WEST VIRGINIA RECORD

HUNTINGTON -- Nearly 70 percent of the partners in Huddleston Bolen were honored in the publication, The Best Lawyers in America 2012.

All of the firm's offices in Huntington and Charleston in West Virginia and Ashland and Louisville in Kentucky were recognized in the publication.

The firm was top ranked in Railroad Law in West Virginia and Kentucky. The firm was also named Number 1 in West Virginia in Securities and Capital Markets and Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law. In total, the firm was top ranked in 29 individual categories.

"We are honored to be recognized by a publication as well-respected as Best Lawyers," said Tom Gilpin, chair of the firm's Management Committee. "The litany of individual and firm-wide recognitions this year is evidence that everyone in our firm is deeply committed to providing outstanding service and results for our clients.

"I believe that our lawyers really are some of the best in America and we are proud to be acknowledged for our accomplishments."

Attorneys who were individually recognized by Best Lawyers are:

* Rodney Baker, a partner in the firm's Huntington, West Virginia office, was recognized for his work in Mass Tort Litigation.

* Dick Bolen, a partner in the firm's Huntington, West Virginia office, was named in two practice areas: Natural Resources and Oil and Gas law.

* Jim Cleveland, a partner in the firm's Ashland, Kentucky office, was selected for his work in Railroad Law.

* Dan Earl, a partner in the firm's Huntington, West Virginia office, was honored in two categories: Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions law.

* Tom Gilpin, chair of the firm's Management Committee, was recognized for his work in Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights Law and Mergers and Acquisitions.

* Jan Holbrook was also listed in Bankruptcy Litigation and Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights Law. Holbrook maintains offices in both Huntington, West Virginia and Ashland, Kentucky.

* Angela Konrad, based in the firm's Huntington office, was named in the area of Railroad Law.

* Huntington partner Luke Lafferre was recognized for his efforts in Mass Tort / Class Action Litigation, representing defendants and Railroad Law.

* J. H. Mahaney, of the firm's Huntington office, was recognized in five areas: Commercial Litigation, Construction Litigation, Mass Tort / Class Action Litigation, representing defendants, Personal Injury Litigation, and Railroad Law.

* Tom Murray is among an elite list of lawyers who have been recognized in Best Lawyers for 17 consecutive years. In the 2012 list, Murray was listed in five practice areas: Banking Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions, Financial Services Regulation Law, and Securities / Capital Markets Law.

* Kevin Nelson, managing partner of the firm's Charleston, West Virginia office, was listed in the areas of Employment Law, representing management and Labor and Employment Litigation.

* K.J. Oehler, based in the firm's Louisville, Kentucky office, was recognized for her work in Railroad Law.

* Chris Plybon, a partner in the firm's Huntington, West Virginia office, was named to Best Lawyers for his work in Real Estate Law.

* Mary Sanders, based in Charleston, West Virginia, was selected in three categories: Insurance Law, Personal Injury Litigation, representing defendants, and Products Liability Litigation, representing defendants.

* Scott Sheets, who heads the firm's Huntington-based Labor and Employment Practice, was named for his work in Employment Law, representing management, Labor Law, representing management, and Labor and Employment Litigation.

* Bruce Stout was recognized by Best Lawyers for the 13th consecutive year for his work in Trusts and Estates Law.

* Andrew Zettle was named to Best Lawyers for his work in three areas: Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, Energy Law, and Environmental Litigation.

Published by Woodward and White since 1983, Best Lawyers is based on an exhaustive annual peer-review survey. For the new U.S. edition, more than 24,000 leading attorneys cast more than 2.8 million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in the same and related specialties. Because of the rigorous and transparent methodology used by Best Lawyers, and because lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed, inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor. Corporate Counsel Magazine has called Best Lawyers "the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice."

Huddleston Bolen is a full service law firm representing global corporations, national companies, regional businesses, entrepreneurs and individuals. For more information, visit www.huddlestonbolen.com.