The recipient of the 2023 Kaufman Award is Richard Gottlieb. Richard was presented with the award at this year’s WV State Bar Annual Dinner in April 2024.

Richard is a volunteer at Legal Aid of West Virginia. In 2023, Richard donated over 40 hours of his time in approximately 80 cases, providing legal assistance to low-income and vulnerable West Virginians. He takes four cases weekly, advising Legal Aid clients on property and housing issues.

Richard is of counsel at Lewis Gianola PLLC in Charleston and leads the law firm’s natural gas practice. As a WV natural gas lawyer, Mr. Gottlieb primarily represents oil and natural gas producers and other energy businesses in regulatory, litigation, and commercial matters. He also serves clients in government and administrative law and related concerns. Mr. Gottlieb has been recognized nationally for many Oil and Gas Law awards. He has also managed and led complex, high-dollar commercial litigation cases representing energy firms, financial institutions, and large corporations.

Active in the Charleston community, Mr. Gottlieb volunteers for other local non-profit organizations, including Meals on Wheels and Read Aloud West Virginia, in addition to his time with Legal Aid. 

About the Kaufman Award

The Kaufman Award recognizes a West Virginia lawyer who has provided outstanding pro bono publico work. It is presented to the individual attorney who has done the most pro bono work during the past year by providing free civil legal services for the state’s low-income citizens. The Award is named after Paul J. Kaufman, a leading public interest lawyer before his untimely death. Mr. Kaufman’s son, Kanawha County Circuit Court Judge Tod Kaufman, presents the award to the recipient.