West Virginia Executive Fall 2019 | Page 19

Lawyers & Leaders Awards Reception [ community ] JENNIFER JETT PREZKOP WVU COLLEGE OF LAW 2019 AWARDS On August 22, a day after the fall 2019 semester began at West Virginia University (WVU), alumni of the WVU College of Law returned to campus for the Lawyers & Leaders awards reception. For some, this homecoming is an annual event; for others, this was the first time in years they had been back to the law school. Walking the halls once again—this time as leaders in their profession—they reminisced about professors, three-hour exams and the friendships they built, and they paid homage to the West Virginia values instilled in them during law school that have helped them find success in their professional lives. That evening, several of those alumni were inducted into the Lawyers & Leaders Class of 2019, along with two 2019 grad- uates and other elite lawyers who are currently practicing in West Virginia. The Lawyers & Leaders program is the result of a partnership between WVU College of Law and West Virginia Executive magazine and aims to recognize law school alumni and West Virginia lawyers who are not only successful in their careers but who continue to have a positive impact on their communities. This year’s reception was sponsored by Frost Brown Todd LLC, New Law Office, Dinsmore & Shohl LLP and Thomas Combs & Spann PLLC. The Lawyers & Leaders Class of 2019 honorees are: Ola Adekunle, patent counsel for Google LLC; Judge Irene Berger, U.S. District Court; Ellen Cappellanti, managing member at Jackson Kelly PLLC; Patrick Casey, founding and managing member at Casey & Chapman, PLLC; Sandra Chapman, founding member at Casey & Chapman, PLLC; Elliot Hicks, president and owner of Hicks Resolutions and Ellerbee Enterprises, Inc.; Scott Holcomb, partner at Holcomb + Ward, LLP and member of the Georgia House of Representatives; Tom Lane, partner at Bowles Rice LLP; Marcie McClintic Coates, head of global policy at Mylan; Teresa McCune, chief public defender for the Public Defender Corp. of the Thirtieth Judicial Circuit; Jill Cranston Rice, partner at Dinsmore & Shohl LLP; Melissa Settles Watkins, member at Steptoe & Johnson PLLC; Joshua Weishart, professor of law at WVU; Kate Roberts White, access to services manager at Legal Aid of West Virginia; and WVU College of Law Class of 2019 graduates Allyson Chandler and Stephen Scott. Nominations for the Lawyers & Leaders Class of 2020 are due March 15, 2020. To submit a nomination, visit www. wvexecutive.com/lawyers-leaders.  WWW.WVEXECUTIVE.COM FALL 2019 17