The law firm of Bowles Rice announced on Thursday that it is expanding its Morgantown office with the addition of four attorneys.  Thomas A. Heywood, Managing Partner of Bowles Rice, said that Andrew G. Fusco, Steven M. Prunty, Thomas L. Linkous and Jason M. Walls joined the firm on October 1.  The move increases the total number of Bowles Rice attorneys to 120, with 16 practicing in Morgantown.

“We see immediate synergies and benefits from this expansion,” Heywood said.  “These four experienced and talented lawyers will be extremely valuable additions to our firm, especially in the areas of energy law, litigation and real estate law.”

Andrew Fusco practices in the areas of general and complex litigation and corporate transactional and governance matters.  He has been actively in practice since 1973 and has developed a national and international practice in intellectual property and licensing areas and also has extensive experience in antitrust law, trade regulation and first amendment issues.  He has represented clients in transactions or litigation in 24 states and 12 other countries.

“I have been familiar with Bowles Rice for many years, and am pleased that we will now be working together” Fusco said.  “Our business clients will benefit from the depth and breadth of experience that a firm of 120 attorneys provides, and the strong, respected regional presence that Bowles Rice has earned.”

Steven Prunty’s practice includes general and complex litigation, mergers and acquisitions, corporate transactional and estate planning matters.  His experience includes commercial and residential real estate transactions, commercial and residential subdivision development, title insurance defense and expert testimony with regard to complex title matters.  He received his law degree from West Virginia University College of Law.

Thomas Linkous practices in the areas of general and complex litigation and corporate transactional matters.  His litigation experience includes mineral-related issues in West Virginia and surrounding states, predatory lending defense practice, white collar criminal matters and commercial and labor disputes and arbitration.

Jason Walls joins the firm’s litigation practice.  Prior to joining The Fusco Law Group, he served two years as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Irene M. Keeley, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia.  He earned his law degree from the West Virginia University College of Law in 2005, ranking number one in his graduating class.

The four attorneys were previously affiliated with Eckert Seamans law firm and more recently with The Fusco Legal Group in Morgantown.

Bowles Rice recently completed an extensive renovation of the firm’s Morgantown offices at 7000 Hampton Center, Heywood said, but will maintain a second Morgantown office location in the former Fusco Legal Group’s offices at 2400 Cranberry Square near Cheat Lake.  “For now, we will move some of our people between the two locations to better align our practice areas,” Heywood said, “although we may eventually integrate the two offices into a single location.”

In addition to Morgantown, Bowles Rice has offices located in Charleston, Martinsburg and Parkersburg, West Virginia; Lexington, Kentucky and Winchester, Virginia.