About Us

The law firm, now known as Ray, Winton & Kelley has been in continuous existence since it was founded in 1897. It was established by James M. Payne, a civic leader who also organized the Charleston Home Telephone Company and served as its president for two years. About 1900, his nephew, William Dallas Payne, joined the firm, then known as Payne & Payne.

Later, the firm became Payne, Minor and Ray. John V. Ray joined the firm after he returned to Charleston following service in World War I and completion of a Rhodes scholarship. In 1952, his son, John L. Ray, joined the firm after serving in World War II and obtaining chemical engineering and law degrees from the University of Virginia. By 1955, the firm became Payne, Minor, Ray, Price & Loeb with the addition of Charles W. Loeb, one of the first West Virginia lawyers to specialize in tax law.

Representing Clients in Every County in West Virginia.

We Are The Leading Legal Company

Ray, Winton, & Kelley is a small but versatile law firm with the diversity of experience to handle almost any legal matter its clients face. With a proud history stretching back to 1897, Ray, Winton & Kelley is among the oldest law firms in West Virginia, yet it still offers a more personal level of client-oriented service than many bigger law firms.

Christopher J. Winton

Christopher Winton, the managing member of the firm, is a 1982 graduate with high distinction from the University of Virginia where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He received his J.D. degree in 1985 from the University of Virginia School of Law.

Throughout his legal career, Chris has practiced in a variety of areas, but concentrates mainly in the areas of estate planning and administration, business planning, taxation, real estate, and civil litigation.

Chris is a member of both the West Virginia State Bar and the Virginia State Bar. He is also a member of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of the American Bar Association, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and Charleston Estate Planning Council.

He has been selected as a West Virginia Super Lawyer in the field of estate planning. Since 2012, he has been selected by his peers to be included in The Best Lawyers in America®, in the practice area of Trusts and Estates. He was named Best Lawyers’ Trusts and Estates Lawyer of the Year for Charleston, West Virginia for 2016 and 2019. Chris is rated AV Preeminent® from Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings. He also is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

In 2015, Chris was elected as a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, which is a national organization of trust and estate lawyers and law professors who have been elected by their peers in recognition of having made outstanding contributions to the practice of trust and estate law. Chris is a longtime member of the West Virginia State Bar Probate Committee and was appointed as Chair in 2019, where he frequently has the opportunity to work with the West Virginia Legislature on proposed legislation in the fields of estate administration, probate, and trusts.

Chris is a frequent lecturer for professional and business groups on wills and trusts, ethics, and litigation. He is co-author of “Laying Claim: A Practitioner’s Guide to Will Contests in West Virginia” and “Still Laying Claim” which are published in the West Virginia University Law Review. He has authored of the “Probate Happens” series, published in The West Virginia Lawyer Magazine.

Chris resides in Charleston. He is a student of genealogy and is the 23rd great-grandson of England’s King John, who signed the Magna Carta in 1215, and the 66th great-grandson of Vologaeses I, King of Parthia (25 A.D. – 78 A.D.).

Christopher J. Winton

Christopher Winton, the managing member of the firm, is a 1982 graduate with high distinction from the University of Virginia where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He received his J.D. degree in 1985 from the University of Virginia School of Law.

Throughout his legal career, Chris has practiced in a variety of areas, but concentrates mainly in the areas of estate planning and administration, business planning, taxation, real estate, and civil litigation.

Chris is a member of both the West Virginia State Bar and the Virginia State Bar. He is also a member of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of the American Bar Association, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and Charleston Estate Planning Council.

He has been selected as a West Virginia Super Lawyer in the field of estate planning. Since 2012, he has been selected by his peers to be included in The Best Lawyers in America®, in the practice area of Trusts and Estates. He was named Best Lawyers’ Trusts and Estates Lawyer of the Year for Charleston, West Virginia for 2016 and 2019. Chris is rated AV Preeminent® from Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings. He also is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

In 2015, Chris was elected as a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, which is a national organization of trust and estate lawyers and law professors who have been elected by their peers in recognition of having made outstanding contributions to the practice of trust and estate law. Chris is a longtime member of the West Virginia State Bar Probate Committee and was appointed as Chair in 2019, where he frequently has the opportunity to work with the West Virginia Legislature on proposed legislation in the fields of estate administration, probate, and trusts.

Chris is a frequent lecturer for professional and business groups on wills and trusts, ethics, and litigation. He is co-author of “Laying Claim: A Practitioner’s Guide to Will Contests in West Virginia” and “Still Laying Claim” which are published in the West Virginia University Law Review. He has authored of the “Probate Happens” series, published in The West Virginia Lawyer Magazine.

