Casey A. Coyle

Casey Alan Coyle is the Managing Shareholder of Babst Calland’s Harrisburg Office and past Co-Chair of the firm’s Appellate and Litigation Practice groups. He concentrates his practice on complex commercial litigation and appellate law.

Mr. Coyle has significant first-chair trial experience and regularly represents businesses in high-stakes or bet-the-company litigation in state and federal trial courts throughout the country. He has worked on a variety of cases, including cases involving breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duties, civil conspiracy, constitutional challenges, emergency injunctions, environmental litigation, non-competition/non-solicitation agreements, shareholder litigation, and theft of trade secrets. He also represents clients in matters brought before the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court as part of its original jurisdiction.

Beyond his extensive trial work, Mr. Coyle frequently represents businesses and trade associations in state and federal appellate courts. Over his career, he has represented either a party or an amicus curiae in over 15 appeals before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Mr. Coyle has successfully petitioned the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to grant review of an appeal—commonly known as “allocatur”—on six different occasions. In addition, he has presented oral argument before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court, and Pennsylvania Superior Court. Mr. Coyle frequently serves as a commentator for The Legal Intelligencer and Law360 on appeals pending before the Pennsylvania appellate courts.

• Representing a homebuilder in an appeal before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court involving Pennsylvania’s construction statute of repose. Aloia, et al. v. Diament Building Corp., No. 89 MAP 2024 (Pa.) (pending).

• Represented a Fortune 500 company in CERCLA and RCRA litigation in Wisconsin federal court in which the plaintiff sought nearly $30 million in past and future response costs and declaratory relief. After a two-week bench trial, the court awarded the plaintiff $0 in past response costs, reduced the plaintiff’s requested allocation of future response costs to the company by more than 40%, and dismissed the plaintiff’s RCRA claim. Barclay Lofts LLC, et al. v. PPG Industries, et al., 2:20-CV-01694 (D. Wis.).

• Represented a group of casinos at trial before the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court as part of its original jurisdiction and on an appeal before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in a case involving the legality of the Pennsylvania Lottery’s iLottery program. Greenwood Gaming & Entertainment, Inc., et al. v. Department of Revenue, 306 A.3d 319 (Pa. 2023).

• Represented a publicly traded electric vehicle manufacturer against another publicly traded electric vehicle manufacturer in a tortious interference case in Arizona federal court involving more than $25 million in damages. Lion Electric Company v. Nikola Corporation, 2:23-CV-00372 (D. Ariz.).

• Representing a global oil and gas company in a pre-enforcement challenge to $1.4 million impact fee under the Pennsylvania Oil and Gas Act (Act 13). Case is currently pending on appeal before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Repsol Oil & Gas USA v. Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, No. 62 MAP 2024 (Pa.) (pending).

• Representing former student in Title IX and Section 1983 litigation in Pennsylvania federal court against state-related university and two university officials; complaint alleges systemic sex discrimination and procedural due process violations by the University and the individual defendants in investigating allegations of sexual misconduct. Doe v. Pa. State Univ., No. 4:24-CV-2111 (M.D. Pa.).

• Representing the Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America, Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, and other trade associations as amicus curiae in an appeal before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court concerning the constitutionality of the statutory damage caps established in Section 8528 of the Pennsylvania Sovereign Immunity Act. Freilich v. SEPTA, No. 10 EAP 2024 (Pa.) (pending). Amicus brief featured in the article, “Chamber Tells Pa. Justices To Keep Gov’t Suit Damages Cap,” Law360 (Aug. 5, 2024).

• Representing a former C-suite executive in a civil conspiracy case before the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court as part of its original jurisdiction brought by the Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner in his capacity as Statutory Rehabilitator of Senior Health Insurance Company of Pennsylvania (SHIP); the Commissioner is seeking over $500 million in damages. Humphreys v. Wegner, et al., No. 1 SHP 2020 (Pa. Commw. Ct.) (pending).

• Represented a school district in an appeal before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court involving media access to student records. Central Dauphin School District v. Hawkins, et al., 286 A.3d 726 (Pa. 2022). Successfully petitioned the Supreme Court to grant review of the appeal and presented oral argument to the Court.

• Represented a trade association in Pennsylvania federal court in a case involving a constitutional challenge to the City of Pittsburgh’s inclusionary zoning ordinance. Builders Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh v. City of Pittsburgh, et al., No. 2:22-CV-00706 (W.D. Pa.) (pending). Complaint featured in the article, “Builders Sue To Stop Pittsburgh’s ‘Inclusionary Zoning’ Rule,” Law360 (May 12, 2022).

