Morgantown, West Virginia (March 3, 2025) – Flannery | Georgalis announced today that former United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld will lead the firm’s expansion into West Virginia with offices opening in Morgantown, Charleston, and Martinsburg in March 2025.
“We are thrilled to have Bill join our Firm,” said Paul Flannery, Co-Founder. “His experience, leadership, and track record of success align with our firm’s targeted strategy of growing a unique and talented team of former prosecutors, special agents, regulators, and trial attorneys.”
Ihlenfeld led a distinguished career at the highest levels of the United States Department of Justice. As a two-time Presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed United States Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia, Ihlenfeld led and supervised all criminal and civil litigation for the 32-county district.
Ihlenfeld has extensive trial experience, having personally tried over 50 criminal jury trials to verdict. He oversaw and prosecuted some of the largest and most complex cases in the Northern District’s history, including the investigation and prosecution of British banking giant HSBC for its failure to identify money laundering transactions by Mexican drug cartels and terror groups, and the $150 million settlement with the McKesson Corporation for its filling of suspicious orders of painkillers from West Virginia pharmacies.
Ihlenfeld created a healthcare fraud strike force in his district and prosecuted cases that leveraged sophisticated investigative techniques to build and bring cases against physicians, pharmacists, pharmacies, hospitals, and drug trafficking networks. In addition, he led the Northern West Virginia SAR Review team, a group that reviewed every suspicious activity report filed and developed cases for sophisticated financial crimes, bank fraud, money laundering, and elder financial abuse.
Under Ihlenfeld’s leadership, his office was the top U.S. Attorney’s Office in the nation for drug prosecutions.
In between terms as United States Attorney, Ihlenfeld was an attorney at two prominent West Virginia law firms where his practice focused on complex civil and criminal litigation. During this time, he led internal investigations for corporate clients and represented them before federal government agencies, provided trusted counsel to healthcare professionals under investigation, and successfully advocated for them to avoid civil and criminal sanctions.
Ihlenfeld began his career as a state prosecutor in multiple counties in West Virginia, where he handled cases of improper prescribing, homicide, sexual assault, robbery, domestic violence, and drug distribution.
Ihlenfeld has successfully argued before the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals.
“As we expand into West Virginia, Bill’s impressive accomplishments and well-regarded reputation will be extremely valuable to our clients. Bill’s in-depth knowledge of the legal landscape in West Virginia will further distinguish Flannery | Georgalis as the Firm to call with complex legal matters,” said Chris Georgalis, Co-Founder.
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Flannery | Georgalis, based in Cleveland, Ohio, focuses on sensitive matters and complex investigations, disputes, and litigation. Founded in 2017 by two former federal prosecutors, the firm has expanded with offices in Columbus, Pittsburgh, Charlotte, Detroit, and now West Virginia. Our team of former federal and state prosecutors and former federal special agents routinely help individual and corporate clients with complex criminal and civil matters in state and federal courts and before state and federal agencies and regulators. We also work with our clients on asset protection and wealth security by providing a full range of trust, estate planning, administration, and estate litigation services.