Peter G. Markham

Peter G. Markham leads the firm’s Commercial & Financial group.  He provides general counsel and civil litigation services to businesses, health care providers and insurers, and public officials and agencies.  Clients requiring government relations assistance also benefit from Peter’s substantial experience in state government.

Peter’s recent work at Bowles Rice includes advising and representing: 

• A state agency defending an employment discrimination suit;
• A minority shareholder advancing a derivative action;
• A public body enforcing a commercial lease;
• Private businesses protesting state procurements;
• A housing authority navigating Freedom of Information Act requests;
• A highway authority advancing a major public road building project;
• A federally qualified health center defending administrative sanctions levied by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services;
• A doctor challenging a hospital’s non-compete agreement;
• A managed care organization being acquired by a health system;
• A volunteer organization negotiating contracts to assist in flood relief efforts;
• A hospital defending unlawful debt collection allegations;
• Wind farm owners and operators interacting with government officials and legislators on legislation and new projects;
• Oil and gas operators engaged in lease disputes;
• Public employees contesting alleged Ethics Act violations; and
• A community college and a state council requiring general counsel services.

Peter has been practicing law since 2003 and, for five years prior to joining Bowles Rice, he served as General Counsel to West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin.  In that capacity, Peter advised Governor Tomblin’s administration on legal and policy matters involving federal and state law, the West Virginia budget, ethics, procurement and crisis management.

Peter's responsibilities as General Counsel for Governor Tomblin also included serving as chairman of the School Building Authority of West Virginia and supervising the distribution of more than $300 million for construction projects.  He also drafted legislation, coordinated agency rulemaking efforts, and developed a comprehensive oil and gas leasing program for state properties, generating millions of dollars for improvements to state parks, forests, and wildlife management areas.  In addition, Peter’s public service included serving as chairman of the West Virginia Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council and as a member of the State Armory Board.  Significantly, Peter assisted in the governor's selection of more than 20 circuit and family court judges as a member of the Judicial Vacancy Advisory Commission.

Peter's notable prior litigation experience includes:

• Defending a global private equity company and its chairman in wrongful death actions arising out of the Sago Mine Disaster;
• Defending a labor organization in a class action alleging computer crimes and theft of trade secrets;
• Defending financial institutions and retailers in commercial litigation, including actions asserted under the West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act; and
• Performing appellate advocacy in the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia and federal courts in tort, constitutional law, legal malpractice and civil rights matters.

Additionally, Peter serves on the Bowles Rice recruiting committee and heads the firm’s Broadband practice group. 

• General Counsel and Deputy Chief of Staff to former West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin (2012 - 2017)
• West Virginia Representative, Advisory Committee on Rules and Procedures for the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (2012-2018)

• Member, West Virginia Chamber of Commerce – Government Relations Committee
• Judge John A. Field, Jr. American Inn of Court

• Committee Member, Vote Yes! Our Schools. Our Community. (2018 excess levy campaign for Kanawha County Public Schools)