J. Rudy Martin

Presiding Commissioner, of Charleston, Kanawha County, West Virginia. Appointed to The West Virginia Legislative Claims Commission for a six-year term on July 1, 2017. Born July 17, 1951, in Martinsville, Virginia, son of Dewey L. Martin and Betty A. Martin.  Married to Wanda W. Martin; children Alexander D. Martin, Katherine R. Martin, Joshua A. Martin, and James R. Martin, Jr.  Education: Emory & Henry College (BA 1973); College of William & Mary, Marshall-Wythe School of Law (JD 1990); Chartered Financial Consultant, Chartered Life Underwriter, Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter, and Life Underwriter Training Counsel Fellow professional designations.

Admissions: West Virginia State Bar 1990, United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia ,1990; United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia, 1993; United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, 1994.  Currently in private practice as J. Rudy Martin Esq.; Jackson Kelly PLLC 1990-2018.  Private practice involves work as an insurance expert; mediator; arbitrator and facilitator in litigation matters, as well as in business disputes outside the litigation context.  Actively involved with the West Virginia State Bar Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee. Former Chairman of the State Bar Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee’s Training and Education Subcommittee. Attended the Advanced Mediation Workshop at Harvard Law School.  Member of the Kanawha County Bar Association and the Defense Trial Counsel of West Virginia.  Taught a number of insurance courses and written several articles, including an article on alternative dispute resolution, which was published in Portuguese as “A Mediacao: Um Instrumento Valioso Para As Empresas,” in Mediacao compiled and edited by Jose Vasconcelos-Sousa, Quimera 2002.

Andrew B. Cooke

Commissioner, of Charleston, Kanawha County, West Virginia. (Bio pending.)

John H. Shott

Commissioner of Bluefield, Mercer County, West Virginia.  Appointed to the West Virginia Legislative Claims Commission for a six-year term on July 1, 2021. Born June 24, 1948 in Bluefield, West Virginia, son of John C. Shott and Bonivere R. Shott.  Married to Katherine Baker Shott; children: James Christopher Shott, Jeffrey Edward Shott (deceased June 9, 1981), Adam Cary Shott and Martha Jane Shott. Education: Davidson College (BA 1970) and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (JD 1975).

Admissions: West Virginia State Bar (1975), United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia (1975) and United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (1975). Full-time practicing attorney from September, 1975 to June, 2015 when began to transition into retirement.

Legislative service: elected to the WV House of Delegates (2008); Appointed to the West Virginia Senate (May-December, 2010); Reelected to the House of Delegates (2012-2018); served as Chair, Committee on the Judiciary (2014-2020).

Current Affiliations:  President and member of Board of Hugh I. Shott, Jr. Foundation, Inc., member of Board of Directors, Summit Community Bank; Secretary & member of Board of Directors, Development Authority of the Greater Bluefield Area; Member of Board of Directors, West Virginia Child Advocacy Network; member of Board of Directors of Bluefield High School Foundation.  Prior public service: Mercer County Fiduciary Commissioner; Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Mercer County; Member of Panel of Trustees, U.S. Bankruptcy Court;  Member and President, Mercer County Board of Education (1986- 2004); Member and President, East River Soccer Association, Inc.; Member, Mercer County Building Commission; Bluefield State College Board of Governors; Former Member of the Board of Directors of the following organizations; Rotary Club of Bluefield, Greater Bluefield Chamber of Commerce; Marshall University Graduate College Foundation; PROMISE Scholarship Board; West Virginia School Boards Association and Regional Education Service Agency (RESA).