Skip to Main Content.

Industries

Practices

Biography

Mike is a Pittsburgh-based attorney in the Private Equity Practice Group. He has extensive experience representing companies in corporate and transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, purchase and sale agreements, financing transactions, and joint ventures.  In addition, Mike’s practice includes counseling clients on day-to-day operations, licensing, supply, procurement, and contract drafting.

Mike has led teams on deals spanning a wide range of industries, with sizes ranging from under $1 million to hundreds of millions of dollars.  With a broad legal background, he takes a practical approach to solving complex legal matters, searching for the unique solutions to difficult legal problems.  He’s a trusted advisor to a host of private companies, counseling them on risk mitigation, strategic initiatives, and streamlining repetitive issues.

Mike's Relevant Experience

Legal Work Highlights

Represented seller in the divestiture of Marcellus assets in $250 million asset sale, including advising seller on curative matters and title disputes.

Represented mineral buying company in connection with dispute over application of Marketable Title Act and Dormant Mineral Act.

Served as lead counsel for a private equity group in a $30 million acquisition in Pennsylvania.

Acted as lead counsel in the negotiation, drafting and acquisition of $400 million of oil and gas leases in the Utica shale.

Drafted and negotiated a wide variety of commercial agreements including non-disclosure agreements, master service agreements, independent contractor agreements, and transition services.

Led Ohio due diligence team on multiple due diligence projects, including managing outside vendors, drafting defect notices, and negotiating resolutions to disputes.

Served as local counsel in the drafting of transaction documents for a “Drillco” transaction, including securing a $100 million loan and issuing an opinion of borrower’s counsel.

Counseled major E&P operators on day-to-day issues including operations, leasing, landowner disputes, surface use agreements, rights-of-way, Master Service Agreements, and coal disturbance.

Review loan documents and draft commercial mortgage opinions in connection with acquisition of commercial properties in Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Draft $30 million private placement memorandum in connection with oil and gas well development.

Other Info About Mike

Education

Law School

University of Akron School of Law, J.D., 2008

Graduate School

University of Akron, M.B.A., 2008

Undergraduate School

Grove City College, B.S., Business Management, 2005

Bar Memberships

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

Ohio, 2008

Pennsylvania, 2011

Courts

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

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

Ohio Supreme Court

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio

Recognition

Local & National Recognition

The Best Lawyers in America®, Oil and Gas Law, 2025

Pittsburgh Leadership Development Initiative Class XXIV

Pennsylvania Rising Star by Super Lawyers®, Energy & Natural Resources, 2013-2018

Named to “Who’s Who in Energy,” Pittsburgh Business Times, 2014-2017

Professional Affiliations

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

Ohio Oil and Gas Association

Ohio State Bar Association

Firm Committees

Mike serves or has served in the following leadership role(s) at Frost Brown Todd:

Opinion Committee, former Member

Presentations

Mike was invited to speak at the following events:

Moderator and Panelist, “What Do You Mean We Can’t Do That? – Antitrust Law Implications for Upstream Joint Development Arrangements,” Energy & Mineral Law Foundation, 39th Annual Institute, June 19, 2018

Speaker, “Upstream Oil and Gas Asset Acquisitions: From Confidentiality Agreement to Closing,” Pennsylvania Bar Institute, 10th Annual Oil and Gas Colloquium, 2018

Speaker, AAPL Annual Meeting, presented on Comparative Law of Shale Plays discussing the Marcellus and Utica Shale plays, Nashville, TN, 2015

Related Insights