Category: Firm

Babst Calland Ranks Among the Law360 400

Babst Calland has been ranked in the top 400 among the largest U.S. Law Firms. The Law360 400 features the largest U.S.-based law firms and international firms with a U.S. component as measured by domestic attorney headcount.

Attorney Casey Coyle Designated as Next Chair of the Supreme Court’s Civil Procedural Rules Committee

Yesterday, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court designated Casey Coyle as the next Chair of the Supreme Court’s Civil Procedural Rules Committee, effective July 1, 2024. Established in 1937, the Civil Procedural Rules Committee is the oldest of the Supreme Court’s eight rules committees. The Civil Procedural Committee assists the Supreme Court in the preparation, revision, publication, and administration of the rules of civil procedure. This work includes the entire spectrum of civil matters in the Courts of Common Pleas except matters relating to Orphans’ Court and family court divisions of those courts.  Casey—who is one of 13 members who currently serve on the Committee—concentrates his practice on complex commercial litigation and appellate law. He is a former law clerk to Chief Justice Emeritus Thomas G. Saylor of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

To view the Court’s Order, click here.

Attorney Daniel Richey Joins Babst Calland as a Shareholder

Daniel R. Richey recently joined Babst Calland as a shareholder in the Corporate and Commercial and Emerging Technologies groups. Mr. Richey provides counsel across multiple industries, focusing on private equity, emerging technology, software, energy, fintech, life sciences, telecommunications and entertainment.

Mr. Richey represents investor groups, family offices, private equity and venture funds, independent sponsors and operating companies in a variety of complex corporate transactions, including financial and strategic mergers and acquisitions, early-stage venture investments, and platform formations, add-ons and roll-ups. He also negotiates public and private capital markets transactions, including private securities offerings and alternative equity financing, including PIPE and RDO investments and ATM and ADR facilities.

In compliance matters, Mr. Richey helps clients navigate federal, state and non-governmental regulatory regimes, including under SEC and FINRA rules, state securities regulations, and NYSE and Nasdaq exchange rules. Mr. Richey also advises public companies in proxy and fiduciary matters, has counseled not-for-profit business trade associations in governance and general corporate matters, and provides comprehensive outside general counsel services. He also regularly advises clients on data privacy and cybersecurity practices and policies.

Mr. Richey’s commercial practice includes software and SaaS licensing agreements, manufacturing, storage, distribution, wholesale, advertising and agency and other commercial service agreements and transactions, as well as restrictive covenants and consumer-facing terms of service, privacy and cybersecurity policies and clickthrough agreements.

Prior to joining Babst Calland, Mr. Richey was an associate with McGuireWoods LLP. He is a 2012 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

Attorney Angela Harrod Joins Babst Calland

Angela M. Harrod recently joined Babst Calland as an associate in the Construction and Litigation groups. Ms. Harrod has a broad range of experience representing corporate clients in matters including breach of contract, unfair trade practices, and complex litigation.

Ms. Harrod represents contractors, subcontractors, owners, developers, design professionals, and construction companies in a broad range of matters arising from complex construction and development projects. She has experience with Pennsylvania’s Mechanics’ Lien Law, and routinely prosecutes and defends lien claims. Ms. Harrod also represents clients in contractual and payment disputes.

Attorney Bryan Seigworth Joins Babst Calland as a Shareholder

Bryan M. Seigworth recently joined Babst Calland as a shareholder in the Corporate and Commercial and Emerging Technologies groups. Mr. Seigworth acts as outside general counsel for clients across multiple industries with a focus in the manufacturing, life sciences, and software as a service (SaaS).

Mr. Seigworth negotiates a broad array of commercial and real estate agreements on behalf of his clients and prepares agreements governing all aspects of the manufacturing relationship, including contract, toll, and private label manufacturing; build-to-print and design and spec fabrication; engineering and development services; exclusive relationships; vendor-managed inventory arrangements; teaming relationships and joint ventures; and independent representative services. He also advises clients on regulatory obligations governing their manufacturing activities, including under the FAR/DFARs, ITAR, and FDA cGMP regulations.

