November 24, 2025
Babst Calland Attorney Mark Dausch has been appointed to the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board (EHB) Rules Committee effective January 1, 2026. The EHB functions like a court, providing a forum to challenge actions taken by the Department of Environmental Protection and to seek judicial-like relief. The Rules Committee is composed of nine attorneys designated by the Governor, legislative leaders, the Secretary of the Department and the Department’s Citizens Advisory Council. Members serve two-year terms and meet regularly to review the EHB’s procedural rules and recommend changes. Mark focuses his practice on energy and environmental litigation and has tried several high-stakes lawsuits in federal, state and administrative courts, as well as in arbitration. He has extensive experience representing clients before the EHB. For more information, click here.
November 6, 2025
Babst Calland has been recognized in the 2026 edition of Best Law Firms®, ranked by Best Lawyers®, nationally in 8 practice areas and regionally in 41 practice areas:
- National Tier 2
- Energy Law
- Environmental Law
- Land Use and Zoning Law
- Litigation – Construction
- Litigation – Environmental
- Mining Law
- National Tier 3
- Natural Resources Law
- Oil and Gas Law
- Regional Tier 1
- Pittsburgh
- Bet-the-Company Litigation
- Commercial Litigation
- Construction Law
- Corporate Law
- Energy Law
- Energy Regulatory Law
- Environmental Law
- Land Use and Zoning Law
- Litigation – Construction
- Litigation – Environmental
- Litigation – Land Use and Zoning
- Mediation
- Municipal Law
- Natural Resources Law
- Water Law
- Charleston-WV
- Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
- Commercial Litigation
- Energy Law
- Environmental Law
- Litigation – Environmental
- Oil and Gas Law
- Regional Tier 2
- Pittsburgh
- Information Technology Law
- Real Estate Law
- Charleston-WV
- Arbitration
- Banking and Finance Law
- Commercial Transactions / UCC Law
- Corporate Law
- Mining Law
- Natural Resources Law
- Washington, D.C.
- Energy Law
- Environmental Law
- Litigation – Environmental
- Regional Tier 3
- Pittsburgh
- Labor Law – Management
- Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Charleston-WV
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Bet-the-Company Litigation
- Litigation – ERISA
- Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Real Estate Law
- Washington, D.C.
Firms included in the 2026 Best Law Firms® list are recognized for professional excellence with persistently impressive ratings from clients and peers. To be considered for this milestone achievement, at least one lawyer in the law firm must be recognized in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®.
Achieving a tiered ranking in Best Law Firms® on a national and/or metropolitan scale signals a unique credibility within the industry. The transparent, collaborative research process employs qualitative and quantitative data from peer and client reviews that is supported by proprietary algorithmic technology to produce a tiered system of industry-led rankings of the top 4% of the industry.
Receiving a tier designation represents an elite status, integrity and reputation that law firms earn among other leading firms and lawyers. The 2026 edition of Best Law Firms® includes rankings in 75 national practice areas and 127 metropolitan-based practice areas. Additionally, one “Law Firm of the Year” was named in each nationally ranked practice area.
Click here to view Babst Calland’s profile.
November 1, 2025
Babst Calland is pleased to announce the addition of five attorneys. Alexander O. Giorgetti, Morgan B. Hubbard, Ryan M. McCann and Peter D. Zittel are associates in the Firm’s Pittsburgh office, and Joseph E. (Jed) Meadows is an associate in the Charleston, W.Va. office.
Alex Giorgetti joins the Public Sector and Real Estate, Land Use and Zoning groups. Alex’s practice focuses primarily on municipal and land use law with a concentration in general municipal, zoning, subdivision and land development, and code enforcement. He is a 2025 graduate of Duquesne University School of Law.
Morgan Hubbard joins the Corporate and Commercial Group and focuses her practice primarily on corporate and transaction matters, including commercial contracts, corporate structuring, mergers and acquisitions. She is a 2025 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.
