Area of Emphasis
Matt Casto is a shareholder in the
Energy and Natural Resources and Litigation groups of Babst Calland. His
practice is focused on energy and real property matters, including the oil and
gas industry with an emphasis on commercial, administrative and general
litigation. Mr. Casto represents clients in connection with contract and lease
disputes, pipeline litigation, toxic torts and energy and mineral law matters
including, but not limited to, surface disputes, royalty, leasing, real
property and title issues, administrative and seismic matters. His experience
with regard to these matters involves coordinating initial investigations,
conducting negotiations on behalf of clients and serving as lead trial counsel
during all phases of discovery and at trial. Mr. Casto routinely handles
condemnation/eminent domain matters for various entities. He also handles
curative issues for title companies including, but not limited to, reformation
actions for deeds of trust and mortgages.
Mr. Casto routinely handles
matters involving multi-party litigation concerning issues related to lease
disputes, injunctive relief, premises liability, quiet title actions, personal
injury defense, deliberate intent, indemnification and contract issues,
products liability, condemnation petitions, workplace safety, industrial and
commercial accidents, motor carrier liability and public utility litigation. He
has extensive experience handling unknown and missing heir petitions,
partitions of real property, and guardian ad litem actions dealing with real
property. Mr. Casto also routinely represents clients before the West Virginia Department
of Environmental Protection’s Shallow Gas Well Review Board and the Oil and Gas
Conservation Commission. He has successfully represented clients and provided
advice and guidance on issues involving toxic torts, complex litigation,
drilling contracts and oil and gas title issues.
Mr. Casto previously served as
in-house counsel for a national oil and gas producer. During his tenure, he
managed and handled litigation for a multi-state area, handled surface
disputes, encroachments, regulatory issues and assisted with land,
administrative and transactional matters.
Background
Mr. Casto attended Montana State University at Billings and received a Bachelors of Arts in history and graduated with honors in 1996. In 1999, he graduated summa cum laude from Willamette University College of Law in Salem, Oregon. He also spent one year as a visiting student at Washington and Lee School of Law in Lexington, Virginia.He also spent one year as a
visiting student at Washington and Lee School of Law in Lexington, Virginia.
Memberships and Affiliations
Mr.
Casto is admitted to practice in Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. He
is also admitted to practice in the United States Court of Appeals for the
Fourth Circuit, United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, United
States Court of Federal Claims, United States District Courts for the Northern
and Southern Districts of West Virginia, Northern and Southern Districts of
Ohio and the Eastern District of Kentucky. Mr. Casto is a member of the Ohio
State Bar Association and American Bar Association, where he also serves as a
member of the Title Insurance Litigation Committee of the Tort Trial &
Insurance Practice Section. He is also a member of the Energy & Mineral Law
Foundation (EMLF), American Association of Professional Landmen (AAPL)
(including the Michael Late Benedum Chapter of the AAPL) and the Ohio Oil and
Gas Association (OOGA). Mr. Casto previously served as an adjunct professor at
Ohio Valley University in Vienna, WV. He is also an Allied Attorney with the
Alliance Defense Fund.
Mr. Casto has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® for Commercial Litigation since 2019, Litigation – Environmental since 2024, and Energy Law in the 2026 edition.
