John J. Meadows

Biography

John Meadows’ friends don’t play team trivia against him because his encyclopedic knowledge of facts and details is a strong competitive advantage in the game, just as it is in resolving disputes. Clients like his business-focused approach, which he honed in the C-Suite of a Engineering Technology company. John knows the impact litigation can have on the bottom line and health of a business. His practice is focused on significant litigation for national energy clients, including coal, oil, gas, and renewable energy companies.

For natural gas producers, he has litigated disputes involving landowner complaints, environmental and nuisance claims, supplier and producer contracts, tax disputes, well-pad construction and development cases, and has experience in production and mid-stream project development and litigation emanating from construction and development activities. He worked on bet-the-company cases for a major oil company involving gasoline contamination and became intimately familiar with the processes involving gasoline production and distribution (ask him, if you have some time!) He has litigated wind farm and nuisance-related renewables cases and won awards for his work in biodiesel (another hobby).

John has significant experience as a litigator in cases in many federal trial courts, federal appellate courts, and specialty business courts, including matters pending before the West Virginia Mass Litigation Panel (MLP), including serving as defendants’ liaison counsel on the largest MLP case in the state’s history. In addition to his federal experience, he has served as counsel in state court cases in Texas, Georgia, Kentucky, and West Virginia. John is also experienced in Municipal and State Regulatory Litigation, and worked in Public Planning with his Master of Public Administration (in a prior life). He has represented utilities before agencies in Appalachia and before the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

Working with John clients learn that he is intelligent, compassionate, and a tireless advocate for their interests. While friends and family won’t play trivia against him, they do share his passion for food, travel, automobiles, and philately.

Representative Experience

  • Defended client in a class action involving alleged multi-state industrial and commercial contamination
  • Represented a client in complicated construction defect and product design litigation
  • Assisted clients in asserting rights to use the surface under oil and gas leases with and without litigation
  • Represented client in motion for summary judgment in lease dispute brought by parties to force performance
  • Worked with officials from the Sierra Leone Ministry of Mines interested in development opportunities in Ohio and West Virginia
  • Assisted a foreign government in interpretation and compliance with U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
  • Represented French client in litigation requiring writing memoranda in French and interviewing French-speaking witnesses

Licensed In

  • Georgia
  • Kentucky
  • Texas
  • West Virginia

Education

  • J.D. University of Richmond School of Law
  • B.A. M.P.A. Augusta University
  • B.A. Hampden-Sydney College

Memberships

  • Vice President, West Virginia Biodiesel Cooperative & Green Fuelcrop Cooperative
  • Board Member, Charleston Montessori School
  • Treasurer, West Side Neighborhood Association, Charleston
  • Defense Research Institute
  • Defense Trial Counsel of West Virginia
  • Master of the Bench, Judge John A. Field, Jr. American Inn of Court
  • Alumnus, John Marshall American Inn of Court
  • Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity

Achievements

  • Super Lawyers® – West Virginia Rising Star 2012-14
  • Winner of the WV Environmental Council Green Entrepreneur of the Year, 2007
  • Robert R. Merhige, Jr. National Environmental Negotiation Competition, Semi-Finalist, 2003

Speaking Engagements

  • Energy Law CLE Update, WVU School of Law CLE, 2017
  • Energy Litigation CLE Update, Denver, Colorado, 2015
  • Energy and Mineral Law Foundation, CLE Speaker, Pittsburgh, 2015
  • Energy Litigation Update, Texas A&M School of Law, 2014
  • Energy Law CLE Seminar, Denver, Colorado, 2014
  • Energy Litigation Update, Texas Wesleyan School of Law, 2013
  • Energy Litigation Seminar, U. of North Dakota Law School, 2013

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