Legal Assistant Elected to Board of Directors

Jill I. Francisco, ACP, a paralegal at Huddleston Bolen LLP in Huntington, WV, since 1997, has been elected Treasurer of The National Association of Legal Assistants/Paralegals, during the association's 35th Annual Meeting held July 16th in Jacksonville, FL. She will serve on the NALA board of directors during the 2010-2011 operational year.

Ms. Francisco was Charter President of the Legal Assistants/Paralegals of Southern West Virginia, was a member of NALA's Professional Development Committee 2003-2006, served as NALA's Affiliated Association Director 2008-2010, and as Affiliated Associations Secretary 2006-2007. She currently serves on the Advisory Board for Mountwest Community and Technical College Legal Assistant Program, the Legal Assistant Committee of the Defense Trial Counsel of West Virginia, and as Secretary on the Executive Committee of the Marshall University Alumni Association. She obtained her BA in Criminal Justice from Marshall University in 1994.

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Firm to Host Business4Breakfast Seminar on Employee Relations

Huddleston Bolen will host the next Business4Breakfast seminar Wednesday, July 28th, in the firm's Huntington office, 611 Third Avenue. The free seminar, entitled "HR Mistakes (Almost) Every Employer Makes" begins with a breakfast at 7:45 a.m. and concludes at 8:45 a.m.

Guests may register for this free seminar by CLICKING HERE or by contacting Tasha Viglianco at tviglianco@huddlestonbolen.com, 304-691-8474 or 304-344-9869. Guests may also submit topics of interest for future seminars on the group's Facebook page-Business 4 Breakfast. Seminars are sponsored by Huddleston Bolen LLP, The State Journal, SCORE and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The speaker, Scott Sheets, heads Huddleston Bolen's Huntington-based employment law practice. Mr. Sheets' work in the area of employment law has been recognized in several prestigious publications, including Chambers USA Guide to America's Leading Business Lawyers and West Virginia Super Lawyers. Mr. Sheets represents employers in trial, mediation, and appeals at all levels of state and federal courts and administrative agencies in connection with claims of wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination, unemployment, workers' compensation, unfair labor practices, OSHA citations, and other labor and employment-related areas.

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Partner Scott Sheets Honored as a Top Business Lawyer

Huddleston Bolen is pleased to announce that Scott Sheets has been named to the Super Lawyers Corporate Counsel Edition for 2010 in the area of labor and employment law.

Mr. Sheets, who has been a partner with the firm in the Huntington office since 1994, practices in the areas of labor and employment law, employment litigation and general commercial litigation. He is a member of the national and state legal bars as well as of the Defense Trial Counsel of West Virginia.

Mr. Sheets has been recognized for his work in Chambers USA, a nationwide guide of leading lawyers and firms, Best Lawyers, the oldest peer review publication in the nation, and in the publication of West Virginia Super Lawyers.

Attorneys selected as Super Lawyers are first recognized by their peers and then approved through third party research as well as by a "blue ribbon" panel of national, leading attorneys. Selections are based on professional as well as civic achievements, and only five percent of lawyers from each state end up representing the final list.
Super Lawyers publishes its Corporate Counsel edition six times a year to recognize leading business lawyers from across the nation and then targets the publication to over 25,000 leading corporate counsel professionals and CEO's of major corporations.

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Paralegal Appointed to Executive Committee of Marshall Alumni Board

Huddleston Bolen announced that paralegal, Jill I. Francisco, has been appointed to the Executive Committee of the Marshall University Alumni Association Board of Directors. She will serve a one-year term as Secretary. Ms. Francisco was elected to the Marshall Alumni Board in July 2009.

"I am honored to be appointed to the executive committee and I am looking forward to having the opportunity to become even more involved during my service as Secretary" Francisco said.

Ms. Francisco received her Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Legal Studies from Marshall University in 1994. In 2005, she successfully completed the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) Certified Legal Assistant examination and obtained the Advanced Certified Legal Assistant designation in 2006. Ms. Francisco has been employed as a paralegal at Huddleston Bolen LLP since 1997.
The Marshall University Alumni Board is composed of 10 board members with a variety of backgrounds and experience. The Board serves the Alumni Association and works to help fulfill its vision: "The Marshall University Alumni Association is a catalyst to build lifelong partnerships among Marshall, its students, alumni and friends and to support the University's Mission. The Alumni Association states its goals as follows:
• Foster a lifelong partnership with Marshall University through the development of programs and services.
• Cultivate personal and financial commitment to Marshall University.
• Provide avenues of communication with alumni, students and friends so that they will remain connected with Marshall.
• Be a visible and integral partner in the mission of Marshall University.

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Partner Recently Interviewed on a Television Show

Huddleston Bolen Partner, Bruce Stout, was recently interviewed on the television show, The Law Works. In the interview, Bruce discussed his book, Estate Planning in West Virginia: Real Answers to Real Questions and answered practical questions about estate planning. Click here to view the interview.

Mr. Stout practices in the areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration and fiduciary litigation. Mr. Stout has been a lawyer with Huddleston Bolen since 1982.

Mr. Stout has been recognized for several years in The Best Lawyers in America. He has also been named by West Virginia Super Lawyers. In 2010, he was named Estate Planning Lawyer of the Year for Charleston, WV, by Best Lawyers.

For information about Mr. Stout's book, Estate Planning in West Virginia: Real Answers to Real Questions, Click here.

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13 Lawyers Recognized in the 2010 Edition of West Virginia Super Lawyers

Huddleston Bolen announced today that a total of thirteen of the firm's lawyers were recognized in the 2010 Edition of West Virginia Super Lawyers. Over one-third of the firm's West Virginia lawyers were named either West Virginia Super Lawyers or West Virginia Rising Stars this year.

Lawyers from a variety of practice areas were called out, including energy and natural resources, business litigation, defense of class actions and mass torts, civil litigation, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, business and corporate law, estate planning, and transportation law.

Eight of the firm's lawyers were recognized by the publication as Super Lawyers.
• Fred Adkins was recognized in the area of transportation law.
• Dick Bolen and Tom Gilpin were recognized for their work in energy and natural resources.
• J.H. Mahaney was named a Super Lawyer in the area of business litigation.
• Tom Murray was recognized in mergers and acquisitions.
• Chris Plybon was named a Super Lawyer in real estate law.
• Scott Sheets was recognized in the area of employment and labor law.
• Bruce Stout was recognized in estate planning and probate.

Six of the firm's lawyers were recognized by the publication as Rising Stars.
• David Bolen and Todd Meadows were recognized in the area of civil litigation defense.
• Ashley French was named a Rising Star in the area of insurance coverage.
• Cindy McCarty was recognized for her work in class action and mass tort litigation.
• Erin Rich was named recognized in personal injury defense.

"We are obviously pleased to have received this recognition by our peers. That more than 30% of our lawyers were named to the list this year is a testament to the dedication everyone in the firm has to exceeding the expectations of our clients," said Tom Gilpin, Chair of the firm's Management Committee.

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Twelve Firm Practice Areas Recognized in U.S. News – Best Lawyers 2010

Twelve Huddleston Bolen practice areas received "first-tier" rankings, the highest ranking possible, in the new U.S. News - Best Lawyers 2010 "Best Law Firms" ranking.

The practice areas recognized by US News and Best Lawyers are:
• Banking and Finance Law
• Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Corporate Law
• Employment Law - Management
• Insurance Law
• Labor Law - Management
• Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
• Mergers & Acquisitions Law
• Oil & Gas Law
• Railroad Law
• Real Estate Law
• Trusts & Estates Law

The publication categorized and ranked firms metropolitan areas. Huddleston Bolen was ranked in the Charleston, WV; Lexington, KY; and Louisville, KY metropolitan areas. To rank law firms in the U.S. News - Best Lawyers "Best Law Firms" guide, the publishers surveyed 52,480 clients and 43,900 lawyers, as well as law firm marketing officers, recruiting officers, and others. Every Fortune 100 company and 587 of the Fortune 1000 companies responded to the survey.

"We are exceptionally proud to be ranked as a ‘first-tier' firm," said Tom Gilpin, chair of Huddleston Bolen's management committee. "Our lawyers and staff constantly focus on providing the highest value services to our clients. It's rewarding to have this affirmed by our clients and acknowledged by such well-respected authorities," he said.

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Attorneys and Practice Areas Recognized in Chambers USA

Eight Huddleston Bolen partners and four practice areas have been recognized in the recently published Chambers USA 2010 Guide: America's Leading Lawyers for Business.

Selected for individual recognition were:
• Richard Bolen, recognized for his work in natural resource law
• Tom Gilpin, recognized in the area of real estate law
• Angela Konrad and J. H. Mahaney, who were both recognized in the area of commercial litigation
• Thomas Murray, recognized for his work in corporate and commercial law as well as banking and finance
• Chris Plybon, recognized in both corporate and commercial law and real estate law
• Audy Perry, whose work in the area of corporate and commercial law was recognized
• Scott Sheets, recognized in the area of labor and employment law

This is the first year Ms. Konrad, Mr. Mahaney, and Mr. Perry have received the honor of being ranked by Chambers USA.

The practice areas recognized by Chambers USA are Corporate and Commercial Law, Real Estate Law, Labor and Employment, and Commercial Litigation. The firm's Real Estate Practice was honored to be Ranked 1 in West Virginia. In describing the firm's Real Estate Practice, Chambers USA quoted a client, saying, "(Huddleston Bolen is) an exceptionally talented firm - there are absolutely no gaps in its expertise." The Guide also described the firm as possessing "a thriving corporate/commercial practice serving financial institutions, natural resources companies and manufacturing and commercial businesses in a wide range of matters."

Chambers USA offered similar praise for many of the firm's lawyers.

They noted, "Tom Murray is one of the most respected corporate/commercial and banking and finance lawyers in the state, handling the full range of work from M&A to federal securities compliance. He is particularly esteemed for his banking and finance regulatory and securities knowledge, with one source going so far as to declare that ‘if he can't answer your banking and finance question, you may as well give up.'"

Tom Gilpin, who was recognized for his work in real estate law, was hailed as "the best real estate lawyer in Huntington - someone whose years of experience shine through."

Chambers USA also noted that Audy Perry, who practices in corporate and commercial law "is turning a lot of heads in the market with his skill in bond finance and corporate organization."

Quoting a client, the publication described Chris Plybon as "perhaps the smartest man in the state (who) really gets into the trenches to do the deal."

In describing the firm's commercial litigation practice, Chambers USA noted that "John Mahaney has a very strong courtroom presence, great intellectual power and the important ability to be tough with his own client when necessary" and that Angela Konrad is "a confident litigator who stands her ground but is always reasonable."

Scott Sheets, who heads the firm's Huntington, WV - based Labor and Employment practice, was described as being "... incredibly responsive and never fails to provide anything other than perfect service."

The publication described Richard Bolen as a "well-respected energy litigator whose expertise includes class actions relating to property rights and mineral royalties, as well as arbitrating on a range of natural resources issues."

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Partner is named to Trucking Industry Defense Association

Huddleston Bolen is pleased to announce that Mary Sanders, a partner in the firm's Charleston office, has been has admitted into the Trucking Industry Defense Association (TIDA).

Ms. Sanders brings with her 26 years of professional practice in the areas of general liability, bad faith and coverage, transportation and construction claims. Clientele whom she represents include large and small motor carriers, manufacturers, construction companies, and insurers.

Ms. Sanders's work for such clients has been recognized in the areas of insurance litigation and product liability litigation by Best Lawyers, the oldest and most respected attorney referral guide in America. Her work has also landed her an invitation to the Litigation Counsel of America (LCA), a trial lawyer honorary society that recognizes less than one-half of 1% of American lawyers for accomplishment in litigation as well as for superior ethical reputation.

TIDA, a non-profit organization, is composed of defense attorneys like Sanders, motor carriers, trucking insurers and claims servicing companies from the United States and Canada. The association's mission is to bring together a collective network of experts who can share valuable information as well as resources with one another with the overall goal of reducing costs for the industry. The association has been in commission since 1993 and now represents 1,200 industry professionals.

