Mike is a managing associate in the Business Combinations and Capital Transactions Practice Group. He has extensive experience representing companies in a host of transactional matters, including financing, acquisitions, joint development agreements, purchase and sale agreements, and large-scale due diligence projects.
Mike has negotiated and drafted documents for a wide variety of commercial transactions, including asset acquisitions, divestitures, asset financing, leases, and purchase and sale agreements. In addition, Mike has led and managed due diligence projects in Pennsylvania and Ohio ranging in value from $30 million to over $400 million.
Mike routinely works with companies in both the Marcellus and Utica shale plays on operational issues such as coal coordination, leasing, title curative, Dormant Mineral Act filings, easements, surface use agreements and joint development agreements.
Represented seller in the divestiture of Marcellus assets in $250 million asset sale, including advising seller on curative matters and title disputes.
Represented mineral buying company in connection with dispute over application of Marketable Title Act and Dormant Mineral Act.
Served as lead counsel for a private equity group in a $30 million acquisition in Pennsylvania.
Acted as lead counsel in the negotiation, drafting and acquisition of $400 million of oil and gas leases in the Utica shale.
Drafted and negotiated a wide variety of commercial agreements including non-disclosure agreements, master service agreements, independent contractor agreements, and transition services.
Led Ohio due diligence team on multiple due diligence projects, including managing outside vendors, drafting defect notices, and negotiating resolutions to disputes.
Served as local counsel in the drafting of transaction documents for a “Drillco” transaction, including securing a $100 million loan and issuing an opinion of borrower’s counsel.
Counseled major E&P operators on day-to-day issues including operations, leasing, landowner disputes, surface use agreements, rights-of-way, Master Service Agreements, and coal disturbance.
Review loan documents and draft commercial mortgage opinions in connection with acquisition of commercial properties in Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Draft $30 million private placement memorandum in connection with oil and gas well development.
University of Akron School of Law, J.D., 2008
University of Akron, M.B.A., 2008
Grove City College, B.S., Business Management, 2005
Ohio, 2008
Pennsylvania, 2011
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Ohio Supreme Court
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
Pittsburgh Leadership Development Initiative Class XXIV
Selected for inclusion in Pennsylvania Rising Stars®, 2013-2018
Who’s Who in Energy, Pittsburgh Business Times, 2014-2017
Ohio Oil and Gas Association
Ohio State Bar Association
Opinion Committee, former Member
Moderator and Panelist, “What Do You Mean We Can’t Do That? – Antitrust Law Implications for Upstream Joint Development Arrangements,” Energy & Mineral Law Foundation, 39th Annual Institute, June 19, 2018
Speaker, “Upstream Oil and Gas Asset Acquisitions: From Confidentiality Agreement to Closing,” Pennsylvania Bar Institute, 10th Annual Oil and Gas Colloquium, 2018
Speaker, AAPL Annual Meeting, presented on Comparative Law of Shale Plays discussing the Marcellus and Utica Shale plays, Nashville, TN, 2015
April 12, 2022 | Publications
Under Ohio’s Dormant Mineral Act (DMA), what happens when the “holder” of a severed mineral in...
August 12, 2021 | Publications
At the end of 2020, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in In re...
July 24, 2021 | Publications
Stonebridge Operating Co., LLC v. Antero Resources Corp.1 is a reminder on the importance of carefu...
April 16, 2021 | Publications
In its April 5, 2021 decision in McCombs, Sr. v. Dennis, 2021-Ohio-1181, 5th Dist. No. 2020CA00148, ...
February 8, 2021 | Publications
In its January 22, 2021 opinion in Lucas v. Whyte1, a 2-to-1 majority of the Court of Appeals of Oh...
December 21, 2020 | Publications
Hot on the heels of West v. Bode, the other shoe in the world of Ohio oil and gas jurisprudence has...
December 10, 2019 | Blogs
Despite the lack of traditional funding, the energy industry has continued to grow, with crude oil p...
May 18, 2018 | Press Releases
Frost Brown Todd (FBT) Pittsburgh Member-in-Charge Kevin L. Colosimo has been selected to the 2018 e...
May 12, 2017 | Press Releases
Frost Brown Todd (FBT) Pittsburgh Member-in-Charge Kevin C. Colosimo has been selected to the 2017 P...
May 13, 2016 | Press Releases
Michael Brewster, managing associate with Frost Brown Todd (FBT) in Pittsburgh, has been selected fo...