Overview

Bowles Rice is celebrating our centennial anniversary in 2020, having begun as a three-attorney firm in Charleston, West Virginia in 1920. Since that time, we have grown, through expansions and mergers, into a regional full-service law firm with more than 110 attorneys and a staff of more than 150 professionals, serving clients in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, and throughout the world.

Five of Bowles Rice’s seven offices are located in West Virginia: in Charleston (West Virginia's capital city); Morgantown (home to West Virginia University); Parkersburg (on the West Virginia-Ohio border); Martinsburg (located less than an hour's drive from Washington, DC as well as the borders of Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania); and Wheeling (in the state’s “Northern Panhandle,” bordering both Ohio and Pennsylvania). The firm’s office in southwestern Pennsylvania is located in the Southpointe commercial complex in Washington County, less than 30 minutes from Pittsburgh. Bowles Rice also has an office in Winchester, Virginia, the county seat of Frederick County.

As a full-service firm committed to meeting the needs of our clients, Bowles Rice offers a wide range of legal services, including corporate and commercial law and litigation; mergers and acquisitions; labor and employment law; federal, state and local tax law; government relations; employee benefits, executive compensation and employee benefits; environmental and regulatory law; municipal bonds and public finance; bankruptcy and creditors' rights; and insurance defense.

We provide legal services and dispute resolution to clients in such key industry groups as banking and financial services; energy and natural resources (oil and natural gas, coal and alternative energy); manufacturing; chemical; construction; education; health care; commercial real estate development and hospitality, gaming and hospitality/tourism.

Bowles Rice attorneys are active leaders in the business community, as well as charitable, educational, civic and community organizations throughout our region. We are a member and the West Virginia representative of the Network of Trial Law Firms.


Founded:
1920
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Practice Areas:
50
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Best Lawyers Recognized:
38

Rankings

National

Tier
2
National Ranking
Mining Law

Regional

Charleston-WV

Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Banking and Finance Law
Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Commercial Litigation
Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Corporate Governance Law
Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Corporate Law
Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Education Law
Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law

Highlighted Client Comments

These featured testimonials reflect a sampling of client experiences. As every legal matter is unique—comments are personal opinions, not guarantees of future results.
Banking and Finance Law
Sandy Murphy and the entire bank services team at Bowles Rice are hands down the best at what they do in West Virginia.
Robert Tissue
Sr. Vice President & CFO – Summit Financial Group, Inc.

Rankings

National

Tier
2
National Ranking
Mining Law

Regional

Charleston-WV

Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Banking and Finance Law
Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Commercial Litigation
Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Corporate Governance Law
Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Corporate Law
Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Education Law
Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Energy Law
Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Energy Regulatory Law
Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Financial Services Regulation Law
Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Government Relations Practice
Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Health Care Law
Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Litigation - Construction
Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Litigation - First Amendment
Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Litigation - Insurance
Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Litigation - Real Estate
Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Mining Law
Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Municipal Law
Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Natural Resources Law
Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Oil and Gas Law
Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Real Estate Law
Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Tax Law
Tier
1
Charleston-WV
Trusts and Estates
Tier
2
Charleston-WV
Construction Law
Tier
2
Charleston-WV
Corporate Compliance Law
Tier
2
Charleston-WV
Environmental Law
Tier
2
Charleston-WV
Insurance Law
Tier
2
Charleston-WV
Litigation - Banking and Finance
Tier
2
Charleston-WV
Litigation - Environmental
Tier
2
Charleston-WV
Litigation - Labor and Employment
Tier
2
Charleston-WV
Litigation - Trusts and Estates
Tier
2
Charleston-WV
Public Finance Law
Tier
3
Charleston-WV
Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants

