PERSONNEL FILE: Condaras, Elmore join Jackson Kelly Oil and Gas Group

CHARLESTON -- Jackson Kelly continues to expand its ability to support the oil and gas industry with the addition of two attorneys in the firm’s Land and Natural Resources Group.

Steven M. Condaras, who originally joined Jackson Kelly out of law school in 1995, and Elizabeth B. Elmore, who joins the firm from Steptoe & Johnson. Jackson Kelly now has more than 40 professionals dedicated to providing oil and gas title opinions and land services to the industry alongside the cadre of other attorneys engaged in transactional, contracts, regulatory, litigation and related work.

“We are pleased to welcome these new attorneys to Jackson Kelly’s energy team," Managing Member Michael D. Foster said. "With continued development of energy resources across the United States, the addition of Elmore and Condaras provides the firm with additional capability to address the need for legal services not only by oil and gas operators, midstream companies and distribution companies, but mining companies as well.”

Recognized by Law360 as having the second largest energy practice in the United States, the firm’s mining and energy and natural resources practices have repeatedly received national first-tier rankings by U.S. News Media Group and Best Lawyers. In addition, Jackson Kelly was the first law firm ever to be named “Law Firm of the Year” in Mining Law by U.S. News Media Group and Best Lawyers in the 2011-2012 Best Law Firms rankings in addition to first-tier rankings for the 2010, 2011-12 and 2013 editions of Best Law Firms.

Maintaining offices throughout the Marcellus, Utica, Niobrara and New Albany shale basins, this expansion continues Jackson Kelly’s long history of service to the oil and gas and natural resource industries by providing comprehensive, cost-effective and timely strategic legal counsel and litigation services, which include real estate, health and safety, environmental, corporate, mergers and acquisitions, securities, commercial and labor and employment law.

Condaras focuses his practice on assisting clients in a wide variety of commercial and real estate transactions, including financing, leasing, mineral and commercial property acquisitions, title insurance and real estate development projects, such as condominiums and planned community regimes. In addition, he represents and counsels clients in general property matters and contract disputes.

With more than 20 years of legal experience, Elmore focuses her practice on energy law, including oil and gas title opinions, royalty disputes, joint ventures between producers for the acquisition and development of oil and gas leases and right-of-way issues for pipeline systems. Elmore served as General Counsel and Land Manager for an oil and gas production company where she was involved in all aspects of the company’s operations.

Jackson Kelly is a national law firm with more than 200 attorneys located in 11 offices throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Colorado and the District of Columbia.