Charleston, W.Va. — The management team of the law firm Spilman Thomas & Battle, PLLC announced today that it has elected several new members effective January 1, 2012.

“Our new members have become – both individually and collectively – integral to the success of Team Spilman,” said Michael J. Basile, the firm’s managing member. “Their spirit, attitude, knowledge and work ethic perfectly exemplify the firm’s commitment to delivering excellence and value to our clients.”

Michael G. Connelly (Pittsburgh) leads the firm’s litigation practice in Pennsylvania and is a leader of the firm’s Marcellus & Utica Shale practice. His practice focuses on representing energy and financial services companies in complex commercial litigation in state and federal courts in Pennsylvania and elsewhere. Connelly is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. He received his bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame and his law degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

Kelly B. Griffith (Charleston) has become a leader with respect to electronic discovery matters. A co-founder and co-leader of Spilman’s E-Discovery Practice Group, she has developed and presented programs on a variety of e-discovery issues to attorneys, information technology professionals and judges throughout the region. Griffith is admitted to practice in West Virginia. She received her bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Kentucky and her law degree, cum laude, from the Georgetown University Law Center.

Angela D. Herdman (Charleston) has an active practice in the areas of insurance coverage and bad faith, general litigation, insurance law and personal injury defense litigation. She recently helped secure an important ruling that will affect the future of the insurance industry in West Virginia. Herdman is admitted to practice in West Virginia. She received her bachelor’s degree from Purdue University and her law degree from the West Virginia University College of Law.

Clifford F. Kinney, Jr. (Charleston) has represented parties in class actions, mass torts, toxic torts and consumer claims for nearly 20 years, and he is active in the firm’s high-risk litigation strike force. He is a trained mediator and AAA neutral, focusing on alternative dispute resolution of construction and related claims. Kinney is admitted to practice in West Virginia and Virginia. He received his bachelor’s degree, with honors, from American University in Washington, D.C. and his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law.

Sharon L. Potter (Wheeling) is a former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia and practices across a broad scope of legal areas. She handles criminal defense in environmental, tax and financial fraud cases and assists companies with internal investigations, compliance, ethics and coordination with law enforcement. Potter is admitted to practice in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. She received her bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University and her law degree from the California Western School of Law.

Ronald W. Schuler (Pittsburgh) is a corporate, securities and commercial transactions lawyer with extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, public offerings and private placement financings in the energy, software, biotechnology and telecommunications industries. He served as a chief operations executive of a $100+ million oil and gas company before joining Spilman in 2009. Schuler is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia. He received his bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from Pomona College and his law degree from Cornell Law School.

Richard M. Wallace (Charleston) represents employers in all areas of labor and employment law, with a particular emphasis on traditional labor law. He regularly appears in state and federal courts throughout the firm’s footprint to defend employers in all phases of employment litigation and provides advice and counseling to clients with the goal of preventing litigation. Wallace is admitted to practice in West Virginia. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and his law degree from the Wake Forest University School of Law.

About Spilman Thomas & Battle, PLLC
Spilman Thomas & Battle is a full-service law firm with more than 140 attorneys. Founded in 1864, Spilman has offices in Charleston, Morgantown and Wheeling, W.Va.; Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, Pa.; Winston-Salem, N.C.; and Roanoke, Va.