Atty. Melissa Luce
After practicing law for nearly 20 years in New Jersey and New York, Melissa “Missy” Luce returned to West Virginia to join Stuart Calwell’s firm, The Calwell Practice, LC. After serving as Managing Attorney for several years, in January 2019, Calwell ultimately joined together with Luce and another colleague, Dante’ diTrapano, as partners in rebranding the firm to Calwell Luce diTrapano PLLC to solidify its long-term growth.
Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs Attorney · Serving Charleston, WV · 40+ Years Experience
Profile Summary
About Melissa Luce at a Glance
Melissa Luce is a personal injury attorney based in Charleston, West Virginia, practicing at Calwell Luce diTrapano PLLC. They have 40+ years of legal experience, licensed to practice since 1986. Admitted to practice in West Virginia, The West Virginia State Bar (1986), New Jersey, New Jersey State Bar Association (1991), Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Bar Association (2000), and New York, New York State Bar Association (2003). Educated at West Virginia University (J.D., 1986). Recognitions include Best Lawyers in America — Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs (2026), Best Lawyers in America — Additional Areas of Practice: (2026), and Best Lawyers in America — Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs (2026). Serves clients in Charleston, WV and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About Melissa Luce
- After practicing law for nearly 20 years in New Jersey and New York, Melissa “Missy” Luce returned to West Virginia to join Stuart Calwell’s firm, The Calwell Practice, LC
- After serving as Managing Attorney for several years, in January 2019, Calwell ultimately joined together with Luce and another colleague, Dante’ diTrapano, as partners in rebranding the firm to Calwell Luce diTrapano PLLC to solidify its long-term growth
- And Missy continues in her role as Managing Partner
- Before moving to New Jersey early in her career, Melissa (Missy) Luce spent the first six years of her practice of law in Charleston for Di Trapano & Jackson
- Prior to returning to West Virginia, Missy spent many years handling medical malpractice and general personal injury litigation cases for the New Jersey law firm of Stephen S. Weinstein, PA
- Her current practice continues to focus on medical malpractice, birth injury/trauma, pharmaceutical litigation, product liability, wrongful death, and personal injury litigation
- Missy graduated on the Dean’s List from Davis & Elkins College in 1983, magna cum laude, including a semester of study abroad at Oxford University, and received her Juris Doctor from West Virginia University College of Law in 1986 where she was honored as the Outstanding Graduate
- Missy is licensed to practice law in state and federal courts in West Virginia, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania
- As a result of her extensive trial and appellate work during her time in New Jersey, Missy was recognized by the New Jersey Supreme Court as a Certified Civil Trial Attorney, a distinction earned by only 1% of the approximately 100,000 attorneys in the state
- Missy is AV Preeminent® Peer Rated, an honor bestowed by Martindale-Hubbell® for achieving the highest level of professional excellence for her legal knowledge and experience, analytical capability, judgment, communications, and ethical standards
- Every year since 2020, she has been selected to the West Virginia Super Lawyers list, a peer-nominated distinction held by no more than 5% of a state’s lawyers
- Missy also received the prestigious honor of being selected by the West Virginia Bar Foundation as a 2020 Fellow
- only 375 lawyers and judges have been inducted as Fellows since 1999 from more than 6,000 working in West Virginia
- Missy also received the prestigious honor of being selected by her peers for inclusion in the 31st edition of The Best Lawyers in America in 2025 in the field of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
- Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence
- recognitions are compiled based on an exhaustive Purely Peer Review evaluation and represent the top 5% of lawyers across the United States
- Missy enjoys contributing to various programs in our community, including the Special Olympics and Project Hope, and she has volunteered as a youth basketball coach for the YMCA
- In 1982, she participated in mission work for Project Serve in the Dominican Republic
- In 1985, she was selected to work as an intern for former WV Senator John D. Rockefeller, IV
- While in New Jersey, she served as counsel to the Morris County Democratic Committee from 2002 until she returned to West Virginia in 2008 and was a member of the Visiting Nurses Association of Northern New Jersey’s Board of Trustees from 2001 until 2008
- Following the September 11, 2001, tragedy, she served as a volunteer attorney for Trial Lawyers Care, providing free legal representation to victims and their families
- Missy served as a member of the Board of Trustees of her alma mater Davis & Elkins College from 1987 to 1998 and from 2003 to 2012
- Born in Fayetteville, West Virginia, she resides in Charleston and is an avid outdoors enthusiast, having formerly been a whitewater guide on the world-renowned New River
- She takes particular delight in having bungee jumped, skydived, and hang-glided in many different countries, although she is now retired from such ventures!
Practice Areas Explained
Melissa Luce's Areas of Legal Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Melissa Luce handles, with a practical overview of what that area of law involves and how it may apply to your situation in Charleston.
Personal Injury in Charleston
Personal injury attorneys help accident victims recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain & suffering. Most work on contingency — no fee unless you win.
Melissa Luce is one of 262,557 personal injury attorneys indexed nationally. Browse personal injury attorneys in West Virginia →
Jurisdictional Context
Why Local Counsel Matters in Charleston
Practicing law in West Virginia. Legal matters in West Virginia are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Charleston are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate West Virginia state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in West Virginia brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this venue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in West Virginia courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Charleston Courts and Legal Process
Choosing a Charleston-based attorney means your counsel already knows the local docketing timelines, preferred filing formats, and how individual judges typically rule on procedural motions — details that only come from practicing in this jurisdiction day after day. That local familiarity can translate to better strategy, faster filings, and fewer costly surprises.
Looking for additional West Virginia attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Charleston or all attorneys in West Virginia.
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Professional Profile
Why Clients in Charleston Choose Melissa Luce
Selecting an attorney is one of the most consequential decisions you can make when a legal matter arises. Below are the core qualities that distinguish Melissa Luce's practice in the field of personal injury.
Decade-Tested Legal Experience
Melissa Luce brings 40+ years of hands-on legal practice — enough to have navigated the recurring fact patterns, procedural traps, and negotiation dynamics that shape case outcomes.
Multi-State Bar Admission
Licensed in West Virginia, The West Virginia State Bar, New Jersey, New Jersey State Bar Association, and Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Bar Association, Melissa Luce can represent clients in cases that span state lines or require counsel in multiple jurisdictions.
Focused Personal Injury Practice
Concentrating on personal injury means Melissa Luce's knowledge of relevant statutes, case law, and procedural nuances stays current — unlike generalist practices that spread attention across unrelated fields.
Local Presence in Charleston
A Charleston-based practice means Melissa Luce attends hearings in the same courthouses, knows the local clerks, and understands the unwritten scheduling norms that affect every case filed here.
Case Types
Common Legal Issues Melissa Luce Handles in Charleston
Below is a representative sample of the types of matters Melissa Luce has experience with under West Virginia law. If your situation involves one of these case categories, this attorney may be well positioned to help you understand your options.
This list is illustrative, not exhaustive. Contact Melissa Luce directly to discuss the specifics of your situation.
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How People Find Melissa Luce Online
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Melissa Luce's Practice Areas & Specializations
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