Bowles Rice: A great place to work with great people 
Beth Walker loves helping her clients. Her practice area of labor and employment law offers her the opportunity to work with a variety of different businesses on a wide variety of projects. She believes that her primary goal is to aid employers in being proactive to achieve legal compliance, avoid litigation and promote the highest quality workforce.
Originally from Huron, Ohio, Beth feels at home in West Virginia and especially at Bowles Rice. While searching for the right law firm, Beth saw something different at Bowles Rice. She was struck by the number of women playing significant roles in our firm. Arriving at Bowles Rice, she found mentors that were naturally supportive and helped shape her presence in her practice and within our firm.
When not practicing law, Beth is an active member of the Board of Directors of Girl Scouts of Black Diamond Council. Having been an active Girl Scout herself and achieving the First Class award, Beth feels that Girl Scouting empowers young women by promoting confidence, self-reliance and independence. Beth is also active as a member of the Board of Directors of Leadership West Virginia, a program from which she graduated in 1999.
Beth is an avid reader and loves to cook. She also enjoys playing golf, especially with her husband, Mike.
Corey Palumbo’s father was an attorney and Corey respected the practice of law as a profession. This respect prompted him to attend law school at the University of North Carolina. While he did not necessarily intend to practice, he felt he would gain a solid foundation for his future endeavors.
Corey’s decision to return to Charleston to live and work was two-fold. He was drawn to the aesthetic beauty and liked its friendly, laid back way. This affection for Charleston, and West Virginia, helped to prompt Corey's political career, first as a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates and now as a member of the West Virginia State Senate. Corey saw many people leaving the state for better opportunities, and he felt that he could be an agent of change, as opposed to the options of leaving or merely complaining.
The friendly environment of people and relaxing atmosphere at Bowles Rice are key to Corey. “The people are supportive of my legislative role and eager to help,” he says. Corey has been at Bowles Rice since 1998. He believes a key to success is finding a firm that not only practices your field of law, but one where you will fit in and will be surrounded by a great team of people.
Corey loves to travel to the beach with his wife, Cristin, and their children, Riley and Mario. He also enjoys playing golf and running.
Though originally from Iowa, it seemed that Marion Ray was meant to live in West Virginia. After graduating from law school in Lexington, Virginia, Marion started his trek home. While traveling, his car broke down in Dunbar, West Virginia. So, he decided to stay.
Growing up, Marion’s first love was sports and like many youth, he dreamed of a career as a professional athlete. However, a junior high gym teacher encouraged him to have a back up plan and that turned out to be law.
His father also played a strong part in his success. Marion’s father taught him that what you learn is your own and it can never be taken from you. When asked what he is most proud of, Marion says, “That I have been fortunate enough in life to have met a few individuals who took an interest in me.”
If you can’t find Marion hard at work in his office, you are likely to find him traveling to the islands in search of crystal blue water. Marion joined Bowles Rice in 2006.