Area of Emphasis
Jim Corbelli is a shareholder in the Litigation and Energy and Natural Resources groups of Babst Calland.
Mr. Corbelli is past co-chair of the Firm’s Litigation Group. He has acted as lead trial counsel in a wide variety of complex commercial, intellectual property, toxic tort, environmental and natural resource, and energy litigation cases. Mr. Corbelli has extensive environmental litigation experience representing clients before the Environmental Hearing Board in Pennsylvania and appellate courts. In administrative proceedings, he has represented clients challenging permit decisions, contesting civil penalties and compliance orders, providing litigation support for regulatory matters, and defending against challenges brought by citizens’ groups, among other matters. Mr. Corbelli also has considerable experience in disputes related to trade secrets, covenants not to compete and other restrictive covenants. He has frequently been involved in requests to federal and state courts for injunctive relief. He has also actively assisted clients to avoid litigation and positioned clients to prepare for litigation.
Background
Mr. Corbelli graduated cum laude from the University of Maryland with a B.A. in 1986, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and a member of the Honors Program in the History Department. He received his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Pittsburgh in 1989 and was elected for membership in the Order of the Coif. Mr. Corbelli served as Notes Editor of the University of Pittsburgh Law Review, where he was also published.
Mr. Corbelli currently teaches a course on pre-trial practice and strategy at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.
Memberships and Affiliations
Mr. Corbelli is admitted to practice before all Pennsylvania courts, the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Pennsylvania, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He has also been admitted pro hac vice in numerous state and federal courts. Mr. Corbelli is a member of the Allegheny County, Pennsylvania and American Bar associations.
Mr. Corbelli has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® for Commercial Litigation and Litigation – Environmental since 2024 and for Energy Law and Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy) in the 2026 edition. He was also named the Best Lawyers® 2024 Litigation – Environmental “Lawyer of the Year” in Pittsburgh, Pa. Mr. Corbelli was selected to the 2005 and 2010-2017 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers lists (Thomson Reuters) and has achieved the highest rating from Martindale-Hubbell for his legal ability and general ethical standards.
Publications/Presentations
Mr. Corbelli has frequently lectured and written on issues such as trial strategy, expert witnesses, trade secrets and restrictive covenants, discovery, energy litigation and environmental litigation.
