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Vorys Opens Pittsburgh Office

Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP announced today that it will strengthen its oil and gas practice by expanding into Pittsburgh and welcoming a team of experienced oil and gas attorneys entrenched in the region’s energy industry.  With one of the Midwest’s largest and most experienced oil and gas law practices, Vorys is improving the services it offers clients that are actively pursuing opportunities in both the Utica and Marcellus Shale plays. 

“Many of our clients within the industry, including producers, midstream companies, and drilling and services companies, have operations in both Ohio and Pennsylvania,” said Russ Gertmenian, Vorys’ managing partner. “We have assisted our energy clients in Pennsylvania for some time.  The addition of this office demonstrates our desire to stay further abreast of the unique regulatory and statutory guidelines in both states and remain easily and quickly accessible to our clients. We also have plans to expand the office to include additional legal practices in order to better serve all current and future clients in the region.”

Kevin M. Gormly, who joins Vorys as a partner in the Pittsburgh office, has significant experience in complex federal and state oil and gas litigation. He also routinely handles other oil and gas matters, including lease issues, title disputes, quiet title actions and dormant oil and gas actions. Melissa McCoy Gormly has joined the firm as of counsel; she has litigated a variety of oil and gas matters and drafted numerous oil and gas title opinions. Abigal L. Marusic joins Vorys as an associate in the energy group. Rachel Rocco is welcomed as an oil and gas paralegal. All four were previously with Jackson Kelly PLLC.

“I am excited to join the Vorys team and help the firm expand into Pittsburgh,” Kevin Gormly said. “Vorys is widely recognized as a leader in the energy industry within the state of Ohio. I’m proud and eager to play a role in advancing those successes into Pennsylvania.”

The attorneys will practice in the Vorys energy group, which is listed as one of the best energy practices in the nation on the U.S. News and World Report/Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” list.  The group was also named a top rated practice with a “high profile in acting for entities from the energy and natural resources sectors,” by Chambers and Partners.  The Vorys energy group advises the firm’s clients on all types of transactional work, from simple leasing and well-field service contracts to sophisticated joint venture and asset transactions, financing agreements and hedging programs.  Members of the energy group also represent clients before state and federal courts, arbitration panels, state permitting agencies,  public utilities commissions, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and the Ohio and U.S. Environmental Protection Agencies. Vorys attorneys have also advised energy businesses on tax issues that arise from oil and gas exploration.

Since its founding in 1909, Vorys has grown to one of the largest law firms in the country. The firm has nearly 375 attorneys located in six other offices in Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Akron, Ohio; Washington, D.C.; and Houston, Texas. Vorys currently ranks as one of the 200 largest law firms in the United States according to American Lawyer magazine.

The firm has leased temporary office space in Pittsburgh and will move into a permanent space in downtown Pittsburgh early next year.

Vorys is dedicated to being a good community partner in the cities in which the firm has offices. In each office, lawyers, paralegals and staff members are deeply involved with cultural  organizations, charitable groups and other programs that seek to improve the quality of life in those communities.

“We’re committed to Pittsburgh and the state of Pennsylvania,” Gertmenian said. “Our contributions to the city will go well beyond good legal work. We’ll be dedicated to supporting the city and its citizens.” 

To learn more about the Vorys energy group and the firm’s experience in oil and gas law, visit Vorys.com/shale.

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