CHARLESTON – Seven Jackson Kelly attorneys recently were named among Who’s Who in Energy 2014 in the Pittsburgh Business Times and the Denver Business Times.
Laura E. Beverage, Michael E. Hooper, Stephen M. LaCagnin, Michael P. Leahey, Erin E. Magee, R. Henry Moore and Kenneth E. Tawney were all identified as the “most important players” in the energy sector.
This prestigious ranking honors the top 100 prominent industry influencers in seven major U.S. markets where energy is shaping the local economy and underscores Jackson Kelly’s reputation as a leader in the energy arena.
Individuals are selected for inclusion in the annual Who's Who in Energy listing through internal research, industry outreach, and an open-nomination process conducted by the business journals of their respective cities.
Recognized by Law360 as having the second largest energy practice in the United States, Jackson Kelly’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.
Beverage is a member of Jackson Kelly and manages the firm's Denver office. She practices in the firm's Occupational Safety and Health Practice Group. Beverage represents general industry, construction and mining clients in compliance issues, policy, legislative and regulatory matters, and civil and criminal enforcement issues, accident investigation and whistleblower claims on both state and federal levels. She has extensive experience involving issues under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act and other state and federal safety and health statutes, including the Safe Explosives Act and the Surface Transportation Assistance Act.
Hooper is a member of the firm practicing in the Land and Natural Resource Development Practice Group. His practice is focused on energy and real estate law; business transactions and formation, including those within the field of mineral rights, titles and leases; banking; commercial real estate development and financing; and commercial litigation. He has significant experience in overseeing large mineral title projects in multiple states and has represented energy clients in connection with due diligence, sale and acquisition transactions.
LaCagnin is the managing member of the Jackson Kelly Morgantown office and practices in the Industrial, Environmental and Complex Litigation Practice Group. LaCagnin also serves jointly as manager of the firm's Clarksburg office. For more than 30 years, he has defended businesses and their management from "mom and pop shops" to the nationally-known Fortune 500s in state and federal courts. While his defense work in recent years has focused primarily on litigation involving the coal industry, LaCagnin continues to defend a diverse range of clients and matters including personal injury, labor and employment, wrongful death, products liability and aviation accidents.
Leahey is a member in the Pittsburgh office. His practice focuses on the defense of the Firm's energy sector clients in general civil litigation in connection with wrongful death and personal injury claims. Leahey has handled multi‑party litigation involving claims of premises liability, deliberate intent, indemnification, products liability and work place safety.
Magee is a member of Jackson Kelly and leader of the Firm's Labor and Employment Practice Group. She is also a member of the firm’s Commercial Law Practice Group and the Coal and Oil and Gas Industry Groups. Her practice currently focuses on labor and employment consultation and litigation, ERISA matters and commercial litigation for energy‑industry clients. Magee consults daily with employers about work‑related issues, including wage and hour problems, employee leave and benefit questions, reductions in force, drug testing, workplace privacy concerns, personnel policy and handbook drafting and employee discharge and discipline issues. In addition, she regularly provides training and speaks at seminars, conferences and workshops on these topics, particularly focusing on the issues of harassment, discipline and the overlap between FMLA, ADA and workers' compensation laws.
Moore is a member of Jackson Kelly and is the manager of the firm's Pittsburgh office. He is a member of the firm's nationwide Occupational Safety and Health Practice Group. His practice is primarily concentrated in the areas of compliance counseling, litigation of civil and criminal enforcement matters, accident investigation and discrimination claims under both state and federal statutory provisions. His career in occupational safety and health law commenced in 1978, and he has counseled clients in a variety of industries, including coal mining, metal and nonmetal mining, stone, sand and gravel operations. In addition, his practice extends to labor and employment issues, including representing employers in investigations by the U.S. Department of Labor and in litigation under the various federal whistleblower statutes.
Tawney is a member of the firm's Commercial Law Practice Group and the leader of the Oil and Gas Industry Group. He focuses his practice on matters relating to the oil and gas industry and commercial litigation. Tawney has represented and advised producers, pipelines, local distribution companies and lenders in due diligence investigations, mineral title reviews and transactional matters, including purchase and sale of oil and gas producing properties, leases, pipelines and other assets. He has significant experience in negotiating and preparing contracts, such as asset management agreements, gas transportation agreements, gas processing agreements, plant operating agreements, oil and gas leases, joint venture agreements, operating agreements, land use agreements and related agreements and contracts.
Jackson Kelly has more than 200 attorneys in 12 offices throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Colorado and the District of Columbia. For more information, visit www.jacksonkelly.com.