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• Commercial Litigation
• Civil Litigation
• Personal Injury
• Mass Tort
• Insurance Coverage
• Product Liability
• Insurance Bad Faith

Education:

• J.D., West Virginia University College of Law (1981)
• B.A., Magna Cum Laude, Political Science, West Virginia University (1977)

Court Admissions:

• United States Supreme Court
• United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia
• United States Court of Appeals Fourth Circuit
• United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia
• Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia

Professional Involvement:

• Defense Trial Counsel of West Virginia
• American Bar Association
• West Virginia State Bar Association, Member

Teaching & Lecturing:

• Contracts Between "Friendlys": Covering the Risk and Protecting the Business Relationship Through Indemnification and Insuring Agreements, Presentation, 33rd Eastern Mineral Law Foundation Conference - EMLF, Lexington, KY (2008)
• Lecturer, Bad Faith Update, Insurance Law, West Virginia Continuing Legal Education (2002)

Writings & Publications:

• A Basic Guide to Litigating Claims Under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, Defense Trial Counsel of WV (1992)
• Successful Use of the Statute of Limitations Defense in Medical Malpractice Cases Under the Discovery Rule, Defense Trial Counsel of WV (1984)
• Problems Associated With the Management of Solid Waste: Is There a Solution in the Offing, 83 W.Va. L.Rev. 131 (1980)

Awards & Honors:

• Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, 2003 - Present
• Listed, West Virginia Super Lawyers, 2006 - Present
• Listed, West Virginia Top Lawyers in America
• Order of the Coif, West Virginia University College of Law
• Order of Barristers, West Virginia University College of Law
• Member and Lead Articles Editor, West Virginia University Law Review, Volume 83

Reported Decisions

State & Federal District Court Cases:

• Strawn v. AT&T Mobility, Inc., _____ F.Supp2d _____, 2009, WL1544333 (S.D. W.Va. 2009)
• Osborne v. King, 570 F.Supp.2d 839 S.D. W.Va. (2008)
• West Virginia University Board of Governors v. Rodriguez, 543 F.Supp.2d 526 (N.D. W.Va. 2008)
• Rashid v. Tarakji, ___ S.E.2d ____, 2008, WL 486677 (WV, November 5, 2008)
• Messer v. Hannah, 228 W.Va. 553, 668 SE.2d 182 (2008)
• Stand Energy Corp. v. Columbia Gas Transmission Corp., 521 F.Supp.2d 537 (S.D. W.Va. 2007)
• Strawn v. AT&T Mobility, Inc., 513 F.Supp.2d 599 (S.D. W.Va. 2007)
• State & County Mutual Fire Insurance Co. v. Young, 490 F.Supp.2d 741 (N.D. W.Va. 2007)
• Philips v. Larry’s Drive-In Pharmacy, Inc., 220 W.Va. 484, 647 S.E.2d 920 (2007)
• Kominar v. Health Management Associates of West Virginia, Inc., 220 W.Va. 542, 648 S.E.2d 48 (2007)
• State ex rel. Hamrick v. Stucky, 220 W.Va. 180, 640 S.E.2d 243 (2006)
• State ex rel. Hamrick v. Stuckey, 2006 WL 3455069 (W.Va. 2006)
• Stand Energy Corp. v. Columbia Gas Transmission Corp., 380 F.Supp.2d 748 (S.D. W.Va. 2005)
• Stand Energy Corp. v. Columbia Gas transmission Corp., 373 F.Supp.2d 631 (S.D. W.Va. 2005)
• Branch Bank & Trust v. Engine Components, Inc., 394 F.Supp.2d 859 (S.D. W.Va. 2005)
• Columbia Casualty Co. v Westfield Insurance Co., 217 W.Va. 250, 617 S.E.2d 797 (2005)
• Calhoun v Traylor, 218 W.Va. 154, 624 S.E.2d 501 (2005)
• State ex rel. Medical Assurance of West Virginia, Inc. v Recht, 213 W.Va. 457, 583 S.E.2d 80 (2003)
• Hawkins v. Ford Motor Co., 211 W.Va. 487 566 S.E.2d 624 (2002)
• Bradshaw v. Soulsby, 210 W.Va. 682, 558 S.E.2d 681 (2001)
• Smith v. Animal Urgent Care, Inc., 208 W.Va. 664, 542 S.E.2d 827 (2000)
• Bower v. Westinghouse Elec. Corp., 206 W.Va. 133, 522 S.E.2d 424 (1999)
• DeVane v. Kennedy, 205 W.Va. 519, 519 S.E.2d 622 (1999)
• Gamblin v. Ford Motor Co., 204 W.Va. 419, 513 S.E.2d 467 (1998)
• Shiel v. Ryu, 203 W.Va. 40, 506 S.E.2d 77 (1998)
• Callow v. Jacob, 201 W.Va. 665, 500 S.E.2d 290 (1997)
• State ex rel. Mitchem v. Kirkpatrick, 199 W.Va. 501, 485 S.E.2d 445 (1997)
• McGraw v. St. Joseph’s Hospital, 200 W.Va. 114, 488 S.E.2d 389 (1997)
• State ex rel. Blankenship v. Richardson, 196 W.Va. 726, 474 S.E.2d 906 (1996)
• Raines v. White, 195 W.Va. 266, 465 S.E.2d 266 (1995)
• Dunn v. Kanawha County Board of Education, 194 W.Va. 40, 459 S.E.2d 151 (1995)
• Helmick v. Jones, 192 W.Va. 317, 452 S.E.2d 408 (1994)
• Whitlow v. Board of Education of Kanawha County, 190 W.Va. 223, 438 S.E.2d 15 (1993)
• Henderson v. Meredith Lumber Co., Inc., 190 W.Va. 292, 438 S.E.2d 324 (1993)
• State ex rel. Starr v. Halbritter, 183 W.Va. 350, 395 S.E.2d 773 (1990)
• Nutter v. Maynard, 183 W.Va. 247, 395 S.E.2d 491 (1990)
• Capital Fuels, Inc. v. Clark Equipment Co., 176 W.Va. 277, 342 S.E.2d 245 (1986)
• Perry v. Milton, 171 W.Va. 397, 299 S.E.2d 8 (1982)
• Star Furniture Co. v. Pulaski Furniture Co., 171 W.Va. 79, 297 S.E.2d 854 (1982)
• Wise v. Travelers Indemnity Co., 192 F.Supp.2d 506 (N.D.W.Va. 2002)
• Young v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 169 F.R.D. 72 (S.D.W.Va. 1996)
• Clark v. Milam, 830 F.Supp. 316 (S.D.W.Va. 1993)
• Crawford v. Hatcher, 804 F.Supp. 834 (S.D.W.Va. 1992)

Federal Appellate Decisions:

• Palisades Collections LLC v. Shorts, 552 F.3d 327 (4th Cir. 2008)
• Strawn v. AT&T Mobility LLC, 530 F.3d 293 (4th Cir. 2008)
• Columbia Casualty Co. v Westfield Insurance Co., 416 F.3d 301 (4th Cir. 2005)
• Gray v. Farley, 13 Fd.3d 142 (4th Cir. 1993)
• Giancola v. State of West Virginia Dept. of Public Safety, 830 Fd.2d 547 (4th Cir. 1987)