Gail is a life-long resident of Wheeling. He graduated in 1982 from Wheeling Park High School, in 1987 from West Liberty and in 1992 from WVU College of Law.
His Legal experience is broad. He currently holds a position as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for Ohio County West Virginia, where he assists battered women, victims of rape, including children. He has successfully prosecuted murderers, child molesters, rapists, and child pornographers.
In 2015, Gail was awarded the Purple Ribbon Award by the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence for his tireless work assisting victims of domestic abuse.
In 2022, he was named a “Fellow” by the West Virginia Bar Foundation which is annually awarded to those lawyers whose professional, public, and private careers have demonstrated outstanding dedication to the welfare of their communities and honorable service to the legal profession with the individuals selected reflecting the diverse nature of the legal profession in West Virginia. In 2013 he was elected by his peers to serve on the West Virginia State Bar Board of Governors.
When you choose an attorney, ask him or her “How much jury trial experience do you have?” Gail has successfully acted as lead trial counsel in dozens of jury trials across the entire State of West Virginia.
Gail has been married for 35 years to Ann Kahle and his three children have attended St. Michael’s Parish School, Wheeling Central Catholic (where his wife Ann serves as a teacher), West Virginia University, University of Pennsylvania, Marshall University School of Medicine, and Appalachian School of Law.
Gail has an enormous amount of Jury Trial experience having tried over 100 cases. His practice currently focuses on Estate Planning and Administration, serious personal injury and death cases including motorcycle accidents, and all issues related to the Shale Gas industry.
Gail is an avid skier, motorcyclist, and mountain biker.
Education
- West Virginia University College of Law, Morgantown, West Virginia
- 1992
- West Liberty State, West Liberty
- B.A.
- Major: Psychology
Bar Admissions
- West Virginia
- U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit, 1997
- U.S. District Court Northern District of West Virginia, 1993
- U.S. District Court Southern District of West Virginia, 1992
Representative Clients
- Elderly disabled gentlemen killed by drunk driver $750,000.00 settlement
- Cancer insurance bad faith -confidential settlement
- Negligent infliction of severe emotional distress – grandmother witnesses her granddaughter’s accidental electrocution – $450,000 settlement
- Numerous policy limits settlements in auto accident cases
- Successfully defended City of Weirton, West Virginia at trial in a suit brought by numerous homeowners who claimed their homes were rendered worthless on account of a landslide allegedly caused by city road work
- Successfully defended property owners in Eastern Panhandle at trial in suit brought by Plaintiff injured when one of property owners horses broke a fence and struck a car in which plaintiff was a passenger
- Successfully obtained a dismissal of a chapter 13 bankruptcy filing of a Physician who was attempting to avoid support payments of $7,000 monthly to an estranged spouse
- Obtained summary judgment for city of Moundsville, West Virginia in a case where the Estates of three murder victims and two children who witnessed the horrible acts alleged that the City’s domestic violence policies and procedures violated their 14th amendment due process rights
Representative Cases
- Semple v. City of Moundsville, 963 F.Supp. 1416, 1997, N.D.W.Va.
- Semple v. City of Moundsville, 195 F.3d 708, 1999, 4th Cir.
- In Re: A.N.T. , 238 W.Va. 701, 798 S.E.2d 623, 2017, W.Va. Supreme Court
- State v. Jessica Jane M., 226 W.Va. 242, 700 S.E.2d 302, 2010, W.Va. Supreme Court
- State ex rel. Smith v. Olejasz, 245 W.Va. 799, 865 S.E.2d 820, W.Va. Supreme Court
- State v. Sears, 196 W.Va. 71, 468 S.E.2d 324, 1996, W.Va. Supreme Court
- Kubiczky v. Wesbanco Bank Wheeling, 208 W.Va. 456, 541 S.E.2d 334, 2000, W.Va. Supreme Court
- State ex rel. West Virginia Fire & Cas. Co. V. Karl, 199 W.Va. 678, 487 S.E.2d 336, 1997, W.Va. Supreme Court
Professional Associations
- Ohio County Bar Association, Executive Committee, Present
- West Virginia State Bar, Board of Governors, 2013 to 2016
Honors and Awards
- 2015 Awarded the Purple Ribbon Award by the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence which honors people who have gone beyond their professional commitment to increasing safety, raising awareness about domestic violence and helped to create hope for change at personal, public and institutional levels through their statewide and practical efforts.
- 2022 Named a “Fellow” by the West Virginia Bar Foundation which is annually awarded to those lawyers whose professional, public and private careers have demonstrated outstanding dedication to the welfare of their communities and honorable service to the legal profession with the individuals selected reflecting the diverse nature of the legal profession in West Virginia.
Classes and Seminars
- What the Heck is Title 149?, W.Va. Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 2013
- Dead Reckoning: Investigating & Managing Dangerous, W.Va. Coalition Against Domestic Violence , 2015
- Revolver, West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 2019
- Prosecuting Stalking from a Prosecutor’s View, WVFRIS, 2019
- “May it Please the Court” Effective Case Presentation, NBI, 2016
- Advanced Trial Tactics, NBI, 2018
Pro Bono Activities
- Wheeling Amateur Hockey Association (Coach), 1999 to 2009
- First Judicial Circuit Public Defenders Corporation Board of Directors, 1998 to 2003
Practice Areas:
- Estate Planning and Administration
- Gas and Oil issues of all sort including litigation
- Wrongful Death
- Plaintiff Personal Injury
- General Litigation