Charleston, WV
600 Quarrier Street
Charleston, WV 25301
T: (304) 347-1717
F: (304) 343-3058

J.D., cum laude, Harvard Law School (1986)

M.A.P.P., (Masters of Applied Positive Psychology), University of Pennsylvania (2010)

B.A., summa cum laude, University of New Hampshire (1983)

  • Mortar Board
  • Phi Beta Kappa
  • Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
Photo of Lesley A. Russo

Lesley A. Russo

Special Counsel

Lesley Russo focuses her practice on Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation, and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). She practices from the firm’s Charleston, West Virginia office.

Lesley has over 25 years of legal experience in the executive compensation and employee benefits area advising clients of all types and sizes regarding qualified retirement plans, government plans, non-qualified retirement plans for key executives, and health and welfare plans, including self-insured health plans, dental and vision plans, cafeteria plans and severance pay arrangements. Lesley’s experience ranges from strategy to implementation, administration matters, fiduciary duty considerations, disclosure and reporting, audit and correction, due diligence in mergers, sales and acquisitions and ongoing compliance with Internal Revenue Code and ERISA requirements.   Lesley has also served in oversight and administrative capacities related to the firm’s qualified retirement plan benefits and is therefore well-versed in the practical considerations employers face in performing compliance, fiduciary and administrative functions.

 Lesley also has extensive experience in representing tax-exempt organizations in all aspects of their operations, including compliance with Internal Revenue Code §501(c)(3) exemption requirements, unrelated business income tax issues, private foundation and public charity operating requirements, charitable and planned giving issues, non-profit board and officer liability issues, corporate compliance and restructuring issues, including the establishment of joint venture arrangements, subsidiaries, and affiliated corporations.

Lesley is admitted to practice in West Virginia.

Professional Highlights

  • Named to Best Lawyers in America (Employee Benefits Law; Non-Profit/Charities Law; Tax Law)
  • Former Chair, Bowles Rice Benefits Team
  • Former Member, Bowles Rice Human Resources Committee
  • West Virginia Bar Association
  • Former Board Member, Global Well-Being Initiative
  • Former Board Member, Mountaineer Montessori School
  • Former Board Member, Avampato Discovery Museum