Frost Brown Todd (FBT), an AM Law 200 firm, announces that Carte P. Goodwin has joined the firm as the Member-in-Charge of its Charleston office. Goodwin, who served as General Counsel to West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin III (2005-2009) and as U.S. Senator in 2010 to fill the vacancy of the late Robert Byrd, also becomes the vice-chair of FBT’s Appellate Practice Group, and a principal in CivicPoint, the firm’s government affairs subsidiary.
“This is an important step for our firm in continuing to assist our clients with their litigation and government relations needs in West Virginia,” says FBT Chief Executive Officer George Yund. “Carte succeeds Carol Smith, who has led the office and our litigation presence in West Virginia since 2011. We are grateful to Carol for her leadership over the past five years, and are pleased that Carte will be joining Carol and our other colleagues in Charleston to build out our team in West Virginia. We intend to continue the development of our energy practice in the region, augmenting our energy team in Pittsburgh and Kentucky.”
Smith, who has served clients throughout West Virginia for the past 26 years, is excited about the addition of Goodwin to the firm. “No one is more delighted than I with Carte’s decision to join FBT’s Charleston office,” she says.
Goodwin’s practice includes litigation and appellate advocacy, and advising clients on government relations, intellectual property matters and commercial transactions. Before his time as General Counsel to the Governor, Goodwin served as clerk for the Honorable Robert B. King, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. In 2009, he chaired the West Virginia Independent Commission for Judicial Reform with Co-Chair Sandra Day O’Connor, resulting in a series of recommendations, including the creation of an intermediate appellate court and the implementation of a public financing for judicial elections. He was appointed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to the United States – China Economic and Security Review Commission, where he will serve until the expiration of his term on December 31, 2017.
In 2008, Goodwin was recognized by Executive magazine as one of the “Ten Most Successful Young Executives in West Virginia.” In 2010, he was named a rising star of American politics in the list of “40 under 40” by Time magazine.