Stephen Skinner was born and raised in Charles Town, West Virginia. He graduated from Jefferson High School in 1986, West Virginia Wesleyan College in 1990 (Honors Program) and the West Virginia University College of Law in 1994. In 2014, WVWC honored Stephen with its Alumni Achievement Award. During high school, he attended Mountaineer Boys State and the West Virginia Governor’s Honors Academy.
He began his legal career by working with his father in Charles Town from 1994 until 1999. He then moved to New York City where he represented aviation disaster and other catastrophically injured victims, including victims of the September 11th terrorist attacks. He traveled extensively with his New York firm before returning to West Virginia in 2004 to rejoin his father and his brother.
Mr. Skinner has handled personal injury, wrongful death, consumer and products liability suits across the country. He is admitted to the bars of West Virginia, New York, the District of Columbia, the United States Supreme Court, the United States District Courts for the Southern District of New York, the Northern & Southern Districts of West Virginia, and the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. He is a member of the American Association for Justice, the Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington, D.C., the West Virginia Association for Justice, Public Justice, the National Crime Victim Bar Association, and the Brain Injury Association of West Virginia. In 2014, the West Virginia Association for Justice honored Stephen with the “Stanley E. Preiser Member of the Year Award.”
He is a former President of the Board of Trustees of the Contemporary American Theater Festival at Shepherd University. He has served as an appointee to the West Virginia Commission on the Arts, and as a member of the Shepherd University Foundation Board of Directors. In 2014, Stephen received the Governor’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Mr. Skinner is active in human and civil rights advocacy on the local, state and national level. The West Virginia Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission honored him with its Living the Dream Award for Human and Civil Rights in 2011.
In 2014, Stephen was reelected to the West Virginia House of Delegates, 67th District and serves on the Judiciary Committee, Bank & Insurance Committee, and Small Business & Entrepreneurship Committee.
Select Reported Appellate Cases:
Tennant v. Jefferson County Comm’n, 133 S.Ct. 3, 183 L.Ed.2d 660 (2012)
Jefferson County Comm’n v. Tennant, 876 F.Supp.2d 682 (2012)
State ex. rel. Piper v. Sanders, 724 S.E.2d 763, 2012 WL 987413 (2012)
Savard v. Cheat River Outfitters, 727 S.E.2d 836, 2012 WL 2076828 (2012)
State ex rel. Richmond American Homes of West Virginia, Inc. v. Sanders, 226 W.Va. 103, 697 S.E.2d 139 (2010)
Shepherdstown Observer v. Maghan, 226 W.Va. 353 (2010)
State ex rel. Kutil v. Blake, 223 W.Va. 711679 S.E.2d 310 (2009)
River Riders, Inc. v. Steptoe, 223 W.Va. 240, 672 S.E.2d 376 (2008)
Boyd v. Trent, 287 A.D.2d 475, 731 N.Y.S.2d 209 (2nd Dept.2002)
Chevy Chase Bank v. McCamant, 204 W.Va. 295, 512 S.E.2d 217 (1998)
Practice areas
27 years, 200 cases
27 years, 20 cases
Languages spoken
English
Skinner Law Firm Martinsburg Branch
261 Aikens Center
Ste 302
Martinsburg, WV, 25404
Skinner Law Firm
115 E Washington St
Charles Town, WV, 25414
State | Status | Acquired | Updated |
---|---|---|---|
MD | Active | 2017 | 07/12/2022 |
DC | Good Standing | 2002 | 06/08/2022 |
NY | Currently registered | 1999 | 06/05/2022 |
WV | Active | 1994 | 07/10/2022 |
Legal answers | 10 |
Legal guides | 0 |
Award name | Grantor | Date Granted |
---|---|---|
SuperLawyers West Virginia Top Injury Lawyer | SuperLawyers | 2018 |
SuperLawyers West Virginia Top Injury Lawyer | SuperLawyers | 2017 |
Legislator of the Year | West Virginia Association for Justice | 2016 |
Super Lawyers West Virginia Top Injury Lawyer | SuperLawyers | 2016 |
Stanley Preiser Member of the Year | West Virginia Association for Justice | 2014 |
Living the Dream Award for Human and Civil Rights | West Virginia Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission | 2011 |
Title | Company name | Duration |
---|---|---|
Partner | Skinner Law Firm | 2005 - Present |
Of Counsel | Law Firm of Jonathan C. Reiter | 2005 - 2013 |
Associate | Broder & Reiter | 1999 - 2005 |
Associate | Nichols & Skinner | 1994 - 1998 |
Association name | Position name | Duration |
---|---|---|
West Virginia Association for Justice | Member, Nominating Committee & Awards Committee | 2017 - Present |
National Association of Consumer Advocates | 2015 - Present | |
West Virginia Association for Justice | Board of Directors | 2008 - Present |
National Crime Victim Bar Association | 2005 - Present | |
American Association for Justice | Leaders Forum 2017-current | 1994 - Present |
West Virginia State Bar | Chair, Solo and Small Firm Committee | 2017 - 2018 |
Publication name | Title | Date |
---|---|---|
The Observer | West Virginia AG Creates Dilemna | 2017 |
The Observer | What's Causing the Trooper Shortage? | 2017 |
School name | Degree | Graduated |
---|---|---|
West Virginia University College of Law | JD - Juris Doctor | 1994 |
West Virginia Wesleyan College | BA - Bachelor of Arts | 1990 |
Conference name | Title | Date |
---|---|---|
American Bar Association | Water Protection: West Virginia's Chemical Spill and Above Ground Storage Tank Law | 2014 |
Case name | Outcome |
---|---|
Shepherdstown Observer v. Maghan | Government officia was ordered to respond to records request |
Posted by Curt
August 26, 2020
Posted by anonymous
August 26, 2016
Posted by Crystal
July 1, 2015
Posted by Keith
June 25, 2015
Posted by Steve
June 24, 2015
John Ellem, Consumer protection Attorney on Jun 22, 2016
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
Steve Skinner is a very knowledgeable and experienced consumer lawyer. I have witnessed his work as a lawyer and as a fellow legislator firsthand.
William Adams, Personal injury Attorney on Jan 9, 2012
Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter
I have opposed Stephen on different personal injury matters and have found him to be an excellent and strong advocate on behalf of his clients. I endorse this lawyer.
Taylor Downs, Unknown Attorney on Nov 2, 2011
Relationship: Friend
I endorse this lawyer.
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