Ellen Cappellanti is Jackson Kelly’s Managing Member, having dedicated her professional life to Jackson Kelly and to the West Virginia community. After more than 35 years, Ellen is one of the Firm’s most valued and respected voices, as well as one of West Virginia’s most well-connected and esteemed business leaders.  Ellen enjoys leadership and the challenges of being a leader, but loves the day-to-day practice of the law.

There is little Ellen hasn’t seen over the course of her career in the wide variety of commercial transactions that she has handled for clients.   From financings to mergers and acquisitions to real estate development projects – Ellen is never out of her element.  Ellen has been so immersed in that world for almost four decades it is difficult to summarize her experience – in fact, it might be easier to list things she hasn’t accomplished. Ellen has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® for her work in bankruptcy, corporate mergers and acquisitions, and real estate.  She was also named as a preeminent corporate and M&A attorney in Chambers USA Guide: America’s Leading Business Lawyers. Ellen’s clients told Chambers USA that her “connections in the state make it easy for us to reach the right people.” 

Ellen’s dedication to the law and her clients stems from her deep love of the community. She truly wants to make West Virginia a better place, which underlies everything she does, both personally and professionally. Governor Joe Manchin recognized this in 2007, when he appointed her to the West Virginia University Board of Governors. Ellen also is committed to economic development and promoting West Virginia, and has participated in trade missions to Taiwan, China, and Japan with Senator John D. Rockefeller IV and Governor Manchin.  Under her leadership, Jackson Kelly intensified its diversity and inclusion initiatives, and will join the Mansfield Project this fall.