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Lawyer Profile

Image of Thomas A. Heywood

Thomas A. Heywood

Bowles Rice LLP
  • Recognized Since:
    1999
  • Recognized in:
    Corporate Law
    Government Relations Practice...
  • Law School:
    Harvard University Law School
  • Website:
    http://www.bowlesrice.com
  • Firm's Phone Number:
    (304) 347.1100
  • Location:
    600 Quarrier Street
    Charleston, WV 25301
"Mr. Thomas Heywood is one of the most respected attorneys (and leaders) in West Virginia. His contacts and insights are peerless and have been of great value to our insurance company. I strongly support Mr. Heywood and his firm."
"Tom Heywood is one of the most respected attorneys in West Virginia. He is widely sought after as a lawyer and a speaker in any subject of law. He is one of the most intelligent people I have ever met."

-Joe Ellison (West Virginia Bankers Association)

Read More Client Comments
  • Lawyer Bio
  • Client Comments
  • Firm Details

Lawyer Bio

Tom Heywood is the Managing Partner of Bowles Rice, and a former Chief of Staff to the Honorable Gaston Caperton, Governor of the State of West Virginia.  He has significant experience in health care, corporate, finance and commercial law, and is recognized as one of the “Best Lawyers in America” in several professional, peer evaluation publications.  He serves on the firm’s Executive Committee and is Chairman of the firm’s Government Relations group. 

Mr. Heywood earned his law degree in 1982 from Harvard Law School, where he served as Developments Editor of the Harvard International Law Journal (1981-82) and Editor of the Harvard Law Record (1980-82).  He graduated from Stanford University in 1978, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations, with distinction, and was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa Honorary Society. 

Upon graduation from law school, Mr. Heywood clerked for the Honorable John A. Field, Jr., Senior Judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.  He joined Bowles Rice in 1983.  From 1989 to 1990, Mr. Heywood served as Counsel to West Virginia Governor Gaston Caperton, and from 1990 to 1993 he served as Governor Caperton’s Chief of Staff.  He returned to Bowles Rice in 1993. 

Mr. Heywood remains active as a leader in many civic activities, and has led the following initiatives in recent years: Chairman, Affordable Insurance Workgroup (2005); Co-Chairman, Finance & Benefits Committee, Health Advisory Council (2002-2003);  Chairman, Results-Based Government Task Force, Vision Shared (2002 - Present); Chairman, TANF Advisory Council (2001); Chairman, Community and Technical College Implementation Board (2000); Co-Chairman, Celebration 2000 (1999-2000); Co-Chairman, “Yes on 1 Committee” (Stock Investment Amendment to West Virginia Constitution) (1998); Chairman, Transition Committee on Medicaid (1997); Chairman, Medicaid Crisis Panel (1995).  He has also served as Chairman or Co-Chairman of several Kanawha County school bond and levy advocacy groups in recent years.

In 2009, Mr. Heywood was appointed by Governor Joe Manchin, III to serve as a member of the Judicial Reform Commission. The Commission was charged with evaluating West Virginia’s judicial system and its current practices and providing its findings to the Governor for the West Virginia Legislature. 

Mr. Heywood was recognized for his many contributions to the legal profession and community by being named a Fellow of the American Bar Association (2010) and a recipient of the 2010 “Who’s Who in West Virginia Business” award. He has received numerous awards for his public service, including the Alliance Leader for Children Award (2006) (awarded by the Alliance for Children), the Margaret Baldwin Friend of Education Award (2000) (awarded by the West Virginia Education Association);  the Sam Walton Community Leadership Award (1999) (awarded by the Charleston Regional Chamber of Commerce and Development); Citizen of the Year (1999) (awarded by the National Association of Social Workers); the Distinguished Service Award  (1996) (awarded by the West Virginia Hospital Association); and the Friend of Education Award (1995) (awarded by the Kanawha County Education Association).  

He serves on numerous charitable and non-profit boards, and participates actively in various business and trade associations.
  • Education
  • Award List
  • Clerkships
  • Additional Information
  • Lawyer of the Year Badge

Education:

  • Harvard University Law School , J.D., graduated 1982
  • Stanford University , A.B., graduated 1978

Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers for:

  • Health Care Law, Charleston, WV (2012)
 

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for work in:

  • Corporate Law
  • Government Relations Practice
  • Health Care Law
  • Mergers and Acquisitions Law
 

Awards:

  • Who's Who in West Virginia Business (2009)
  • Sam Walton Community Leadership Award (1999)
  • Margaret Baldwin Friend of Education Award (2000)
  • James R. Thomas Community Service Award (2010)
  • Friend of Education Award (1995) (Kanawha County Education Association)
  • Distinguished Service Award (1996) (West Virginia Hospital Association)
  • Citizen of the Year Award (1999, National Association of Social Workers)
  • Alliance for Children Leadership Award (2006)

Federal Clerkships:

  • United States Court of Appeals

Special Focus:

  • Administrative
  • Commercial
  • Corporate
  • Corporate Finance
  • Government Relations
  • Health Care
  • Health Policy
  • Hospitals
  • Legislative
  • Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Transactions
 

Lawyer Client Comments

"Mr. Thomas Heywood is one of the most respected attorneys (and leaders) in West Virginia. His contacts and insights are peerless and have been of great value to our insurance company. I strongly support Mr. Heywood and his firm."

"Tom Heywood is one of the most respected attorneys in West Virginia. He is widely sought after as a lawyer and a speaker in any subject of law. He is one of the most intelligent people I have ever met."

Joe Ellison, West Virginia Bankers Association

"Mr. Heywood is a respected source of information and guidance for our insurance company. He has guided our board and senior officers in governance and regulatory issues that would swamp a lesser attorney. His remarks are always well thought out and fact based -- he is a counselor in every sense of that word. He brings intellectual honesty to every situation -- a trait that makes him a giant in the legal community of our state."

"Thomas Heywood is an outstanding attorney and a person with the highest standards of integrity. He is one of the best anywhere."

Firm Details

Image for Bowles Rice LLP View Firm Profile
Bowles Rice LLP
http://www.bowlesrice.com
 
Headquarters
600 Quarrier Street
Charleston, WV 25301
(304) 347.1100
7 Office Locations
in 1 Country

United States

United States

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

Canonsburg, PA

Southpointe Town Center, Suite 200

1800 Main Street

Canonsburg, PA 15317

United States

(724) 514.8915

Get Directions

Virginia

Virginia

Winchester, VA

480 West Jubal Early Drive, Suite 130

Winchester, VA 22601

United States

(540) 723.8877

Get Directions

West Virginia

West Virginia

Martinsburg, WV

101 South Queen Street

Martinsburg, WV 25401

United States

(304) 264.4200

Get Directions

Morgantown, WV

University Town Center, Suite 400

125 Granville Square

Morgantown, WV 26501

United States

(304) 285.2500

Get Directions

Parkersburg, WV

United Square, Fifth Floor

501 Avery Street

Parkersburg, WV 26101

United States

(304) 485.8500

Get Directions

Wheeling, WV

1217 Chapline Street

Wheeling, WV 26003

United States

(304) 230.1800

Get Directions

 
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