MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Larry Starcher, a West Virginia Supreme Court Senior Status Justice from Roane County, has donated $3,915 to the Veterans Advocacy Law Clinic at WVU in honor of his late brother, Sgt.1st Class Ronald R. Starcher.
A native of Spencer, West Virginia, Ronald Starcher joined the U.S. Army, with parental permission, at age 16. He served for more than 22 years in Korea, Japan, Germany, Alaska and Hawaii. He also served three tours of duty in the Vietnam War. Ronald Starcher died in 2015 following several years of blindness.
Housed at WVU Law, the Veterans Advocacy Law Clinic represents clients in litigation before administrative agencies and courts on benefits, discharge upgrades, employment claims and other civil and criminal matters.
“The veteran’s clinic does remarkable pro bono work for the state’s former service members,” said Starcher. “Supporting it is a fitting tribute to my brother who, like many West Virginians, served his country with honor and distinction.”
Starcher has also donated $3,915 to the J.R. Clifford Scholarship Fund for minority students at WVU Law. He is one of the founders of the scholarship, which was created to honor West Virginia's first African-American lawyer. The current recipient of the Clifford Scholarship is Devan Simmons of Bluefield, West Virginia.
Starcher’s donations are a portion of the funds raised at Lunch and Laughs with a Legal Legend, hosted by the West Virginia Bar Foundation. Proceeds from the annual roast are shared between the foundation’s philanthropic programs and recipients chosen by the roastee.
Starcher was roasted at the 2018 Lunch and Laughs by West Virginia Supreme Court Justice Margaret Workman, attorney Alan Karlin, and retired West Virginia Supreme Court Law Clerk Tom Rodd.
A visiting lecturer in law at WVU, Starcher served on the West Virginia Supreme Court from 1997 to 2008, and was Chief Justice in 1999 and 2003.
Justice Larry V. Starcher (left) presents a check for $7,830 to Greg Bowman, dean of the WVU College of Law, with Clifford Scholarship recipient Devan Simmons and law professor Marjorie McDiarmid, acting director of the Veterans Advocacy Law Clinic at WVU.
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