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2026 Regional Meetings
Featuring:
- Regional Family Court Judges
- Criminal Law Update by Public Defender Services
- The Office of Disciplinary Counsel Presents on AI
HOST: West Virginia State Bar
Dates: As stated above (In-Person Only)
Time: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
CLE: 3 credits including 1 in ethics
Registration Fee: $155 includes lunch
Click Here for more information on the Regional Meetings
If you are a federal or state public defender, federal or state court law clerk, government lawyer, or a lawyer for Legal Aid of WV you may register for a discounted rate of $100. Please arrange to send a check for payment, or pay over the telephone with our Finance Director.
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HOST: Public Defender Services in conjunction with the West Virginia State Bar
Dates: Same as Regional Meetings
Location: Same as Regional Meetings (In-person only)
Time: 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
CLE: 2.4 credits including 2.4 in ethics
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CLE Rule Spotlight
Bridge the Gap (BTG)
The next scheduled session of the Bridge the Gap (BTG) program will be held on October 29, 2026, at the Bridgeport Conference Center in Bridgeport, WV. You may register for this program at the following link, Fall 2026 Bridge the Gap Program | The West Virginia State Bar Membership Portal.
Please note, completion of the BTG program is required of every newly admitted State Bar member within twenty-four months of their admission date, pursuant to Rule 6.03 of the State Bar’s Administrative Rules. Failure to complete the BTG program within twenty-four months of the admission date results in notice of noncompliance and automatic suspension if the course is not completed within six months from the date of the previously sent final notice. This program is offered in the spring and fall with no charge to newly admitted members. The next spring session of the BTG program will be held on May 14, 2027, at the Embassy Suites in Charleston, WV.
State Bar Administrative Rule 6.03 (c) provides that a member may upon application to and approval by the Executive Director, be exempted from the requirement if: (1) the member can certify having been admitted to practice in another jurisdiction for a minimum of five years; or (2) the Commission can certify that the member has completed a comparable mandatory new lawyer training program offered by the state bar of another jurisdiction of at least seven credits, including two credits of legal ethics, office management, attorney well-being, or elimination of bias in the legal profession. The request for an exemption must be filed no later than twenty-four months after admission to the West Virginia State Bar and no extensions of time are permitted.
CLICK HERE for Rule 6 - Mandatory Continuing Legal Education
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11th Family Court Circuit Vacancy
The Judicial Vacancy Advisory Commission is currently receiving applications to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Jim Douglas in the 11th Family Court Circuit serving Kanawha County. Candidates must submit their completed applications and letters of recommendations or comment no later than 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. Applications and instructions are available here. For more information about the application process, please call the Office of General Counsel at 304-558-2000. Interviews will take place virtually on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.
CLICK HERE for Application and Instructions
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24th Family Court Circuit Vacancy
The Judicial Vacancy Advisory Commission is currently receiving applications to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Lyndsey Matschat in the 24th Family Court Circuit serving Berkeley and Jefferson Counties. Candidates must submit their completed applications and letters of recommendations or comment no later than 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. Applications and instructions are available here. For more information about the application process, please call the Office of General Counsel at 304-558-2000. Interviews will take place virtually on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.
CLICK HERE for Application and Instructions
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF WEST VIRGINIA
Position Announcement: Counsel to the Clerk
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia is seeking a Counsel to the Clerk to serve as the Clerk's Office's principal legal advisor in Charleston, WV, handling court operations, fiscal law, and compliance matters, while also managing the Court's CJA Panel program and serving as the Court's Employment Dispute Resolution Coordinator. Candidates must hold a J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school, be an active bar member in good standing, and have at least two years of progressively responsible legal experience. The position offers a starting salary of $71,583–$138,380 with promotion potential to $163,535, along with federal benefits including FERS retirement, TSP matching, and generous paid leave. Applications (cover letter, résumé, and Form AO-78) are due by October 1, 2026 for first consideration; details are available at https://www.wvsd.uscourts.gov/news/26-co-05-counsel-clerk.
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WV Judicial and Lawyer Assistance Program (WVJLAP)
Executive Director Position Vacancy
With the upcoming retirement of its current Executive Director, the Board of Directors of the West Virginia Judicial & Lawyer Assistance Program (WVJLAP) is conducting a search for its next Executive Director.
WVJLAP provides confidential assistance and support to judges, lawyers, law students, bar applicants, and their families and plays an important role in promoting well-being throughout West Virginia’s legal and judicial communities. The Executive Director will provide leadership for the program and work closely with the Board of Directors and other stakeholders in furthering WVJLAP’s mission and serving those who rely upon its programs and resources.
Qualified candidates are invited to consider this opportunity and members of the profession are encourage to share the position announcement with individuals who may be qualified for the role.
CLICK HERE for complete position description, qualifications, and application information. WVJLAP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JOB POSTING
Confidential inquiries, referrals, and CVs with cover letters should be directed to the Search Committee of the Board of Directors of WVJLAP at darco@wvjlap.org.
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October 12, 2026
Par for the Court
Sponsor: WV State Bar Women in the Profession Committee
Date: Monday, October 12, 2026
Time: 9:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
CLE: 1.2 credits
Registration: $125
Location: Bridgeport Country Club, Bridgeport, WV
Schedule:
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9:30-10:50 am: Social Brunch and Welcome
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10:00 to 10:50 am: Free one hour of Continuing Legal Education (CLE) on golf liability cases around the country.
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11:00 am to 2:00 pm: 9-hole scramble
- 2:00: Awards presentation and putting contest
For more information contact Chuck Steele at chuck@steeleresolve.com or Jami Cooper at jami.cooper@cooperlawwv.com
CLICK HERE FOR EVENT INFORMATION
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All newly admitted members of the State Bar are required to complete a mandatory Bridge the Gap program sponsored by the State Bar within twenty-four months after admission to the West Virginia State Bar per State Bar Administrative Rule 6.03(a). Attendance to Bridge the Gap is free to newly admitted members of the State Bar. Continuing legal education is available for completing Bridge the Gap program.
Host: WV State Bar Young Lawyer Section
Location: Bridgeport Conference Center, Bridgeport, WV
Cost: Free
CLE: 7.1 credits including 5.2 in ethics credits
CLICK HERE for Agenda
CLICK HERE to Register for BRIDGE THE GAP
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The West Virginia State Bar
www.wvbar.org
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