2023
Jessica Brisendine
Deputy General Counsel , Equitrans Midstream Corporation
Photo by Equitrans Midstream Corporation .
HINAA NOOR
JESSICA BRISENDINE , deputy general counsel for Equitrans Midstream Corporation , grew up wanting to include writing in her career , but she did not settle on what shape that writing career might take until later .
Growing up in Campbells Creek , WV , Brisendine attributes her love for English and her interest in the oil and natural gas industry to her parents . Her father worked for a local gas distribution company , while her mother taught English across the river at East Bank High School — thus bridging her interest of two seemingly different careers .
With two working parents who had four children in college at the same time , Brisendine considered it a huge achievement when she received a full Presidential Scholarship to West Virginia
State College , allowing her to stay in the Charleston area with her family during her undergraduate years . After receiving a bachelor ’ s degree in English , her focus remained on professional writing .
Brisendine ’ s law career did not take off until 2004 , when she graduated from West Virginia University ( WVU ) with a degree in law . Prior to this , she spent a year working evenings and nights as a copy editor at the Charleston Gazette and sometimes working as a substitute teacher for Kanawha County Schools .
With a creative mindset and a different approach to learning , law school was a big adjustment for Brisendine . Not only was this her first time being away from family , but Brisendine also faced a few challenging academic experiences . While the skills required for her undergraduate degree in English came easily , she found law school was vastly different , requiring her to study more than usual and adapt to a new way of thinking .
With her practice focus as an in-house generalist , Brisendine has significant expertise in oil and gas law that includes litigation , claims and operational legal matters ; however , her responsibilities also include a broad range of topics and issues , such as employment , insurance , corporate compliance , shareholder claims and personal injury .
“ I like having a broad practice that allows me to continuously grow and provide a number of services to my clients ,” says Brisendine .
Growing up in a blue-collar community , Brisendine was unsure of what kind of lawyer she would be and how she would retain her individuality in her practice . She came to realize that she may be a bit different than what others may perceive to be or define as a corporate lawyer .
“ I ’ m best when I ’ m myself — plain spoken and practical . Embracing those qualities helped me gain a reputation as being a lawyer who could communicate just as well with the people working in the field as I could with executives in the boardroom ,” she says .
Brisendine ’ s first job was as an associate attorney in the litigation department of Robinson & McElwee , PLLC in Charleston . This became a learning platform for her in the basics of oil and gas law , a crucial part of her practice as
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WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE