Steptoe & Johnson Welcomes 12 New Associates to the Firm

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – Steptoe & Johnson PLLC welcomes 12 Associates who joined the firm during the first quarter of 2026: Gabriel R. Ackal, Jr., Chandler M. Atkins, Kyle S. Ayers, Elena A. Bolonina, Thad A. Bowyer, Jeremy M. Childs, Austin H. Johnson, Rachel A. Lawson, John R. Manning, Brock A. Niederhofer, Taylor B. Porter, and Alexis M. Wright. Three of the Associates are joining the Energy and Natural Resources department, seven are joining the Litigation department, and two are joining the Business department.

Ackal advises clients on energy contracts and oil and gas title examinations and is based in the firm’s The Woodlands, TX, office. He conducts due diligence and drafts contracts, mineral leases, joint operating agreements, drill-site and division order title opinions, farm-out agreements, and other transactional documents. He earned his law degree from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law and his bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University.

Atkins focuses his practice on medical malpractice, product liability, premises liability, and nursing home litigation and works in the Louisville, KY office. He assists in representing hospitals, long-term care facilities, and health care systems through all stages of trial preparation. He earned his law degree from the University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky.

Ayers assists clients with civil litigation matters and is based in the Charleston, WV office. He has experience in insurance defense and public entity matters, representing municipalities and other governmental entities in cases involving negligence, discrimination, and other civil issues. He earned his law degree from Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law and his bachelor’s degree from West Virginia University.

Bolonina focuses her litigation practice on premises liability, products liability, non-subscriber cases, and commercial litigation. She is based in the firm’s The Woodlands, TX, office. She assists in representing Fortune 100 companies through all phases of litigation, including drafting and reviewing motions, complaints, and appellate briefs. Bolonina is also a Certified Mediator and is fully bilingual in English and Russian. She earned her law degree from South Texas College of Law Houston and her bachelor’s degree from Russian State University for the Humanities.

Bowyer defends clients in civil, criminal, and administrative matters and is based in the Charleston, WV office. He represents insurance companies and their insureds in premises and product liability and general litigation. He earned his law degree from West Virginia University College of Law and his bachelor’s degree from Concord University.

Childs focuses on energy contracts and due diligence and works from the Southpointe, PA office. He reviews title documents, identifies subsurface severances, and addresses issues affecting oil and gas rights transfers. He earned his law degree and bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh.

Johnson focuses his practice on litigation matters, including education law, employment law, insurance defense, and civil rights litigation, and is based in the Charleston, WV, office. He assists with discovery, drafting pretrial motions, and trial preparation in state and federal courts. He earned his law degree and J.M. from Appalachian School of Law and his bachelor’s degree from West Virginia University.

Lawson focuses her practice on energy contracts, transactional matters, and oil and gas title examinations. She is based in the Morgantown, WV office. She assists clients with due diligence and drafts joint operating, drilling, leasing, and commercial agreements. She earned her law degree from Hamline University School of Law and her master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Fairmont State University.

Manning advises real estate developers on land acquisition and entitlement matters and works in the San Antonio, TX office. He manages transactions involving land purchases, commercial leasing, zoning, and land-use compliance. He earned his law degree from Tulane University School of Law and his bachelor’s degree from Southern Methodist University.

Niederhofer focuses his practice on complex civil litigation, including construction disputes, breach of contract matters, and oil and gas disputes. He is based in the San Antonio, TX, office. He drafts pleadings, discovery requests and responses, subpoenas, and dispositive motions throughout all stages of litigation. He earned his law degree from St. Mary’s University School of Law and his bachelor’s degree from Abilene Christian University.

Porter assists businesses with corporate and transactional matters and is based in the Dallas, TX office. She focuses on entity formation, corporate governance, real estate transactions, and mergers and acquisitions, including due diligence, drafting, closing, and post-closing transitions. She earned her law degree from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law and her bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University.

Wright focuses her practice on litigation matters, including breach of contract, employment issues, breach of fiduciary duty, tortious interference, trade secrets, and fraud. She is based in the Dallas, TX, office. She assists with negotiation and mediation in matters involving premises liability, dram shop law, negligence, the Deceptive Trade Practices Act, and non-subscriber disputes. She earned her law degree from the University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law and her bachelor’s degree from the University of North Texas.