How Shawn Helps Clients
Shawn Gallagher is a member of the firm’s Real Estate and Energy practice groups. He is a go-to lawyer for municipal and land use matters. He has a broad administrative law and litigation practice with particular emphasis on zoning, energy, environmental, municipal and land development matters.
Shawn’s practice focuses primarily on real estate development and governmental permits and approvals. He is known for his ability to successfully support clients through demanding and highly controversial issues, including many cases of first impression. He is very familiar with regional governments at the state and municipal levels, and is especially experienced in NIMBY (not in my back yard) situations.
Shawn brings a wealth of legal and business knowledge to clients in a variety of industries. He has represented a wide variety of clients, including real estate developers, oil and gas companies, utilities, professional sports teams, universities, wireless telecommunications providers, independent power producers, and extractive industries, among others.
What Clients Can Expect
Shawn is calm under pressure and knows how to maintain focus during difficult negotiations or volatile litigation. He comes prepared, he doesn't give up and he gets things done.
To manage a case through volatility and controversy, you have to know the client's business inside and out and you have to believe in what you're doing.
Proof Points
Shawn has been selected for inclusion in the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Rising Stars list (from 2008 to 2013) and has since been included in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list in the Land Use and Zoning and Energy Categories. He has also been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© consistently since 2016 under the Real Estate Law, Land Use and Zoning Law and Litigation - Municipal categories. He was named Best Lawyers® 2020 Land Use & Zoning Law "Lawyer of the Year" in Pittsburgh.
Shawn has consecutively been named to the Pittsburgh Business Times' "Who's Who in Energy" list, a compilation of Pennsylvania-based key players in the energy industry.
Duquesne University School of Law, J.D., 2001, CALI Excellence Award for Trial Advocacy, Outstanding Litigation Award
Northwestern School of Law of Lewis and Clark College, Cert. in Environmental & Natural Resources Law, 2000, with honors
Allegheny College, B.A., 1996, Alden Scholar
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. Supreme Court
- West Virginia
Member, NAIOP: Commercial Real Estate Development Association
Member, Urban Land Institute
Past Chair, Environmental & Energy Law Section, Allegheny County Bar Association
Member, Environmental and Energy Law Section, Pennsylvania Bar Association
Member, Marcellus Shale Coalition
Member, Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association
Member, Energy & Mineral Law Foundation
Member, Ohio Oil & Gas Association
Past Member, Ben Avon Zoning Hearing Board
Past member, Avalon, Bellevue, Ben Avon (ABBA) Joint Zoning Steering Committee
Past member, ABBA Joint Planning Commission
Past member, Ben Avon Planning Commission