calland lawyers were also named to 2021 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch which recognizes associates and other lawyers who are earlier in their careers for their outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States:

  • Mary H. Binker – Corporate Law and Real Estate Law
  • Katrina N. Bowers – Energy Law and Environmental Law
  • Carla M. Castello – Commercial Litigation and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
  • Marissa A. Cocciolone – Energy Law
  • Marc J. Felezzola – Commercial Litigation and Litigation – Construction
  • Brittany A. Fox – Energy Law
  • Alyssa Golfieri – Land Use and Zoning Law
  • Sean R. Keegan – Commercial Litigation
  • James D. Mazzocco – Litigation – Environmental
  • Joshua S. Snyder – Commercial Litigation and Energy Law
  • Andrew V. Terranova – Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
  • Benjamin R. Wright – Commercial Litigation and Construction Law

Best Lawyers undergoes an authentication process, and inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America is based solely on peer review and is divided by geographic region and practice areas. The list has published for more than three decades, earning the respect of the profession, the media, and the public as the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals. Its first international list was published in 2006 and since then has grown to provide lists in over 65 countries.

The 2020 Babst Calland Report Highlights Legal and Regulatory Challenges for the U.S. Oil and Gas Industry

Oversupply and pandemic bring on need to adapt to a changing market

PITTSBURGH – Babst Calland today published its 10th annual energy industry report: The 2020 Babst Calland Report – The U.S. Oil & Gas Industry: Federal, State, Local Challenges & Opportunities; Legal and Regulatory Perspective for Producers and Midstream Operators. 

In this Report more than 50 energy attorneys provide perspective on the current state of the U.S. natural gas and oil production industry and its growth to historic highs due to more than a decade of advances in on-shore horizontal drilling and high-volume hydraulic fracturing. It asserts that despite current challenges, a maturing shale industry is poised for future growth as natural gas and oil producers have driven down the costs of production. Transportation options for moving these natural resources from growing areas of production to customers continue to be built, even with new hurdles from regulators and other stakeholders.

Joseph K. Reinhart, shareholder and co-chair of Babst Calland’s Energy and Natural Resources Group, said, “The U.S. natural gas and oil industry has experienced tremendous growth and change since we first published this Report in 2011. Fast forward to an unprecedented 2020 with a pandemic, a corresponding economic slow-down and oversupply of natural gas and crude oil. With increased public and government pressure, sustained low prices, and less-reliable financing options, resiliency will continue to be the driving force of a dynamic energy market that continues to evolve.

Report highlights

The Babst Calland Report is an annual review of the issues and trends at the federal, state and local level in the oil and gas industry over the past year. The 102-page Report covers a range of topics from the industry’s business outlook, regulatory enforcement and rulemaking to developments in pipeline safety and litigation trends. The Firm’s collective legal experience and perspectives on these and related business developments are highlighted in this Report, including those summarized below:

  • Long-term, U.S. energy production appears poised to continue to outstrip domestic consumption due in some measure to increased consumption efficiency, along with the obvious ramifications from the natural gas revolution.
  • The regulatory environment is focused on climate change, reducing emissions, water quality developments, and enforcement. Increased volumes of written agency guidance, enforcement, and penalties continue to challenge the industry.
  • Citizens groups continue to actively challenge federal and state initiatives designed to expand natural gas and oil development, creating delays and uncertainties.
  • Land use and zoning challenges continue at the local level. Increasing industry headwinds have resulted in a slowdown of new permitting activity amid ongoing challenges and ordinance restrictions.
  • Public interest in pipeline safety has grown amid opposition and new rules from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration in response to increased public and congressional pressure to initiate and finalize new or revised pipeline safety regulations. Operators seek to install new or replace existing pipelines throughout the U.S. while advocacy groups aggressively oppose many pipeline projects.
  • Title legislation and court decisions vary by state and basin. In Pennsylvania, for example, Act 85 took effect in January 2020 and defines the conditions in which oil and gas producers may drill a lateral wellbore that crosses between two or more pooled units.
  • Although 2019 saw renewed claims of adverse health effects allegedly related to oil and gas development, support for such claims continues to be limited, as now noted by numerous publications.
  • Unmanned aircraft systems take hold in the energy sector. Despite the pandemic and its impacts, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) have emerged as essential tools for the energy industry for conducting complex inspection and monitoring of difficult to access infrastructure and locations.
  • From a workforce standpoint, COVID-19 conditions and other wage and hour regulations, amendments to the Family Medical Leave Act, and expanded unemployment benefits under the CARES Act have had an impact on companies across the country.

