Burleson Cooke Adds 3 Experienced Litigators, Broadens Experience in Environmental, Land Use Law

PITTSBURGH, Nov. 11, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Burleson Cooke today announced the addition of three new attorneys whose litigation and environmental experience further strengthens and diversifies the capabilities of the energy law firm's growing Pittsburgh office.

Kevin Colosimo, managing partner of Burleson Cooke's Pittsburgh office, said the three lawyers – Andrew Jenkins, Kevin Barley, and Samuel Stoller – have expertise in a number of key practice areas that will enable Burleson Cooke to deliver a more comprehensive range of services to companies working in the Marcellus Shale.

"All three have really strong litigation backgrounds," he continued. "Beyond that, there's significant experience in environmental and land use law, both of which are important aspects of our full-service litigation practice."

"With these three lawyers and their 20-plus years of combined experience, together with Burleson Cooke's industry expertise, we're uniquely positioned to represent energy companies with interests in the Marcellus – and those in the midstream sector in particular."

Kevin Barley comes to Burleson Cooke from Babst, Calland, Clements and Zomnir in Pittsburgh, where he practiced in the Litigation Services and Construction Services Groups. He has represented clients in environmental, construction, energy, and other litigation matters, and has experience in commercial disputes that include prosecuting and defending environmental cost recovery claims and contract and property disputes involving energy-related businesses. He earned his undergraduate degree from Susquehanna University and his J.D, from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 2000.

Andrew Jenkins joins Burleson Cooke from Thorp, Reed & Armstrong in Pittsburgh. He will concentrate his practice in the areas of business litigation, energy law, construction law, and business and contract law. He has represented manufacturers, architectural and engineering firms, public entities, and other businesses on issues that include product disputes, personal injury claims, defective design claims, fraud, and construction claims. Recently recognized as a "Pennsylvania Rising Star" by Super Lawyers magazine, Andrew earned his undergraduate degree from Penn State and his J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 2003.

Samuel Stoller was most recently with Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott in Pittsburgh and prior to that was an associate in the Commercial and Corporate Litigation Group with Thorp Reed. His experience includes construction law, breach of contract claims, representing corporate officers in shareholder derivative suits, and real estate disputes. He earned his undergraduate degree from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, and his J.D. from the Moritz College of Law at Ohio State University in 2006.

Colosimo said that Burleson Cooke's ability to attract experienced lawyers with a broad scope of skills – it has now grown to 17 attorneys in about a year – underscores the fact that the firm provides significant opportunities for anyone wanting to practice in Marcellus-related areas.

"We've attracted exceptional attorneys in a relatively short period of time," he added. "I think they look at our energy experience, our connections within the industry, and our expertise in unconventional shale plays, and they realize pretty quickly that this is the place to be if you want to do Marcellus work."  

Burleson Cooke's litigation practice group serves clients in all major North American shale gas plays.

About Burleson Cooke

Burleson Cooke L.L.P. has earned a reputation as the energy law firm the energy industry goes to, and has grown significantly in recent years by focusing on and leveraging its core strengths. Serving clients in the upstream and midstream segments, it provides counsel to oil and gas producers, transportation companies, storage and processing businesses, and energy service providers. Burleson Cooke's far-reaching experience includes mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures; finance; private equity; venture capital; securities; corporate governance and compliance; patents and intellectual property; title review; real estate; litigation; bankruptcy/restructuring, land use and environmental. For further information, visit www.burlesoncooke.com.

SOURCE Burleson Cooke