Overview and Experience
Stan is a senior partner with BGD and focuses his practice on oil and gas, litigation, advising family owned businesses and real estate.Stan represents oil and gas operators in title issues, land issues, litigation and general commercial matters.
He has regularly represented businesses and individuals in asset purchases and sales, employer-employee issues and in corporate formations and counseling.
Stan has been actively involved in alternative dispute resolution as a mediator and an arbitrator and is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Dispute Resolution Committee and has mediated various disputes among lawyers and law firms and is approved as an arbitrator and mediator of cases in the Western District of Pennsylvania, in addition to trying and mediating cases on behalf of clients. Stan has been actively practicing law for 36 years and has many long-term business clients.
Areas of Practice
In his oil and gas work, Stan regularly represents companies in title and land issues, litigation, regulatory issues and general business matters.
Stan’s experience includes:
- Preparing, editing and issuing almost 2,000 certified title opinions for major oil and gas production companies for Marcellus Shale production.
- Preparation and negotiation of drilling contracts.
- Litigating a variety of cases, including quiet title matters, lease interpretation and payment disputes and environmental and property damage claims.
- Advising and representing clients on environmental matters, including disputes between producers and municipalities or other governmental agencies.
- Advising clients on negotiating contracts, municipal ordinances, land use and other matters.
Stan has significant experience in state and federal courts representing businesses and individuals in civil litigation in western Pennsylvania, Indiana County and surrounding areas. Stan’s litigation experience includes:
- Cases involving coal royalties, business fires, a fatal small aircraft crash, bad faith insurance claims, commercial collection cases, a substantial water trespass, a climbing death in Grand Teton National Park, various eminent domain takings and employment discrimination cases.
- Representing clients in the United States District Courts for the Western District of Pennsylvania and the Middle District of Pennsylvania, the Southern District of New York Bankruptcy Court, the United States District Court for Wyoming, the U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit and the appellate courts of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
- Commercial matters, such as breach-of-contract claims, Uniform Commercial Code claims, and business torts.
- Construction matters, including payment disputes, mechanics’ lien claims, and construction defect claims.
- Real estate matters, including ownership, boundary line and title disputes.
- Representing property owners in tax assessment matters.
Stan also regularly represents businesses with respect to matters such as:
- Bank loans and refinancings.
- Shareholder disputes, franchise retail operations.
- Real estate sales, purchases, leasing and development.
- Corporate, LLC and business entity formations and counseling.
- Contract review and preparation.
Admissions and Affiliations
Stan is at present admitted to practice in the following courts:
- Pennsylvania.
- U.S. District Court of the Western District of Pennsylvania.
- Bankruptcy Court of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
Stan is a member of the Indiana County Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the American Bar Association.
Education and Past Experience
Stan earned his J.D. in 1981 from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where he graduated cum laude and served on the Executive Board of the Law Review and as the Articles Editor of the Law Review.Stan earned a B.A. in political science from the University of Pennsylvania in 1974. Before joining Bonya Gazza & DeGory, LLP, Stan practiced as an associate for more than five years with McClure and Watkins, P.C. in Pittsburgh, an energy, business and tax focused firm, and as a summer associate for Eckert, Seamans, Cherin and Mellott.
Community Involvement
Stan has been active in his community through the following:
- Board member of Indiana County Endowment.
- Board member Indiana Country Club.
- Board member of the S&T Bank Advisory Board.
- Charitable giving.
Personal
Stan lives in Indiana with his wife of 34 years where they raised three children.
Looking for Legal Help? Contact the Attorneys of BGD
BGD attorneys represent individuals and companies in a variety of legal matters. To find out how we can help you, please contact us.