Oil and gas
10 Marathon Petroleum legal leaders
Senior deputy general counsel, deputy general counsel and assistant general counsel are among the roles held by these ten Marathon Petroleum legal leaders, whose practices include litigation, employment, M&A and environmental law. A reader can learn how legal leaders work at Marathon Petroleum from people who have held the role.
Professionals to explore
01—10Benjamin Franz
LinkedInExperience: Assistant General Counsel - Refining Environmental · Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Benjamin Franz has been Assistant General Counsel - Refining Environmental at Marathon Petroleum Corporation since August 2021, based in Findlay, Ohio, overseeing environmental legal support for the Refining organization and the company's network of refineries, per the profile. Benjamin Franz also lists Managing Counsel - Refining Environmental (2018–2021) at Marathon Petroleum.
Clifford Barr
LinkedInExperience: Deputy General Counsel - Litigation and Human Resources · Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Clifford Barr has been Deputy General Counsel - Litigation and Human Resources at Marathon Petroleum Corporation since October 2018, based in Findlay, Ohio. Clifford Barr was Associate General Counsel - Legal Operations (2015–2018) and Managing Counsel (2005–2015) at Andeavor, and a JAG Attorney in the United States Air Force (2000–2004).
John Staler
LinkedInExperience: Deputy General Counsel - Mergers & Acquisitions, Portfolio Strategy, and Digital · Marathon Petroleum Corporation
John Staler has been Deputy General Counsel - Mergers & Acquisitions, Portfolio Strategy, and Digital at Marathon Petroleum Corporation since April 2026, based in Findlay, Ohio. John Staler also lists VP - Portfolio Strategy and Mergers & Acquisitions (2024–2026), Director - M&A and Special Projects (2021–2024) and Senior Counsel - Mergers & Acquisitions (2019–2021) roles at Marathon Petroleum.
Kaleb Brankamp
LinkedInExperience: Assistant General Counsel · Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Kaleb Brankamp has been Assistant General Counsel at Marathon Petroleum Corporation since August 2025, based in Findlay, Ohio, and was Senior Counsel there (2015–2025). Kaleb Brankamp was Legal Counsel, Region Americas at Konecranes (2010–2015) and an Associate at Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP (2008–2010), with the current role listed at director level in legal.
Kurt T.
LinkedInExperience: Assistant General Counsel - Midstream Operations · Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Kurt T. has been Assistant General Counsel - Midstream Operations at Marathon Petroleum Corporation since January 2025, based in the Denver area. Kurt T. was Senior Counsel, Midstream Operations and Commercial (2024–2025), Director, Business Development (2022–2023) and Senior Counsel, Business and Corporate Development (2021–2022) at MPLX GP LLC.
Matt Persinger
LinkedInExperience: Assistant General Counsel · Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Matt Persinger has been Assistant General Counsel at Marathon Petroleum Corporation since August 2024, based in Perrysburg, Ohio, with a profile headline of Assistant General Counsel & Chief Privacy Officer. Matt Persinger also lists Senior Counsel (2021–2024) and Attorney (2019–2021) roles at Marathon Petroleum, and was Associate General Counsel at OnPoint Group, LLC (2015–2019).
Shane Pfleiderer
LinkedInExperience: Deputy General Counsel · Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Shane Pfleiderer has been Deputy General Counsel at Marathon Petroleum Corporation since April 2024, based in Findlay, Ohio, with the role listed at vice president level in legal. Shane Pfleiderer was an Associate Attorney at Jones Day (2003–2010) and an Associate Accountant at William Vaughan Company (1998–2000).
Sherry Hesselbein
LinkedInExperience: Senior Deputy General Counsel · Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Sherry Hesselbein has been Senior Deputy General Counsel at Marathon Petroleum Corporation since June 2025, based in the Toledo area, with a profile headline on safety and environmental law and compliance and managing the legal contracting process. Sherry Hesselbein also lists Deputy General Counsel (2021–2025), Assistant General Counsel (2019–2021) and Managing Counsel (2017–2019) roles at Marathon Petroleum.
Tara M. Griffith
LinkedInExperience: Deputy General Counsel - Labor and Employment · Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Tara M. Griffith has been Deputy General Counsel - Labor and Employment at Marathon Petroleum Corporation since January 2024, based in Findlay, Ohio. Tara Griffith also lists Acting Chief Compliance Officer (2025–2026), Assistant General Counsel - Human Resources (2021–2024) and Managing Counsel - Human Resources (2020–2021) roles at Marathon Petroleum.
Travis Wolfinger
LinkedInExperience: Deputy General Counsel - Litigation · Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Travis Wolfinger has been Deputy General Counsel - Litigation at Marathon Petroleum Corporation since January 2024, based in Washington, D.C., advising executive leadership on regulatory and litigation risks and managing outside counsel, per the profile. Travis Wolfinger also lists Assistant General Counsel, Litigation (2021–2024) and Managing Counsel, Law - Litigation (2018–2024) roles at Marathon Petroleum.
Choose the right perspective
Match the person's practice area, such as litigation, labor and employment, M&A or environmental law, to the decision you face. Weigh how long each person has held the role and how close their work sits to your question.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01How did you organize legal support for the practice area or business you covered?
- 02What did you learn about managing regulatory and litigation risk in your area of law?
- 03How did you decide which matters to handle in-house and which to send to outside counsel?
Reaching Marathon Petroleum legal leaders
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Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 1 company: Marathon Petroleum Corporation, based on profile data retrieved on October 17, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
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About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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