Jed Meadows joins the Energy and Natural Resources and Litigation groups representing clients in energy and commercial litigation, insurance matters, and all phases of civil litigation. Additionally, he assists clients in corporate representation and business formation matters. Jed is a 2025 graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law.
Ryan McCann joins the Litigation Group representing clients in a variety of litigation practice areas, including breach of contract claims, construction disputes, and various environmental matters. He is a 2025 graduate of Duquesne University School of Law.
Peter Zittel joins the Public Sector and Real Estate, Land Use and Zoning groups and focuses his practice on representing both public and private sector clients in matters involving land use, zoning, subdivision and land development, and code enforcement. He is a 2025 graduate of Duquesne University School of Law.
October 17, 2025
Attorney Nicholas McDaniel received the annual Arthur S. Flemming Award for exceptional civil service in his former role with the U.S. Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division. One of only 12 public servants from a number of federal agencies being honored for their exceptional service, Nick is being recognized for his outstanding performance for legal achievement. Nick is a shareholder in Babst Calland’s Washington, D.C. office and focuses his practice on energy and environmental law and litigation.
The Arthur S. Flemming Awards are the nation’s oldest and most prestigious award for government service given from outside the government. Flemming Award recipients are exceptional employees, with three to 15 years of federal service, who are nominated by their agencies and selected through a competitive judging process. The awards are presented by the Arthur S. Flemming Awards Commission, in partnership with the George Washington University Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration (TSPPPA) and the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA).
The Flemming induction ceremony will take place on Sunday, November 2, 2025, at the National Academy of Sciences Building in downtown Washington, D.C., as part of the National Academy of Public Administration’s Annual National Conference.
For more information about the Arthur S. Fleming Awards, click here.
October 13, 2025
On Friday, October 10, 2025, Attorney Moore Capito was sworn in as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia by the Honorable Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk in a private ceremony. President Donald J. Trump nominated Moore on June 30, 2025, and the United States Senate confirmed his nomination on October 7, 2025.
Prior to this appointment, Moore was a shareholder in Babst Calland’s Charleston, W.Va. office. Moore represented publicly traded and privately held clients in corporate mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures as well as business structuring, governance, commercial contracts, and real estate transactions. Moore also advised and counseled companies in navigating the complex legal landscape of emerging technologies, including data center development.
October 13, 2025
Attorney James Chen was inducted into the Case Western Reserve University – School of Law’s Society of Benchers. Established in 1962, each year the Society inducts new alumni members, as well as a faculty member and public member, on the basis of extraordinary achievement and dedication to the highest principles of the legal profession.
Jim is a shareholder in Babst Calland’s Washington, D.C. office and focuses his practice on emerging technologies, environmental, and transportation technology and energy. He is a 1991 graduate of Case Western Reserve University – School of Law.
September 8, 2025
Jordan N. Brown recently joined Babst Calland’s Washington, D.C. office as an associate in the Environmental Group.
Ms. Brown counsels clients in a broad range of environmental matters arising under federal and state environmental programs, with a primary focus on regulatory compliance and permitting. She regularly advises companies on day-to-day operational compliance and represents clients in enforcement defense actions brought by federal and state regulators. Ms. Brown also conducts environmental due diligence for corporate transactions to help clients identify and manage environmental risks.
Ms. Brown has experience with a wide array of environmental statutes, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, CERCLA, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, and related laws and regulations. She has advised on wetland permitting and Clean Water Act compliance, provided Clean Air Act counseling for the railroad industry, and defended enforcement actions under the Toxic Substances Control Act involving PFAS operations. She has worked on matters involving the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Justice, as well as various state environmental agencies.
Prior to joining Babst Calland, Ms. Brown was an associate with WilmerHale. She is a 2022 graduate of Duke University School of Law.
September 3, 2025
Babst Calland announced that Nicholas McDaniel has joined the firm as a shareholder in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office. With more than a decade of combined government and private practice experience, most recently as a senior enforcement attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, Environmental Enforcement Section, McDaniel will be a member of the firm’s Litigation, Environmental, and Energy and Natural Resources groups. He will counsel companies on environmental compliance, enforcement, and litigation challenges.