Chris resides in Charleston. He is a student of genealogy and is the 23rd great-grandson of England’s King John, who signed the Magna Carta in 1215, and the 66th great-grandson of Vologaeses I, King of Parthia (25 A.D. – 78 A.D.).

Mark W. Kelley

Mark Kelley, a member of the firm, is a 1988 graduate of West Virginia State University and a 1991 graduate of the West Virginia University College of Law. While at State, Mark served in a variety of organizations, including as President of the Student Government Association. In law school, Mark served as Manuscript Editor of the West Virginia Law Review.

Throughout his legal career, Mark has practiced in a variety of areas, but concentrates mainly in the areas of domestic relations, commercial litigation, and estate litigation. In the domestic relations arena, Mark has attained particular experience in high-asset divorce cases. Mark also handles employment and personal injury matters, and in the last few years has begun serving as a mediator in domestic, commercial, and estate disputes

Mark is a member of the West Virginia State Bar, and has practiced pro hac vice in several other State and Federal courts. He is also a member of the American Bar Association, American Association of Justice (which he served in 1990 as Chair of the Commercial Litigation Section), the West Virginia Association of Justice and the Family Law Committee for the State Bar. Mark is a founding member and former chair of the Kanawha County Family Court Bench-Bar Committee. He is rated “BV Distinguished” by Martindale-Hubbell and recently received the Platinum Client Champion Award for taking care of our clients.

Mark’s community activities include serving as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the West Virginia State University Foundation. In 2010, Mark became a trustee of the Berkeley Minor and Susan Fontaine Minor Foundation. For several years, he has coordinated, in conjunction with the Family Court of Kanawha County, twice-annual mock trials for the county’s high school students. He has been selected as a West Virginia Super Lawyer in the field of family law. Mark was recently appointed to the West Virginia State University Board of Governors.

Mark was raised in Nitro, West Virginia, and currently resides in Charleston.

Mark W. Kelley

Mark Kelley, a member of the firm, is a 1988 graduate of West Virginia State University and a 1991 graduate of the West Virginia University College of Law. While at State, Mark served in a variety of organizations, including as President of the Student Government Association. In law school, Mark served as Manuscript Editor of the West Virginia Law Review.

Throughout his legal career, Mark has practiced in a variety of areas, but concentrates mainly in the areas of domestic relations, commercial litigation, and estate litigation. In the domestic relations arena, Mark has attained particular experience in high-asset divorce cases. Mark also handles employment and personal injury matters, and in the last few years has begun serving as a mediator in domestic, commercial, and estate disputes

Mark is a member of the West Virginia State Bar, and has practiced pro hac vice in several other State and Federal courts. He is also a member of the American Bar Association, American Association of Justice (which he served in 1990 as Chair of the Commercial Litigation Section), the West Virginia Association of Justice and the Family Law Committee for the State Bar. Mark is a founding member and former chair of the Kanawha County Family Court Bench-Bar Committee. He is rated “BV Distinguished” by Martindale-Hubbell and recently received the Platinum Client Champion Award for taking care of our clients.

Mark’s community activities include serving as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the West Virginia State University Foundation. In 2010, Mark became a trustee of the Berkeley Minor and Susan Fontaine Minor Foundation. For several years, he has coordinated, in conjunction with the Family Court of Kanawha County, twice-annual mock trials for the county’s high school students. He has been selected as a West Virginia Super Lawyer in the field of family law. Mark was recently appointed to the West Virginia State University Board of Governors.

Mark was raised in Nitro, West Virginia, and currently resides in Charleston.

David S. Hughart

David S. Hughart, better known among friends as Sam, is the newest Member of the firm as of January 1, 2017. (Read the press release.) He joined Ray, Winton & Kelley as an associate in 2011. He is a graduate of West Virginia University and a 2009 graduate of the Appalachian School of Law. Throughout his academic career, Sam was a Dean’s List recipient multiple times at both West Virginia University and the Appalachian School of Law.

In law school, Sam participated in several organizations, including serving as the President of the ASL Sober Drivers. Sam was also employed by Thomson-Reuters as a Westlaw student representative for his law school.

During his legal career, Sam has practiced in a variety of legal fields, but currently concentrates in the areas of domestic relations, collections, and estate planning, administration, and litigation. Sam also handles matters involving business law, civil litigation, appellate practice, employment law, and personal injury. He has completed basic and advanced training in mediation and is prepared to handle mediation in family law cases.

Sam is currently a member of the West Virginia State Bar and is admitted to practice law in the State of West Virginia and the Southern District of West Virginia.

On December 12, 2013, the Kanawha County Family Court Bench/Bar Committee presented Sam with the “Guardian Angel” award. Each year, the county’s family court judges honor a member of the bar with the award for outstanding service and dedication as a guardian ad litem representing the interests of children in family court cases. Sam’s community activities include participating in the Family Court of Kanawha County’s mock trial competition where he serves as a coach for the students of one of the county’s high schools.

