Robert T . Noone
Adoption Attorney , Robert Noone Legal Services
Photo by Boothe Davis .
JAMIE NULL
ROBERT NOONE took an unusual path to law school . After attending St . Mary ’ s Seminary in Baltimore , MD , the lifelong music lover and guitarist worked with an order of Catholic priests serving the poor and advocating for social change in Appalachia .
“ They taught me about community organizing and encouraged me to go to law school ,” he recalls . “ They also encouraged me to pursue my music to help support myself . It was not unusual to see a few priests sneaking into the bars where I was performing .”
The 1983 West Virginia University College of Law graduate began his career working juvenile cases in circuit court , which shaped his early days as a lawyer and helped him find his calling . Today , as an adoption attorney , Noone finds his greatest success in the quiet of the
courtroom , helping children who will never make headlines .
In October 1989 , he opened his own firm : Robert Noone Legal Services . This new venture allowed him to shift his practice to what he felt called to do — represent juveniles in abuse and neglect matters and , eventually , adoptions . He has received many honors over the years , including being named the Champion of Children by the Children ’ s Home Society of West Virginia , and has served on boards for the American Civil Liberties Union , Southern Poverty Law Center and Logan and Mingo Child Advocacy Centers . Noone wakes up every day doing something he loves .
“ The first 25 years of my legal career , no one came to me unless things were bad — often really bad ,” he says . “ Now , no one comes to me except when they have made a place in their hearts and homes for an extra person to love . I live in radical gratitude for my law career taking this path , and I have never taken it for granted .”
For the last 13 years , Noone has finetuned his adoption process for West Virginia families . This process was put to the test in 2019 , when , over the course of two days , Noone completed 16 adoptions in four West Virginia counties . The process of uniting families includes hard work and effort , but the results are worth it to Noone .
“ It is a feeling of accomplishment and joy to know the people I serve don ’ t have to wait any longer for their forever families ,” he says .
Noone and his wife , Beth , a licensed therapist , also offer free seminars and trainings about adoption and juvenile practice for foster parents , adoptive parents and those adopting children with trauma . The couple recently converted Noone ’ s 5,000-square-foot law office in Logan into West Virginia Power of Play Therapy , a center to train mental health professionals as registered play therapists to better serve youth in foster care .
“ I hope over the years my love of representing kids may have influenced a few others and the joy I try to bring to teaching seminars has made some guardian ad litem proud of their work and the opportunity to advocate for the voiceless ,” he says . “ Without zealous advocacy , it only gets worse , but with enthusiasm in our legal work , lives change .” •
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