For more than a quarter-century, Robinson & McElwee PLLC has provided clients with excellent legal counsel and representation and is proud of its reputation as one of West Virginia’s premier law firms.
Founded in 1983, Robinson & McElwee opened its doors with seven partners and 12 associates in Charleston, West Virginia. Since its inception, the firm has grown to more than 40 attorneys, including 20 members. In addition to the firm’s main office in Charleston, Robinson & McElwee serves clients with offices in Clarksburg, West Virginia, Wheeling, West Virginia, and Alliance, Ohio.
Robinson & McElwee is a corporate defense firm with a multifaceted practice, including litigation, natural resources law, corporate law, labor and employment law, utility law, bankruptcy, commercial real estate development, environmental law, state and local taxation, estate planning and administration, commercial transactions, and government relations.
Robinson & McElwee features an exceptional array of talent and experience to serve its clients’ needs best. The firm’s lawyers hold legal degrees from nearly 15 different law schools, come from varied backgrounds, and are actively involved in their communities through various civic, charitable, business, and political organizations.
Industries
- Banking and Finance
- Coal
- Construction
- Forestry and Agriculture
- Health Care
- Hospitality
- Manufacturing
- Oil and Gas
- Retail
- Transportation
- Utilities
Business Law
The Robinson & McElwee Business Law Department is dedicated to providing its clients with excellent advice and representation in all areas of business law. They are proud to represent individuals, small businesses, and multi-national companies throughout West Virginia.
Some business law matters their lawyers routinely handle include: asset protection, bankruptcy, business entities, commercial real estate development, commercial transactions and financing, corporate law, creditor’s rights and bankruptcy, estate planning and administration, mergers and acquisitions, mineral development law, oil and natural gas matters, public utility regulation, river port development, as well as state and local taxation.
They have seasoned corporate lawyers from diverse practice areas when a business matter requires assembling a team of lawyers from different disciplines. Robinson & McElwee is dedicated to providing excellent legal service at the lowest reasonable cost.
Energy & Environment
Robinson & McElwee is an established leader in natural resource development, energy, and environmental law.
The firm represents clients in West Virginia state and federal courts and before the West Virginia Environmental Quality Board, Air Quality Board, Surface Mining & Reclamation Board, Oil & Gas Conservation Commission, Shallow Gas Well Review Board and other administrative tribunals. In addition to this traditional advocacy, their attorneys negotiate with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection on behalf of clients with interests in such matters as solid waste permits, NPDES permits, air permits, underground storage tanks (USTs), remediation standards and enforcement actions.
The firm has been intimately involved on behalf of clients in developing state programs to implement federal laws such as the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Superfund legislation and the regulation of underground storage tanks. Robinson & McElwee attorneys have also been involved in developing environmental protection programs unique to the state, such as the West Virginia Groundwater Protection Act, Water Resources Protection and Management Act and the Voluntary Remediation and Redevelopment Act.
Robinson & McElwee’s environment and natural resources attorneys have extensive experience with the state-specific aspects of Title V permitting, New Source Review and MACT requirements, as well as land use, environmental auditing, hazardous waste regulation, water quality standards and NPDES permitting. They assist clients in the coal, oil and gas, wind power and electric generating industries obtain permits and comply with state and federal statutes and regulations. They respond to notices of violations and enforcement actions and draft compliance orders.
Government Relations
Robinson & McElwee’s Government Relations Department represents businesses, individuals and trade associations. The Government Relations Department is comprised of accomplished attorney-lobbyists, including a former member of the West Virginia Legislature and an experienced support staff.
Their West Virginia Government Relations Department provides the following services: lobbying, monitoring, analyzing and reporting on state and federal legislation; developing strategic plans to promote formal political and legislative goals; drafting legislation and administrative regulations; lobbying; commenting on proposed regulations, and preparing public hearing testimony. The department also represents clients in government contract, regulation compliance and permitting matters.
Robinson & McElwee’s Government Relations Department represents public utilities, including the solid waste landfill, transfer and hauling industry, manufacturers, contractors, doctors, various trade associations and real estate developers; as well as clients with interests in solid waste management, legalized gaming, charitable gaming, oil and gas and beverage alcohol, including wine and liquor manufacturers, distributors, importers, vineyards and distillers.