The natural gas and oil industry continues to expand its reach and impact on U.S. energy supply and independence. Each company has its own set of opportunities and challenges to navigate based on its financing, debt, shareholder goals, and operations and infrastructure footprint. Nonetheless, the United States’ plentiful supply of natural gas and oil is expected to continue to fuel the country’s economic future and support national security.

Request a copy of the Report

Babst Calland’s Energy and Natural Resources attorneys support clients operating in multiple locations throughout the nation’s shale plays. To request a copy of the Report, contact info@babstcalland.com.

Babst Calland Lands 2024 Space Mission Legal Work for Astrobotic

Firm to Develop Legal/Commercial Framework for Payload Service for NASA’s Artemis Human Landing System

PITTSBURGH, PA – Babst Calland today announced that under a recently announced NASA award, Astrobotic Technologies, Inc. (Astrobotic) has selected the firm to develop what could become the first-of-its-kind blueprint for commercial payload delivery to space for the Artemis human missions as well as future human-crewed space missions.

Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic will be developing the commercial payload service for Dynetics (a Leidos subsidiary), one of three prime contractors (alongside SpaceX and Blue Origin) selected by NASA to design and build a commercial Human Landing System (HLS) and compete to build a privately-developed system to take the first woman and next man to the lunar surface in 2024 as part of the NASA Artemis program.

“As the leading lunar payload delivery provider, we are thrilled to begin setting up this new business  model onboard the Dynetics human lander,” said Astrobotic CEO John Thornton. “With payload expertise from our Peregrine and Griffin lunar lander programs, we are well-positioned to extend our payload services to include the new lunar lander. We’re helping to develop and set the standard for the commercial payload market, and that is very exciting,” added Thornton.

Dynetics is leading a broad coalition of industry partners, including Astrobotic, to not only send humans back to the lunar surface, but to also help companies, governments, universities, and nonprofits across the globe send non-human payloads onboard the Artemis Human Lander System. Such payloads can include critical instruments, project and infrastructure products and materials that can support human activities on the lunar surface.

“Helping to launch this new mission to the Moon and to develop the commercial, policy and regulatory framework for its payload delivery business is an exciting opportunity for Astrobotic, all of its partners, and for our team of attorneys at Babst Calland, “ said Justine M. Kasznica, Outside General Counsel for Astrobotic, and Chair of the Firm’s Emerging Technologies practice.

“It’s exciting to be a part of such a groundbreaking opportunity as a legal partner to Astrobotic,” said Donald C. Bluedorn II, Managing Shareholder at Babst Calland.  “We are thrilled to be involved in this important role for our national space program.”

Babst Calland Names Felezzola a Shareholder

PITTSBURGH – Babst Calland recently named Marc J. Felezzola a shareholder in the Firm.

Marc Felezzola is a member of the Litigation and Construction groups. He has extensive experience in cases involving the Pennsylvania’s Mechanics’ Lien Law, Commonwealth Procurement Code and the Contractor and Subcontractor Payment Act. Mr. Felezzola serves as outside general counsel for construction companies and frequently represents clients in a variety of commercial and construction related disputes including products liability claims, asbestos related claims, construction bid protests, construction defect claims, differing site condition claims, delay and inefficiency claims, payment and performance bond claims, and payment and contract performance disputes. Mr. Felezzola has litigated before the Pennsylvania trial level and appellate courts, the United States Federal District Courts for the Western District of Pennsylvania, the Northern District of West Virginia and the District of New Jersey, the American Arbitration Association, and other private dispute resolution forums.

Mr. Felezzola is a 2011 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

Babst Calland Attorney Jean M. Mosites Appointed to the EHB Rules Committee

Jean M. Mosites was recently appointed by Rep. Mike Turzai, the Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives to the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board Rules Committee. Committee members serve two-year terms and may be reappointed for additional terms.

The Rules Committee reviews and makes recommendations regarding procedural rules for matters brought before the EHB. The Committee consists of nine attorneys who are in good standing before the Bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and who have practiced before the Board for a minimum of three years or who have comparable experience.

As a shareholder in Babst Calland’s Environmental and Energy and Natural Resources practice groups, Ms. Mosites has extensive experience representing clients in administrative appeals and environmental litigation in state and federal courts and before the Environmental Hearing Board in Pennsylvania, as well as counseling on environmental compliance and resolving liabilities under federal and state law.

Christian Farmakis Featured Speaker at Dealmakers Conference

Law firm Babst Calland will participate at the 2020 Smart Business Dealmakers Conference in Pittsburgh, Pa. on March 5 at Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown.

