Matthew S. Casto

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.

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© in the Commercial Litigation Section since 2019 and the Litigation – Environmental Section since 2024 by BL Rankings.

Publications/Presentations
  • Presenter, “Update on Litigation and Emerging Issues in the Appalachian Basin,” AAPL’s Appalachian Land Institute.
  • Presenter, “Annual Update on Oil and Gas Cases,” Energy & Mineral Law Foundation 30th Annual Institute.
  • Presenter, “Subsurface Trespass and Hydraulic Fracturing Issues,” Appalachian Association of Professional Landmen.