Ashley W. French is a partner in the firm’s Charleston, West Virginia office and has significant trial experience in both state and federal court.  She has litigated hundreds of employment law cases brought under state and federal law including negligence and deliberate intent cases involving personal injury; medical malpractice cases; blasting cases; construction cases; dust mask cases; trucking and transportation cases; premises liability; wrongful death; toxic torts; cases brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act; dram shop; and claims brought under the West Virginia Consumer Credit & Protection Act by debtors against creditors.  She has served as lead counsel on multiple class actions, and has handled audits conducted by the Department of Labor for her clients on both the state and federal level.

Ms. French has represented employers at trial in state and federal court, as well as other administrative tribunals, in employment discrimination and harassment cases, workers’ compensation discrimination claims, the West Virginia Wage Payment and Collection Act, restrictive covenants, trade secret protection, tortious interference cases, and wrongful discharge and retaliation cases.  She also has trial experience in trucking, personal injury, and deliberate intent cases.

Ms. French is the immediate Past-President of the West Virginia Bar Association, and currently serves on its Executive Committee and chairs its Lobbying and Legislation Committee.    She has had a particular focus on employment law over the years and served as the chair for the Employment Law Committee for the Defense Trial Counsel of West Virginia for two-years, as well as co-founded and chaired its Creditor’s Rights Committee.  She is also a former President of the Kanawha County Bar Association.

Ms. French has been a member of many legal organizations including DRI, the Transportation Lawyers Association and the National Retail & Restaurant Defense Association, and has also served on the Board of Directors for numerous local non-profit organizations.

Ms. French is a recipient of the State Journal 2010 Generation Next 40 Under 40 award and has been selected for the West Virginia Super Lawyers Rising Stars list in multiple years.

Ms. French received her B.A. from West Virginia University in 1996 and her J.D. from West Virginia University College of Law in 2002.  She also attended the Trial Advocacy College at the University of Virginia in 2007.