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Partner Launches Blog to Offer Insights on Coaching and Managing

The managing partner of the Huddleston Bolen's Charleston office, Kevin Nelson, has launched a blog called Keeping Score that will provide insights based on his experiences as a soccer coach and as an employment lawyer. In the blog, Mr. Nelson will offer thoughts and observations into issues that affect coaches and managers, such as leadership, management, diversity and team building.

Click here to visit Mr. Nelson's blog.

"I began this blog during the World Cup to lend some observations regarding how coaches and business people can build and lead a successful team - whether it's athletes or employees," Nelson said.

Mr. Nelson has 25 years of experience in the area of employment law, along with experience in insurance, medical malpractice and energy law. In addition, as coach of Charleston Catholic High School, Mr. Nelson was honored as the 2008 Mideast Sectional Coach of the Year for girls' soccer by the NFHS Coaches Association, the 2006 and 2009 West Virginia Girls' Class AA-A Region III Coach of the Year and the 2008 Kanawha Valley Girls' Coach of the Year.

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Huddleston Bolen to host Business4Breakfast seminar on employee handbooks

Huddleston Bolen will host the next Business4Breakfast seminar Friday, June 25th in the firm's Charleston office on the 13th floor of the Chase Tower at 707 Virginia St., East. The free seminar, entitled "What every employer needs to know about employee handbooks" begins with a breakfast at 7:45 a.m. and concludes at 8:45 a.m.

Guests may register for this free seminar by CLICKING HERE or by contacting Tasha Viglianco at tviglianco@huddlestonbolen.com, 304-691-8474 or 304-344-9869. Guests may also submit topics of interest for future seminars on the group's Facebook page-Business 4 Breakfast. Seminars are sponsored by Huddleston Bolen LLP, The State Journal, SCORE and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The speaker, Kevin Nelson, is the manager partner of the firm's Charleston office. Mr. Nelson has 25 years of experience in the field of employment law. He has also been recognized for his work in labor and employment law by the publication Best Lawyers. "The goal of the seminar is to provide employers with practical information they can put into practice immediately," Nelson said.

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Attorneys win defense verdict

Huddleston Bolen is pleased to announce that our client, CSX Transportation, was awarded a defense verdict this week in a matter in Breathitt County, Kentucky. Huddleston Bolen lawyers, Alex Ward and David Bolen represented CSXT.

In the matter, a Plaintiff sued CSXT for injuries allegedly associated with a 28 year history of mounting and dismounting moving equipment. The Plaintiff claimed through fact and expert testimony that this practice of mounting and dismounting moving equipment at speeds of up to 10 mph caused him to develop bilateral knee arthritis. The CSXT legal team argued that the practice itself was safe and demonstrated through factual evidence and expert testimony that the speeds at which the Plaintiff would have been performing this activity was well within the normal tolerance for the human body and that the Plaintiff's condition was actually a result of his age and other contributing medical factors.

The case was tried in Breathitt County, Kentucky, a notoriously plaintiff-friendly jurisdiction where the Plaintiff himself was a local celebrity. The Plaintiff sought $1.5 million in damages for his claimed injuries. The jury returned a defense verdict of no negligence, no causation in just under an hour.

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Partner Recognized as Legal Advocate of the Year in Northeast Kentucky

Huddleston Bolen is pleased to announce that James E. Cleveland, III, was recognized as the legal services advocate of the year at the 13th Annual Northeast Kentucky Small Business Awards ceremony. Mr. Cleveland is the managing partner of the firm's Ashland, Kentucky office.

The ceremony is coordinated by the Morehead State University/Ashland Small Business Development Center and 15 of the area's leaders in banking, economic development, business and industry, and education, including the Ashland Alliance, Ashland Community and Technical College, Bentley Associates Inc., City National Bank, Community Trust Bank, FIVCO-ADD and United Way of Northeast Kentucky.

An Ashland, Kentucky native, Mr. Cleveland has been a Partner at Huddleston Bolen since 1986. His practice focuses on railroad and transportation matters, medical malpractice defense, labor relations, and defense of small businesses. Mr. Cleveland has an active practice throughout Eastern Kentucky, serving clients in approximately 22 counties. He has had the privilege of serving as Special Justice to the Supreme Court of Kentucky. Mr. Cleveland has served as an active member within the Kentucky Bar Association, as Past President of the Boyd County Bar Association, as a member of the Board of Governors of the Kentucky Bar Association, as well as President of the Kentucky Bar Foundation. Mr. Cleveland has been named in "The Best Lawyers in America," for his work in railroad law. He has also been named by the Kentucky Super Lawyers.