Mr. Seigworth assists life sciences clients in negotiating agreements for technology development, collaboration, licensing, and transfer; product and service co-promotion and marketing; consulting arrangements; investigator-initiated studies; turnkey offerings; product distribution; and reseller arrangements. He routinely advises clients with respect to HIPAA compliance and other data security and privacy obligations, as well as applicable healthcare regulations.

Mr. Seigworth also regularly negotiates agreements for software as a service (SaaS) offerings; software development, licensing, and transfer; professional services; and confidentiality obligations. He assists software providers in complying with their data privacy and security obligations, including under US and EU data privacy laws.

In addition to his commercial and regulatory practice, Mr. Seigworth advises clients in connection with their acquisition and sale of businesses and product lines. Before focusing his practice on commercial and corporate transactions, Mr. Seigworth was a commercial and intellectual property litigator. He also relies on his in-house counsel experience when helping clients operationalize strategies designed to mitigate commercial and regulatory risk.

Prior to joining Babst Calland, Mr. Seigworth was the founder of Seigworth Law Group. He is a 2004 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

Attorney Kristen Petrina Joins Babst Calland

Kristen L. Petrina recently joined Babst Calland as an associate in the Corporate and Commercial and Emerging Technologies groups. Ms. Petrina represents domestic and international clients on a broad range of general corporate and commercial law matters, including recapitalizations, restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, commercial lending, commercial contracts, entity formation, corporate governance, and corporate exit and succession planning.

Prior to joining Babst Calland, Ms. Petrina was an associate of Dentons Cohen & Grigsby. She is a 2022 graduate of Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University.

Casey Alan Coyle Selected by The Legal Intelligencer as a “2024 Lawyer on the Fast Track, Small/Midsize Winner”

Babst Calland Attorney Casey Alan Coyle was selected by The Legal Intelligencer as a “2024 Lawyer on the Fast Track, Small/Midsize Winner” in Pennsylvania.

After reviewing the results of nominations for the annual The Legal Intelligencer awards, a judging panel composed of evaluators from all corners of the legal profession and the state selected 13 attorneys as the 2024 Lawyers on the Fast Track, Small/Midsize Winners. This recognition is only given to attorneys under the age of 40 who have demonstrated excellence in four categories: development of the law; advocacy and community contributions; service to the bar; and peer and public recognition.

Mr. Coyle is a shareholder and co-chair of the Firm’s Litigation Group. He is also the Managing Shareholder of the Firm’s Harrisburg Office. He concentrates his practice on appellate law and complex commercial litigation. He frequently represents clients in state and federal appellate courts, with a particular emphasis on appeals before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Over his career, he has represented either a party or an amicus curiae in 15 appeals before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Mr. Coyle has also successfully petitioned the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to grant review of an appeal—commonly known as “allocatur”—on six different occasions. In addition, he has presented oral argument before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court, and Pennsylvania Superior Court.

Babst Calland Listed in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Companies to Work For: Law Firms

Babst Calland is pleased to announce that we have earned a place on the U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 Best Companies to Work: Law Firms list.

Guided by a panel of experts, the U.S. News’ 2024 Best Companies to Work For: Law Firms list analyzes how individual firms meet the needs and expectations of their employees compared to their competitors. Similar to the Best Companies to Work For methodology, the Law Firms list considers six factors that are important to employee well-being and job satisfaction: quality of pay and benefits, work-life balance and flexibility, job and company stability, physical and psychological comfort, belongingness and esteem, and career opportunities and professional development.

Babst Calland is among the 344 U.S. law firms with the highest composite scores on the six factors to be recognized by U.S. News as “Best” employers. To view the listing, click here.

Babst Calland Sponsors 2023 Smart 50 Awards Event

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.

 

Diversity & Inclusion: Understanding Implicit Bias and Your Power to Interrupt It

Facilitated by Babst Calland’s marketing team with the Pittsburgh Chapter of Legal Marketing Association (LMA), Executive Director Ena Lebel and Communications Director Megan Edwards of the Pittsburgh Legal Diversity & Inclusion Coalition (PLDIC) presented a training on implicit bias theory and research and why it matters in the legal profession. More than 70 attendees from LMA’s Northeast Region participated in the training with real life scenarios including tools for how to recognize and interrupt such biases personally and professionally in the workplace.

