Matthew G. Brouse

Matthew G. Brouse is a Partner in the Pittsburgh office of GRSM and is a member of the Energy, Real Estate and Commercial Litigation practice groups. He is experienced in a wide range of litigation and transactional matters affecting clients in the energy sector and oil and gas industry.

Matthew’s practice primarily focuses on litigation matters in various state and federal courts in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. His clients include Exploration and Production (E&P), Midstream, Renewable, Oilfield Service and Mineral Buying companies. He represents clients in disputes involving leasehold acquisitions, oil and gas leases, oil, gas, and coal ownership rights, tax sale deeds, surface/mineral rights, rights of way, title disputes, and personal injury matters. Several of these cases have involved multi-million dollar claims. On the transactional side, Matthew handles due diligence review, title curative measures, and certified title opinions (Division Order Title Opinions, Acquisition Title Opinions, and Drilling Opinions) in oil and gas land acquisitions. One of his largest transactions to date involved the successful management of an E&P Company’s 30,000-acre plus due diligence land acquisition in eastern Ohio.

In addition to his experience in the energy sector, Matthew also represents a national telecommunications company.  Specifically, Matthew has assisted in site acquisitions, title review and securing and protecting the client’s leasehold interest from lendors across the mid-Atlantic, Northeast and West Coast regions. 
 

Admissions

• Montana
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• West Virginia
• U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio
• U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Pennsylvania
• U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of West Virginia

Memberships

• Allegheny County Bar Association
• Montana Bar Association
• Ohio State Bar Association
• Pennsylvania Bar Association
• West Virginia Bar Association
• Energy and Mineral Law Foundation
• Michael Late Benedum Chapter of American Association of Professional Landmen

Community Involvement

• Junior Achievement of Western Pennsylvania - Board of Directors, Member
   

Representative Experience

• Obtained Motion to Dismiss on behalf of E&P Company in United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania in a matter where the Plaintiff/Company asserted Declaratory Judgment, Quiet Title, Unjust Enrichment and Accounting claims in dispute of oil and gas ownership underlying property – see JJK Min. Co. II, LLC v. Morris, No. 2:20-CV-2025, 2021 WL 4594675, at *1 (W.D. Pa. Oct. 6, 2021);
• Obtained Summary Judgment on behalf of E&P Company in a case involving a complex title issue affecting oil and gas ownership to property located in southwestern Pennsylvania. This decision was subsequently affirmed, after oral argument, by the Pennsylvania Superior Court in a precedential decision: Hunnell as Tr. of Hunnell Fam. Revocable Living Tr. v. Krawczewicz, 2022 PA Super 166, 284 A.3d 1192, 1202 (2022); 
• Obtained Summary Judgment on behalf of an E&P Company in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania related to a dispute arising under a Master Services Agreement in which Third-Party Plaintiff/Company alleged Contractual Indemnification and Contribution claims – see Williams v. Inflection Energy, LLC, No. CV 4:15-00675, 2016 WL 4429998, at *1 (M.D. Pa. Aug. 22, 2016);
• Obtained dismissal on Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings on behalf of E&P Company in a case involving a title dispute related to oil and gas ownership in southwestern Pennsylvania – Plaintiff/Company claimed over 15 million dollars in damages for Quiet Title, Declaratory Judgment, Trespass, Conversion, and Ejectment claims. This decision was appealed to the Pennsylvania Superior Court which granted E&P Company’s Application to Quash Appeal, in a precedential decision, after the parties briefed the relevant jurisdictional and substantive legal issues: Cavallo Mineral Partners, LLC v. EQT Production Company et al., 2023 PA Super 115, 2023 WL 4167875 (2023);
• Obtained a Preliminary Injunction on behalf of an E&P Company against landowners who sought to prohibit the plugging of a well located on their property;
• Obtained a voluntary dismissal, with prejudice, of E&P Company after filing Preliminary Objections in a matter where Plaintiff alleged Declaratory Relief, Promissory Estoppel, Breach of Contract, and Fraud claims with regard to an alleged failure to pay royalties under an oil and gas lease in southwestern Pennsylvania;
• Obtained a dismissal of E&P Company after filing of Motion for Judgment on Pleadings in a matter alleging where Plaintiff/Company alleged Declaratory Relief and Quiet Title with regard to oil and gas leasing rights of property in southwestern Pennsylvania;
• Obtained a dismissal of a lawsuit of an E&P Company in northeastern Pennsylvania in which the Plaintiff alleged Negligence and Vicarious Liability for failure to maintain safe worksite;
• Obtained a dismissal of an E&P Company after filing Preliminary Objections to an Amended Complaint that asserted Quiet Title and Declaratory Judgment claims related to an interpretation of an gas royalty interest under a deed;
• Successfully defended a Midstream Company against multiple landowners seeking a Preliminary Injunction to enjoin operations related to construction of a pipeline;
• Successfully obtained a Permanent Injunction on behalf of an E&P Company against an individual who was causing damage to property surrounding a Well Pad;
• Obtained a dismissal of an Oilfield Services Company in Ohio State Court in a lawsuit by a company alleging faulty installation of casing string in a horizontal well; 
• Obtained a dismissal of a Mineral Buying Company in a lawsuit that alleged Mutual Mistake and Breach of Contract related to an oil and gas purchase and sale agreement and conveyance; 
• Obtained an Order striking a judgment and subsequently obtained a favorable settlement on behalf of clients who were improperly deprived of their oil, gas and mineral rights, including years of back royalty payments; 
• Obtained a dismissal for a client on Preliminary Objections in a personal injury lawsuit alleging Negligence and Vicarious Liability;
• Successfully obtained a Permanent Injunction of an E&P Company against a landowner who was threatening employees and contractors at a Well Pad;
• Obtained dismissal of a shallow well E&P Company in a lawsuit alleging Declaratory Relief for violation of a notice provision of a lease;
• Obtained a dismissal of an E&P Company on Preliminary Objections against a landowner who asserted a Quiet Title claim related to ownership of oil and gas rights; 
• Obtained a favorable settlement for a Midstream Company in a lawsuit by a landowner alleging claims of Breach of Contract, Trespass, Private Nuisance, and Negligence;
• Successfully obtained various orders securing E&P Company’s leasehold interest in Sheriff’s Sale and Tax Sale proceedings throughout southwestern Pennsylvania; 
• Obtained Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings for a Class I railroad in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina in a lawsuit where Plaintiff was alleging Negligence, Premises Liability, “Take Home Exposure”, Gross Negligence, Loss of Consortium and Wrongful Death; and
• Obtained numerous favorable settlements for E&P and Midstream Companies in lawsuits related to Breach of Contract, Trespass, Quiet Title, Ejectment, Negligence, Specific Performance, Nuisance and Declaratory Judgment in State and Federal courts in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
   

Publications

• “Will Texas Ruling Impact Pennsylvania’s Oil and Gas Jurisprudence?” The Legal Intelligencer Energy/Environmental Section, July 2017

Education

J.D., Duquesne University School of Law

B.S., summa cum laude, Youngstown State University

Honors

Pennsylvania Super Lawyers® “Rising Stars” (2015-2023)

Recognized as one of Pittsburgh Business Times’ Who’s Who in Energy: Pittsburgh-Region Lawyers, 2017