BECKLEY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Beckley native Matthew A. Bradford is seeking a seat on the Raleigh County Circuit Court.
Bradford was born and raised in Raleigh County, and so were his parents
His mom grew up in Coal City, and his dad grew up in Dry Creek. His parents were nurses who worked hard to provide for the family.
From a very young age, they instilled in him the belief that if he worked hard and remained true to his values and beliefs he could be anything that he wanted to be.
They further taught him to treat people with respect and to treat others how he would want to be treated. His grandfathers were both coal miners who worked in the coalfields of southern West Virginia.
Bradford’s grandfather would tell stories of building the family home and would tell him that family and reputation were everything.
Bradford grew up in Beckley.
He attended Hollywood Elementary, Park Junior High School, and Woodrow Wilson High School. He loves sports and was involved in THIS community at a young age.
He loves baseball and soccer. One of his fondest memories was playing baseball at Beckley Little League and soccer at the YMCA.
During his childhood, he also gained national attention when he was a finalist and appeared on the hit television show Family Matters.
In 2006, Bradford graduated from Marshall University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Chemistry.
While at Marshall, Bradford worked as a Resident Advisor in student housing, served as a Teaching Assistant in the Chemistry Department, and was elected as Mr. Marshall by his peers.
From there, Bradford continued his education and moved to Auburn Hills (Metro Detroit), Michigan to attend Thomas M. Cooley Law School where he earned his Juris Doctor degree.
While at Cooley, Bradford was actively involved in the Student Bar Association where he was elected Senator. He was a general member of the Moot Court Board and participated as a competitor and judge of the Intra-School Moot Court Trial Competition.
He excelled in research and writing and received a certification in Mediation from the Oakland Mediation Center in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.
He further moved to Louisville, Kentucky briefly where he did his legal internship at the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney in Jefferson County, Kentucky.
Upon graduating from law school, Bradford moved back to Raleigh County as it was his home and where he wanted to establish his legal career.
After graduation, he began working for and was mentored by the late Kyle G. Lusk where he started as a Legal Assistant rising to the rank of Partner.
He worked with Kyle G. Lusk for over fourteen years honing his skills in criminal law, civil litigation and abuse and neglect matters.
At this time, he owns and operates his own general practice law firm with his law partner, Brandon Gray.
Bradford handles a wide range of cases for clients in his areas of practice have included: Criminal Law, including felonies, misdemeanors, drug crimes, homicide, and DUI, and federal matters; Civil Litigation, including personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death, motor-vehicle accidents, slip-and-fall claims, premises liability claims, animal bites, property dispute cases, negligent construction, Eminent Domain, workplace injuries, employment law, and hostile work environment; Child Abuse and Neglect; Restraining Orders; and Family Law, including Child Custody, Adoption, and Modifications.
Bradford has not only represented clients in Raleigh County, but he has also represented clients in Magistrate Courts and Circuit Courts all over southern West Virginia in a variety of legal matters.
He has not only argued these cases, but he has gained a great deal of experience writing motions, legal briefs, Orders and other legal documents.
He is admitted to the West Virginia State Bar and is a member of the Raleigh County Bar Association and is admitted to practice before the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Bradford loves Raleigh County and is active in his community.
In 2015, he raised donations and competed in a fundraiser in the community to raise public awareness of domestic violence and Newspapers in Education.
He has further supported the United Way. In 2017, he was elected by his colleagues in Raleigh and Wyoming counties to represent District 9 in the Young Lawyers Executive Committee for the West Virginia State Bar and such position was a three-year term.
He completed various community involvement projects during that time. Bradford and his wife are further Certified Foster Parents.
As a certified foster parent, he says he has a keener understanding of the abuse and neglect system.
Bradford believes that his diverse background makes him the best candidate for Circuit Court Judge. He says he also has the temperament that is required for the position.
