Anna Jewart has been named among Pittsburgh Business Times 20 People to Know in Law. 20 People to Know connects the Pittsburgh business community with influential businesspeople working in key industries. These listings are not meant to be comprehensive or a ranking, but rather an introduction to some of the behind-the-scenes players, key leaders and up-and-comers.
The 20 People to Know in Law is slated to publish on June 19 and will include Q&As with 20 professionals who work at law firms in the Pittsburgh region.
James D. Miller recently rejoined Babst Calland’s Pittsburgh, Pa., office as a shareholder. His practice focuses on commercial litigation, energy and environmental disputes, construction law, and business counseling for companies involved in complex projects, regulated operations, and high-value commercial relationships.
Mr. Miller represents clients in state and federal courts, private arbitrations, and dispute-resolution proceedings across Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and other jurisdictions. He handles complex matters involving energy and mineral rights disputes, environmental citizen-suit litigation, construction claims, commercial contract disputes, shareholder and fiduciary duty matters, restrictive covenants, trade secret misappropriation, civil RICO, fraud, corporate veil-piercing, fraudulent transfers, bid protests, labor and employment claims, civil recoveries arising from white-collar crimes, recovery efforts against insolvent entities and their principals, and other complex business torts.
He also advises businesses on managing disputes and legal risks associated with complex projects, regulated operations, and commercial relationships. Mr. Miller represents energy companies, industrial clients, contractors, developers, closely held businesses, and service providers in matters involving project development, contract performance, operational impacts, payment obligations, property rights, environmental claims, regulatory issues, and risk allocation and insurance coverage. Drawing on both litigation experience and in-house executive experience, he helps clients evaluate risk, preserve claims and defenses, resolve disputes efficiently where possible, and litigate aggressively when necessary.
“I’m excited to return to Babst Calland because it is the right professional home for the next phase of my practice,” said Mr. Miller. “I know the firm, its lawyers, and its client-focused culture well, and I have great respect for the way Babst Calland serves its clients. The opportunity to rejoin a robust team with deep litigation, energy, environmental, and construction experience—while bringing back the practical business perspective I gained as COO and General Counsel—made this an easy decision.”
Before rejoining Babst Calland, Mr. Miller served as Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel for a privately held group of construction-services companies based in Pittsburgh. In that role, he was involved in managing the companies’ day-to-day operations and legal affairs, including risk management, labor relations, insurance coverage issues, employment matters, contract negotiation and administration, project disputes, and claims management.
“We are very pleased to welcome Jim back,” said Donald C. Bluedorn II, the firm’s managing shareholder. “Jim is an exceptionally talented litigator and trusted counselor whose experience in complex commercial disputes, energy and environmental matters, and construction litigation further strengthens our litigation practice. His in-house executive experience also gives him a practical business perspective that clients value greatly.”
Mr. Miller earned his J.D. from Duquesne University School of Law in 2008.
BTI Consulting Group’s BTI Associate Satisfaction A-Listers 2026: BTI Survey of Law Firms Where Associates are Happiest report recognizes law firms that outperform peers based on direct associate feedback across factors tied to retention, engagement and long‑term career satisfaction. This first and only report of its kind, Associate Satisfaction A‑Listers is based on a large-scale independent survey with more than 5,000 responses of associates at Am Law 200, global, mid-size, and smaller law firms. The report shows exactly what drives associate satisfaction – and which firms deliver on it best.
According to the report, the surveyed associates identified Babst Calland as an Associate Satisfaction Leader across the activities and factors that drive associate job satisfaction. Women associates ranked the Firm as Distinguished in those same areas, an important distinction, as BTI found women associates report job satisfaction levels that are 17% lower than those of their male counterparts across the legal industry.
Recognized among only 189 law firms in the country, Babst Calland ranked in the two top levels, Associate Satisfaction Leader and Distinguished Law Firm, where associates reported the highest levels of career development support, mentoring, training, growth opportunities, and overall job satisfaction. Babst Calland also ranked among the top 138 firms with the most satisfaction among women associates.
Among the seven factors most valued by associates, these are the BTI Associate Satisfaction A-Listers 2026 survey categories in which Babst Calland was ranked:
Associate Satisfaction Leader
- top 5% of firms Best at Helping Women Associates in Their Careers
- top 6% of firms With Partners Invested in Individual Women Associates’ Success
- top 10% of firms Best at Helping Associates in their Careers
- top 12% of firms With Partners Invested in Individual Associates’ Success
Distinguished Law Firm
- top 14% of firms With Highest Number of Extremely Satisfied Women Associates
- top 15% of firms Best at Mentoring Women Associates
- top 15% of firms Best Opportunity for Women Associates to Grow Within Their Firm
- top 16% of firms Best at Access to Training for Women Associates
- top 20% of firms With Highest Number of Extremely Satisfied Associates
- top 22% of firms Best at Mentoring Associates
- top 22% of firms Best Opportunity to Grow Within Their Firm
- top 23% of firms Offering the Best Access to Training
“We’re extremely proud of our associates at Babst Calland and value their contributions,” said Managing Shareholder Donald C. Bluedorn II. “Ensuring a satisfying work environment is a priority for us, and our associates have been integral in achieving that. For example, through their involvement in our Associates Committee and our Women’s Initiative, our associates have provided invaluable insights in improving our ability to support them professionally and personally. I am so grateful for them and for our shareholders who make such an impact as mentors and are committed to ensuring our associates realize their full potential.”
