PERSONNEL FILE: Bowles Rice ranked First-Tier in 30 practice areas

CHARLESTON -- Bowles Rice received First-Tier rankings in 30 different practice areas in the inaugural edition of 2010 Best Law Firms, to be published in the October issue of U.S. News & World Report.

Tom Heywood, Managing Partner of Bowles Rice, announced the firm's First-Tier rankings, saying, "It is always gratifying to have one's work recognized, and in this case, it affirms the work of 120 Bowles Rice attorneys in six offices throughout the region – and in 30 different practice areas. It is particularly rewarding that these rankings are based on objective data, peer evaluations and client assessments."

The rankings are presented in tiers, both nationally and by metropolitan area or by state, and also are posted online at www.usnews.com/bestlawfirms. In West Virginia, firms were recognized in two regional areas: Charleston and Morgantown. The magazine's publishers included Parkersburg and Martinsburg in the Morgantown area rankings, Heywood said. The firm has offices in each of those cities.

The firm's Lexington, Ky., office also was recognized.

The 30 areas in which the firm received First-Tier recognition are: Administrative/ Regulatory Law; Antitrust Law; Banking and Finance Law; Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Construction Law; Corporate Law; Education Law; Elder Law; Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law; Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law; Employment Law - Management; Energy Law; Environmental Law; General Commercial Litigation; Government Relations Practice; Health Care Law; International Arbitration; Labor Law - Management; Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants; Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions - Defendants; Mergers & Acquisitions Law; Natural Resources Law; Non-Profit/Charities Law; Oil & Gas Law; Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants; Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants; Real Estate Law; Tax Law; Trusts & Estates Law; and Workers' Compensation Law - Employers.

Bowles Rice is a regional law firm with more than 120 attorneys and offices in Charleston, Martinsburg, Morgantown and Parkersburg, West Virginia; Lexington, Kentucky; and Winchester, Virginia. In August, 52 of the firm's attorneys were named among Best Lawyers 2011.