Trisha is a Partner in Bernstein-Burkley’s Litigation practice group.
Focus:
Trisha handles all phases of litigation, from inception through trial, including early and essential investigation, substantive motion practice and conducting depositions and mediations, and successful settlement negotiation. Her practice focuses on:
- Commercial Litigation
- Oil and gas litigation
- Italian dual citizenship services
- Quiet title actions
- General liability
- Foreclosures
- Bankruptcy Litigation
Trisha specializes in oil and gas litigation matters and works zealously to recover for her clients. She has represented landowners, operators, and mineral buyers in various actions including, but not limited to: quiet title to oil and gas interests, breach of contact related to underpayment of royalties and declaratory judgment matters.
In addition to her litigation work, Trisha assists clients who are in the process of obtaining their Italian dual Citizenship by providing a meticulous review of ancestry, official records and documents to determine the next steps in achieving a client’s dual citizenship. Trisha’s success in seeking the required court orders is vital to the process in obtaining one’s citizenship. To obtain required court order records she has experience working with various State Departments of Vital Records and Health to have pertinent vital records corrected. She has successfully obtained ‘one and the same’ orders from PA, WV, CA, IL, NJ, NY & MA.
She Represents:
She represents corporate clients in commercial and business litigation, involving:
- Breach of contract
- Breach of fiduciary duty
- Unfair competition
- Fraud and other business torts
- Premises actions
- Trade secret defense
- Professional malpractice matters
Recent Achievements:
- Represented owner of 2,000 acres of oil and gas in West Virginia in lawsuit against oil and gas producers for a 7-figure miscalculation in royalties. After an audit of 5 years of royalty statements, Trish and the Bernstein-Burkley team determined that the producer calculated royalties based on a generic price rather than actual sales of Natural Gas Liquids, which violated the obligations of their drilling permit. As a result, the case settled with a significant payment to the client.
- Representation of non-participating royalty holder against a quiet title action initiated by mineral-buying company, in which mineral buyer alleges that NPRI was divested by a tax sale, despite that tax sale could only divest real property interest.
- Represented the Plan Administrator in a hotly contested matter against the Debtors’ former law firm which resulted in a significant disgorgement of legal fees, payable back into the Debtors’ estate.
Background:
Through her prior experience as a Title Abstractor and Crew Chief in the oil and gas industry, Trisha has valuable knowledge that uniquely benefits her clients as she can effectively identify operational concerns affected by the law that can be overlooked. Trisha has used her background in oil and gas matters to inform the drafting of title opinions, handling of lease negotiations and defending toxic tort claims involving asbestos and other industrial exposures to toxic substances.
- Kent State University (A.A., 2004)
- Ohio Valley University (B.S. in Marketing, 2006)
- Duquesne University School of Law (J.D., concentration in Civil Litigation, 2014)
- President of the Energy and Mineral Law Society
- Vice President of the Christian Legal Society
- Editor-in-Chief of the Energy and Environmental Law Journal
- CALI Award for the highest grade in Mineral and Gas Law: Leases and Conveyances
- Awarded a Pro Bono Certificate for volunteer hours
Admissions:
- Pennsylvania State Bar
- West Virginia State Bar
- United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia
- United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia
- United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
Affiliations and Memberships:
- Pennsylvania Bar Association
- West Virginia Bar Association
- Crittenton Services, Inc. – Volunteer
- Junior League of Wheeling
- NARO Ohio – Board Member
Accolades:
- Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch (2021-2024)
- West Virginia Super Lawyers Rising Stars (2021-2024)
Testimonials:
“I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with both you and Lisa. It was a wonderful experience to trust and feel confident in a lawyer and have two people on my case who care. Thank you again for all the communication and wisdom and care. “
“You were the best experience I have ever had with lawyers to be honest with you. “