For example, the firm played an important role in the drafting, lobbying, and negotiations that resulted in the following West Virginia laws: Solid Waste Management Act, related statutes and enabling regulations, Limited Video Lottery Act, Sale of Wines Act, Retail Liquor Act, Medical Professional Liability Act, Whitewater Responsibility Act, Underground Storage Tank Act, Hazardous Waste Emergency Response Fund Act and the Groundwater Protection Act.
The firm’s West Virginia Government Relations lawyers have played a significant role in lobbying for, and the eventual adoption of, numerous environmental standards and regulations, and handled complex negotiations with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the West Virginia Department of Transportation.
Robinson & McElwee lawyers are experienced lobbyists and have appeared before committees of the West Virginia Senate and House of Delegates; executive branch boards and commissions; the Nuclear Regulatory Agency; the West Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Administration; the West Virginia Public Service Commission; the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and the West Virginia Investment Management Board.
Labor & Employment
Throughout their history, they have enjoyed a highly diversified and successful labor and employment law practice dedicated to ensuring that West Virginia employers receive superior advice and counsel designed to prevent disruptive and expensive litigation. Also, they have extensive experience in all aspects of labor and employment law when litigation becomes an unfortunate reality.
Each of their labor and employment lawyers has gained broad, hands-on experience in representing West Virginia employers before various tribunals with jurisdiction over labor and employment cases.
They routinely represent employers in all types of legal and human resource counseling and labor and employment litigation, including Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), deliberate intent, drug and alcohol testing, EEOC and West Virginia Human Rights Commission charges, employee handbooks, employee privacy, employment contracts, employment discrimination and harassment, ERISA and COBRA benefits and discrimination, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Federal Black Lung, Federal Rehabilitation Act, grievances and arbitration, human resource policies and procedures, management and human resource training, negligent hiring and retention, non-compete agreements, OSHA and MSHA, pension and employee welfare benefits plans, separation, release and waiver agreements, trade secrets, unemployment compensation, unfair labor practices, union election campaigns, wage and hour issues, workers’ compensation, wrongful termination, constructive discharge and retaliatory discharge.
Robinson & McElwee’s clientele is diverse, and they are routinely involved in handling a wide array of cases for West Virginia employers ranging from small businesses to multi-national corporations. They are careful to get to know each client and its business. At the forefront of all representation is a focus on the client’s objectives and the specific solution or strategy that will provide it with maximum value and benefit.
Litigation
Robinson & McElwee’s Litigation Department is the firm’s largest department. They handle a wide variety of matters, from modest contract disputes to class actions, mass tort and complex litigation involving hundreds of millions of dollars. The Litigation Department staffs every case with litigation lawyers and support personnel who have the right experience.
Unlike the large mega-firms, they do not staff their cases depending on who is available, nor do they shuffle cases among less-experienced lawyers, moving cases from lawyer to lawyer as associates come and go or transfer to other cases. At Robinson & McElwee, an experienced attorney is designated as lead counsel and will see your case through to its completion. Other attorneys and personnel are assigned as needed to staff the case, consistent with your wishes and the litigation requirements, keeping in mind always that you deserve value for the trust you have placed in us.
Their Litigation Department includes a superb support staff composed of experienced paralegals, paralegal assistants, secretaries and information services personnel. Their conference room suite is designed for mediation, and they are equipped with the latest law firm technology to serve their clients best.
Robinson & McElwee has a sophisticated general litigation practice with vast experience handling a wide variety of matters, including appellate litigation, alternative dispute resolution, asbestos litigation, bankruptcy and creditors’ rights, business and contract disputes, chemical exposure cases, class actions and mass tort litigation, coal, oil and gas litigation, complex litigation, deliberate intent litigation, financial services litigation, insurance coverage and bad faith litigation, personal injury and wrongful death litigation, premises liability litigation, products liability litigation, real estate litigation, securities litigation, state and local taxation matters, toxic tort litigation, transportation, trucking and motor carrier matters, underground storage tank (UST) and flexpipe litigation, white-collar criminal defense litigation, wills, trusts and estates litigation.
Robinson & McElwee’s litigation lawyers have earned the respect of their clients and colleagues. Their outstanding litigation skills have been repeatedly demonstrated by successfully resolving disputed matters before trial, at trial and through the appellate litigation process.