September 30, 2025

NEWS

WEST VIRGINIA SUPREME COURT VACANCY

The Judicial Vacancy Advisory Commission is currently receiving applications to fill the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia vacancy created by the death of Justice Tim Armstead. Candidates must submit their completed applications and letters of recommendation or comment no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, October 6, 2025. For more information about the application process, please call the Office of General Counsel at 304-558-2000. Interviews will be held in Charleston on Monday, October 20, 2025.  

CLICK HERE for Instructions and Application

TOYS FOR TOTS

2025

The West Virginia State Bar's Veteran and Military Affairs Committee has adopted Toys for Tots as its 2025 Service Project. If you want to make a child's Christmas happier, please consider participating in the Service Project. Collection boxes will be dropped off in the Charleston area before October 15, 2025. The boxes will be picked up on December 1 and December 2. If you are interested in participating in the service project by hosting a box, please contact Mary Jane Pickens at pickensmj@wvbar.org or Kenadee Murphy at murphyk@wvbar.org before October 6, 2025. If you wish to make a monetary contribution, make your check payable to Toys for Tots and mail to or drop off at the State Bar.  Monetary contributions must be received by December 2.

Federal Court Filing System: CM/ECF and PACER Users

UPDATED NOTICE: Password Standards and Multifactor Authentication

The PACER Service Center (PSC) is currently experiencing long call wait times due to the enforcement of several security features that will enhance the security of PACER accounts, including updated password standards and multifactor authentication (MFA).

To help mitigate the wait times, enforcement of the updated password standards has been temporarily delayed. In addition, you are being ask that only users who receive a prompt to enroll in MFA when they log into the system should do so. If you do not receive an MFA enrollment prompt, no action is necessary. Please do not contact the PSC with questions about MFA until you are required to enroll. Doing so ensures support is available for those who need it. Some common questions received are answered on the list of MFA Tips and Resources, which should be reviewed before calling the PSC.

Additionally, we would like to get your feedback regarding the MFA options via a short survey.

Click Here to Start Survey

Thank you for your patience as we work to reduce call wait times and strengthen account security.  

What is the National Constitution Center Scholar

Exchange Program?

The West Virginia State Bar is partnering with the National Constitution Center’s Scholar Exchange program to educate middle school and high school students in West Virginia in the upcoming 2025-2026 academic year about the U.S. Constitution.

The Scholar Exchange Program provides lawyers, judges, and constitutional experts to join teachers in their classrooms for 45-minute virtual classes hosted by the National Constitution Center to discuss various constitutional topics with teachers and students from across the country.

With help from the National Constitution Center, the West Virginia State Bar is looking to partner with local educators in West Virginia to have lawyers from the Mountain State speak to their classes about the Constitution.

Click Here for more information on how to get involved

CLE

We are more than HALF-WAY through the 2024-2026 CLE reporting period.

Are you on track to complete your CLE credits?

• The CLE reporting period ends June 30, 2026.
• Active members must report a minimum of 24 CLE credits, including at least 3 credits in one of the four ethics categories. Lower CLE requirements apply to attorneys admitted to practice during the reporting period. Those attorneys should refer to Administrative Rule 6.04(a).
• No more than half of the total CLE requirements may be satisfied by pre-recorded presentations with no interactive component.
• Live/interactive webinars (i.e. Zoom with a live chat component) qualifies for live attendance CLE credit.
• Over 40 FREE online CLE credits are available on the WV State Bar website. These are recordings of previously presented State Bar courses. These courses/credits may be used to meet your CLE requirements if you have not previously completed and reported the course in a prior reporting period. Click here for a list of courses and credits.
• CLE must be reported via the online member portal at www.mywvbar.org.
• Check your CLE transcript for accuracy. Correction requests must be submitted in writing to compliance@wvbar.org  
• Confirm any credits that have been imported for you by CLE providers – such credits are “pending” on your CLE transcript. Credits are not part of your CLE total until they are confirmed.

CLE Rule Spotlight

Rule 6.07

Per Administrative Rule 6.07, there are requirements regarding returning to Active status, including completion and reporting of CLE. The steps for returning to Active status include (and should be completed in this order):

• Twelve (12) credits of approved MCLE credit must be completed and reported, 3 credits of which must be in legal ethics, law office management, attorney well-being or elimination of bias in the legal profession. All 12 credits can be obtained by an online means if necessary and must be obtained in the 12 months immediately preceding the application to change to Active status.
• Financial Responsibility Disclosure (FRD)/IOLTA (Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts) compliance reporting must be completed online. 
• A written request to switch to Active status must be submitted. Your request should be submitted online using the Status Change request form.

Once all of the above information is confirmed, the Active membership fee for the fiscal year you wish to return to active status must be paid. A payment link will be emailed to you for any balance due.

CLICK HERE for Rule 6 - Mandatory Continuing Legal Education

EVENTS

Join your colleagues and earn 3 CLE credits including 1 credit in ethics! Lunch will be provided. Registration Fee is $150.00 per regional meeting.

Click Here for Additional Regional Meeting Information

October 2, 2025

Open Office Hours

Provided by the West Virginia State Bar

Child Abuse and Neglect Committee

Do you have questions about child abuse and neglect cases that you are not sure who to ask? If so, you are invited to join “Open Office Hours” provided by the Abuse and Neglect Committee. Members of the committee will be available on Thursday, October 2, 2025 from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM via Zoom to answer any questions from the Bar!

Members of the Abuse and Neglect Committee including Professor Jennifer Stephens, Attorney Robert Noone, Attorney Lisa Hawrot, Attorney David Mascio and other will be available to answer questions.

A few housekeeping items:

• To register, please e-mail Kristen Antolini at kristenantolini@gmail.com.
• Please send in all questions to be answered on or before September 30, 2025 at 12:00 PM to kristenantolini@gmail.com.
• If time is available, the committee members will accept live questions.
• Please remember not to use names or other identifying confidential information regarding cases during the Open Office Hours.

Disclaimer: The advice presented during Open Office Hours is based on the lawyer’s individual experience, and the advice does not reflect the legal opinions of the West Virginia State Bar. This session is not meant to take the place of your own research, but we hope to help get you started!

A DAY AT THE CLUB - 2025

October 13, 2025

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER AND FOR MORE INFORMATION

CLICK HERE to Become a SPONSOR

For questions about the tournament please contact Jennifer Keadle Mason at 412-427-8828 or Jennifer.Mason@Dinsmore.com  For assistance with registration or technical questions, please contact Andrew Eden at 304-553-7223.

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 credits including 5 in ethics

CLICK HERE for Bridge the Gap requirements

CLICK HERE to Register for Bridge the Gap