At Babst Calland, McDaniel will focus his practice on complex environmental and commercial litigation for clients in the energy, natural resources, and manufacturing sectors. His work will include enforcement defense, citizen suits, and disputes involving environmental contamination. He also brings significant experience navigating bankruptcy proceedings involving environmental claims and negotiating settlements with regulators and citizen groups.
During his tenure at DOJ, McDaniel led major federal enforcement actions and complex negotiations that resulted in landmark environmental settlements. Notably, he secured the largest-ever civil penalty under the Clean Air Act, and is a three-time recipient of the prestigious Assistant Attorney General’s Award for Excellence – first for litigating and settling a cost recovery action under the Oil Pollution Act related to the longest-running oil spill in U.S. history, then for securing CERCLA cost recovery and natural resource damages on behalf of the United States, and later for his record Clean Air Act settlement. He also received numerous other honors, including the 2024 Arthur S. Flemming Award for legal achievement and recognition from the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for exceptional service.
Earlier in his career, he litigated energy and rate-making cases before the Public Utilities Commission and in state courts with the Environmental Law & Policy Center.
“Nick is a highly skilled litigator with significant first-chair trial experience who has handled some of the toughest environmental enforcement cases in the country,” said Mark K. Dausch, shareholder in Babst Calland’s Litigation practice. “His government experience and proven ability to lead in the courtroom and deliver results in complex, high-stakes matters will be invaluable to our clients and a tremendous asset to our litigation team.”
“I am excited to join Babst Calland and to continue my practice alongside such a strong team of environmental and litigation attorneys,” said Nick McDaniel. “This firm has a well-earned reputation for excellence in environmental law and energy matters, and I look forward to helping clients address their most pressing challenges.”
“We are thrilled to welcome Nick to Babst Calland,” said Managing Shareholder Donald C. Bluedorn II. “His leadership role at DOJ in some of the most significant environmental enforcement cases in recent years, combined with his strong litigation background, brings exceptional perspective and capability to our clients as they navigate complex environmental challenges.”
McDaniel earned his J.D. cum laude from Harvard Law School in 2011 and his B.A. summa cum laude from Eastern Kentucky University in 2008. He is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and Massachusetts.
August 21, 2025
Babst Calland is pleased to announce that seven lawyers were selected as 2026 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 2026 Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year” include:
Joseph G. Bunn – Mining “Lawyer of the Year” in Charleston, W. Va.
Kevin J. Garber – Natural Resources “Lawyer of the Year” in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Jennifer J. Hicks – Energy “Lawyer of the Year” in Charleston, W. Va.
Robert Max Junker – Municipal “Lawyer of the Year” in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Jean M. Mosites – Environmental “Lawyer of the Year” in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Mychal S. Schulz – Litigation – ERISA “Lawyer of the Year” in Charleston, W. Va.
Steven B. Silverman – Information Technology “Lawyer of the Year” in Pittsburgh, Pa.
View the award recipients here.
