Lonnie C. Simmons - Lawyer in Charleston, WV

For more than twenty years, Lonnie C. Simmons has fought on behalf of thelittle guys, ensuring they get their day in court.

He started his legalcareer as a writ clerk at the West Virginia Supreme Court in 1982,before spending five years as a personal clerk for West Virginia SupremeCourt Justice Thomas B. Miller. After completing his tenure withJustice Miller, Mr. Simmons began his career as a litigator representinginjured plaintiffs.

A significant portion of Mr. Simmons' caseload involves appealingdecisions from the circuit courts to the West Virginia Supreme Court. Asan appellate lawyer, he has successfully prosecuted a substantialnumber of appeals before the West Virginia Supreme Court, includingappeals of wrongful death verdicts, employment discrimination claims,personal injury actions, and criminal convictions.

Mr. Simmons was one of the first lawyers in the United States to useDNA testing to free an innocent person from prison. His representationof Glen Dale Woodall, whose case was featured on the 48 Hours television program and is included in the book Actual Innocenceby Barry Scheck, Peter Neufeld, and Jim Dwyer, resulted in Mr.Woodall's freedom. It also led to a $1 million wrongful convictionsettlement from the State of West Virginia. Mr. Simmons' DNA litigationon behalf of Mr. Woodall led to the exposure of numerous instances offalse and faulty work by chief serologist for the West Virginia StatePolice, which eventually led to the release of other wrongly convictedinnocent people.

Throughout his career, Mr. Simmons has obtained significantrecoveries in a diverse range of claims, including wrongful conviction,police misconduct, and other civil rights violations. As a member of the West Virginia Employment Lawyers Association, Mr.Simmons has represented many clients and tried many cases involvingemployees wrongfully fired from their jobs, based upon disability, age,sex, and other types of discrimination. He regularly teaches seminars forother lawyers addressing employment issues.