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Biography

Daniel serves as legal counsel to clients in the renewable energy, natural gas, and utilities industries. A dedicated member of Frost Brown Todd’s Energy and Natural Resources Industry Team, he has nearly a decade of experience in real estate development, transactions, and litigation. Daniel’s practice includes title, land use, and zoning matters and he regularly litigates contract, land, and construction disputes. He is known as a skilled draftsman of pleadings, dispositive motions, and appellate briefs. He devotes considerable time and attention to understanding how the transitioning energy economy impacts the business and legal needs of his clients. Daniel currently represents clients in state and federal courts across Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Daniel serves as Editor of Frost Brown Todd’s Diversity & Inclusion Quarterly Report, on its Diversity Scholarship Committee, and on the Pittsburgh Legal Diversity & Inclusion Coalition. He also serves on the board of directors of the Bloomfield Development Corporation (“BDC”), the registered community organization representing the neighborhood which he called home for many years. BDC organizes the Bloomfield Saturday Market, a nationally recognized farmers market serving the East End of Pittsburgh every Saturday during both the summer and winter months.

When not working in service of the needs of his clients and community, Daniel enjoys spending time with his wife, children and extended family, playing soccer, skiing, hiking, and camping.

Daniel's Relevant Experience

Legal Work Highlights

Drafted and argued successful motions to dismiss, preliminary objections, and motions for summary judgment in numerous matters.

Successfully defeated motions for preliminary injunction.

Succeeded in an appeal of a $15 million judgment in a case involving oil and gas lease disputes.

Advised terminated federal nuclear power project’s general contractor in settlement authority requests from the government for subcontractor claims.

Successfully defended an oil and gas company’s zoning permit in challenges brought by environmental groups and landowners before a local zoning hearing board and state trial court.

Represented an oil and gas production company in their claim for compulsory pooling and unitization and in a related lawsuit filed with the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania.

Successfully quieted title to the oil and gas underlying a large parcel of land on behalf of an oil and gas company’s lessor.

Created trusts under the Pennsylvania Dormant Oil and Gas Act in favor of unknown and/or unlocatable landowners for multiple oil and gas exploration and production companies.

Advised clients regarding title issues and drafted oil and gas drilling title opinions.

Other Info About Daniel

Education

Law School

Duquesne University, J.D., cum laude, 2011

Undergraduate School

The Ohio State University, B.A., English, cum laude, Honors Program, 2008

Bar Memberships

Daniel is licensed to practice in the following state(s):

Pennsylvania, 2011

Ohio, 2012

Courts

Daniel is admitted to practice before the following court(s):

United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania

United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio

Professional Affiliations

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

Pennsylvania Bar Association

Ohio Bar Association

Allegheny County Bar Association

Board of Directors, Bloomfield Development Corporation

Pittsburgh Legal Diversity & Inclusion Coalition

Smart Electric Power Alliance

Energy & Mineral Law Foundation

Major Publications

Daniel is an author or contributor to the following publications:

Co-author, “Legal Ethics and American Political Scandal: Pennsylvania’s Recent Supreme Court Scandal Explored Through the Lens of the Historical Development of American Legal Ethics,” Energy & Mineral Law Institute, Volume 37, 2017.

Co-author, “Recent Decisions in Oil and Gas Jurisprudence,” Energy & Mineral Law Institute, Volume 36, March 2016.

Co-author, Jurisdictional Considerations for the Oil and Gas Practitioner, Energy & Mineral law institute, Volume 34, 2013.

Co-author, Compulsory Pooling and Unitization in the Marcellus Shale: Pennsylvania’s Challenges and Opportunities, Pennsylvania Bar Association Quarterly, Vol. 83, No. 2, April 2012.

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