Teresa A. Kleeh focuses her practice in the areas of product liability; insurance arson, fraud, and subrogation; and general personal injury and commercial litigation defense. She has experience defending claims of food-borne illnesses representing many national restaurant chains and is preferred counsel for a national multi-chain casual dining franchise. She regularly performs examinations under oath and assists insurers in investigation and litigation of arson, fraud, and subrogation matters. Ms. Kleeh is a member of the bar for the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia and the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia.
REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE
- Defended one of the nation’s largest heavy equipment manufacturers in a large excavator fire claim involving complex issues of fire origin and cause and electrical engineering
- Defended an insurer in litigation and investigation of a local arson and fraud ring
- Defended numerous national fast-food and casual dining restaurants in food-borne illness and foreign object claims
- Jury trial for a local board of education against claims of mistreatment of a special needs student
- Jury trial for a national pharmacy chain against a premises liability claim
- Jury trial for a landowner against claims of unjust enrichment and trespass
AREAS OF CONCENTRATION
- Product liability
- Litigation
- Insurance, first party, and coverage
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
1998 Steptoe & Johnson
1996-1998 Bell & Associates
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
- Product Liability Committee, Defense Trial Counsel of West Virginia
- Product Liability Committee, Defense Research Institute
- Legal Assistants Committee, West Virginia State Bar Association
- Association of Arson Investigators, West Virginia Chapter
INDUSTRY / CIVIC MEMBERSHIPS
- Board of Directors, Celebration Station Community Playground
AWARDS / HONORS
- Super Lawyers® Rising Star
- 1st Place, 1995 WVU Baker Cup Moot Court competition
- Best Brief, 1995 WVU Baker Cup Moot Court competition
- Best Oral Advocate, 1995 WVU Baker Cup Moot Court competition
- Member, 1995-96 WVU Moot Court National Team
- Order of Barristers
PUBLICATIONS / SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
- Co-Author, “The Unusual Suspects: Unlikely Players in the Product Liability Arena,” 2006, Defense Trial Counsel of West Virginia Notebook
- Author/Speaker, “Fire and Explosion Seminar,” 2006
- Author/Speaker, 11th Annual Product Liability Conference, 2005, University of Wisconsin
- Co-Author, “Spoliation of Evidence,” 2005