In addition, 47 Babst Calland lawyers were selected for inclusion in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®, the most respected peer-reviewed publications in the legal profession:
- Chester R. Babst III – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
- Donald C. Bluedorn II – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental, Water Law
- Lisa Bruderly – Energy Law
- Joseph G. Bunn – Banking and Finance Law, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Commercial Transactions / UCC Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Mining Law, Securitization and Structured Finance Law
- A. A. Moore Capito – Corporate Law and Energy Law
- Matthew S. Casto – Commercial Litigation, Energy Law, Litigation – Environmental
- Frank J. Clements – Corporate Law
- Kathy K. Condo – Commercial Litigation, Energy Law
- James V. Corbelli – Commercial Litigation, Energy Law, Litigation – Environmental, Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)
- Casey A. Coyle – Administrative / Regulatory Law and Appellate Practice
- James Curry – Energy Law, Oil and Gas Law
- Mark K. Dausch – Commercial Litigation
- Julie R. Domike – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
- Kevin K. Douglass – Commercial Litigation, Energy Law, Natural Resources Law
- Christian A. Farmakis – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Real Estate Law
- Marc J. Felezzola – Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
- Kevin J. Garber – Energy Law, Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental, Natural Resources Law, and Water Law
- Alyssa Golfieri – Real Estate Law
- Steven M. Green – Energy Law
- Jennifer Hicks – Commercial Litigation, Energy Law, Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)
- Lindsay P. Howard – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
- Robert Max Junker – Land Use and Zoning Law, Municipal Law
- Justine Kasznica – Corporate Law
- Sean R. Keegan – Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Stephen L. Korbel – Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Blaine A. Lucas – Energy Law, Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, and Municipal Law
- Ramonda C. Marling – Oil and Gas Law
- John A. McCreary Jr. – Labor Law – Management
- Sean M. McGovern – Environmental Law
- Timothy M. Miller – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Energy Law, Litigation – Environmental, Oil and Gas Law
- Matthew Moses – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Jean M. Mosites – Energy Law, Environmental Law
- Christopher B. Power – Arbitration, Commercial Litigation, Energy Law, Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, Litigation – Municipal, Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy), Mining Law, Natural Resources Law, Oil and Gas Law
- Joseph K. Reinhart – Energy Law, Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental, Natural Resources Law
- Bruce F. Rudoy – Corporate Law
- Charles F.W. Saffer – Oil and Gas Law, Real Estate Law
- Marnie S. Schock – Corporate Law, Real Estate Law
- Mychal Sommer Schulz – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – ERISA, and Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Mark D. Shepard – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Environmental, Mediation
- Steven B. Silverman – Commercial Litigation, Information Technology Law
- Gary E. Steinbauer – Litigation – Environmental
- Laura Stone – Corporate Law
- Harlan S. Stone – Municipal Law
- Robert M. Stonestreet – Commercial Litigation, Energy Law, Environmental Law
- David E. White – Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
- Richard S. Wiedman – Energy Regulatory Law
- Michael H. Winek – Environmental Law
View the award recipients here.
Four Babst Calland lawyers were also named to the 2026 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America which recognizes associates and other lawyers who are earlier in their careers for their outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States:
- Andrew C. DeGory – Commercial Litigation
- Alexandra G. Farone – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Kristen L. Petrina – Corporate Law, Technology Law
- Christina M. Puhnaty – Environmental Law
View the award recipients here.
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.
August 6, 2025
Melanie S. Lampton recently joined law firm Babst Calland’s Washington, D.C. office as a shareholder in the Pipeline and HazMat Safety practice group.
Ms. Lampton comes to Babst Calland after nearly a decade of working on energy-related matters for the Federal government. She most recently worked as an attorney advisor in the Office of General Counsel at U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), where she provided counsel on legislative issues and rulemakings across the department.
Prior to this role, Ms. Lampton was an attorney advisor at the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). She advised the Office of Pipeline Safety on rulemakings, regulatory enforcement, litigation, and policy development. She served as counsel to PHMSA regional offices around the country, representing the agency at administrative hearings, as well as serving as an adjudicator for pipeline safety enforcement cases. Ms. Lampton was also PHMSA’s primary counsel on liquefied natural gas matters.
Ms. Lampton is a 2012 graduate of University of Maryland School of Law.
July 30, 2025
Babst Calland announced the lateral move of veteran attorney Priscilla (Polly) E. Hampton, who has joined the Firm as a Shareholder in its Environmental practice, and opened a new Babst Calland office in New York State.
Ms. Hampton’s practice focuses primarily on contaminated site cleanups, brownfield redevelopment, and environmental diligence and risk management in mergers and acquisitions. She counsels a range of businesses—from mining, manufacturing, and energy to real estate and project developers—on remediation, permitting, compliance, and enforcement matters under federal and state environmental laws.
