Elkins Attorneys
Stephen G. Jory (Senior Attorney)
Stephen G. Jory is an attorney in the Elkins Office of McNeer, Highland, McMunn & Varner, L.C. He began his career as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Robert E. Maxwell, Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia. Thereafter, Steve became an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia, and served until 1977 when he was appointed as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia. Steve served in that position until 1981.
Since entering private practice, Steve has concentrated his career in the areas of white collar criminal defense and civil litigation. He is admitted to practice in West Virginia and has tried numerous cases in both state and federal courts. He is admitted as a member of the United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of West Virginia, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.
Steve is a member and past chairman of the Committee on the Legal Ethics/Lawyer Disciplinary Board, having served from 1990-1996 and 2001-2009. He was a member of the Drafting Committee on the Standards of Professional Conduct and was recently appointed as Special Council for the West Virginia Ethics Commission.
E-mail: sgjory@wvlawyers.com
Harry A. Smith, III (Senior Attorney)
Harry A. Smith, III, practices in the Elkins Office of the firm. Beginning his career as a law clerk to the Honorable Robert E. Maxwell, Judge of the United States District Court of the Northern District of West Virginia, Harry relocated to Elkins, where he remains today. Harry is licensed in West Virginia and Ohio and is admitted to practice in United States District Courts, Northern and Southern Districts of West Virginia, United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and has handled cases in approximately 30 circuit courts in West Virginia. Harry handles criminal cases in both Federal and State Court, having taken a number of these cases to trial. In addition to an active criminal practice, Harry handles business and personal real estate transactions and represents small businesses throughout the State.
Harry received his J.D. from Case Western Reserve University in 1972. Prior to attending law school, Harry spent three years teaching English.
Harry is a permanent member of the Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference and has served on several federal court local civil rules committees. In addition, he has been a member of four federal magistrate judge merit selection panels. Harry has served as a court appointed mediator in Federal and State Courts and has presented on various federal continuing education panels. He has also been the chairman of approximately ten federal condemnation commissions.
In the community, Harry served as a Director and President of the Randolph County Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) 1999-2006, and was a Director of the West Virginia Legal Services Plan. He is a former member of the Advisory Board of the Appalachian Community Health Center, as well as a former Director of the Randolph County Community Arts Center, 2004-2006.
Harry and his wife, Judith, a professor at Davis & Elkins College, have two grown children.
E-mail: hasmith@wvlawyers.com
Michael W. Parker
Raised in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, Michael currently resides in Elkins with his wife, Jennifer. After serving as a law clerk to Judge John L. Henning, Jr. and an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for Randolph County, Michael has been in private practice with the firm since March, 2008. He is actively involved in the Tygart Valley Lions Club, serving on the club's Board of Directors and as vice-president. Michael has volunteered with the Mountain State Forest Festival, for which his wife has served as an Assistant Director for four years.
E-mail: mwparker@wvlawyers.com