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Business4Breakfast Seminar Series Launches Facebook Page

Organizers of the Business4Breakfast seminar series announced the launch of a Facebook page to better connect West Virginia's business community. The page was created to be an extension of the popular business seminar series, enabling business owners and professionals to easily post ideas for seminar topics, ask questions of speakers, and to share concerns, ideas and information with others in the business community. The page is available at Facebook: Business 4 Breakfast.

The Business4Breakfast seminars are designed to help professionals understand and navigate the breadth of opportunities and challenges in today's business world. Business4Breakfast seminars are jointly sponsored by Huddleston Bolen LLP, The State Journal, SCORE, and the U.S. Small Business Administration. The free seminars are held at Huddleston Bolen's Huntington and Charleston, W. Va. offices. For information on upcoming seminars, CLICK HERE

"Our goal is to create an on-line community where business people in West Virginia can share information, ideas, and concerns; participate in discussions about the Business4Breakfast seminars; and gain access to practical information," said Thomas McChesney, Director of Marketing and Business Development at Huddleston Bolen. "We are privileged to bring these free resources to the business community in partnership with The State Journal, SCORE, and the SBA," he said.

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Partner Presents 14 Lessons We Can Learn from the 2001 Flood Litigation

Richard Bolen, a partner in the firm's Huntington office, spoke at the annual meeting of the National Council of Coal Lessors, an industry association representing land-holding companies. Mr. Bolen's talk, titled, "14 Lessons We Can Learn from the 2001 Flood Litigation," offered an overview of the issues landowners are likely to face when confronted with similar litigation in the future.

Mr. Bolen's presentation focused on a number of current issues arising out of the largest mass litigation in West Virginia history and the first to include landowners. Topics included the substantially increased need to carefully examine and negotiate the terms of indemnity provisions, the need to ensure coverage for future mass litigation and other potential liabilities, and the impact the flood litigation has had on the extent and coverage of new liability insurance policies. Mr. Bolen also discussed evidentiary issues likely to impact landowners in future litigation. For information on the 14 Lessons, contact Mr. Bolen at rbolen@huddlestonbolen.com.

Mr. Bolen concentrates in law involving litigation - both personal injury and commercial - and natural resources - coal, oil and gas. Mr. Bolen's record of defense verdicts in federal and state jury trials in southern West Virginia and eastern Kentucky is an enviable one. Mr. Bolen has also served as an arbitrator in various coal, oil and gas matters.

He is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law. Among his bar and professional activities, Mr. Bolen has served as President of the West Virginia Bar Association and as a Trustee of the Eastern Mineral Law Foundation. Mr. Bolen has written and lectured on various coal, oil, gas and other topics. He has been named to Best Lawyers and honored by Chambers USA for his work in natural resource law, and has also been named by West Virginia Super Lawyers for his work in the area of energy and natural resources. He was recently named a 2010 West Virginia Bar Foundation Fellow for his outstanding service to the legal profession.

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Firm Hosting Social Media Seminar

Huddleston Bolen will host a Business4Breakfast Seminar on Social Media for Business. The seminar will be held 7:45 - 8:45 a.m., May 26th, at the firm's Huntington, W. Va. office, 611 Third Avenue. Rebecca McPhail, Assistant Vice President for Development at the Marshall University Foundation will be the guest speaker.

Ms. McPhail will provide an overview of social media tools such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, and will offer tips on how businesses and organizations can use these technologies to reach clients, recruits and other intended audiences. "A lot of businesses know social media exists, but they don't understand how useful it can be to their organization," Samples said. "As social media keeps expanding so do its applications and uses."

Business4Breakfast seminars are sponsored by Huddleston Bolen LLP, The State Journal, SCORE, and the SBA. The free seminars are specifically designed to provide useful information to businesspeople. Guests may register by CLICKING HERE or by contacting Tasha Viglianco at tviglianco@huddlestonbolen.com, 304-691-8474, or 304-344-9869.

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