Kit F. Pettit, Partner in Bernstein-Burkley’s Pittsburgh office, is responsible for the management of the firm’s Business Law unit comprised of the Commercial Real Estate, Corporate and Commercial Transactions, and Oil Gas & Energy practice groups.
Focus:
Kit focuses his practice on commercial real estate, business and finance transactions, and a variety of general corporate matters.
He Represents:
Kit’s commercial real estate practice involves the representation of clients in the acquisition, financing, leasing, development, and sale of commercial real estate projects and properties. His skills and experience allow him to advise, assist, and represent clients through all phases of commercial real estate development, including capital raises; partnership agreements; property acquisition; financing (acquisition, construction, and permanent); leasing; and property dispositions. In addition to representing developers, landlords, and tenants, he also devotes significant time representing financial institutions and borrowers in the area of commercial real estate-based lending and construction financing. Kit also represents commercial, industrial, and residential property owners in real estate tax assessment appeals.
Kit’s practice also includes commercial business transactions and general corporate transactions including corporate governance and formation, mergers and acquisitions, corporate financing, private equity, and a variety of commercial contracts and agreements. He routinely acts as outside general counsel for the firm’s business clients, providing general corporate and business counseling to principals and executives and handling various transactional matters. After serving as In-House Counsel and a Member of the Board of Managers to a group of affiliated companies for a period of 8 years, Kit’s clients find him to be knowledgeable and understanding of business concepts and strategies in addition to providing day-to-day legal services.
Kit also has extensive experience in the representation of businesses and individuals in matters involving oil and gas. He routinely represents property owners in the leasing and sale of oil and gas interests and all types of land and surface use agreements. He also represents business clients working in the oil and gas industry involving mineral acquisitions and dispositions, hauling and transportation, disposal and land service support.
Background:
Prior to joining Bernstein-Burkley in 2010, the Pittsburgh native served as In-House Counsel and a Member of the Board of Managers to several affiliated Pittsburgh-based businesses involved in industrial construction and maintenance work, commercial construction, real estate development, specialty manufacturing, wholesale building supply and solid waste (landfill and trucking).
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- Ohio University (B.S., Pre-Law/Legal Communications, cum laude, 1999)
- University of Pittsburgh School of Law (J.D., 2002)
Admissions:
- Admitted to practice in all state courts in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
- Admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
Affiliations and Memberships:
Kit has lectured on various oil and gas-related topics, and he has been a panelist and speaker for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Allegheny County Bar Association, Lorman Educational Services, National Association of Royalty Owners (N.A.R.O.) and the Vistage International.
- Allegheny County Bar Association
- Pennsylvania Bar Association
- National Association of Industrial and Office Properties
- Young Professionals in Energy
- National Association of Royalty Owners
- Former Youth Wrestling and Soccer Coach, Upper St. Clair Athletic Association
Publications:
- Protecting a Land Owner’s Rights in Negotiating an Oil & Gas Lease
- Pipeline Easements for Marcellus Shale Development
- A Few Facts About Division Orders and Natural Gas Leases
- Navigating Oil and Gas Lease Issues (Contributor)
- Choosing the Best Form for a Business Entity
- Abandoned and Unclaimed Royalties
- Quoted in, “Pa Democrat Hopefuls United for Shale Gas Severance Tax,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 5, 2014
- Quoted in, “Allegheny County Council Goes Deep into Deer Lakes Drilling Plan,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 13, 2014
- Quoted in, “Allegheny County’s Airport Gas Drilling Pact with Consol a Great Deal, Lawyer Says,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, March 5, 2013
- Quoted in, “Checks from Drilling May Dry Up Amid Low Gas Prices,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 23, 2012
- Quoted in, “A Big Firm Moves In, Landowners Face New Types of Shale Leases,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, December 11, 2012