Joseph Scipione
Attorney Scipione is the founding member of the Nittany Group, LLC. Mr. Scipione’s practice focuses on contracts, business planning, real estate, and oil and gas matters. He has been featured on several oil and gas related panels, is a consultant at Bucknell University on historical land records, and began teaching a course at Penn State University in the Spring of 2013 on oil & gas land title. He has worked with the oil & gas industry and on behalf of landowners, and has negotiated sales, purchases, leases, and pipeline right-of-way. Mr. Scipione has also successfully litigated numerous quiet title actions and the Dormant Oil & Gas Act and has practiced in over 25 Pennsylvania counties.
Prior to opening the Nittany Group, Joseph practiced law and was a partner of Scipione & Kovalcin, P.C. Prior to that Joseph was a partner at Thompson Law Offices, LLC., in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania. He is a graduate of Penn State University Dickinson School of Law. Mr. Scipione is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, Clearfield County Bar Association and Centre County Bar Association. He is licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Erik Schmalz
Attorney Schmalz’s main practice area is oil and gas and real property law. Erik graduated with honors from Duquesne University, earning his B.S. in Secondary Education and went on to graduate from the Penn State University Dickinson School of Law. Erik is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar association and is licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Since joining the Nittany Group, Erik has assisted in creating numerous corporations, abstracted title, and issued certificates of title for over $20 MM in purchases.
Patrick Miller
Attorney Miller joined the Nittany Group in August of 2022. Mr. Miller provides diligent representation in a variety of practice areas including criminal defense, business and employment matters, workers’ compensation, landlord tenant issues, and many other types of matters. His approach to the law encapsulates the philosophy that everyone deserves passionate, dedicated advocacy in legal matters.
Prior to joining The Nittany Group, Mr. Miller completed an internship with the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office and participated in the litigation of complex homicide trials. He also previously worked as an Assistant Public Defender at the Blair County Public Defender’s Office, and as an Assistant District Attorney at the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office. Mr. Miller has zealously represented clients in hundreds of hearings, including extensive preparation and advocacy for cases ranging from summary traffic tickets to capital murder. Mr. Miller’s experience also includes a variety of business, employment, government, and contract negotiations, as well as real property matters.
After graduating magna cum laude from Oregon State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree, Mr. Miller attended Penn State Law and obtained his Juris Doctor. Mr. Miller is a member of the Centre County Bar Association, as well as the Pennsylvania Bar Association.