State Codes and Statutes
Statutes > West-virginia > 30 > 30-2-16§30-2-16. Solicitation of employment by or for attorney in cases of personal injury or death; limitation of section; penalty.
It shall be unlawful for any attorney at law, either himself or by or through an agent, employee or other person acting on his behalf, to solicit in this state another person to employ, or procure or bring about the employment of, said attorney at law or any other attorney at law for the purpose of presenting, making, collecting, enforcing or prosecuting a claim, suit or action for damages for personal injury or death. It shall be unlawful for any person, as agent or employee or otherwise acting on behalf of an attorney at law, to solicit in this state another person to employ, or procure or bring about the employment of, said attorney at law or any other attorney at law for the purpose of presenting, making, collecting, enforcing or prosecuting such a claim, suit or action for damages. The solicitation by any person of another person to employ, or procure or bring about the employment of, any attorney at law for the purpose of presenting, making, collecting, enforcing or prosecuting such a claim, suit or action for damages, if followed by the employment of said attorney for such purposes, shall, in any prosecution of such person so soliciting, be prima facie evidence that such person so soliciting was an agent, employee or acting on behalf of said attorney at law.
Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit any person from employing or furnishing any attorney at law for the purpose of presenting, making, collecting, enforcing, prosecuting or defending against a claim, suit or action to which such person is or may be a party, or on it or by reason of which such person is or may be directly or indirectly liable to pay or respond in money, or to prohibit any attorney at law so employed or furnished from presenting, making, collecting, enforcing, prosecuting or defending against said claim, suit or action. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit any benevolent or charitable organization from assisting persons without means in the pursuit of any civil remedy. Nothing in this section shall impair or affect the disciplinary powers of the courts over attorneys at law and counsel appearing or practicing therein. In the construction of this section the words "attorney at law" shall be applied to and include any attorney at law, whether admitted or licensed to practice, or practicing, law in this state or in any other place or in any court thereof.
Any person violating any provision of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars or confined in the county jail not more than six months, or both.
