Attorney-at-Law, Bowles Rice McDavid Graff & Love – Delegate, 30th District
by Kensie Hamilton
Corey Palumbo has followed in his father’s footsteps. Mario Palumbo was a former state senator and attorney general as well as an attorney for over 30 years at what is now Kay Casto & Chaney. Palumbo was re-elected to the House of Delegates in 2004 and practices law at Bowles Rice McDavid Graff & Love in downtown Charleston.
Palumbo is a member from the 30th District of the West Virginia House of Delegates. He also serves the public as a member of the Finance, Political Subdivisions and Industry, Labor, Economic Development and Small Business Committees.
“My father became ill near the end of my college education,” says Palumbo. “By talking to my father and watching him, he helped lead me down this path.”
Palumbo graduated from West Virginia University before obtaining his law degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law. “When I was younger, I did not know I was going to be a lawyer,” he says. “I also did not know I was going to be in politics. I really did not have much interest in them. I developed an interest over the years by watching my dad.”
He has experienced a great deal of success in both careers over the last eight years. He feels that there are many factors that have helped him attain this success. “I think the key to anyone’s success is having an interest and passion for what you do,” says Palumbo. “That has helped me while practicing law and also in the political arena.”
He is also a very level-headed individual. “If bad things happen I don’t get too upset,” says Palumbo. “That helps me in both areas. It helps me to stay focused. You win cases, you lose cases. In politics you get criticized and you also get encouraged.”
Palumbo has had the good fortune of working with a variety of people while balancing his two careers. “I work with a lot of really great people,” says Palumbo. “They have helped me a lot and mentored me from the very beginning.”
A born and raised West Virginian, Palumbo could not imagine living anywhere else. “West Virginia has always been home to me,” says Palumbo. “The people in West Virginia are different than anywhere else. There is a greater sense of comradery here; this is true even in the legal profession. There is a better quality of people and I feel comfortable. This is home.”
He hopes his children will love it here as much as he does. “We are committed to staying here,” he says. “We want our children to grow up here and stay here when they finish school.”
Palumbo knows that he will always live in West Virginia but is not sure how much longer he will pursue his career in politics. “I have thoughts of higher offices,” says Palumbo. “I have also thought about getting out of politics all together and practicing law full-time.”
His commitment to practicing law is as strong as ever. “I want to continue to become as good of a litigator as possible,” says Palumbo. “I want to continue to grow as I have here for the past eight years.”
Palumbo, who is obviously very busy, is also involved in the Charleston Association Phi Beta Kappa and was the president in 2002. He is also involved in fund-raising for the Covenant House and is an active member of St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church.
Photography by Donna Edmondson