For more information about the report, visit BTI Associate Satisfaction A-Listers 2026 – The BTI Consulting Group.
Attorneys Don Bluedorn and Ethan Johnson presented “The AI Playbook – Strategizing Artificial Intelligence in Legal Practice” at the Western Pennsylvania Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel’s (ACC) Draft-ing Day.
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the legal profession, much like how NFL teams draft, strategize, and execute on the field. This CLE program provided attorneys and in-house counsel with an “AI playbook” designed to help understand, implement, and manage artificial intelligence technologies while maintaining compliance, ethical integrity, and risk mitigation.
Don and Ethan discussed GenAI products for use in the legal practice, focusing on available products, how the products can be most effectively used in the legal practice, and best practices to avoid GenAI-related pitfalls (both for lawyers using GenAI and for lawyers supervising others who are using GenAI).
Theresa Davis recently joined Babst Calland’s Harrisburg, Pa. office as an associate in the Employment and Labor and Public Sector groups. Ms. Davis represents public and private employers in a wide range of labor and employment matters. Her practice includes all aspects of state and federal litigation involving employment claims, as well as advising clients on day-to-day workplace issues and compliance strategies. She also represents municipal clients on a wide range of matters.
Ms. Davis has experience handling employment litigation matters from inception through resolution, including drafting pleadings, discovery requests and responses, dispositive motions, and position statements. Her litigation experience includes representing clients in employment discrimination claims, grievance arbitrations, unfair labor practice matters, unemployment compensation hearings, and civil service proceedings.
In addition, Ms. Davis regularly provides counsel to employers on a variety of workplace issues, including employee discipline, internal investigations, terminations, and contract negotiations. She reviews and drafts employment-related documents such as employee handbooks and contracts as well as separation and settlement agreements to ensure compliance with applicable laws and best practices.
Ms. Davis also has experience representing and advocating on behalf of municipal clients, including assisting with responses to, and subsequent appeals of, Right-to-Know Law requests, advising on zoning and land use matters, and drafting ordinances and easements. She brings prior experience in regulatory compliance from her time with the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, where she worked on legislative and regulatory initiatives impacting the student loan industry.
Prior to joining the Firm, Ms. Davis was an associate with Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC. She is a 2022 graduate of Widener University Commonwealth Law School.
Kate W. Millikan recently joined Babst Calland’s Harrisburg, Pa. office as senior counsel in the Corporate and Commercial Group. She focuses her practice on complex real estate transactions and development matters, including advising clients on the sale, acquisition, financing, and development or redevelopment of multi-unit residential, commercial, industrial, and mixed-use projects.
Ms. Millikan represents national and regional developers, builders, investors, and lenders in guiding diverse, large-scale, multi-faceted real estate development from start to finish. She provides strategic guidance on financing, land use, zoning, and regulatory approvals, and has extensive experience navigating municipal processes, including securing Special Exceptions, Conditional Uses, and Variances. She regularly appears before municipal boards and commissions and works closely with local officials, solicitors, engineers, and other stakeholders to advance project approvals and resolve development-related issues.
Ms. Millikan has significant experience with Pennsylvania’s Municipalities Planning Code (MPC) and Subdivision and Land Development Ordinances (SALDO), including zoning analysis, ordinance amendments, and compliance strategies. She is also highly experienced in the statutory frameworks governing common interest communities, including the Pennsylvania Uniform Condominium Act and Uniform Planned Community Act.
In addition, she counsels clients on risk mitigation, complex title analysis, and due diligence matters and on complex real estate acquisitions, dispositions, financing, mergers, reorganizations, leasing, and development projects.
Before joining the Firm, Ms. Millikan was with McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC and Troutman Pepper Locke. She is a 2015 graduate of The Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law.
Congratulations to Ryan McCann on his selection as the Distinguished Bankruptcy Law Student for the Third Circuit for 2026 by the American College of Bankruptcy.
The American College of Bankruptcy established the Distinguished Law Student program to identify and promote prospective leaders in the insolvency and bankruptcy profession. The criteria for the selection of the distinguished law student include academic excellence, professional accomplishments, commitment to public service, and extraordinary law school experience and familiarity with insolvency law.