Sam was raised and currently resides in Poca, West Virginia.

David S. Hughart

David S. Hughart, better known among friends as Sam, is the newest Member of the firm as of January 1, 2017. (Read the press release.) He joined Ray, Winton & Kelley as an associate in 2011. He is a graduate of West Virginia University and a 2009 graduate of the Appalachian School of Law. Throughout his academic career, Sam was a Dean’s List recipient multiple times at both West Virginia University and the Appalachian School of Law.

In law school, Sam participated in several organizations, including serving as the President of the ASL Sober Drivers. Sam was also employed by Thomson-Reuters as a Westlaw student representative for his law school.

During his legal career, Sam has practiced in a variety of legal fields, but currently concentrates in the areas of domestic relations, collections, and estate planning, administration, and litigation. Sam also handles matters involving business law, civil litigation, appellate practice, employment law, and personal injury. He has completed basic and advanced training in mediation and is prepared to handle mediation in family law cases.

Sam is currently a member of the West Virginia State Bar and is admitted to practice law in the State of West Virginia and the Southern District of West Virginia.

On December 12, 2013, the Kanawha County Family Court Bench/Bar Committee presented Sam with the “Guardian Angel” award. Each year, the county’s family court judges honor a member of the bar with the award for outstanding service and dedication as a guardian ad litem representing the interests of children in family court cases. Sam’s community activities include participating in the Family Court of Kanawha County’s mock trial competition where he serves as a coach for the students of one of the county’s high schools.

Sam was raised and currently resides in Poca, West Virginia.

Franki L. Parsons

Franki L. Parsons, Of Counsel Attorney, is a 1999 magna cum laude graduate of West Virginia Wesleyan College where she was the Student Body President. She graduated from the West Virginia University College of Law in 2002 where she achieved the distinction of Order of the Barristers and earned a place on the Moot Court Board’s National Team and also served as the Associate Chief Justice.

Since becoming a lawyer, Franki has served in multiple capacities, including as acting General Counsel to the West Virginia Development Office and as outside General Counsel to the West Virginia Water Development Authority and the West Virginia Housing Development Fund. She also served as the Assistant City Attorney for the City of Leawood, Kansas.

Following the death of a loved one, she became interested in estate planning and wealth transfer matters. Her own experience showed her how emotionally and mentally taxing it can be when you lose a family member it and made her interested in helping her clients through that process. She said the greatest compliment she has ever received as an attorney, from numerous clients, is that she is “the most relatable attorney they’ve ever met.”

In her spare time, Franki loves cooking, entertaining, hiking and travel. She also designs home interiors on the side. She is from Moundsville and currently lives in Charleston.

Franki L. Parsons

Franki L. Parsons, Of Counsel Attorney, is a 1999 magna cum laude graduate of West Virginia Wesleyan College where she was the Student Body President. She graduated from the West Virginia University College of Law in 2002 where she achieved the distinction of Order of the Barristers and earned a place on the Moot Court Board’s National Team and also served as the Associate Chief Justice.

Since becoming a lawyer, Franki has served in multiple capacities, including as acting General Counsel to the West Virginia Development Office and as outside General Counsel to the West Virginia Water Development Authority and the West Virginia Housing Development Fund. She also served as the Assistant City Attorney for the City of Leawood, Kansas.

Following the death of a loved one, she became interested in estate planning and wealth transfer matters. Her own experience showed her how emotionally and mentally taxing it can be when you lose a family member it and made her interested in helping her clients through that process. She said the greatest compliment she has ever received as an attorney, from numerous clients, is that she is “the most relatable attorney they’ve ever met.”

In her spare time, Franki loves cooking, entertaining, hiking and travel. She also designs home interiors on the side. She is from Moundsville and currently lives in Charleston.

John J. Brewster

John Brewster focuses his practice in the areas of estate planning, probate, and real estate.

John helps his clients create estate plans, including wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and other related documents. John is knowledgeable and experienced with gun trusts for Title II Firearms.

John assists clients in completing residential and commercial real estate transactions from purchase agreement through closing and everything in-between.

John assists clients in organizing business entities and preparing contracts.

John assists clients with probate of decedents’ estates, assists in the administration of property located in West Virginia, and estate and trust accounting.

John litigates issues relating to real estate title and boundary disputes, probate, wills, trusts, contracts, fiduciary matters, residential and commercial construction, and other matters.

Speaking Engagements:

Panelist, “Ethics and Law Office Management,” West Virginia Bankers Association Financial & Estate Planning Conference (2023).

