Chester R. Babst, III

Area of Emphasis

Chip Babst is Chairman of the Firm and serves on the Management Committee. He is a member of the Environmental and Energy and Natural Resources groups. Mr. Babst has more than 40 years of experience in providing counsel on environmental matters to both private and public clients.

Mr. Babst is a nationally-recognized authority on Clean Air Act issues and has handled complex permitting and compliance issues at federal, state and local levels throughout the United States. His experience in dealing with federal and state agency penalty policies and enforcement processes has enabled him to assist clients in negotiating acceptable settlements in environmental enforcement cases involving significant demands for civil penalties and injunctive relief. He also has represented clients in administrative and judicial hearings at the state and federal levels and has presented environmental issues before the Third, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Ninth and D.C. Circuit Courts of Appeal.

Background

Mr. Babst received his B.A. from Bucknell University in 1969 and his J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh in 1973, where he was Topics and Research Editor of the Law Review.

Memberships and Affiliations

Mr. Babst was admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar in 1973 and to the West Virginia Bar in 2000. He is a fellow in the American College of Environmental Lawyers, has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® for more than 30 years, and was named the Best Lawyers® 2012 Environmental Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Pittsburgh, Pa. Mr. Babst has been listed in the highest rated category for environmental lawyers in Chambers and Partners’ Chambers USA Guide since 2003 and was selected to the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list (Thomson Reuters) in 2004-2021.

Active in community service, Mr. Babst is the vice chairman of the Allegheny County Health Department Air Advisory Committee. He also serves on the board of directors of the Pittsburgh Promise, the board of trustees of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, as the chairman of the board of directors of the Allegheny County Parks Foundation, and as a fellow of the Allegheny County Bar Association Foundation. His work with the University of Pittsburgh School of Law following his graduation includes working to develop and implement an Environmental Certificate Program, working with the Black Law Student Association to develop and implement a mentoring program with members of the Allegheny County Bar, and serving on the Energy Law Advisory Board.