The Babst Calland Women’s Initiative strives to increase the retention and advancement of women attorneys at our Firm and in the broader legal community by promoting inclusivity and equal opportunities.
The Women’s Initiative meets regularly to facilitate open discussions about workplace challenges historically faced by women in professional settings and encourages the exchange of advice and experiences to aid others in navigating those challenges.
The Women’s Initiative further supports the Firm’s women attorneys in developing and promoting their practices by acknowledging and celebrating successes and encouraging mentorship among all of the Firm’s attorneys. A key goal of the Women’s Initiative is to connect women attorneys across the Firm’s practice groups and offices, allowing for organic support systems to develop and prosper. This blending of practice groups and offices encourages collaboration and cross-marketing opportunities that benefit our attorneys and clients. By encouraging these relationships, the Women’s Initiative’s work advances the professional and business development of women attorneys at the Firm and within the legal community at large.
The following celebrates the initiatives of the women attorneys at Babst Calland.
Melanie S. Lampton recently joined law firm Babst Calland’s Washington, D.C. office as a shareholder in the Pipeline and HazMat Safety practice group.
Ms. Lampton comes to Babst Calland after nearly a decade of working on energy-related matters for the Federal government. She most recently worked as an attorney advisor in the Office of General Counsel at U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), where she provided counsel on legislative issues and rulemakings across the department. …
This is the seventh in a series of profiles featuring the women attorneys of Babst Calland to acknowledge and celebrate their success and to connect women attorneys across the Firm’s practice groups, offices and clients. This attorney spotlight features Brianne Kurdock.
To view the profile on Brianne, click here.
Babst Calland announced the lateral move of veteran attorney Priscilla (Polly) E. Hampton, who has joined the Firm as a Shareholder in its Environmental practice, and opened a new Babst Calland office in New York State.
Ms. Hampton’s practice focuses primarily on contaminated site cleanups, brownfield redevelopment, and environmental diligence and risk management in mergers and acquisitions. She counsels a range of businesses—from mining, manufacturing, and energy to real estate and project developers—on remediation, permitting, compliance, and enforcement matters under federal and state environmental laws. …
Over the past several years, developers have targeted the vast rural and undeveloped lands of Pennsylvania for renewable energy development. Yet, Pennsylvania lags behind the rest of the country in terms of renewable energy deployment. Beyond well-reported issues involving grid-interconnection and permitting backlogs, those seeking to develop renewable energy in the Keystone State often experience deal-killing roadblocks early on during local land use permitting. Read the full article, Navigating Local Permitting Roadblocks to Renewable Energy Deployment in Pennsylvania, by Anna Jewart, here.
As described in this Environmental Alert, Babst Calland attorneys continue to track developments related to coal combustion residual (CCR) related matters. For more information on this development and other waste matters, please contact Ben Clapp, Gary Steinbauer or Mackenzie Moyer, or any of our other environmental attorneys. To view the alert, click here.
Yesterday, the White House released “Winning the Race: America’s AI Action Plan”,1 a sweeping federal initiative setting forth the administration’s strategy to secure U.S. global leadership in artificial intelligence. The AI Action Plan outlines more than 90 federal policy actions across three strategic pillars: accelerating innovation, building American AI infrastructure, and leading in international diplomacy and security. In this Alert, Attorneys Susanna Bagdasarova and Justine Kasznica lay out the policy directives and key initiatives, and strategic takeaways of the plan. …
In their recent article The Environmental Quality Board Evaluates Petition that Proposes Further Setbacks for Unconventional Oil and Gas Operators Alex Graf and Morgan Madden discuss a recent rulemaking petition with the Pennsylvania Environmental Quality Board to increase minimum setback distances from unconventional oil and gas wells. To read the full article, click here.
In her recent article Employer Guidance for Workplace Interactions with ICE with Steve Antonelli, Alex Farone provides guidance to employers for potential interactions with or inspections by ICE at the workplace, including preliminary actions, suggested steps during an ICE visit (whether announced or unannounced), and follow-up recommendations. To view the article, click here.
The following three Babst Calland women attorneys have been ranked in the 2025 USA Chambers Guide. The Chambers USA guide identifies the best practice groups and lawyers working across the US legal market.
Brianne K. Kurdock – USA – Nationwide – Energy: PHMSA Specialists
Jean M. Mosites – Pennsylvania – Environment
Sloane Anders Wildman – District of Columbia – Environment
To view the Firm’s profile, click here.
With election season just around the corner, Pennsylvania municipalities often face the issue of municipal vacancies. While some municipalities have highly contested elections, others, particularly small boroughs, may struggle to find individuals even willing to serve. Municipalities often have questions regarding the rules for these openings, which follow rules from multiple statutes and codes. To add to the confusion, the rules for filling vacancies differ greatly depending on the type of municipality and the exact timing of when the vacancy occurs. …
Employers that have a presence within the city limits of Pittsburgh should be aware of upcoming changes to the city’s paid sick leave law. Currently, the City of Pittsburgh’s Paid Sick Days Act requires businesses within the city limits to provide one hour of sick leave for every 35 hours worked. For businesses that employ 15 or more employees, this requirement is capped at 40 hours per year. For businesses with fewer than 15 employees, the cap is 24 hours per year. …
On May 31, 2025, PADEP published notice of opportunity for public comment on its Proposed State Plan for 40 CFR Part 60, Subpart OOOOc Emissions Guidelines for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Existing Crude Oil and Natural Gas Facilities in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. 55 Pa.B. 3810. Babst Calland’s Environmental Practice attorneys are closely tracking PADEP’s Proposed State Plan and EPA’s pending interim final rule, and are available to provide strategic advice on how these actions may affect the oil and gas industry in Pennsylvania and can assist with drafting and submitting comments on PADEP’s proposal. …
In the ever complex and evolving landscape of employment law, some of the most effective compliance tools are not found in case law or federal regulations but in routine and consistent documentation. Job descriptions, performance evaluations, and disciplinary writings are three foundational tools that can play a crucial yet often underestimated role in shaping and defending employers’ decisions. In their recent article in The Legal Intelligencer, Attorneys Morgan M. …
Babst Calland announced that Attorney Natalie Baughman has joined the firm’s Washington, DC office as a shareholder and member of its Environmental practice group.
Natalie Baughman has a deep expertise in CERCLA site remediation, particularly in complex, multi-party cleanups involving decades of contamination. Her practice also includes representing clients in enforcement actions, environmental litigation, and permitting and compliance matters arising under the Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, and state environmental laws. …
Congratulations to the following Babst Calland women attorneys who were selected to the 2025 Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania Super Lawyers’ Rising Stars® lists:
Gina Falaschi Buchman – Washington, D.C. Rising Stars
Kathleen H. Cooper – Pennsylvania Rising Stars
Alexandra G. Farone – Pennsylvania Rising Stars
