Mark Shepard was awarded the ACBA’s Civil Litigation Section Professionalism Award. Mark was presented the prestigious Award by Chief District Judge Mark Hornak during the Section’s 32nd Annual Lunch with the Judges.
Mark joins a long line of distinguished lawyers who have been presented the Award. The Professionalism Award is given annually to a distinguished member of the profession who has been active in the Bar Association and has exhibited the intangible, but recognizable, qualities of professionalism. The Award reflects an individual’s entire career, accomplishments, and contributions not only to the practice of law, but to the community as a whole.
Attorney Janet Meub has been selected as the recipient of the Neighborhood Legal Services Association Partner in Justice Award for her essential and noble legal work for Pittsburgh communities and her leadership in involving Babst Calland attorneys to volunteer in representing victims of domestic violence.
Babst Calland supports Neighborhood Legal Services in their commitment to provide equal access to justice for all residents in the region. Neighborhood Legal Services Association offers civil legal services to low-income individuals and families who are unable to afford a private attorney. The types of services include full legal representation, advice, assistance in self-representation or brief service/limited legal assistance.
Last week, the Trump-Vance administration announced additional key members of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s leadership team. Among these presidential appointees is former Babst Calland Attorney Keith Coyle, who will serve as the Chief Counsel of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
Prior to this appointment, Keith was a member of Babst Calland’s Washington, D.C. office and a shareholder in the Pipeline and HazMat Safety group. Mr. Coyle advised clients throughout the United States on pipeline safety matters before PHMSA and state commissions and in appellate litigation before the U.S Courts of Appeal.
Babst Calland has been recognized in the 2025 edition of Best Law Firms®, ranked by Best Lawyers®, nationally in 8 practice areas and regionally in 38 practice areas:
- National Tier 2
- Environmental Law
- Land Use and Zoning Law
- Litigation – Construction
- Litigation – Environmental
- National Tier 3
- Energy Law
- Mining Law
- Natural Resources Law
- Oil and Gas Law
- Regional Tier 1
- Pittsburgh
- Bet-the-Company Litigation
- Commercial Litigation
- Construction Law
- Corporate Law
- Energy Law
- Environmental Law
- Land Use and Zoning Law
- Litigation – Construction
- Litigation – Environmental
- Litigation – Land Use and Zoning
- 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
- Labor Law – Management
- 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
- Oil and Gas Law
- Regional Tier 3
- Pittsburgh
- Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Charleston-WV
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Bet-the-Company Litigation
- Litigation – ERISA
- Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Real Estate Law
Firms included in the 2025 Best Law Firms® list are recognized for professional excellence with 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 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®.
Achieving a ranking in Best Law Firms signifies high-quality legal practice and a depth of legal proficiency. Recognized firms, categorized into three tiers, receive acclaim on both national and metropolitan levels, reflecting the extent of their practice and geographic reach. Receiving a tier designation represents an elite status, reflecting the integrity and reputation earned by law firms.
Receiving a tier designation represents an elite status, integrity and reputation that law firms earn among other leading firms and lawyers. The 2025 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 the Best Law Firms® profile.
Latest Developments In Policies, Laws and Regulations Shaping the Future of Business and Industry
On October 16, 2024, Babst Calland hosted its inaugural Client CLE Day at Acrisure Stadium. This full-day continuing legal education (CLE) program addressed the latest developments in policies, laws, and regulations shaping the future of business and industry. Topics included challenges facing in-house counsel, climate change litigation, the politics of energy law, ethical considerations for internal investigations, the end of the modern administrative state, and much more. In addition to offering high-quality CLE programming, the event featured tours of Acrisure Stadium and a tailgate-themed networking reception.
Below are the topics discussed in the various sessions throughout the day representing the legal and regulatory perspectives of Babst Calland attorneys across a wide spectrum of legal practice areas:
- Appalachia Appeal: Pennsylvania and West Virginia Appellate Roundup
This CLE presented by attorneys Casey Coyle, Michael Libuser, and Robert Stonestreet provided a survey of important, headline-grabbing Pennsylvania and West Virginia civil appellate cases decided within the last two years or currently pending before an appellate court in either state. The topics of the appeals included nuclear verdicts, jurisdiction, venue, forum non conveniens, arbitration, environmental law, liability, royalty, and damages.
- Proactive Strategies to Prevent and Handle High-Stakes Environmental Litigation
This experienced panel, comprised of Babst Calland corporate attorney Ben Clapp, consultant Kurt Herman of Gradient, and Babst Calland litigators Jim Corbelli and Christina McKinley discussed the various considerations that inform environmental litigation concerns, from their inception (e.g., contractual negotiations and drafting) to their conclusion (e.g., through trial and appeals). The panel also discussed the implications of, and strategic calls presented by different fora, whether federal court or state tribunals. The discussion examined common and unique pitfalls in the process, as well as hypothetical scenarios.