Lecturer, “Handling Tangibles in the Estate,” The West Virginia Bar Association Second Annual West Virginia Estate Planning Institute (2021).

Lecturer, “Firearms in Estate Administration,” National Business Institute (2020).

Memberships:

John is licensed to practice in the state of West Virginia and the United States District Court Southern District of West Virginia.

John is currently the Secretary of the West Virginia State Bar Probate Committee. One of the purposes of the Probate Committee is to help simplify and streamline the probate process in West Virginia. To this end, John has drafted legislation that has been enacted which furthers this goal.

John is a member of the board of directors of the Charleston Montessori School.

Work Experience:

John has been an associate at Ray, Winton & Kelley since 2018. Prior to joining Ray, Winton & Kelley, John was an assistant public defender where he represented juveniles charged with delinquency and status offenses.

Education:

John is a 2015 graduate of the West Virginia University College of Law where he was a member of the WVU College of Law Tax Clinic, and a 2011 graduate of the West Virginia University College of Business and Economics, where he majored in both accounting and finance.

John J. Brewster

John Brewster focuses his practice in the areas of estate planning, probate, and real estate.

John helps his clients create estate plans, including wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and other related documents. John is knowledgeable and experienced with gun trusts for Title II Firearms.

John assists clients in completing residential and commercial real estate transactions from purchase agreement through closing and everything in-between.

John assists clients in organizing business entities and preparing contracts.

John assists clients with probate of decedents’ estates, assists in the administration of property located in West Virginia, and estate and trust accounting.

John litigates issues relating to real estate title and boundary disputes, probate, wills, trusts, contracts, fiduciary matters, residential and commercial construction, and other matters.

Speaking Engagements:

Panelist, “Ethics and Law Office Management,” West Virginia Bankers Association Financial & Estate Planning Conference (2023).

Lecturer, “Handling Tangibles in the Estate,” The West Virginia Bar Association Second Annual West Virginia Estate Planning Institute (2021).

Lecturer, “Firearms in Estate Administration,” National Business Institute (2020).

Memberships:

John is licensed to practice in the state of West Virginia and the United States District Court Southern District of West Virginia.

John is currently the Secretary of the West Virginia State Bar Probate Committee. One of the purposes of the Probate Committee is to help simplify and streamline the probate process in West Virginia. To this end, John has drafted legislation that has been enacted which furthers this goal.

John is a member of the board of directors of the Charleston Montessori School.

Work Experience:

John has been an associate at Ray, Winton & Kelley since 2018. Prior to joining Ray, Winton & Kelley, John was an assistant public defender where he represented juveniles charged with delinquency and status offenses.

Education:

John is a 2015 graduate of the West Virginia University College of Law where he was a member of the WVU College of Law Tax Clinic, and a 2011 graduate of the West Virginia University College of Business and Economics, where he majored in both accounting and finance.

Scott H. Kaminski

Ray, Winton & Kelley is pleased to announce that Scott H. Kaminski has joined the firm in an Of Counsel position.

Scott is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and has been a trial

attorney for 28 years. He is a graduate of the University of Charleston (1990) and the West Virginia University College of Law (1993).

Scott has extensive courtroom experience, trying cases in both state and federal court. He has represented injured parties, companies and corporations as both plaintiffs and defendants. This gives him invaluable understanding of both sides of a case and how the other side is likely to evaluate and strategize the situation.

In addition, Scott has appeared before various regulatory tribunals including the West Virginia Board of Nursing, the West Virginia Real Estate Appraiser Board and others representing clients who have experienced challenges to their professional licenses.

Scott is admitted to practice in West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky.

He resides in Charleston with his wife, Erin, and their three dogs: Sidney, Geno and Cutch. He is also a regular host on “The Tailgate Sports Show” radio show on WTSQ 88.1 FM.

Scott H. Kaminski

Ray, Winton & Kelley is pleased to announce that Scott H. Kaminski has joined the firm in an Of Counsel position.

Scott is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and has been a trial

attorney for 28 years. He is a graduate of the University of Charleston (1990) and the West Virginia University College of Law (1993).

Scott has extensive courtroom experience, trying cases in both state and federal court. He has represented injured parties, companies and corporations as both plaintiffs and defendants. This gives him invaluable understanding of both sides of a case and how the other side is likely to evaluate and strategize the situation.

In addition, Scott has appeared before various regulatory tribunals including the West Virginia Board of Nursing, the West Virginia Real Estate Appraiser Board and others representing clients who have experienced challenges to their professional licenses.

Scott is admitted to practice in West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky.

He resides in Charleston with his wife, Erin, and their three dogs: Sidney, Geno and Cutch. He is also a regular host on “The Tailgate Sports Show” radio show on WTSQ 88.1 FM.

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