A 20-year veteran of the law, Chris Brumley focuses on complex workplace litigation. He has significant knowhow in, construction and industrial contract litigation, and industrial accidents – specializing in energy-related fields. With a degree in Petroleum Engineering and M.B.A., Chris is uniquely positioned to offer advice in business and natural resource matters.

Smart, strategic thinking and effective defense strategy make Chris’ clients feel comfortable in the toughest situations. “I believe what makes me and our firm’s practice stand out is a unique understanding of our client’s business. It’s what allows us to be most effective in offering counsel.”

Practice Concentrations

• Workplace Liability
• Natural Resources Law (Oil & Gas, Coal, Timber)
• Regulatory Litigation (OSHA, MSHA, WVMHST)
• Deliberate Intent (Employer Liability for Employee Injuries)
• Construction Law
• Architecture and Engineering Liability
• Product Liability
• Maritime Law

Education

• J.D., West Virginia University College of Law (1998)
• B.S., Petroleum Engineering, Marietta College (1989)
• M.B.A., West Virginia University (1991)

Bar Admissions

• West Virginia
• Kentucky

Court Admissions

• United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
• United States Supreme Court
• United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of West Virginia
• West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals

Representative Legal Work

• Involved in hundreds of cases related to employer liability injury cases, and provided comment for proposed legislative revisions to West Virginia’s deliberate intent law
• Represented oil and gas companies in negligence and deliberate intent suits, including several fatalities
• Represented mining companies in severe injury and death cases in deep mine, surface mine and preparation plant cases
• Represented product manufacturers in product liability and warning suits related to the construction, mining and oil & gas industries
• Represented coal trucking company in defense of claim involving deaths in head on collision
• Represented mining company and contractors in regulatory defense of matters filed by MSHA and OSHA
• Represented construction employer regarding a major injury to its employee during his work
• Represented an oil & gas drilling company for an employee injury
• Represented surface mine employer who was alleged to have deliberately injured its employee
• Represented a quarry for alleged blasting damage to adjacent home owner
• Represented an insurance agency for alleged negligent services to an insurance client
• Represented stock broker that allegedly gave inappropriate financial advice
• Represented an engineering firm for alleged professional negligence of a site design
• Represented health facility for alleged deliberate injury of employee
• Represented a lumber company on alleged negligence of equipment operators
• Represented a mining construction entity before MSHA and the WVMSHT
• Represented a surface coal mine for alleged flood damage
• Represented several claims in the coal, oil & gas and construction industries involving severe injuries and deaths

Reported Cases

• Frye v. Boxley Aggregates of West Virginia, L.L.C., 2006 WL 1789016 (S.D.W.Va. Jun 27, 2006)
• McCormick v. Walmart Stores, 600 S.E.2d 576 (W.Va. May 07, 2004)
• Deskins v. S.W. Jack Drilling Co., 600 S.E.2d 237 (W.Va. Feb 19, 2004)
• VICA Coal Co., Inc. v. Crosby, 212 F.R.D. 498 (S.D.W.Va. Jan 28, 2003)

Professional Involvement

• Energy and Mineral Law Foundation
• IOGAWV
• West Virginia Coal Association
• Defense Trial Counsel of West Virginia (DTCWV)
• Defense Research Institute
• West Virginia Bar Association
• Kanawha County Bar Association (Officer)

Awards & Honors

• AV Preeminent® Peer-Review Rated by Martindale-Hubble®
• Listed, The Best Lawyers in America©, 2016 – Present

Teaching & Lecturing

• West Virginia Deliberate Intent Overview: Recent Statutory Amendments and Practical Points of Interest, West Virginia Trial Lawyers Association Annual Meeting, June 2006
• Computer Discovery Issues in Civil Litigation, CLE Lecture, Charleston, West Virginia
• Deliberate Intent Litigation: Allegations of Multiple Specific Unsafe Working Conditions, Employee Fault and Its Admissibility, and Proposed Legislative Action; article and presentation for the Energy & Mineral Law Foundation Annual Meeting.