Education
- J.D., West Virginia University College of Law, 2006
- B.S., West Virginia University, 2002 (Business Administration – Accounting)
Biography
Shannon P. Smith joined the faculty as a Teaching Associate Professor in the Spring semester of 2025 while serving as the President of The West Virginia State Bar (and is now the Immediate Past President). Previously, Prof. Smith practiced law for almost 19 years, most recently as a member of Kay Casto & Chaney PLLC, where her practice was dedicated to the areas of insurance defense, energy and natural resources, commercial law, and general litigation.
Prof. Smith received a B.S. in Business Administration (in Accounting) from West Virginia University in 2002 and her J.D. from the West Virginia University College of Law in 2006, graduating as a member of the Order of the Barristers.
Prof. Smith has been recognized with a number of awards for her outstanding leadership and service to the practice of law, including “Lawyer of the Year” honors from Best Lawyers in “Litigation – Insurance," the Westfield Insurance Golden Gavel Award for Successful Trial Results, the West Virginia State Bar Young Lawyer of the Year Award, the West Virginia University College of Law Women’s Leadership Council’s Outstanding Woman in the Law for Private Practice Award, and most notably, being named a Fellow of The American Bar Foundation and a Fellow of the West Virginia Bar Foundation.
Within the community, Prof. Smith has served on non-profit Boards and has served as Team Captain for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life and as Team Captain for the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Most recently, she has initiated and organized “Lawyers for LUCAS,” which benefits the WVU Cancer Institute’s mobile Lung Cancer Screening unit.
Prof. Smith has been happily married to Michael for 24 years and is a proud Mom to 14-year-old Shay.
Publications, Research, and Intellectual Contributions
- Reflections on a Rewarding Journey, The West Virginia Lawyer, Spring 2025 Ed., at 6–7, 56.
- Work-Life Balance: Sometimes, the Balance Breaks, The West Virginia Lawyer, Winter 2024 Ed., at 6–7.
- What Would Ted Lasso Do?, The West Virginia Lawyer, Autumn 2024 Ed., at 6–7.
- Pro Bono & Beyond: The Rewards of Service, The West Virginia Lawyer, Summer 2024 Ed., at 6–7.
- Home and Work: A Balancing Act Worth the Effort, The West Virginia Lawyer, Spring 2018 Ed., at 16–17.
- Young Lawyers: Good Manners for ‘Social’ Butterflies, The West Virginia Lawyer, Winter 2017–18 Ed., at 14–15.
- Getting Social (with T. Shoub & M. Mellace), The West Virginia Lawyer, Fall 2017 Ed., at 50–51.
- Young Lawyers: The Case for Mentors, The West Virginia Lawyer, Fall 2017 Ed., at 14–15.
- Young Lawyers: The Year of Shannon, The West Virginia Lawyer, Summer 2017 Ed., at 14–15.
- Open and Obvious: Not So Obvious Anymore (with W. Swann), Defense Trial Counsel Notebook of Articles, May 2014.
- Learn From the 2013 Holidays: Avoid Cyber Crimes (with C. Capece & J. Hoblitzell), The State Journal of West Virginia, February 21, 2014.
- The Risks of Multi-Unit Residential Construction Litigation (with T. Dumire), For the Defense, June 2012, at 62–66, 72–74.
- Magistrate Court Mediation Training: The Magistrate Court Mediation Program is an Asset to the Legal Profession as Well as the Public at Large, The West Virginia Lawyer, April–June 2011 Ed., at 16–17.
- The Need for Implementing ADR Into Traditional, Law School Courses, The West Virginia Lawyer, Nov/Dec 2007 Ed., at 76.
