Brian’s practice focuses on advising clients on a wide range of real estate and energy development matters. He assists clients in all phases of wind and solar project development, serving as real estate project counsel for renewable energy companies across multiple states, including West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana. His work includes coordinating title insurance coverage, working directly with title companies to acquire policies, and advising on complex title issues as they arise.

In addition to renewable energy, Brian has extensive experience advising producers of traditional energy sources. He has led large-scale due diligence efforts for asset acquisitions and has prepared and reviewed thousands of coal, oil, and gas title opinions on properties located throughout the Appalachian Basin. His understanding of both renewable and traditional energy sources provides him with a unique perspective on the evolving energy landscape.

Brian is also highly experienced in transactional real estate matters. He drafts and negotiates a wide range of documents, including Purchase and Sale Agreements, Management and Services Agreements, Option Agreements, Lease Agreements, Easements, and Closing Documents. He regularly coordinates and conducts real estate closings and advises on subdivision approvals and compliance with state and local zoning laws.

Brian works on a wide array of commercial real estate transactions as well, including representing buyers, sellers, lenders and developers in the acquisition, financing, construction, leasing, and divesture of commercial property. In addition, Brian is a licensed title insurance agent and routinely issues title insurance policies for commercial real estate acquisitions.

His title experience includes detailed analysis of issues such as tax sale irregularities, royalty versus oil and gas in place reservations, invalid or incorrect assessments, adverse claims on title, and acreage discrepancies. He is adept at performing legal research related to mineral and surface ownership and resolving title defects.

Prior to attending law school, Brian served as a title abstractor for a West Virginia-based company, preparing title reports and lease take-offs, and later worked as a petroleum landman, negotiating and reviewing oil and gas leases.

Brian earned his law degree from West Virginia University College of Law, where he participated in the Clinical Law Program, and holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Fairmont State University, graduating with honors.

Outside of his practice, Brian enjoys outdoor activities, exercising, traveling, and attending sporting events.