University of Pittsburgh School of Law Professor of Practice, and Director of the University of Pittsburgh’s Energy Law & Policy Institute, Kevin Abbott, has been selected as the winner of the 2020 McClaugherty Award. This award is given annually by the Energy and Mineral Law Foundation (EMLF) to a person identified by their peers for their outstanding contributions to the field of energy law, and to the legal profession more generally. It is the highest recognition given by the EMLF, which is the premier energy law organization in the country.
Abbott has served as the Director of Pitt’s Energy Law & Policy Institute since 2015 and teaches Oil & Gas Law at the School of Law. He is a senior counsel at Reed Smith in the Energy & Natural Resources Group. Abbott focuses his work in energy litigation, oil and gas law, and media law. He has more than 30 years of experience in representing clients in the oil and gas industry, natural gas exploration and production companies, interstate pipeline companies and utilities. He is currently advising natural gas exploration and production companies on issues related to exploration of Marcellus and Utica Shales in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and New York.
Abbott is the recipient of the Pittsburgh Business Times' 2012 Leadership Award and was recognized in its "Who's Who in Energy" list in 2014. He has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America, and as a Top Rated Lawyer in Energy/Environmental Law by American Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell™. Abbott has also been listed in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers in the energy field in every year since 2004, and in Super Lawyers Business Edition in the area of Energy & Natural Resources.
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