- The Politics of Energy
A panel discussion about how upcoming elections on the national and local level may impact energy policy and development. The panel was moderated by Tim Miller, co-chair of Babst Calland’s Energy Litigation team, with analysis and commentary by Jim Curry, Managing Shareholder of the Washington, D.C. office of Babst Calland, and A. Moore Capito, recent candidate for Governor of West Virginia and former member of the West Virginia legislature.
- Breaking Down SCOTUS’ Recent Administrative Law Decisions: How (Loper) Bright Is the Future for Regulated Entities?
The final days of the Supreme Court’s October 2023 Term saw the issuance of major administrative law decisions that have the potential to reshape how the public and regulated entities interact with the federal government. Panelists Kevin Garber, Keith Coyle, and Stefanie Mekilo provided a comprehensive overview of that trio of decisions—Loper Bright v. Raimondo; Corner Post v. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; and SEC v. Jarkesy—and explored the new opportunities they could bring for regulated entities with robust discussion of what these decisions did (and did not) say, as well as what they mean for agency authority, adjudications, and enforcement actions moving forward.
- Key Developments in U.S. Climate Change-Related Litigation, Regulation, and Legislation
Panelists Gary Steinbauer, Varun Shekhar, and Gina Falaschi Buchman covered key recent developments in climate change law in the United States. In addition to a discussion of pending and recently decided state and federal cases, the panel discussed newly enacted and proposed climate-change legislation, proposed and promulgated regulations, rule challenges, and climate-related financial disclosure laws and regulations.
- Legal Ethics in the Age of AI: What In-House Counsel Need to Know
This session explored the intersection of legal ethics and artificial intelligence (AI) and the evolving landscape of AI and its implications for legal professionals. Panelists Chris Farmakis, Susanna Bagdasarova, and Justine Kasznica discussed the ethical challenges and opportunities facing both in-house and outside counsel when leveraging AI tools. Attendees gained practical insights into developing internal AI use policies and best practices and understanding and addressing key risks associated with AI implementation by employees and third-party vendors, including bias, intellectual property, data privacy, and cybersecurity.
- Inside the Investigation: Ethical Challenges in Internal Inquiries
“Inside the Investigation: Ethical Challenges in Internal Inquiries” was a panel discussion that delves into the nuts and bolts of internal corporate investigations, offering a behind-the-scenes look at how these inquiries are conducted from start to finish. Panelists Steve Antonelli, Erin Hamilton, and Carla Castello broke down key phases such as planning, evidence collection, interviewing, and reporting, providing practical insights and exploring common pitfalls, best practices, and strategies for navigating confidentiality, conflicts of interest, and privilege issues while adhering to professional conduct standards. This session aimed to equip legal professionals with the knowledge to effectively navigate the complexities of internal inquiries with confidence and precision.
- Challenges Facing In-House Counsel
In-house legal counsel have a unique role as both lawyers and business partners with their internal clients. As a result, they must often act as both legal and business advisors in navigating the challenges faced by their businesses; often at the same time and while justifying their status as cost centers versus capital creators. This panel, led by Babst Calland’s Jim Chen, formerly VP of Public Policy and Chief Regulatory Counsel of Rivian, with panelist Sara Antol, Babst Calland corporate and commercial attorney and former General Counsel of Tollgrade Communications, and special guests Jim Miller, COO and General Counsel of Mongiovi & Son and Jessica Sharrow Thompson, Senior Counsel EHS & Sustainability of PPG, examined the unique role of in-house counsel, the challenges they face and some of the ways panelists have creatively stood up to those challenges in creating value for their companies and themselves.
As developments in policies, laws, and regulations shape the future of businesses and industries, Babst Calland’s multidisciplinary team of attorneys continues to stay abreast of the many legal and regulatory challenges. For questions about any of the topics discussed, please contact the attorneys listed above. For more information about Babst Calland and our practices, locations and attorneys, visit babstcalland.com.
The PLDIC’s Corporate Roundtable will present a free virtual CLE, “Remote Work/Return to Work and DEI Implications,” sponsored by Babst Calland on Friday, October 18 from 12-1:30 p.m. PLDIC Board member Don Bluedorn joins a panel discussion to discuss the webinar’s presentation about current research and data on this topic. The event will offer 1.5 hours in PA CLE Credit.
For more information, click here.
Babst Calland is pleased to announce that two lawyers were selected as 2025 Best Lawyers in America® “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 2025 Best Lawyers in America® “Lawyer of the Year” include:
Blaine A. Lucas, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning “Lawyer of the Year” in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Timothy M. Miller, Litigation – Environmental “Lawyer of the Year” in Charleston, W. Va.
View the award recipients here.
