Current law firm or association: Dickie, McCamey & Chilcote, P.C.
Law School: Duquesne University School of Law
Undergraduate: University of Pittsburgh
Current home town: Pittsburgh
Favorite bar or restaurant in current home city? Why? Bakersfield. Few things make me as happy as enjoying a good margarita and queso on a sunny day!
EMLF Involvement: I’ve attended various educational seminars and the Annual Institute. Currently I serve as a Trustee at Large.
Do you have a favorite anecdote or war story regarding your time as a lawyer? Early in my career I was working with another firm on a large project for a client and the lead attorney told my boss I was a “real go-getter.” I don’t think it was meant as a compliment, but rather signaling to my boss that I was annoying him. My boss told me that the client was happy with my work and to keep doing whatever I was doing. This project helped create a strong relationship with the client that continues to this day. So don’t listen to the haters and just do good work!
Fun Fact: I have seven siblings, and with spouses and nieces and nephews my immediate family currently stands at 25 people. So chaos is my norm. I think this is what helps me remain calm in stressful situations.
Where did you grow up? Pittsburgh
What is your area of practice? I handle various energy matters as well as real estate and construction issues.
How did you get involved in that area of law? I graduated law school during the Marcellus/Utica boom in the region and quickly got a job as an abstractor. I never imaged focusing on energy law, but it has allowed me to development my skills from the ground up and practice in a constantly changing and nuanced area of law.
How much of your time is spent representing clients in the coal, oil and gas, or other energy industries? The majority of my time is spent representing energy clients.
You have spoken at a couple of EMLF events and have been involved in EMLF committees. Has that involvement benefited you? If so, how? My involvement has allowed me to strengthen my professional network and make new connections outside of my involvement in other organizations.
Now that some of the COVID-related restrictions on restaurants, gatherings, and travel are ending, is there anything in particular that you have done or look forward to doing soon, that you were able to do during the shutdowns? I am excited to travel more and be able to fully experience different cities. During covid when I would travel restaurants were limited or closed, but looking forward to traveling for work or fun and having the destinations being vibrant again!
You’re still a young lawyer, but have been practicing a bit more than a decade. Looking back, what two or three things have been most helpful to you in developing as a lawyer and as a young partner at your firm?
- Build your network early. Getting involved in industry organizations like EMLF allows you to meet and develop strong personal connections. These connections may turn into potential clients or resources to help you throughout your career.
- Be your own best advocate. It is ok to voice when you think you deserve something or that you are the best person to handle a project. You may not get it every time, but you’ll have a better success rate than if you kept quiet.
- Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing. Everyone has a different path. Just focus on your end goal and what you need to do to get there.
Is there any advice you would give to new lawyers and law students who are about to become lawyers? Find an area of law that you enjoy and put in the work to develop your skills in that area. This may mean putting in extra non-billable time doing research or going to continuing education courses, but it will pay off in the end.