Babst Calland Attends the ACBA’s Barrister’s Ball

Babst Calland was glad to support the Allegheny County Bar Association’s Barrister’s Ball on Saturday, February 11 at the Westin Pittsburgh in downtown. Attorneys Joe Reinhart, Rick Wiedman, Christina Puhnaty, Jessica Barnes and Carla Castello attended the event.

Babst Calland Ranked in 2023 “Best Law Firms”

Babst Calland has been ranked in the 2023 U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” list nationally in seven practice areas and regionally in 29 practice areas:

  • National Tier 1
    • Environmental Law
    • Litigation – Environmental
  • National Tier 2
    • Land Use & Zoning Law
  • National Tier 3
    • Litigation – Construction
    • Mining Law
    • Natural Resources Law
    • Oil & Gas Law
  • Metropolitan Tier 1
    • Pittsburgh
      • Bet-the-Company Litigation
      • Commercial Litigation
      • Construction Law
      • Corporate Law
      • Energy Law
      • Environmental Law
      • Information Technology Law
      • Land Use & Zoning Law
      • 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.
      • Environmental Law
      • Litigation – Environmental
  • Metropolitan Tier 3
    • Pittsburgh
      • Mergers & Acquisitions Law
    • Charleston-WV
      • Bet-the-Company Litigation
      • Litigation – ERISA
      • Real Estate Law
    • Washington, D.C.
      • Oil & Gas Law

Firms included in the 2023 “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 2023 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.

Click here to view the full ranking on U.S. News U.S. News & World Report-Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” list.

EmTech Celebrates at the Moonshot Museum

Babst Calland attorneys celebrated the opening of the Moonshot Museum and gathered for a special tour of the new Museum housed inside Astrobotic’s headquarters facility, with Justine Kasznica, the firm’s Emerging Tech practice chair and founding board member of the Museum. Babst Calland is a founding partner of the Museum.

To learn more about the Moonshot Museum, visit https://moonshotmuseum.org/.

Justine Kasznica Leads Moonshot Museum Grand Opening

Attorney Justine Kasznica who is also a Founding Board Member of the Moonshot Museum, led its grand opening on October 15. Babst Calland is honored to support and partner with the museum as Pennsylvania’s first space museum and first museum in the world focused on career readiness for the 21st century space industry.

Attorney Casey Coyle Joins Babst Calland

Attorney Casey Alan Coyle recently joined Babst Calland as a shareholder and member of its Litigation Group. Mr. Coyle will be based in Harrisburg, Pa.

Mr. Coyle concentrates his practice on appellate law and complex commercial litigation.  He frequently represents clients in state and federal appellate courts, with a particular emphasis on appeals before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.  Over his career, he has represented either a party or an amicus curiae in 15 appeals before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

Mr. Coyle has also successfully petitioned the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to grant review of an appeal—commonly known as “allocatur”—on six different occasions.  In addition, he has presented oral argument before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court, and Pennsylvania Superior Court. Before entering private practice, Mr. Coyle served for over two years as a law clerk for the Honorable Thomas G. Saylor, Chief Justice Emeritus of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

“We’re very pleased to have Casey as part our Litigation team. He is a highly accomplished litigator representing clients in matters pending before state and federal appellate courts,” said Donald Bluedorn, Babst Calland’s Managing Shareholder. “Casey’s proven experience and track record in appeals before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court will be an invaluable contribution to our Firm, and most importantly for our clients.”

Mr. Coyle also regularly represents businesses in disputes pending before state and federal trial courts.  His practice has focused on cases involving theft of trade secrets, non-competition/non-solicitation agreements, shareholder litigation, emergency injunctions, breach of contract, and breach of fiduciary duties.  In addition, he has represented clients in matters brought before the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court as part of its original jurisdiction.

“I look forward to serving the expanding needs of my clients and working with a well-respected legal team who shares my values, experience, and philosophy, and a proactive approach to business-focused problem-solving and client service,” said Coyle.

Prior to joining Babst Calland, Mr. Coyle was a partner at Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC. He is a 2009 graduate of Temple University Beasley School of Law.