Corporate Law & Litigation

Legal Guidance That Grows With Your Business

Running a business means wearing a lot of hats—and one misstep in a contract, partnership, or dispute can lead to costly consequences. Whether you’re launching a new company, negotiating a deal, or facing legal action, solid legal support isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity.

At Ray, Winton & Kelley, we help businesses at every stage navigate the legal challenges that come with growth, competition, and risk. From day-to-day decision-making to high-stakes disputes, we’re the legal partner businesses across West Virginia trust to keep them protected and moving forward.

Building a Strong Foundation: Legal Help for Startups and Established Businesses

Every business, big or small, needs a solid legal structure. That doesn’t just mean forming an LLC or corporation—it means setting things up to avoid confusion, conflict, and liability down the line.

We assist with:

Business formation and entity selection (LLC, S-Corp, etc.)
Drafting operating agreements and bylaws
Reviewing leases, vendor agreements, and service contracts
Clarifying ownership responsibilities and decision-making authority
Advising on risk management and compliance

Starting a business is exciting, but it’s also the best time to plan for what could go wrong. We help you get it right from day one.

Managing Partnerships, Contracts, and Business Relationships

Business relationships can be complicated—especially when money, responsibility, or authority is on the line. Whether you're partnering with someone, hiring employees, or signing long-term vendor agreements, a clear contract is key.

We help businesses:

Draft, review, and negotiate contracts that protect their interests
Resolve disputes over breached agreements or vague terms
Set clear expectations between co-owners or investors
Exit relationships cleanly when partnerships no longer work

Sometimes what starts as a handshake deal ends up in conflict. We make sure you’re protected, whether you're entering a new relationship or getting out of an old one.

Business Disputes: When Things Go Off Track

Even well-run businesses can end up in conflict—whether with customers, vendors, competitors, or internal partners. When that happens, you need a legal strategy that looks beyond just "winning" in court. You need a plan that protects your business, your time, and your reputation.

We handle business-related litigation, including:

Breach of contract claims
Partnership or shareholder disputes
Claims of fraud or misrepresentation
Interference with business relationships
Business torts and commercial disputes

Not every case goes to trial. We work to resolve issues early whenever possible—but when litigation is necessary, we build a case that’s clear, focused, and prepared to hold up in court.

Our Role as Long-Term Legal Advisors

Many of our business clients start with a single project—like forming a company or settling a dispute—and end up staying with us as their go-to legal counsel. We provide ongoing advice to help you:

Make confident business decisions
Understand how new laws or regulations might impact your operations
Handle employee, customer, or vendor issues before they escalate
Plan ahead for growth, exit, or succession

Whether you're a solo entrepreneur or managing a growing team, having a trusted legal partner makes the road ahead smoother.

Why RWK Is the Right Fit

At Ray, Winton & Kelley, we’ve built a reputation on practical, thoughtful legal work that puts our clients’ needs first. We don’t overcomplicate things or bury you in jargon. Instead, we focus on helping you understand your situation, make informed decisions, and take the right steps to protect yourself, your family, or your business.

With decades of experience serving Charleston and communities across West Virginia, we bring both deep legal knowledge and a grounded, real-world perspective to every case. Whether you're planning ahead, facing a dispute, or simply looking for clarity, you can count on our team to provide steady guidance and dependable representation.

FAMILY LAW, DIVORCE & DOMESTIC RELATIONS

Family relationships are complex, and the finances associated with those relationships are often intricate. We have the ability to understand the complexity of those relationships and provide our clients with effective counsel, especially when relationships end in divorce. We handle divorce cases at all income levels and have had particular success with high net-worth cases.

CORPORATE LAW & LITIGATION

Starting and operating a business requires many important decisions. We can help guide you through the process and protect your interests. The issues we handle include business incorporation, breach-of-contract claims, construction law, contractor’s liens, collection of debts, judgment enforcement, non-compete agreements, fraud, partnership disputes, operating agreements, employment matters, and business purchases and sales.

GENERAL CIVIL LAW & LITIGATION

General civil litigation involves seeking compensatory damages for some actual or perceived wrong. However, remedies in civil matters can also include specific performance of a contractual agreement, injunctive or other equitable relief.

REAL ESTATE LAW & LITIGATION

We handle a variety of real estate legal issues, including sales, leasing, financing, contract negotiations, title assurance, landlord-tenant relations and taxes. When litigation is necessary, we represent clients in disputes over construction, mechanic’s liens, easements, boundaries, condemnation and landlord-tenant issues.

LAWYER DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS

Mark Kelley has represented numerous West Virginia attorneys in all stages of the disciplinary process. If you need representation in this area or just want a consultation to help you deal with a complaint, the firm is ready to assist you in the process.

EMPLOYMENT

Employment law encompasses thousands of federal and state statutes, administrative regulations and judicial decisions that cover a wide spectrum of the employer/employee relationship. We handle issues for employees or employers in such areas as collective bargaining, employment discrimination, unemployment compensation, pensions, workplace safety and workers’ compensation.

MEDIATION

The firm offers mediation services for business disputes, estate disputes and domestic relations cases. Mark and Sam have taken basic and advanced mediation courses through the West Virginia State Bar. Mark has mediated numerous cases in the above fields and is available to assist litigants and their attorneys in trying to resolve these often-complicated and contentious matters. Sam generally limits his mediation practice to family law disputes. It greatly enhances the chances of a successful mediation if your mediator has extensive experience dealing with the issues to be mediated.

Testimonials

Elizabeth Smith

Mr. Kelley is extremely responsive and knowledgeable when it comes to family law. He and his staff are have done an excellent job handling child custody issues quickly and effectively, highly recommend.

David Log

A very old and established law firm. Great for estate management and general law.

Leslie Richmond

Franki Parsons has been a life saver. Franki goes above and beyond to help you. So easy to talk to and you know she cares. Can't recommend enough.