MARK A. ATKINSON
Mark A. Atkinson is one of the most experienced and successful trial attorneys in West Virginia. He has taken over 120 cases to trial. He has obtained verdicts in excess of $1 million dollars on 10 separate occasions, including one verdict of 3.25 million dollars.
Mr. Atkinson and his colleagues have obtained settlements/verdicts in excess of $150 million.
Mr. Atkinson is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal organizations in North America. Membership in this organization is by invitation only.
The prestigious Martindale-Hubbel publication has rated him as "AV", its highest ranking, for many years. He has also been included in the Bar Register of Preeminate Lawyers, a distinction given to fewer than 5% of all attorneys. He has frequently been listed as a "Super Lawyer" in the category of "Employment Discrimination-Plaintiff".
I have devoted and focused nearly all of my career on litigation and trial work.
Over approximately 40 years, Mr. Atkinson has handled thousands of cases, for both plaintiffs and defendants, in the following areas: employment law, wrongful discharge, sexual harassment, personal injury, auto accidents, wrongful death, insurance bad faith, consumer fraud, products liability, mining accidents, on-the-job injuries, vehicle rollover accidents, medical malpractice, business litigation, mass tort claims, criminal matters, First Amendment claims, anti-trust matters and litigation involving churches
An important component of Mr. Atkinson's practice is the use of focus groups. He routinely appears before focus groups as an attorney and also as a moderator for other attorneys. Through the focus group process, valuable insights are gathered which are helpful at trial.
Mr. Atkinson is a 1983 graduate of the West Virginia College of Law, where he served on the Law Review. Mark thoroughly enjoys litigation which is why 100% of his practice is devoted to preparing for and going to trial. He is admitted to the bar in West Virginia, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia, the United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit and the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia. He is a published author in the legal field and enjoys attending and teaching seminars on trial tactics.
EDUCATION
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LAW, MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA
J.D., Doctor of Jurisprudence - 1983
Law Review: West Virginia University Law Review, 1982 - 1983
Law Journal: Journal of College and University Law, Managing Editor, 1982 - 1983
WEST VIRGINIA STATE COLLEGE, INSTITUTE, WEST VIRGINIA
Bachelor of Arts magna cum laude - 1980
PUBLISHED WORKS
"Workers' Compensation and College Athletics: Should Universities Be Responsible for Athletes Who Incur Serious Injuries?", Journal of College and University Law, Vol 10, Fall, 1983
CLASSES/SEMINARS
Instructor, Paralegal Studies, University of Charleston, 1983 - 1991