Lewis Gianola's over 50-year history of providing legal services throughout West Virginia and Ohio has strong roots in the experience and traditions of our region. Lewis Gianola is well prepared to represent businesses and individuals in a wide range of state and federal litigation, whether trial or appellate.

The firm has been listed as a top-tier oil and natural gas law firm by Best Lawyers® and comprises lawyers with a full range of capabilities - mineral law, title, litigation, regulatory, tax, business transactions, real estate, and bankruptcy.

The firm's Natural Gas Practice is headed by Richard Gottlieb, who is listed in Best Lawyers in America® for Energy Law and Oil & Gas, SuperLawyers® for Business Litigation and Energy & Natural Resources, and recognized by Chambers USA ®.

Lewis Gianola's experience in and valuable knowledge of the region's natural gas industry includes other senior-level attorneys and staff members. With a long history of representing natural gas clients, Lewis Gianola uses a team approach to continually assess the excellence and cost-effectiveness of our legal services and works with the clients to provide early case assessment benefits, to value and balance the cost of each case/project and to employ litigation forecasting processes and strategic budgeting.

Lewis Gianola's legal services have included providing assistance in the acquisition of natural gas rights and the development of the Marcellus/Utica Shale, including responsibility for due diligence, drafting, and negotiation of joint operating agreements, title, regulatory and tax advice and all other aspects of complex mineral acquisitions. In that regard, we recently have been involved as both local counsels and as arbitrators with respect to post-closing title defect issues in complex, multi-million oil and gas transactions. The firm's Title Group has highly experienced lawyers who have a superior reputation in the Appalachian Basin.

Our lawyers are highly experienced in the research, analysis, examination, review, and drafting of oil and natural gas documents such as certified title opinions, drilling opinions, deeds, leases, pooling agreements, farm-in agreements, and joint operating agreements for horizontal drilling operations in the Appalachian Basin. We have prepared reports based on abstracts and examinations undertaken by our in-house staff of experienced abstractors and in collaboration with brokerages that our clients sometimes choose.

Lewis Gianola provides government relations services with state and federal regulators to shape regulation that encourages development through industry best practices. Lewis Gianola is recognized as the leader in lobbying services for the natural gas industry and is currently involved in issues such as statutory pooling, environmental regulation, and other issues concerning the natural gas industry, particularly regarding the development of the Marcellus and Utica plays.