Sandra M. Chapman

Since her admission to practice in 1983 in West Virginia's state and federal courts, Ms. Chapman has focused her practice in litigation. She has extensive experience in the defense of mass tort claims, premises owner and manufacturer, as well as in the defense of personal injury litigation such as motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, professional liability and medical malpractice. Ms. Chapman focuses her practice on the investigation, discovery and motion phases of litigation as well as contract and other document drafting. She has trained and lectured in mediation and other legal topics. Ms. Chapman has extensive experience in education and administrative law. She is a founding member of the West Virginia council of school attorneys and has represented a county board of education in various matters including administrative and other litigation prior to her appointment to a full term on the West Virginia board of education in 1996.

Ms. Chapman's appointment was made by Governor Gaston Caperton and she served a full (nine-year) term. While serving on the nine-member board, she served as a representative to the West Virginia school building authority, and held all offices of the state board including two terms as president. As immediate past-president she was named Chair of the Search Committee for the hiring of a new state superintendent of schools, having worked with two previous state superintendents during the course of her term. Ms. Chapman is proud to have led state board initiatives in the areas of bullying/harassment, including the drafting of student and staff codes of conduct, and the statewide grammar initiative. While on the board, and particularly as an officer, Ms. Chapman interfaced with other branches of state government including the education committees of both chambers of the West Virginia legislature and the executive branch.

Ms. Chapman has served as the state superintendent's sole representative on the West Virginia secondary schools activities commission. As a member of the WVSSAC, Ms. Chapman participated in policy decisions as well as the hearing of appeals from the decisions of the executive director concerning eligibility.

Ms. Chapman is a recent past president of the west Virginia state bar. As an officer of the state bar, she sat on the visiting committee of the West Virginia university college of law. She is a member of the national conference of bar presidents and the southern conference of bar presidents and is on the executive council of the national conference of bar presidents. Ms. Chapman has served on the Board of Directors of Ohio Valley Medical Center and presently sits on the Boards of the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra and the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra Auxiliary.

Law Clerk, Honorable Richard Neely, West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. Attorney: Brennan & Francis; Schrader, Byrd, Byrum & Companion; Sandra M. Chapman Law Offices; Flaherty, Sensabaugh & Bonasso, PLLC; Burns, White & Hickton, LLC. Board of Directors: Wheeling Symphony Orchestra; Wheeling Symphony Orchestra Auxiliary. Martindale-Hubbell "AV Preeminent" Rated. Served on West Virginia Board of Education - 9-Year Appointment by Governor Gaston Caperton, Held All Offices, Twice Served as President, Chaired Search for State Superintendent of Schools. Served on West Virginia School Building Authority - Representing West Virginia Board of Education. Served on Ohio Valley Medical Center Board. Alumnus and Presenter, Leadership West Virginia. Presenter at Various West Virginia State Bar Seminars - Mediation Trainings and Annual Meeting. Served West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission - Designee/Representative of the State Superintendent of Schools. Past President, West Virginia State Bar Board of Governors - during Presidential Term Served on Independent Commission on Judicial Reform and Advisory Committee to the Governor Pertaining to Judicial Appointments.