Michael W. Carey

Mike Carey’s legal career has been primarily focused on litigation. After serving as a law clerk to the Honorable John A. Field, Jr. of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, he joined the United States Attorneys Office for the Southern District of West Virginia in 1980. As an assistant, Mike prosecuted cases involving public corruption, fraudulent tax shelters and violations of the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act. In 1987, Mike was appointed by President Ronald Reagan and confirmed by the United States Senate to be the United States Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia. In that capacity, Mike supervised an office of twenty-five Assistant United States Attorneys and continued to personally try many cases. In 1989, Mike was chosen West Virginian of the Year by the Charleston Gazette for his prosecution of public corruption. As United States Attorney, Mike was appointed to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee where he was elected Vice-Chairman by his peers. In 1991, Mike was asked to serve as the Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General at the Department of Justice where he served as the primary adviser for criminal matters to the Deputy Attorney General of the United States. In 1993, Mike left the government and started his own firm in private practice now known as Carey, Scott, Douglas & Kessler, PLLC. Mike primarily works on cases involving commercial disputes, class actions, white collar criminal defense and governmental regulatory proceedings. Mike has been recognized by his peers in The Best Lawyers in America for his skill in the practice areas of Commercial Litigation and Criminal Defense: White-Collar every year since 2008; and for Bet-the-Company Litigation since 2014, having been given the honor of ‘Bet-the-Company Litigation Lawyer of the Year’ in 2016.

Areas of Practice

Civil Litigation
Personal Injury
Construction Law
Internal Corporate Investigation
White Collar Criminal Defense
MSHA,OSHA,EPA etc.

Honors & Awards

Selected West Virginian of the Year, Sunday Gazette Mail, Charleston, West Virginia, 1989
Awarded United States Attorney’s Flag by Attorney General Dick Thornburgh in Recognition of Prosecution of Public Corruption
Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Management by Attorney General William P. Barr.
Fellow, International Society of Barristers
Chambers and Partners: General Commercial Litigation
Benchmark Litgation: Local Litigation Star-Civil Litigation
Best Lawyers: 2012 Charleston, WV Criminal Defense: White-Collar Lawyer of the Year
Best Lawyers: 2016 Charleston, WV Bet the Company Litigation Lawyer of the Year
Super Lawyers: General Litigation, Business Litigation, Criminal Defense: White Collar

Bar Admissions

West Virginia, 1979
U.S. District Court Southern District of West Virginia
U.S. District Court Northern District of West Virginia
U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court