Meet the Attorneys
Arden J. Curry
Arden Curry is the senior member of Pauley Curry, PLLC. He is a veteran of World War II, having served as a marine in the South Pacific. He began practicing law almost 60 years ago, after graduating from West Virginia University College of Law in 1951.
At the conclusion of law school, Mr. Curry moved to Charleston, WV where he has lived and worked ever since. He began his legal career as the Deputy Insurance Commissioner with the West Virginia Insurance Commission. He then practiced as the First Assistant to the Attorney General of West Virginia for three years. He next served as Executive Secretary to Governor William Casey Marland. After leaving that position, Mr. Curry opened a private practice with Governor Marland and through this firm and predecessor firms, has continued to represent injured West Virginians ever since.
His practice areas have covered a wide variety of cases over the course of his career including civil trial work, personal injury, medical malpractice, Public Service Commission work, appellate work, and serving as General Counsel to the Department of Agriculture and Special Counsel to the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources for many years. At various times in his career, he has held the highest verdict ever awarded at that time in the state of West Virginia.
Mr. Curry is a member of the West Virginia Association for Justice (previously known as the WV Trial Lawyers Association), serving on its Board of Governors from 1976 to 1984. He is also a member of the Kanawha County, West Virginia and American Bar Associations and the American Association for Justice.
Mr. Curry has appeared before the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals and is admitted to practice in the courts of West Virginia, the Northern and Southern District Courts and the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Curry has an AV rating, the highest rating an attorney can receive from Martindale Hubbell. He proudly works with two of his three children, Arden “John” Curry, II, and Susan Curry Brasselle.
Arden J. Curry, II
John Curry has practiced with Pauley Curry, PLLC and its predecessor firm, Pauley, Curry, Sturgeon and Vanderford, PLLC, for 30 years. He is one of the preeminent trial lawyers in West Virginia. Respected by colleagues and Judges alike, he concentrates his state wide practice in litigation involving serious personal injury and medical malpractice. He is also a sought after mediator to assist in resolving a wide variety of cases.
John graduated from West Virginia University magna cum laude with a B.S. in 1977. He received his law degree from West Virginia University College of Law in 1980 while graduating Order of the Coif. He has been admitted to the West Virginia Bar since 1980. During his career, John has served as General Counsel for the West Virginia Department of Agriculture and as serves as counsel for the Charleston Fireman’s Civil Service Commission. He was listed for ten years in The Best Lawyers in America from 1999-2011 and was also recognized as one of “West Virginia’s Top Lawyers in America 2009” by the State Journal. John was listed in West Virginia Super Lawyers 2010 and selected as American Trial Lawyers Association Top 100 trial lawyers. He is also a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
He is a member of the Kanawha County and West Virginia Bar Associations. He is admitted to practice law in the state courts of West Virginia, the Northern and Southern District Courts of West Virginia and the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. He has appeared before the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals as well as the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. He is also licensed to practice law in Kentucky.
John is married with two children and lives in Charleston.
David K. Schwirian
David Schwirian is a graduate of Alderson Broaddus College where he received his B.A. degree in Natural Sciences. He received his J.D. degree from West Virginia University College of Law where he was a member of the West Virginia Moot Court Board. David was admitted to the West Virginia Bar in 1984 and has practiced throughout West Virginia with Pauley Curry, PLLC, and its predecessor firm, Pauley, Curry Sturgeon and Vanderford, PLLC, since that time. He has appeared before the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals and is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court. He is also admitted to practice in the Northern and Southern District Courts of West Virginia as well as the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.
David’s practice has been focused on civil litigation involving personal injury, products liability, and insurance issues. David has received an AV rating from Martindale Hubbell. He is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. He is a member of the Kanawha County and West Virginia Bar Associations. David has also received the National Institute of Trial Advocacy certificate. David is married and lives in the Charleston area.
Susan Curry Brasselle
Susan Curry Brasselle has been practicing with Pauley Curry, PLLC and its predecessor firm, Pauley, Curry, Sturgeon and Vanderford, PLLC, for over 17 years. She graduated from the University of Kentucky with High Distinction in 1989 with a B.B.A. degree and, like her father, Arden J. Curry, and her brother, John Curry, she received her law degree from the West Virginia University College of Law in 1992. While she was in law school, she was a member of the Lugar Trial Association and was Associate Chief Justice for the Moot Court Board.
Susan is licensed to practice in West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky. She actively practices throughout West Virginia and has appeared in front of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. She is also admitted to practice in the Northern and Southern District Courts.
During her career, Susan’s practice has centered around civil litigation involving personal injury, medical malpractice and insurance issues. She is a member of the Kanawha County Bar Association (past President), as well as the West Virginia and American Bar Associations. She is also a member of the West Virginia Association for Justice and has received the National Institute of Trial Advocacy certificate. Susan is married with two children and lives in Charleston.
Thomas H. Vanderford, IV
Tom Vanderford is actively practicing and serving in an “of counsel” position with Pauley Curry, PLLC. He has practiced with Pauley, Curry, Sturgeon and Vanderford, PLLC, and its predecessor firms since 1974. His practice concentration is in construction law, employment law, and creditors’ rights.
Tom graduated from the University of Delaware with a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering in 1968 and received his law degree from West Virginia University College of Law in 1973. While at WVU, he was the Associate Editor of the West Virginia Law Review (1972-1973). Prior to going to law school, Tom worked as a technical engineer for E.I. DuPont deNemours & Co. He also served as the Vice-Chairman for the Charleston Human Rights Commission from 1984-1990.
Tom is licensed to practice in the courts of West Virginia as well as the Northern and Southern District Courts and the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. He is a member of the Kanawha County Bar, West Virginia Bar, and American Bar Associations.
