Bert Ketchum

Bert Ketchum was born and raised in Wayne County, West Virginia.  He attended Ohio University where he received a Bachelor’s of Business Administration degree and was a member of Ohio’s varsity baseball team.  After receiving his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, Bert returned to Huntington and joined Greene Ketchum.  He is an experienced trial lawyer who has tried numerous cases to jury verdict in the State and Federal courts of West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio including, but not limited to, wrongful death, motor vehicle accidents, mining accidents, medical malpractice, workplace injuries and eminent domain.  Bert’s appellate experience includes arguing his clients’ cases before the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals and the United States Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Bert was honored in 2007 as one of West Virginia’s 40 best and brightest professionals under 40.  In 2009, he was selected for membership into The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers. Since 2010, Bert has been selected for inclusion into Super Lawyers® for his personal injury  practice and medical malpractice work. 

In March of 2010 and September 2013, Bert was sole trial counsel for his clients who received record breaking verdicts and judgments in West Virginia.

Bert currently serves on the West Virginia Judicial Vacancy Advisory Commission, the West Virginia Association for Justice Board of Governors and the WV Public Defender Corporation Board of Directors for the 6th and 24th Judicial Circuits.  He is also a member of the American Association for Justice Opioid Litigation and Construction Site Accident Litigation groups and a past President of the Cabell County Bar Association.

In addition to his many community services, Bert was elected to the Faculty Merit Foundation of West Virginia in 2012.

Year Joined Firm

1994

Areas Of Practice

• Wrongful Death
• Motor Vehicle Accidents
• Defective Products
• Medical Malpractice
• Premises Liability
• Workplace Injury
• Eminent Domain/Condemnation
• Pharmaceutical Litigation
• Insurance Disputes
• Mass Tort Litigation
• FELA Litigation

Bar Admissions

• West Virginia, 1994
• Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
• Georgia, 1994
• Supreme Court of Georgia
• U.S. District Court Southern District of West Virginia
• U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit

Education

John Marshall Law School, Atlanta, Georgia
J.D. magna cum laude

Ohio University
B.B.A. cum laude

Representative Cases

• Lisa Clark v. St. Mary’s Medical Center, Inc. (Case No. 14-031, 2014)
• State ex rel. J.C. ex rel. Cook v. Mazzone WL 2440032 (W.Va. 2014)
• J.C. ex rel. Cook v. Pfizer, Inc., WL 495455 (S.D.W.Va. 2014)
• E.D. ex rel. Darcy v. Pfizer, Inc. 722 F.3d 574 (4th Cir. 2013)
• J.C. ex rel. Cook v. Pfizer, Inc., WL 4442518 (S.D.W.Va. 2012)
• Watts v. St. Mary’s Medical Center, Inc., WL 5373441 (S.D.W.Va. 2012)
• Kelley v. Tennessee Valley Authority, WL 5949467 (W.D. Ky 2012)
• Simpson-Littman Const., Inc. v. Erie Ins. Prop. & Cas. Ins. Co., WL 2435524 (S.D.W. Va. 2011)
• Eastham v. City of Huntington, 671 S.E.2d 666 (W.Va. 2008)
• Toler v. State Farm, 64 Fed.Appx. 388 (4th Cir. 2003)
• Findley v. State Farm, 576 S.E.2d 807 (W.Va. 2002)
• Toler v. State Farm, 25 Fed.Appx. 141 (4th Cir. 2002)
• Dalton v. Doe, 540 S.E.2d 536 (W.Va. 2000)

Classes/Seminars

Procedures, Practices and Pitfalls – Moderator/Organizer, West Virginia Continuing Legal Education – Pullman Plaza Hotel, Huntington, WV, July 24, 2008 – Present

Procedures, Practices and Pitfalls – Moderator/Organizer, West Virginia Continuing Legal Education – Pullman Plaza Hotel, Huntington, WV, August 23, 2007 – Present

The Car Business Exclusion In West Virginia, Motor Vehicle Panel – The West Virginia Trial Lawyers Association Mid-Winter Seminar, Charleston Marriott, Charleston, WV, January 16, 2003 – January 17, 2003

Honors And Awards

• Selected for membership into The National Advocates: Top 100 Trial Lawyers in 2014
• Elected to the West Virginia Law Institute, Governing Council in 2011
• Appointed by Governor Manchin to the West Virginia Judicial Vacancy Advisory Commission
• Selected for inclusion into the West Virginia Super Lawyers in 2010
• Selected for membership into The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers in WV in 2009
• Appointed to the WV Public Defender Corporation Board of Directors for the 6th and 24th Judicial Circuits in 2008
• Appointed to the Merit Selection Panel, United States District Court, Southern District of West Virginia (2008)
• Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rated since 2007
• Generation Next Recipient – West Virginia’s 40 Best & Brightest Professionals Under 40 – The State Journal (2007)
• Appointed to Governor Joe Manchin’s Advisory Committee on Judicial Nominations (2005)
• Appointed to Governor Bob Wise’s Judicial Advisory Committee (2000-2004)
• National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA at Northwestern University School of Law, Chicago, Ill. – Diploma 1998)

Professional Associations And Memberships

• American Association for Justice Leaders Forum
• American Association for Justice (1997-Present)
• West Virginia Association for Justice (1995-Present)
• Board of Governors, WV Association for Justice (1997-Present)
• West Virginia State Bar (1994-Present)
• West Virginia Law Institute Governing Council
• Georgia State Bar (1994-Present)
• Cabell County Bar Association (1994-Present)
• President, Cabell County Bar Association (2007-2008)
• West Virginia State Bar Referral Project (1996-1998)
• West Virginia Legal Services Plan, Inc., Volunteer (1996-1999)

Pro Bono Activities

• Faculty Merit Foundation of West Virginia
• Board of Directors, Boys & Girls Clubs of Huntington, WV
• Board of Directors, Big Brothers & Big Sisters of the Tri-State
• Board of Directors, Green Acres Foundation
• Huntington Habitat for Humanity
• Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School Alumni Board
• Cabell County Schools Evaluation Committee
• Southside Elementary Local School Improvement Council
• Huntington Middle School Local School Improvement Council
• Cammack/Southside Elementary School PTO
• Honorable Order of the Kentucky Colonels
• Huntington Little League 3, Coach
• Ohio University Trustees Academy
• Ohio University Bobcat Club – Inaugural Member
• Ohio University Green & White Club
• Ohio University Baseball
• Marshall Big Green Scholarship Foundation
• Marshall University Quarterback Club