Lawyer Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Proposal Would Add Civility Pledge To Lawyer Oath In W.Va.

Lawyers being admitted to practice in West Virginia would recite a pledge of civility under a proposal by the state Supreme Court.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Evan Jenkins signed an order Monday that would put the proposal out for public comment, the court said in a news release. The court will review the comments and decide on final adoption.

Jenkins said it’s another step the court is taking to improve the practice of law in the state. Among those taking the expanded oath Monday were the court’s justices, West Virginia State Bar President Tom Scarr and Jason Pizatella, president of the state Board of Law Examiners.

The expanded version of the oath recited by lawyers would include that they will conduct themselves “with integrity, dignity and civility and show respect toward judges, court staff, clients, fellow professionals and all other persons.”

“West Virginians are by nature friendly and civil, and our attorneys are courteous to each other, the judiciary, and the public,” Jenkins said. “This pledge alerts everyone in our profession and the public that being kind and respectful is not just a good idea, it is now a professional standard to practice law in our state.”

The proposed new oath is available for viewing on the Supreme Court’s website. Comments must be filed in writing with the court’s clerk in Charleston.

November 5, 1949: Lawyer T. C. Townsend Dies in Charleston

Lawyer T. C. Townsend died in Charleston on November 5, 1949, at age 72. As a young man, he mined coal and saved up enough to attend West Virginia University. He opened a law practice in Fayetteville in 1903 and later served as Kanawha County prosecuting attorney. He also served twice as state tax commissioner, in which capacity he tried to change the state’s tax structure and shift the burden away from low-income families.

In 1921, Townsend was hired by the United Mine Workers of America to defend miners and union leaders for their part in the March on Logan and the Battle of Blair Mountain. Townsend’s successful defense of Bill Blizzard and other UMWA leaders garnered prestige and secured his solid standing with the miners’ union for the rest of his life.

In 1932, T. C. Townsend ran for governor as a Republican and received strong support from labor. However, the Great Depression had tarnished the Republican Party’s reputation both nationally and in West Virginia. Townsend lost to H. Guy Kump in the same Democratic landslide that swept Franklin D. Roosevelt into the White House.

State Bar Gets $329K for Foreclosure Prevention Assistance

West Virginia legal services organizations providing foreclosure prevention help to indigent residents are getting a boost from a federal settlement with the Bank of America.

The West Virginia State Bar says it has received $329,000 from the settlement with the U.S. Justice Department.

Anne Werum Lambright chairs the state bar’s Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts Committee. She says the settlement involved residential mortgage-backed securities and other conduct related to the housing crisis several years ago.

She says the money can help provide counsel to people facing foreclosure today. Also, organizations involved in community redevelopment can request money to support legal work for their projects.