The Energy & Mineral Law Foundation (EMLF) is proud to announce it has presented its 2024 John L. McClaugherty Award to Kevin L. Colosimo.  The McClaugherty Award is the Foundation’s highest honor and recognizes outstanding contributions to the field of energy and mineral law, and to EMLF.  It is named after the late John L. McClaugherty, a founding member and former president of the organization.

Kevin has been a member of EMLF for over fifteen years, and has served in numerous leadership roles, including as the organization’s president from 2020 to 2021.

2023 McClaugherty Award winner Natalie N. Jefferis presented the award to Kevin at EMLF’s 45^th Annual Institute in June in Savannah, Georgia.  Natalie recognized that while serving as president during a portion of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kevin “guided the foundation through a question filled year with a steady hand, lots of discussion, and thoughtful strategic decisions as we made unprecedented decisions about how to move forward.”

Natalie highlighted not only Kevin’s leadership in the Foundation, but also his role as a prolific speaker and author.  At the 45^th Annual Institute, Kevin conceived, executed, and moderated a panel commemorating the 20th Anniversary of Marcellus Shale exploration, which included video interviews with shale luminaries, live panelist perspectives, and thoughtful discussion highlighting the importance and impact of the legal profession on shale gas development in Appalachia.

When accepting the award, Kevin expressed overwhelming gratitude at the recognition, and continued support and enthusiasm for the organization.  He said the collegiality and close friendships he had made through EMLF has been a highlight of his professional career.

The full award presentation may be viewed here.

Kevin is a partner at Frost Brown Todd in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and has been an integral member of and leader in the oil and gas energy bars in Appalachia for over twenty-five years.  His law practice spans the areas of oil and gas litigation, energy law, and business, contract, and real property law.  He has provided counsel to clients on a wide range of legal matters including risk management alternatives, claims assessment, and litigation strategy

Active in the legal and local Pittsburgh communities, Kevin has served as a Member and Committee Co-Chair of the Marcellus Shale Roundtable and the Advisory Board of the Salvation Army of Greater Pittsburgh (Past-Chair), in addition to involvement with various local universities and charities.

Kevin is AV rated by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory.  He has been recognized by Chambers USA, Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, and the Pittsburgh Business Times Who’s Who in Energy for his contributions to the energy law field.

Kevin graduated Magna Cum Laude from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and obtained his law degree at Duquesne University.  Kevin also obtained an LLM in Dispute Resolution from the Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law, Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution. He is a member of the Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Texas bars.  He has been admitted to practice in 14 different federal courts, including the Supreme Court of the United States.

The late John L. McClaugherty (1931-2003) was a former member and past president of the Energy & Mineral Law Foundation (then named the Eastern Mineral Law Foundation).  Mr. McClaugherty was a native of Princeton, West Virginia, who attended Northwestern University and the West Virginia University College of Law.  He served as a Staff Judge Advocate in the U.S. Air Force before joining the law firm Jackson Kelly in 1959, where he later became the managing member for nearly twenty years.  Civic-minded, Mr. McClaugherty served as chief counsel to the Senate of West Virginia Counsel on the Judiciary from 1967 to 1975 and held numerous community leadership positions including President of the Board of Directors of the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra.  He also frequently volunteered his time in service to the bar through his involvement with the American Bar Association, the American Judicature Society, the American Bar Foundation, the West Virginia Bar Foundation, the West Virginia State Bar Association, the Kanawha County Bar Association, and the West Virginia Judicial Council, among others.

EMLF is a non-profit organization that is an accredited provider of continuing education for lawyers, landmen, and other energy professionals.  For more information about EMLF, visit emlf.org.  To view the McClaugherty Award presentation, click here.