Two graduates of West Virginia University’s College of Law are joining the University’s general counsel office in key leadership positions.

April Min, who serves as the chair of the law school’s visiting committee and most recently worked as in-house counsel for the International Coal Group, has been named senior deputy general counsel. David Fryson, a Charleston attorney and well-known commentator and columnist on African-American politics and history, has been named deputy general counsel.

“I am very excited about April and David joining our team,” said William H. Hutchens III, WVU’s general counsel and vice president for legal affairs. “They are both great lawyers and great people. Having them on board will further springboard us toward our ultimate goal of becoming one of the premier legal affairs offices in higher education.”

Min was a partner at Jackson Kelly PLLC for nearly a decade. She also worked as an assistant public defender in Kanawha County, an attorney and researcher for the National White Collar Crime Center and as an adjunct lecturer for WVU’s law school.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in interdepartmental studies from WVU and served in the United States Marine Corps, where she was a member of the Marine Drum and Bugle Corps. She also played in the WVU Marching Band.

As senior deputy general counsel, Min will have day-to-day management authority over the attorneys and staff in the general counsel’s office and, in the event of Hutchens’ absence, full authority to act on behalf of the general counsel.

Min began her new duties April 26.

Fryson has been practicing law for more than 20 years, and served as co-counsel in several high-profile civil rights cases. He has experience in federal, state and private practice settings, including serving as the chief legal official for two municipalities and as a member of the governor’s economic development staff under two administrations.

He earned a bachelor’s degree from West Virginia State University and a law degree from WVU. In addition to regular commentaries in The Charleston Gazette and on West Virginia Public Radio, Fryson currently serves as the chief ministry officer of The House of the Lord church and as the president and CEO of Beth-El Fellowship of Visionary Churches.

As deputy general counsel, Fryson will serve as the office’s third-in-command and oversee many day-to-day operations.

He will begin his new duties May 17.

Hutchens praised both Min and Fryson as “positive-thinking lawyers who understand and value client relations.”

-WVU-

bl/05/03/10

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