Bernard Layne III

Bernard E. Layne, III is a member of Mani Ellis & Layne Accident & Injury Lawyers in Charleston, WV. Layne represents injured people in medical malpractice, trucking collisions, nursing home cases, automobile accidents, product defects, and wrongful death claims. The practice includes medical malpractice, nursing home abuse and neglect, truck and car accident claims, product liability, wrongful death, and other personal injury litigation. The work often involves investigating how an injury occurred, evaluating responsibility, documenting losses, and preparing claims for negotiation or trial.

Layne earned a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Charleston in 1992, an M.A. in Sociology from Ohio University, and a J.D. from the University of Dayton School of Law in 1999. After law school, Layne served as a judicial extern to Judge Barbara Gorman of the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas. That training supports the legal analysis, factual development, and advocacy required in personal injury and professional negligence matters.

Layne’s experience includes a plaintiff-side practice limited to people injured by the negligence of individuals, corporations, or governmental bodies, with a particular focus on serious and complex injury claims. His work includes commercial trucking collisions, nursing home litigation, medical malpractice, automobile accidents, product defects, and wrongful death cases. These matters can require detailed review of medical evidence, accident facts, expert issues, insurance positions, and the damages claimed by an injured person or family.

Bernard E. Layne, III has been selected to West Virginia Super Lawyers and has built his practice around complex personal injury litigation. His earlier work with elderly and disabled individuals through a Medicaid waiver program also informed his decision to pursue legal advocacy for injured and disadvantaged people. The practice remains focused on representing injured people and families through claims that can involve substantial medical, financial, and personal consequences.

Law Office Affiliations

• Founding Partner, Mani Ellis & Layne Accident & Injury Lawyers
• Member, The West Virginia State Bar
• Member, Ohio State Bar Association
• Member, West Virginia Association for Justice (2013)
• Member, American Association for Justice
• Member (two-year stint), West Virginia Bar Association Judicial Campaign Advertising Committee
• Member, Million Dollar Advocates Forum
• Member, Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
• Board of Trustees and Executive and Outreach Committees, University of Charleston (2013)
• Board Member (7-year term), Putnam County Career and Technical Center Healthcare Advisory Board
• Member, Executive Committee and Building & Grounds Committees, Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center

Licensed State

• West Virginia
• Ohio

Education

• University of Dayton School of Law
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• Ohio University
  Master of Arts (MA) in Sociology
• University of Charleston
  Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science

Awards & Badges