Thursday, July 2, 2026
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Posted by: Amanda Rose Falk
Award of Merit: Thomas Hurney, Jr.; Judge Stamp Award Judge Frank W. Volk
Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. Award for Judicial Excellence
This award was established in 2023 to recognize the Honorable Frederick P. Stamp, Jr., Senior Judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia. It shall be presented to a judge who is active, retired or "senior status," whether state or federal court, trial or appellate, who has contributed significantly to the administration of justice in West Virginia.
This year’s recipient is: The Honorable Frank W. Volk, Chief Judge, US District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.
Chief Judge Frank W. Volk was born in Morgantown, West Virginia. He assumed his current position as a judge for the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on October 17, 2019, following his April 2, 2019, nomination by President Donald J. Trump and his October 16, 2019, unanimous confirmation by the United States Senate.
Immediately preceding his Article III appointment, he served as Chief Judge of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of West Virginia beginning October 9, 2015. He is a 1992 graduate of the WVU College of Law where he served as editor-in-chief of the West Virginia Law Review and attained Order of the Coif.
2025 Award of Merit Recipient
The recipient of the Award of Merit embodies a continuing commitment to leadership, service, and the work and purpose of the West Virginia Bar Association, and must have demonstrated a lifetime of achievement or exceptional service to the legal community or the public.
This year’s recipient is: Thomas J. Hurney, Jr., Esq.
Over his forty-one years with Jackson Kelly PLLC, Tom has litigated and tried serious injury, wrongful death, and commercial cases. He acts as regional and national counsel for firm clients and has an active appellate practice. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates. Tom is active in bar and defense groups and served as President of both the Association of Defense Trial Attorneys and the Defense Trial Counsel of West Virginia. He is a frequent author and speaker on a wide variety of litigation related topics and leadership. Tom and his wife, Julia (also a lawyer) live in Charleston, West Virginia and have three children (also lawyers).
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