Members of the legal community are mourning the loss of 30-year K&L Gates attorney Neal Brendel, 66, who died Wednesday after an 18-month fight with lung cancer, leaders at the Pittsburgh-based global law firm confirmed Thursday.

A prominent litigator and mediator, Brendel maintained a trial, arbitration and counseling practice handling complex commercial contracts and construction disputes. The nature of the cases he litigated typically garnered opposition by dozens of players in the Big Law sector, including Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom; Simpson Thacher & Bartlett; and Ropes & Gray, according to attorneys who practiced by his side.