Mr. Segal thrives on the practice of law and his arena of choice is the courtroom. He concentrates on representing catastrophically injured people or the estates of those killed due to the negligence of others. Some of the types of cases he handles involve industrial accidents, aviation tragedies, tractor trailer crashes, train wrecks, mining accidents, electrocutions, workplace injuries, and injuries from defective products. Mr. Segal also has a major practice emphasis on class action litigation and complex mass litigation. The types of class and complex cases he has handled includes asbestos litigation, pharmaceuticals, insurance practices, and a wide range of consumer matters.
Education
Mr. Segal earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Vermont in 1977. He earned his J.D. in 1981 from the West Virginia University College of Law. Mr. Segal excelled in trial and advocacy skills during law school. He was a member of the Moot Court Board, the National Appellate Competition Team and the National Trial Competition Team. He achieved recognition with the award of the prestigious Order of the Barristers and the Marlyn E. Lugar best advocate award. He has been an avid supporter of both the University of Vermont where he received the Alumni of Achievement Award and West Virginia University, where he was honored with the Most Loyal Alumni Mountaineer Award.
Significant Cases
Mr. Segal has many significant accomplishments for his clients. For instance, he recently obtained a $25 million jury verdict for a physician who had been treated improperly by a hospital. Mr. Segal was co-trial counsel in litigation regarding the improper payment of gas royalties to thousands of West Virginians. The jury awarded $405 million to the plaintiffs. Mr. Segal was co-lead class counsel in the West Virginia diet drug litigation, which was successfully resolved. He was co-lead class counsel in the West Virginia litigation involving the diabetes drug Rezulin, which is one of the few such cases in the country to overcome legal challenges and reach resolution. Mr. Segal was co-lead class counsel in OxyContin litigation in West Virginia. Mr. Segal was in the forefront of asbestos litigation and has successfully tried and resolved over 15,000 asbestos and/or mesothelioma cases.
Professional Associations
Mr. Segal is a member of and involved in numerous professional associations. In 1998, Mr. Segal was inducted into the Inner Circle of Advocates, which has a limited membership of one hundred of the best plaintiffs’ trial lawyers in the United States. Some of his other associations include: the American College of Trial Lawyers, the American Association for Justice – Leader’s Forum, the American Board of Trial Advocates, the West Virginia Association for Justice – Board of Governors, and The Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference. He was the co-chair of the Legal Aid of West Virginia’s Campaign for Legal Aid. He teaches continuing legal education seminars regularly in West Virginia and throughout the country.
Community Service
Mr. Segal believes that commitment to community service is a vital part of honoring the responsibility of being a lawyer. He has been engaged in community service activities since the beginning of his law practice. He is currently serving or has served on numerous boards providing philanthropic guidance, including the United Way Board of Directors, West Virginia Symphony Board of Directors, Thomas Memorial Hospital Foundation, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Western Pennsylvania and Southern West Virginia Board of Directors, and the National Youth Science Foundation Board of Trustees. Mr. Segal and his wife, West Virginia Supreme Court Justice, Robin Jean Davis, are the founders of the Segal & Davis Family Foundation, which supports charitable causes benefiting children and animals.
Personal
Mr. Segal and his wife, West Virginia Supreme Court Justice, Robin Jean Davis, live in Charleston, West Virginia, with their young son and golden retrievers. Mr. Segal enjoys architecture and photography and used his skills from these interests to guide the design and building of their home. Mr. Segal is an avid skier and has loved the sport since childhood. He and his family enjoy regular ski trips to Colorado. Mr. Segal and his young son have succeeded in conquering the ski mountains of Colorado together and have earned the Talon Challenge Medal. Mr. Segal and his family also enjoy biking and hiking throughout the mountains of West Virginia.