Nominated by Judge Jeffery A. Deller of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Western District of Pennsylvania and Professor Richard Gaffney at the Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University, this award demonstrates Ryan’s extraordinary accomplishments, as well as hard work and strength of character.
Ryan is an associate in the Litigation practice at Babst Calland and represents clients in a variety of litigation practice areas, including breach of contract claims, construction disputes, and various environmental matters. Ryan earned his Juris Doctor from the Duquesne University School of Law in 2025, graduating cum laude. During his time at Duquesne, he served as a Junior Staff Member on the Energy and Environmental Law Journal and gained valuable judicial experience through externships with Judge Michael J. Lucas of the Washington County Court of Common Pleas, Judge Jeffery A. Deller of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, and Judge David S. Cercone of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. His most significant achievement in law school came through his participation in the Federal Litigation Clinic, where he argued before the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He also received several awards during law school, including CALI Excellence for the Future Awards in Criminal Law and International Law, the Bankruptcy Judges Memorial Award, the American Bankruptcy Law Journal Prize, and the Outstanding Oral Argument Recognition.
Award recipients will be recognized on March 19, 2026 at the American College of Bankruptcy annual meeting, attended by many leaders of the bankruptcy bar, distinguished jurists, andinsolvency academics from around the world.
For more information about the Distinguished Bankruptcy Law and Business Student program established by the American College of Bankruptcy, click here.
Betsy Dupuis has been chosen as an honoree for the 2026 Pennsylvania Business Central Top 100 People.
The dynamic economic and social fabric of central Pennsylvania is powered by its people. Behind every business, institution, and service are individuals whose vision, determination, and leadership drive progress. These are the people who think bigger, go further, and elevate those around them. Their impact reaches beyond workplaces into communities and everyday lives, reminding us how much one person can truly make a difference.
With the help of community leaders, chambers of commerce, and readers, there was a wide range of nominations reflecting the diversity and strength of the region. This year’s honorees span all levels of leadership — from small business owners to corporate CEOs — each united by hard work, bold thinking, and a commitment to excellence.
Click here, to view the announcement.
Meghan S. Mesojedec recently joined Babst Calland’s Pittsburgh, Pa. office as an associate in the Corporate and Commercial Group. Ms. Mesojedec focuses primarily on corporate, real estate and transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, commercial contracts, and the acquisition, disposition, and leasing of various asset types.
Prior to joining the Firm, Ms. Mesojedec was an associate with Metz Lewis Brodman Must O’Keefe LLC. She is a 2023 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.
Babst Calland recently named Tiffany M. Arbaugh, Alexandra G. Farone and Stefanie Pitcavage Mekilo shareholders.
Tiffany Arbaugh practices in the Firm’s Charleston, W.Va. office and is a member of the Energy and Natural Resources and Litigation groups. Tiffany focuses her practice on representing corporations in a variety of litigation matters with an emphasis in energy-related litigation, including mineral title, real estate, trespass, fraud, title curative, personal injury and toxic torts. She regularly represents clients in will and trust contests, beneficiary disputes and fiduciary litigation. Tiffany’s practice also includes corporate transactions and advising clients in customary business operations, litigation avoidance strategies and litigation preparedness. She is a 2005 graduate of Appalachian School of Law.
Alexandra Farone practices in the Firm’s Pittsburgh, Pa. office and is a member of the Employment and Labor, Litigation, and Emerging Technologies groups. Alex has extensive experience advising and representing corporate, technology, municipal, and energy clients in employment and labor law and complex commercial litigation. Her practice includes comprehensive human resources counseling and litigation for employers ranging from Fortune 500 companies and startups to municipalities, police departments, family-owned businesses, healthcare providers, financial services and technology companies. She advises on restrictive covenants, discrimination and harassment, disability accommodation, grievances, personnel best practices, contract negotiations, wage and hour issues, and collective bargaining, and litigates matters involving complex commercial disputes, trade secrets, employment discrimination, restrictive covenants, product liability, and toxic torts. Alex also has additional experience litigating matters concerning technology, insurance, construction, class actions, maritime, environmental, and oil and gas law. She is a 2017 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.
Stefanie Pitcavage Mekilo practices in the Firm’s Harrisburg, Pa. office. Stefanie is a civil litigator who draws on more than a decade of trial-court experience in the federal judiciary to guide clients through all aspects of the litigation process. She focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation, environmental litigation, and energy litigation, regularly representing businesses in high-stakes disputes in state and federal courts throughout the country. Stefanie also represents clients before state and federal agencies and in proceedings seeking judicial review of agency action in state and federal courts. In addition, she has extensive experience with disputes involving breach of restrictive covenants; breach of fiduciary duties, tortious interference, and related business tort claims; employment discrimination; civil and constitutional rights; and emergency injunction litigation, as well as in the areas of antitrust, securities, trademark infringement, product liability, class action, and multidistrict litigation. Stefanie is a 2011 graduate of Widener University Commonwealth Law School.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.