Ms. Hampton has extensive experience with industrial operations throughout the country. She addresses the “dirty dirt” aspect of deals and projects, counseling on the identification, management, and cleanup of hazardous substances and allocation of related liability. She represents clients in defense of government enforcement and cleanup actions, and she has achieved favorable outcomes for clients facing potential natural resource damages liability. She also oversees internal environmental compliance audits both in the regular course of business and as part of transaction-related environmental due diligence, working with businesses to identify and correct potential deficiencies before and after closing.
A veteran and former U.S. Navy Surface Warfare Officer, Ms. Hampton helped found Women in Environment, an organization aimed at furthering professional development opportunities for women in the environmental field.
“I am excited to join Babst Calland, one of the nation’s premier law firms, with sophisticated and solutions-oriented representation in all areas of environmental law, including projects at the cutting edge of environmental and energy policy. I look forward to working with this well-regarded team of attorneys,” said Ms. Hampton.
Commenting on her lateral move to the firm, Babst Calland Managing Shareholder Donald C. Bluedorn II said, “We are very pleased to welcome Polly as part of our senior-level legal counseling team to serve the needs of existing and new clients across the country. Polly is a well-respected environmental lawyer with a great reputation among local, state, and federal regulatory agencies. She is a natural fit for us as she shares our values, philosophy, and experience in serving a nationwide clientele across a wide range of industries.”
July 18, 2025
Andy DeGory has been selected for The Institute for Energy Law (IEL) 2025-26 Leadership Class.
The Institute for Energy Law (IEL) is proud to announce its 8th Leadership Class, composed of 43 rising professionals selected for the 2025–26 program. This year’s class represents a diverse group of attorneys from eight U.S. states, Washington, D.C., Mexico, and the United Kingdom, with experience ranging from three to thirteen years in the energy industry. Class members bring a broad range of expertise, including oil and gas litigation and transactions, energy transition, land and title, midstream, upstream, natural gas, hydrogen, and more. The class also includes several engineers and a forensic accountant, enriching the group with varied technical and analytical perspectives. In addition to their professional accomplishments, members of the 2025–26 class are actively engaged in their communities.
July 9, 2025
Babst Calland announces that five practice areas and 13 attorneys are recognized in the 2025 Chambers USA Guide.
Chambers rankings are a definitive mark of excellence across the legal industry for law firms and legal professionals. A ranking from Chambers shows that the firm has stood out in the most rigorous, independent and in-depth research process and has emerged as one of the best in the field. The qualities on which rankings are assessed include: technical legal ability; professional conduct; client service; commercial astuteness; diligence; commitment; and other qualities most valued by the client.
Firm Rankings:
Pennsylvania
- Construction (Band 3)
- Environment (Band 1)
Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh & Surrounds
- Litigation: General Commercial (Band 3)
West Virginia
- Energy & Natural Resources (Band 2)
- Environment (Band 2)
Lawyer Rankings:
USA – Nationwide – Energy: PHMSA Specialists
Pennsylvania – Environment
Pennsylvania – Construction
Pennsylvania – Litigation: Mediators
District of Columbia – Environment
West Virginia – Environment
West Virginia – Litigation: General Commercial
West Virginia – Energy & Natural Resources
June 16, 2025
Litigation Attorney Austin Rogers was named 2025 Young Lawyer of the Year by the Defense Trial Counsel of West Virginia at its Annual Meeting. This award is given to a member of the DTCWV who has practiced five years or less (or is under the age of 36) and has, by his or her ethical, personal, and professional conduct, shown exemplary achievement in the legal profession, and/or who has contributed time and expertise to the DTCWV.
June 9, 2025
On June 4th, Babst Calland and its long-time client, ALCOSAN, met for a tour of ALCOSAN’s facilities and a luncheon get-together to thank the many ALCOSAN personnel who work with us so often.
Overall, 30 ALCOSAN representatives and 20 Firm attorneys participated. It was a great day for everyone involved!