Steptoe & Johnson, a regional, business-focused law firm with offices in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia, recently announced that Andrew S. Graham, an attorney in the firm’s Morgantown office, has been promoted from associate to Of Counsel.
Graham focuses his practice in the areas of energy and mineral law (coal, coalbed methane, and oil and gas), real estate, and commercial transactions. Graham regularly assists clients with mineral title examinations; coordinating and performing due diligence; mineral acquisitions, including acquisitions from bankruptcy debtors; and issues relating to denial of access by surface owners and surface damage claims arising from oil and gas or coal operations.
R. Neal Pierce, Of Counsel, also has joined Steptoe & Johnson. Pierce joins the firm’s energy team, concentrating in the areas of oil and gas law. He will practice in the firm’s Columbus, Ohio office. Prior to joining Steptoe & Johnson, Pierce was in private practice focusing on corporate matters, particularly mineral and contract law.
In addition, Gayleen Smith, CPA, CCEP, has joined the firm and will assist Steptoe & Johnson’s Energy and Natural Resources Practice teams. As a certified public accountant, Smith has 20-plus years of broad-based experience in various aspects of internal audit, FERC, SOX and general compliance, finance and public accounting. She was the former FERC compliance manager for a Fortune 500 energy company with FERCregulated natural gas and electric businesses. She obtained her Certified Compliance and Ethics Professional (CCEP) certificate in 2006.
