Charles F. Printz, Jr.

Charles F. "Chazz" Printz, Jr. focuses his practice on civil litigation. During his 35-plus year career, he has tried more than 80 jury trials to verdict and argued more than 40 appeals before the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia and the Fourth Circuit, United States Court of Appeals. 

His practice includes all aspects of civil litigation, including employment law, Title IX investigation and litigation, business litigation, commercial disputes, financial services, employer liability, condemnation and wrongful death/personal injury.

Chazz’s experience in labor and employment law has gained him recognition by Best Lawyers in America for Employment Law (Management); Labor Law (Management); and Litigation (Labor and Employment).  To help clients prevent or manage problems in the workplace, he regularly provides counsel about employment issues, including wage and hour compliance, reasonable accommodation, employee discipline and discharge, alcohol and drug testing policies and harassment.

He also has defended employers against claims of discrimination, retaliation or harassment; sexual harassment; wrongful and retaliatory discharge; breach of contract; defamation and invasion of privacy in state and federal courts, as well as before federal and state administrative agencies and arbitration tribunals.

Chazz served as president of the Defense Trial Counsel of West Virginia from 2014 to 2015, and currently serves on the association’s Employment Law and Business Law Committees. He was a member of the Board of Governors from 2005 to 2016. In 2015, he was awarded the Defense Trial Counsel's Exceptional Performance Citation.

Chazz is a permanent member of the Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference, and serves on the Law and Medicine Committee of the West Virginia State Bar. He also is a member of the Defense Research Institute and its Commercial Litigation Committee, as well as the National Association of College and University Attorneys. 

• Permanent Member, U.S. Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference
• American Bar Association (Fellow, 2014; Life Fellow, 2023)
• West Virginia Bar Foundation Fellow (2008)
• Former Master of the Bench, American Inns of Court
• Former Member, Bowles Rice Executive Committee

Published in:

• State ex rel. City of Martinsburg v. Sanders, 219 W.Va. 228, 632 S.E.2d 914, 2006 WL 1806135, W.Va., June 29, 2006 (No. 32868.) (political subdivision has immunity against awards of medical monitoring damages based on common law tort theories)

• Desmond v. PNGI, 630 F.3d 351 (4th Cir. 2011) (unpaid 50% overtime premium held to apply to racing officials in mistaken exemption classification case)

• Wilson v. Wilson, 227 W.Va. 157, 706 S.E.2d 354, 35475 (W. Va. 2010) (real estate company owned by husband and wife had personal goodwill not subject to equitable distribution; testimony of expert witnesses is not exclusive; profits of a business that are based upon future contingencies or obligations are subject to equitable distribution upon dissolution of a marriage, but only that portion of the profits for work done during the marriage)

• Proctor v. 7-Eleven, 180 Fed.Appx. 453, 2006 WL 1373177, C.A.4 (W.Va.), May 18, 2006 (No.05-1598) (CA-02-21-3) (property owners may not receive temporary diminution of value damages for real estate where restoration from underground contamination at the defendant’s cost will restore value)

• Recognized by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in the area of Litigation: General Commercial
• Named to The Best Lawyers in America ® (Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management, Litigation - Construction and  Litigation - Labor and Employment) 2007-present
• Named Best Lawyers’ Bet-the-Company Litigation Lawyer of the Year in the northern West Virginia region (2022, 2020, 2016 and 2013)
• Named Best Lawyers’ Labor and Employment Lawyer of the Year in the northern West Virginia region (2019)
• Named Best Lawyers’ Litigation - Construction Lawyer of the Year in the northern West Virginia region (2021 and 2014)
• Peer-Review Rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell
• Listed in Super Lawyers – Business Litigation (2008-2010)

• Defense Trial Counsel of West Virginia (Former President; Board of Governors member since 2005)
• Defense Research Institute (Commercial Litigation Section)
• West Virginia State Bar (Law and Medicine Committee)
• Eastern Panhandle Bar Association
• U.S. Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference
• Eastern Panhandle Bar Association (Past President)
• National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA)
• Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)

• United Way of the Eastern Panhandle (Personnel Committee)
• Burke Street School (Read Aloud Coordinator)
• Shenandoah Valley Medical Systems, Inc. (Board of Directors Member)
• Rotary Club of Martinsburg
• Paul Harris Fellow, 2017