In addition, 40 Babst Calland lawyers were selected for inclusion in the 2025 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 – Environmental 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
- Dean A. Calland – Environmental Law
- Matthew S. Casto – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Environmental
- Frank J. Clements – Corporate Law
- Kathy K. Condo – Commercial Litigation, Energy Law
- James V. Corbelli – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Environmental
- James Curry – Energy Law, Oil and Gas Law
- Mark K. Dausch – Commercial Litigation
- Julie R. Domike – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
- Kevin K. Douglass – Natural Resources Law
- Christian A. Farmakis – Corporate Law and Real Estate Law
- Kevin J. Garber – Energy Law, Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental, Natural Resources Law, and Water Law
- Steven M. Green – Energy Law
- Jennifer Hicks – Commercial Litigation and Energy Law
- Lindsay P. Howard – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
- Robert Max Junker – Land Use and Zoning Law, Municipal Law
- Justine Kasznica – Corporate Law
- 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
- John A. McCreary Jr. – Labor Law – Management
- Sean M. McGovern – Environmental Law
- Christina Manfredi McKinley – Commercial Litigation
- Timothy M. Miller – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Energy Law, Litigation – Environmental, Oil and Gas Law
- Matthew Moses – 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 – Real Estate Law
- Mychal Sommer Schulz – Litigation – ERISA
- Mark D. Shepard – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Environmental, Mediation
- Steven B. Silverman – Commercial Litigation, Information Technology Law
- Laura Stone – Corporate Law
- Robert M. Stonestreet – Commercial Litigation, Energy Law, Environmental Law
- David E. White – Construction Law, Litigation – Construction
- Richard S. Wiedman – Energy Regulatory Law, Environmental Law
- Michael H. Winek – Environmental Law
View the award recipients here.
17 Babst Calland lawyers were also named to the 2025 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:
- Susanna Bagdasarova – Corporate Law
- Mary H. Binker – Corporate Law, Energy Law, Real Estate Law
- Gina Falaschi Buchman – Environmental Law
- Carla M. Castello – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Labor and Employment, and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
- Andrew C. DeGory – Commercial Litigation
- Alexandra G. Farone – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Marc J. Felezzola – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Construction
- Michael E. Fink – Corporate Governance and Compliance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Alyssa Golfieri – Land Use and Zoning Law, Municipal Law
- Sean R. Keegan – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Jennifer L. Malik – Land Use and Zoning Law, Municipal Law
- James D. Mazzocco – Construction Law, Litigation – Environmental, Transportation Law
- Daniel R. Richey – Corporate Governance and Compliance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law
- Joseph V. Schaeffer – Commercial Litigation
- Varun Shekhar – Environmental Law
- Joshua S. Snyder – Commercial Litigation, Energy Law
- Eric Spada – Commercial Litigation
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.
Babst Calland participated in the Cook County Bar Association (CCBA) Minority Law Student Job Fair in Chicago on July 23, 2024. The CCBA Job Fair attracts hundreds of law students with the of goal of connecting talented minority candidates with legal employers that value diversity. Babst Calland was represented at the CCBA Job Fair by Varun Shekhar, shareholder in the Firm’s Environmental and Pipeline Safety sections.
Morgan M. Madden recently joined Babst Calland as an associate in the Energy and Natural Resources, Public Sector and Employment and Labor groups. Ms. Madden represents traditional and renewable energy industry clients in land use and other local regulatory matters. She also has served as a solicitor for several Pennsylvania municipalities and municipal authorities. Ms. Madden provides a wide range of services to clients in both the public and private sectors, with an emphasis on land use, zoning, planning, labor and employment advice, and litigation.
Prior to joining Babst Calland, Ms. Madden served as an associate with Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC. She is a 2017 graduate of Widener University Delaware Law School.
Babst Calland Attorney Christina Manfredi McKinley was recently elected to the Pittsburgh Board of Trustees of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Eastern Great Lakes Region. She will serve a three-year term beginning July 1, 2024.
“I’m honored to serve on the Pittsburgh Board of Trustees and am thrilled to be a part of the team. I look forward to supporting LLS in its mission to find cures and ensure patients can access the lifesaving treatments they need,” said Ms. McKinley.
According to Tina Thompson, Region Executive Director for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society – Eastern Great Lakes Region, “Volunteer leaders like Christina help LLS advance our mission and change the landscape for all cancer patients and are a crucial link in our efforts to cure blood cancers and improve the quality of life of our patients and their families.”
Babst Calland is pleased to announce that the following attorneys were selected to the 2024 Super Lawyers’ Rising Stars® lists, published by Thomson Reuters. Only 2.5% of attorneys from each state are selected to receive the Rising Stars® designation for any given year, an honor reserved for those attorneys who exhibit excellence in practice. To be eligible for inclusion in the Rising Stars® list, a candidate must be either 40 years old or younger or in practice for 10 years or less. The multi-factor selection process includes independent research, peer nominations and evaluations, as well as professional achievement in legal practice.