The conference will feature middle-market CEOs, top private equity and venture capital firms, major lenders and leading service providers participating in sessions that cover the breadth of the merger and acquisition landscape addressing such topics as buying a business, selling a business, financing a deal, liquidity events, merging operations, alternative investing and more.

Attorney Christian A. Farmakis will join a group of recognized entrepreneurs and business experts in discussing Transaction Audits: How to prepare your company for any type of deal.

For more information about the Dealmakers conference, or to register to attend, visit: https://www.smartbusinessdealmakers.com/pittsburgh//event/

Elizabeth A. Dupuis named to Pennsylvania Business Central’s “Top 100 People”

Elizabeth A. Dupuis has been named to this year’s Pennsylvania Business Central’s “Top 100 People” list and profiled in its Signature Top 100 issue. Nominations were taken throughout the publication’s 24-county coverage area, and the final honorees were selected by a special selection committee for their professional and community contributions.

Betsy Dupuis has practiced law in Central Pennsylvania since 1997, most recently as Managing Shareholder at law firm Babst Calland’s State College office. Her practice focuses on real estate transactions, business planning and formation, commercial and contract litigation, estate planning and administration. She is also a licensed title agent in Pennsylvania and conducts commercial real estate closings through MidState Closing Company, a Babst Calland affiliate.

Among other honors, she is a graduate of Leadership Centre County and was recognized by LCC with the Community Leadership Association’s Distinguished Leader Award. She is the incoming chair for the National Association of Home Builders Legal Action Committee. She presently serves on the boards of the Centre County Chamber of Business and Industry (CBICC), the Central Pennsylvania Risk Management Association, and the Pennsylvania Builders Association. She is a past Chair of the Centre County United Way and the Palmer Museum of Art Gala.

She was recently re-appointed for a second four-year term as Solicitor for Centre County.

For more information, click here.

Babst Calland Names Hicks Shareholder

PITTSBURGH – Babst Calland recently named Jennifer J. Hicks shareholder in the Firm.

Jennifer Hicks is a member of the Litigation, Environmental, Employment and Labor, and Energy and Natural Resources groups. Ms. Hicks has represented clients in a wide variety of litigation matters in state and federal courts throughout West Virginia. These include breach of contract, employment, environmental, nuisance, trespass, property damage, premises liability, product liability, consumer protection, partition, unknown heirs, criminal, and landlord-tenant, among others. Ms. Hicks has both trial and appellate court experience, including jury trials, and has also litigated before administrative agencies.

Ms. Hicks is a 2010 graduate of the West Virginia University College of Law.

Babst Calland Expands Environmental Practice

Attorney Richard S. Wiedman Joins Firm

PITTSBURGH, PA – Babst Calland announced today the addition of veteran environmental attorney, Richard S. Wiedman, who joined as a shareholder at the Firm’s Pittsburgh headquarters.

Mr. Wiedman is joining Babst Calland’s team of highly-focused environmental attorneys in providing senior-level legal and regulatory counsel, particularly in the areas of environmental, permitting, environmental business counseling, and environmental litigation.

“We are very pleased to welcome Rick to our Firm and to our established team in Pittsburgh. I have known Rick for over 30 years and he is a natural fit for us as he shares our values, experience, and philosophy in serving clients, some with whom we already have existing relationships,” said Donald C. Bluedorn II, Managing Shareholder of Babst Calland. “Rick is a great addition as we continue to expand Babst Calland’s team and capabilities to serve the needs of existing and new clients across the country.”

Since 1980, Mr. Wiedman has represented clients before federal and state environmental agencies, and counseled clients on regulatory compliance issues and environmental considerations in a variety of business transactions. He also devotes significant time to the negotiation and prosecution of environmental permit and regulatory challenges, the defense of federal and state enforcement actions, and the representation of clients in remedial action/corrective action and cost recovery matters under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), and their state counterparts.

His experience reflects the interrelationship of the major regulatory programs as they pertain to industrial activities. Many of the projects with which he is involved require the coordination of multidisciplinary efforts where creative engineering and technical approaches are often critical to the development and success of legal and regulatory strategy. In this regard, he works closely with experts and outside consultants in diverse fields including engineering design, analytical and applied chemistry, hydro-geology, marine biology, meteorology, and computer dispersion modeling.

 

Commenting about his lateral move to the Firm, Mr. Wiedman said, “I am pleased to be joining Babst Calland’s well-established environmental team representing industry. It is an exciting time for me to become part of a nationally-recognized firm grounded in environmental law.”

 

Mr. Wiedman earned his B.A. from Tufts University and his J.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Law.

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