Ryan White Vying for Intermediate Court Judgeship
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WHEELING – Ryan White's background in law is a diverse one. He has represented cities, nonprofits and other entities. He has worked in public finance, property, municipal, corporate, administrative law, litigation, tax, utility and nonprofit law.
That experience, he feels, has given him the foundation to succeed in his next goal - the West Virginia Intermediate Court of Appeals.
White - a 45-year-old Charleston resident who formed White Law Offices in 2012 with father Steve White and Mark Matkovich - is running for a spot on the intermediate court. He was in Wheeling recently as part of his campaign.
White is no stranger to the political process. He served as counsel to the West Virginia Senate Finance Committee and Economic Development Committees during the 2009, 2010, and 2011 legislative sessions. He also was elected three times to the Kanawha County Board of Education, resigning from his seat in January to campaign for the intermediate court judgeship.
"It gives me a good base," White said of his varied background, "and then my work with the Legislature - which it’s important to know the legislation, the legislative process and know how to write legislation - will give me a good a balanced understanding of what you need to do as a judge and make decisions on the court."
As a political science major at the University of Michigan, White took a constitutional law class that he said sparked his interest in the subject, as well as an interest in becoming an appellate judge. After graduating Order of the Coif at West Virginia University's College of Law, he clerked for Judge Joseph Robert Goodwin of the Southern District of West Virginia, then worked at Jackson Kelly before starting White Law Offices.
His work at his current firm has allowed him to travel the state, representing clients across West Virginia. He believes that experience also will serve him well if elected.
"I think I think people can trust that I will be fair, balanced and follow the rule of law," he said. "I think that people have been able to see throughout West Virginia that I’m relatable to West Virginians. One hundred percent of my practice is in West Virginia and it’s not all in one place. It’s everywhere.
"So I think that going throughout the state and practicing within West Virginia is very important to bring to the bench," he continued, "because I’m not just seeing what’s happening in Charleston. I’m not just seeing what’s happening wherever I’m seeing. I’ve seen the issues that have happened throughout the state and people know that I can bring decision making skills that have that in mind."
White - married to fellow attorney Kate White, with whom he shares three children - said he was a supporter of creating the Intermediate Court of Appeals - which was created in 2021 and sat its first three judges in 2022 - and as soon as he heard of the possibility. He saw how bogged down the circuit courts had become. The intermediate court expedites the process, he said, and offers another court that provides written legal decisions on which attorneys can rely.
As his campaign continues, White said he often draws from his experience both campaigning for and serving on the Kanawha School Board.
"I know how to connect to people," he said. "I am someone that the public has put their faith in, and I’m responsive to people. A lot of being a judge is listening, right? You want a judge that's going to listen to both sides and not have a predetermined notion on something, but will listen to both sides, read everything that’s in front of them and make an informed decision that’s based in law, not on their personal beliefs."