Pennsylvania Rising Stars®
Kathleen H. Cooper – Shareholder, Mergers & Acquisitions
Casey Alan Coyle – Shareholder, Business Litigation
Andrew C. DeGory – Associate, Business Litigation
Alexandra G. Farone – Associate, Employment & Labor
Anna S. Jewart – Associate, Land Use & Zoning
James D. Mazzocco – Associate, Environmental Litigation
Christina Manfredi McKinley – Shareholder, Business Litigation
Joshua S. Snyder – Shareholder, Civil Litigation
Washington, D.C. Rising Stars®
Amanda L. Brosy – Associate, Environmental
Gina Falaschi Buchman – Shareholder, Environmental
Babst Calland recently named Gina Falaschi Buchman, Timothy S. Bytner and Carla M. Castello shareholders in the Firm.
Gina Falaschi Buchman focuses her practice on environmental regulatory matters arising under the Clean Air Act. Ms. Buchman provides advice to clients in the energy, transportation, and technology sectors regarding compliance with state and federal environmental regulations. She has assisted companies with disclosure of regulatory violations to state and federal agencies and has counseled clients in negotiations with the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. EPA, and California Air Resources Board. In addition to counseling on compliance issues, Ms. Buchman has worked with technology and energy companies in developing new projects and has advised clients on regulatory issues arising from joint ventures, mergers, and acquisitions. She has also advised clients regarding aftermarket parts and vehicle tampering enforcement. Ms. Buchman has litigated cases in federal court, represented clients in administrative cases before various federal agencies, and has experience with administrative rule challenges before the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and Third Circuit. Ms. Buchman is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia, California, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. Ms. Buchman has litigated cases in federal court, represented clients in administrative cases before various federal agencies, and has experience with administrative rule challenges before the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and Third Circuit. Ms. Buchman earned her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and her A.B. from Georgetown University.
Timothy Bytner focuses his practice primarily on federal and state environmental regulation and litigation. A significant portion of his practice is spent advising clients on matters involving the remediation and reuse of contaminated properties under both state and federal jurisdiction, including counseling clients on Pennsylvania’s Act 2 Land Recycling and Environmental Remediation Standards Act. He has counseled clients on a variety of matters involving storage tank jurisdictional issues and compliance under Pennsylvania’s Storage Tank Program. Mr. Bytner has also counseled clients in environmental compliance issues involving the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, RCRA, EPCRA, CERCLA, and a wide variety of state regulatory issues. He regularly handles wetlands, stream encroachment, and stormwater issues associated with site development. In addition, Mr. Bytner has experience in matters involving environmental emergency response and the Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Rule, the Facility Response Rule, and various state planning requirements. Mr. Bytner is a member of the Allegheny County, Pennsylvania and American Bar associations. Mr. Bytner received his J.D. from the Duquesne University School of Law, and a B.S. in Biology from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown.
Carla Castello has a broad range of litigation experience in several practice areas including commercial, labor and employment, consumer protection, antitrust, energy, and toxic tort. Her experience includes assisting corporate clients in defending a variety of matters, including environmental and toxic tort disputes, commercial contract disputes regarding the manufacture, design, installation and testing of large industrial equipment, and conflicts between shareholders in closely-held businesses. Ms. Castello has experience in all stages of litigation, including complex commercial and class action litigation involving extensive electronic and foreign language discovery. She has represented clients in various federal and state courts and before single and three-judge arbitration panels. Ms. Castello is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia and Virginia, as well as before the United States District Courts for the Eastern District of Virginia, the Western District of Virginia, and the Western District of Pennsylvania and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. She is a member of the Allegheny County, Virginia, District of Columbia, and American Bar associations. Ms. Castello graduated from the University of Maryland with a B.A. in Economics and received her J.D. from the George Washington University Law School.
Charles F. (Chad) Wall IV recently joined Babst Calland as an associate in the Corporate and Commercial Group. Mr. Wall’s practice focuses primarily on corporate and transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, venture capital and private equity investments, corporate governance, and commercial contracts.
Prior to joining Babst Calland, Mr. Wall was an associate with Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. He is a 2021 graduate of University of Virginia School of Law.
Babst Calland sponsored the Pittsburgh Smart 50 Awards event recognizing the top executives of the smartest companies in the Greater Pittsburgh region for their ability to effectively build and lead successful organizations.
Babst Calland Attorney Susanna Bagdasarova introduced a group of the Smart 50 honorees and the Sustainability award.
Babst Calland Attorney Justine Kasznica was a Smart 50 honoree and won the Impact award for the Keystone Space Collaborative.
Babst Calland Attorney Tiffany Arbaugh has been elected as President for the Women’s Energy Network West Virginia for 2024.