Education

• West Virginia University, B.A., Political Science and German, summa cum laude, 1985
• George Washington University, J.D. with honors, 1991

Experience

• Serving as lead counsel in litigation obtaining a preliminary injunction against the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services to provide adequate due process for a physician prior to revoking Medicare billing privileges
• Maintaining extensive trial practice before federal and state courts in commercial disputes
• Representing employers in deliberate intent and other personal injury matters
• Representing numerous business clients in federal and state governmental relations matters
• Drafting and promoting legislation and administrative rules before the West Virginia Legislature and Executive Branch in areas of financial, health care, mining and other industries
• Representing employers on MSHA matters and before state safety agencies relating to significant citations and orders, accident investigations, special investigations and employment discrimination cases related to safety
• Vice President, Legal Affairs, West Virginia University, 2007 - 2008
• Chief of Staff to the Office of Governor Bob Wise, 2003 - 2005
• General Counsel to the Office of Governor Bob Wise, 2001 - 2003

Distinctions

• Named the Best Lawyers^® 2019 "Lawyer of the Year" in the area of Government Relations in Charleston, W.Va.
• Nominated by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of Energy Regulatory Law and Government Relations
• Phi Beta Kappa
• Fulbright Scholar to Universitaet Bonn, Germany, 1985 - 1986

Admissions

• West Virginia State Bar
• United States District Courts for the Southern and Northern Districts of West Virginia
• United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York
• West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals

Memberships

• Past President, West Virginia Bar Association
• Hispanic National Bar Association
• Energy and Mineral Law Foundation
• West Virginia Coal Association
• Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute Board of Directors, 2007 – 2008
• Governor Joe Manchin’s Transition Team, Steering Committee, 2004 – 2005
• West Virginia Investment Management Board, 2001 – 2005 (Governor’s Representative)
• West Virginia Consolidated Public Retirement Board, 2001 – 2003 (Governor’s Representative)
• West Virginia Law Institute, 2001 – 2003
• Counsel to Transition Team of Governor Bob Wise, 2000 – 2001

Publications & Presentations

• Speaker, "WV Medical Cannabis Act: An Overview for Physicians," WVU School of Medicine: Family Law Conference,  September 2018
• Speaker, "The Medical Professional Disciplinary Process," WV Society for Rheumatologists Annual Meeting, August 2018
• Speaker, "Senate Bill 273: The Opioid Reduction Act of 2018," WV State Medical Association Annual Meeting, August 2018
• Speaker, "Ethics and Politics: An Oxymoron,” Public Relations Society of America, August 2016
• Co-presenter, "Civil and Criminal Prosecutions under the Mine Act” WV Coal Mining Symposium, January 2016
• Co-presenter, "Recent Developments in Record Keeping and Record Production Requirements," EMLF, September 2014
• Presenter, "Stay Connected, but not in Trouble - Social Media and Business Etiquette," AIA West Virginia Chapter Meeting, May 2014
• Co-presenter, "MSHA Update," WV Coal Association, January 2014
• Presenter, "The Future of Coal," State Law Resource Group, Fall 2012
• Presenter, "MSHA Right to Information under the Mine Act," September 2012
• Co-presenter, "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act," WV Society for CPAs, June 2012
• Presenter, "Mr. Main's Magical Toolbox," EMLF: 32nd Annual Institute, May 2011
• Author, "Stand and Deliver: Compelling the Production of Private Medical Records in the Course of Part 50 Audits," EMLF Journal, 2011

Community Involvement

• Mountaineer Autism Project Board of Directors

Languages

• German and Spanish