SENIOR LITIGATION COUNSEL
rwg@ramlaw.com
304-326-5319
304-622-5065
Clarksburg, WV
Practice Areas
Bio
- Member, Robinson & McElwee, 1992-present
- Former chairman, Litigation Department, Robinson & McElwee
- Partner, McNeer, Highland & McMunn, 1988-1992
Mr. Gallagher is primarily involved in general, civil, labor and employment law matters in federal and state courts at both the trial and appellate levels.
Mr. Gallagher also practices with a focus in major business labor litigation involving wage and hour litigation, as well as alleged discrimination.
Mr. Gallagher has extensive knowledge of labor and employment law, with more than 30 years of experience as an attorney, defending businesses in such matters including union organization efforts, National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issues and Unfair Labor Practices charges.
Mr. Gallagher represents clients from many industries, including the oil and gas and timber industries. Mr. Gallagher, who has served as a Board Member for the West Virginia Forestry Association, is experienced in defending wood product injury claims and provides counsel to forestry and timber product manufacturers. As a result of Mr. Gallagher’s work with the WV Forestry Association and its members, he was asked to chair the 2014 WVFA search committee to replace the association’s outgoing Executive Director.
Mr. Gallagher represents business clients in toxic tort and environmental matters as well.
Mr. Gallagher also serves various clients in the automobile and truck dealership industry.
Mr. Gallagher was the 2015 President of the Harrison County Bar Association. He is also the Region 5 representative of Legal Aid of WV. Region 5 includes Harrison, Lewis, Webster, Upshur, Braxton and Barbour counties.
Mr. Gallagher also taught a course at West Virginia University during the Fall 2015 semester titled Ethics and Negotiations for Energy Land Managers.
Mr. Gallagher, a former West Virginia University baseball player, has served the local sports community as a coach and volunteer. Mr. Gallagher has also served as Baseball Representative for the WVU Athletic Boosters and former President of the Bridgeport Jerry West Basketball Association.
Experience
- More than 30 years of litigation experience defending businesses and individuals.
- Serious litigation involving labor and employment disputes, including claims of wrongful discharge and discrimination, as well as Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) violations.
- Litigation involving toxic torts, environmental matters, and property damage.
- Litigation involving alleged predatory lending.
- Defended corporations in union organizational campaigns.
- Litigation involving unfair labor practice charges.
- Assisted corporations in Division of Labor Audits.
- Significant litigation involving overweight logging trucks.
- Experienced in defending wood product injury claims.
- Counsel to forestry and timber product manufacturers.
- Significant litigation involving arsenic, lead and cadmium poisoning.
- Litigation involving retaliatory discharge allegations.
- Litigation involving covenants not to compete in investment and insurance industry.
- Litigation defending employers in intentional injury “Mandolidis” type lawsuits.
- Litigation and counsel to automobile and truck dealerships.
- Experienced in defending West Virginia workers’ compensation claims.
- Litigation involving insurance coverage issues and “bad faith” claims.
- Provides general counseling to business clients.
- Vice President, Harrison County Bar Association
- Adjunct Professor, West Virginia University, Ethics and Negotiations for Energy Land Managers, Fall 2015 Semester
- West Virginia Superlawyers, Labor & Employment, 2015 – present
- Best Lawyers in America – Clarksburg, WV, Commercial Litigation, 2021 – present
- Harvard Professional Development Programs
Harvard Division of Continuing Education
Participant, Advanced Negotiation Strategies: Mastering the Art and Science of Negotiation
July 13–14, 2016
Credentials
- J.D., West Virginia University, 1981
- B.S., Accounting, West Virginia University, 1978
- BV Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
- West Virginia Superlawyers
- Best Lawyers in America, 2021 – present
Bar & Court Admissions
- Supreme Court of the United States
- West Virginia State Bar
- Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
- United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia
- United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Professional Affiliations
- West Virginia State Bar Association
- President, Harrison County Bar Association
- Defense Trial Counsel of West Virginia
- Defense Research Institute
- Legal Aid of West Virginia