Here at DiPiero Simmons McGinley & Bastress, PLLC, we have an unwavering commitment to many things, some of which are giving back to the Charleston community, especially our younger generations and education, and supporting what we see as worthy legal causes. Our law firm recently put its support behind an initiative, the 2023 Spirit of the Mountains Youth Leadership Association’s (YLA) Service Award, that allowed us to demonstrate our support for both.
The annual WV Spirit of the Mountains event has long been instrumental in raising funds to support the West Virginia YLA Youth in Government program, a statewide initiative dedicated to helping our young people become more committed to education, community, philanthropy, citizenship, and career. Local YLA chapters put on various programs, including the following, to forward its mission:
- Camp Horseshoe Teen Entrepreneurship and Leadership Summits
- Model United Nations
- 8th Grade Youth & Government Seminars
- Adventure Camp
- Youth in Government
YLA also offers outreach to lower-income 7–12-year-olds from disadvantaged communities by offering their participation in the Governor’s Youth Opportunity Camps.
The 2023 Spirit of the Mountains Lewis N. McManus YLA Service Award honoree named at the April 26th reception at the West Virginia State Capitol was the Honorable Thomas E. McHugh, who, among other accomplishments, was a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, was elected Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, over which he served as Chief Justice for five terms. He was later appointed to the West Virginia Supreme Court. That appointment occurred during the same time our law firm’s founding partner, Lonnie C. Simmons, was a law clerk. After that appointment ended, he began working in the private sector for an alternative dispute resolution law firm.
The reception, held at the West Virginia State Capitol Great Hall on Apr. 26, honored Justice McHugh with the Lewis N. McManus YLA Service Award not only because of his strong history of public service but also because he embodies notable virtues that organizers believe are aligned with award aims, including being intellectual, of high integrity, upstanding character, and compassionate and reasoned when applying the rule of law. His unwavering commitment to supporting our state’s youth was also instrumental in his selection for this esteemed award.
Here at DiPiero Simmons McGinley & Bastress, PLLC, we’re proud to say our firm has a connection to the newest Spirit of the Mountains YLA Service Award honoree, the Honorable Justice McHugh. We’re also proud supporters of continued YLA initiatives to make our wonderful state of West Virginia an even better place for future generations.