• Representing the Pennsylvania Coalition for Civil Justice Reform, Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and other trade associations and businesses as amicus curiae in an appeal before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court concerning the standard of proof required to establish forum non conveniens for a case involving an in-state plaintiff. Tranter v. Z&D Tour, Inc., Nos. 18 EAP 2024 to 32 EAP 2024 (Pa.) (pending). Amicus brief quoted in article, “Industry Groups Back Appeal of Ruling They Claim ‘Would Effectively Abolish Venue’ in Pa.,” The Legal Intelligencer (June 17, 2024).

• Represented the putative debtor in an involuntary bankruptcy before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. In re Deluxe Building Solutions, LLC, No. 5:21-BK-00534. As part of the representation, participated in nine non-consecutive days of evidentiary hearings on the putative debtor’s motion to dismiss.

• Represented the Scranton Diocese as amicus curiae in an appeal before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court involving the statute of limitations for civil sexual abuse claims. Rice v. Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, 255 A.3d 237 (Pa. 2021). As part of the appeal, provided substantial assistance to the appellants, including assisting them with successfully petitioning the Supreme Court to grant review of the appeal. Also quoted in the AP article, “Slew of church abuse lawsuits hinges on state court decision” (Aug. 14, 2020).

• Represented a publicly traded company in an appeal of a multi-million-dollar verdict before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The Bert Company v. Turk, et al., 298 A.3d 44 (Pa. 2023). Appeal involved, among other issues, the calculation of the constitutionally permissible ratio of compensatory-to-punitive damages in multidefendant cases. Successfully petitioned the Supreme Court to grant review of the appeal.

• Represented a 50-50 owner of a limited liability company in a shareholder dispute before the Centre County Court of Common Pleas and Tioga County Court of Common Pleas. Shaner, et al. v. Hendrick, et al., 2013-4525 (Centre Cnty. Ct. Com. Pl.); Hendrick, et al. v. Shaner, et al., No. 974-CV-2013 (Tioga Cnty. Ct. Com. Pl.). These companion cases involved the allegation that the other owner breached his fiduciary duties to the company, resulting in over $38 million in damages.

• Represented a small water utility in an appeal before the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court concerning an acquisition by a capable public utility under Section 529 of the Public Utility Code. Twin Lakes Utilities, Inc. v. Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, 281 A.3d 384 (Pa. 2022). As part of that appeal, successfully obtained a stay of the Commission’s underlying Order—which is the equivalent of a permanent injunction—pending the outcome of the appeal.

Background

Prior to joining Babst Calland, Mr. Coyle was a partner at a national law firm with offices throughout the eastern United States. While there, he served as Chair of the firm’s Appellate Practice Working Group. Before entering private practice, he served as a law clerk for the Honorable Thomas G. Saylor, Chief Justice Emeritus of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, for nearly two and a half years.

Mr. Coyle graduated from the Temple University Beasley School of Law, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Temple Journal of Science, Technology & Environmental Law. He earned his B.A. in Journalism, with distinction, from the Pennsylvania State University. During his time at Penn State, Mr. Coyle was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society and spent a semester in Washington, D.C., interning for CNN’s Capital Gang.

Memberships and Affiliations

Mr. Coyle is licensed to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He is also admitted before the United States Courts of Appeals for the Third and Sixth Circuits, and the United States District Courts for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, District of New Jersey, and Eastern District of Wisconsin.

Mr. Coyle is the Chair of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania’s Civil Procedural Rules Committee, which assists the Supreme Court in the preparation, revision, publication, and administration of the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure. He is also the Co-Chair of the Pennsylvania Defense Institute’s Amicus Curiae Committee.

Mr. Coyle is a past President of the Middle District of Pennsylvania Chapter of the FBA, currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Chapter’s CLE Committee and served on the Planning Committee for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania’s 2024 Bench/Bar Conference. He is a past member of the Third Circuit Lawyers Advisory Committee. He also previously served as the Vice President of the Capital Area Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association, Vice President of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association, and as the Sponsorship Chair for the Liberty Ball, an annual event held in Philadelphia to benefit the Four Diamonds Fund.

Mr. Coyle was listed in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® for Administrative / Regulatory Law and Appellate Practice. In 2024, he was selected by The Legal Intelligencer as one of only 13 “2024 Lawyers on the Fast Track, Small/Midsize Winners” statewide in Pennsylvania. This recognition is only given to attorneys under the age of 40 who have demonstrated excellence in four categories: development of the law; advocacy and community contributions; service to the bar; and peer and public recognition. In 2023, Mr. Coyle was invited to become a Fellow of the Foundation of the Federal Bar Association, an honor bestowed upon less than 300 lawyers nationwide that demonstrate commitment to and leadership within the FBA and the legal community. He has been selected to the Pennsylvania Rising Stars list (Thomson Reuters) for Business Litigation for ten consecutive years (2015-2024).