Morgantown

Tier
1
Morgantown
Bet-the-Company Litigation
Tier
1
Morgantown
Commercial Litigation
Tier
1
Morgantown
Energy Law
Tier
1
Morgantown
Litigation - Insurance
Tier
1
Morgantown
Litigation - Labor and Employment
Tier
1
Morgantown
Litigation and Controversy - Tax
Tier
1
Morgantown
Real Estate Law
Tier
1
Morgantown
Tax Law
Tier
2
Morgantown
Corporate Law
Tier
2
Morgantown
Employment Law - Management
Tier
2
Morgantown
Health Care Law
Tier
2
Morgantown
Labor Law - Management
Tier
2
Morgantown
Litigation - Health Care
Tier
2
Morgantown
Litigation - Trusts and Estates
Tier
2
Morgantown
Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants
Tier
2
Morgantown
Nonprofit / Charities Law
Tier
2
Morgantown
Trusts and Estates
Tier
3
Morgantown
Litigation - Construction

Pittsburgh

Tier
1
Pittsburgh
Construction Law
Tier
1
Pittsburgh
Litigation - Construction

Practice Areas

Bowles Rice LLP has been ranked by Best Law Firms for excellence in 41 specialties, reflecting the firm's commitment to delivering outstanding legal services.
Additionally, the firm provides services in these practice areas:
  • Administrative / Regulatory Law
  • Banking and Finance Law
  • Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
  • Bet-the-Company Litigation
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Construction Law
  • Corporate Compliance Law
  • Corporate Governance Law
  • Corporate Law
  • Education Law
  • Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law
  • Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
  • Employment Law - Management
  • Energy Law
  • Environmental Law
  • Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law
  • Financial Services Regulation Law
  • Government Relations Practice
  • Health Care Law
  • Insurance Law
  • International Arbitration - Commercial
  • Labor Law - Management
  • Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants
  • Litigation - Antitrust
  • Litigation - Banking and Finance
  • Litigation - Bankruptcy
  • Litigation - Construction
  • Litigation - Environmental
  • Litigation - First Amendment
  • Litigation - Intellectual Property
  • Litigation - Labor and Employment
  • Litigation - Real Estate
  • Litigation - Trusts and Estates
  • Litigation and Controversy - Tax
  • Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
  • Media Law
  • Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants
  • Mergers and Acquisitions Law
  • Mining Law
  • Natural Resources Law
  • Oil and Gas Law
  • Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
  • Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
  • Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
  • Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants
  • Public Finance Law
  • Real Estate Law
  • Tax Law
  • Trusts and Estates
  • Workers' Compensation Law - Employers

Individuals Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®

Bowles Rice LLP proudly has 38 lawyers recognized for their outstanding professional performance in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. This peer-reviewed honor highlights individual excellence and directly qualifies the firm for consideration in the prestigious Best Law Firms rankings. For over four decades, Best Lawyers has been the gold standard for recognizing top legal talent, serving as the cornerstone for Best Law Firms awards. Learn more about our rigorous Best Lawyers research and selection process.
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Client Comments

A strong relationship between a client and their law firm is key to achieving the best possible outcomes. Open communication, trust, and collaboration ensure that attorneys understand each client’s unique goals and needs. Choosing the right firm means finding a team with the experience, knowledge, and dedication to guide you through every stage of the legal process.
Client comments reflect personal opinions and individual experiences. Every case is different, and outcomes depend on specific facts and circumstances. Past results and testimonials do not guarantee similar outcomes in future matters. For personalized legal advice, consult directly with an experienced attorney who can evaluate your specific situation and provide tailored guidance.
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Offices & Contacts

Charleston, WV
Canonsburg, PA
Southpointe Town Center, Suite 200
1800 Main Street
Canonsburg, PA 15317
United States
Winchester, VA
480 West Jubal Early Drive, Suite 130
Winchester, VA 22601
United States
Martinsburg, WV
Morgantown, WV
University Town Center, Suite 400
125 Granville Square
Morgantown, WV 26501
United States
Parkersburg, WV
United Square, Fifth Floor
501 Avery Street
Parkersburg, WV 26101
United States
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