Sharon F. Iskra

Sharon Iskra is a partner and leads the firm's Institutional Abuse and Neglect team. Sharon lives a unified mission: personally and professionally, she helps.  A nationally recognized advocate and voice for the vulnerable, she litigates cases for children, individuals with special needs, and others who have been abused, neglected, or exploited in institutions such as group homes, rehabilitation centers, universities, hotels, foster care facilities, and other settings. 

Sharon led the trial team that won the National Law Journal Elite Trial Lawyer's Disability Rights Award in 2022 for the historic multi-million-dollar verdict won on behalf of two disabled and non-verbal minors who were seriously abused by staff at a care facility. She applies equal dedication to the other serious injury and wrongful death cases she handles. Sharon is also a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) representing children in abuse and neglect cases, and makes frequent presentations on the litigation of sexual abuse matters.

Sharon’s natural talent in the courtroom is recognized by judges and colleagues. Chief Judge Haden of the Southern District of West Virginia said of her, “Ms. Iskra quite simply moved a very difficult case over several years and achieved an excellent result for her client at a jury trial. She achieved complete success…She fought valiantly for several years and then prevailed, despite rigorous opposition from two respected law firms.”  Lack v. Walmart Inc., 56 F.Supp.2d 674, 678-79 (S.D.W. Va. 1999).

Sharon connects deeply first with her clients and then with her juries. Both relatable and relentless, she pursues the higher goal of bettering society as she brings closure to each client’s case. This tenacity has served clients well when battling formidable defendants such as state Departments of Health and Human Resources, juvenile facilities, nationally-known universities, school boards, and large private companies.

Sharon is a member of the Human Trafficking Task Force of West Virginia and serves on the Board of Directors for the West Virginia Association of Justice. Within the American Association for Justice, she is active in the Child Sexual Abuse, Sexual Assault, and Anti-Human Trafficking Litigation Groups. 

Sharon’s personal passion to serve is also unique: in 2004, she paused her successful legal career for nine years to direct children’s and urban ministries at a local church. In addition to her caseload and CASA work, Sharon has served on missions to orphanages in Haiti and Africa in 2014, 2016, and 2019. She plans to continue her lifestyle of personal and professional missions effecting positive change at home and abroad for many years to come.

Recent Speaking Engagements and Programs Include:

• American Association of Justice CLE: Litigating Child Sexual Abuse Cases: Designed and hosted 14-part webinar training series approved for Continuing Legal Education Credit through American Association of Justice. Sessions provide practical tips and strategies to help lawyers of all levels best serve clients in their healing and litigation journeys.
• Perrin Conferences Sexual Abuse Litigation Conference, program entitled: "Damages in Sexual Misconduct Cases." For the full program visit this link. 
• 2024 National Labor & Employment Symposium, Presenter, "How to Effectively Use a Jury Focus Group to Win the Day." For more about this program please visit this link. 
  
  

CBS News Reports on Maryland Sexual Abuse Cases: Watch Here

Bailey Glasser Wins National Trial Lawyer Elite Trial Lawyers Award in Disability Rights Category

Representing Victims of Assault

Webinar: Not In My House: Keeping Children and Teens Safe From Online Predators

Navigating Misconduct in Group Homes

Awards & Accolades

Best Lawyers in America, Civil Rights Law and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs, Charleston, West Virginia (2024)

National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers, West Virginia (2023 and 2024)

National Trial Lawyers Elite Trial Lawyers, Disability Rights (2022)

Clerkships

• Law Clerk, Hon. Mary E. Stanley, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia (2004 - 2006)

Representative Matters

• Bailey Glasser secured a $17 million jury verdict on behalf of its client, Mike Rodgers, who instead of receiving proper care for a spinal column injury, was rendered a paraplegic. Bailey Glasser partners Greg Haddad and Sharon Iskra tried the case over eight days in Charleston, West Virginia state court, in a matter that was heavily fought by the defendant who sought to avoid responsibility for his negligence.
• L.K. and D.S. v. Potomac Center, Inc. (West Virginia): Lead counsel securing $3.5 million verdict for two mentally disabled youths abused and neglected at a residential group home; this case was complicated by the fact that neither child could speak to describe their experience. This is the largest verdict on record in Hardy County, West Virginia, and Sharon continues to fight for her clients on Defendants' appeal to the West Virginia Supreme Court.

• Bumgarner et al. v. West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources: Co-lead counsel representing the estates of five children allegedly abused and murdered after being placed in a dangerous home by WVDHHR.

• Doe v. Yeshiva University et al., (New York): Lead counsel representing an adult abused by clergy under the New York Child Victims Act and state human rights laws.
• R.S. and K.S. v. Kanawha County Board of Education et al.,: Lead counsel securing a share of the largest consolidated settlement by a West Virginia school board on behalf of a disabled elementary student physically and verbally abused by his special needs classroom teacher.
• Willis v. Walmart Inc.: Lead counsel pioneering the first case of same-gender sexual harassment under the West Virginia Human Rights Act, winning the then-novel cause of action for client both at trial and on argument to the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals.

News & Insights

Recent Speaking Engagements and Programs Include:

• American Association of Justice CLE: Litigating Child Sexual Abuse Cases: Designed and hosted 14-part webinar training series approved for Continuing Legal Education Credit through American Association of Justice. Sessions provide practical tips and strategies to help lawyers of all levels best serve clients in their healing and litigation journeys.
• Perrin Conferences Sexual Abuse Litigation Conference, program entitled: "Damages in Sexual Misconduct Cases." For the full program visit this link. 
• 2024 National Labor & Employment Symposium, Presenter, "How to Effectively Use a Jury Focus Group to Win the Day." For more about this program please visit this link. 

Community and Professional Activities

Member, National Crime Victims Bar Association

Board of Directors for Think Kids West Virginia (2021-2023)

Board of Directors for the West Virginia Association for Justice

Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), Western Regional CASA

PRO-Kids, Inc. (Afterschool Program, 50 At-Risk Elementary Children)

• Board of Directors, 2008-2020
• Fundraising Chairman, 2012-2015
• Led weekly faith lessons, 2008-2020

 Director of Children’s and Urban Ministries, Charleston Baptist Temple, 2006-2016

 Mission Work in Haiti and Africa, 2014, 2016, 2019

 American Association of Justice

• Litigation groups: Anti-Human Trafficking, Child Sex Abuse, Sexual Assault

Active in River Ridge Church and Christ Church United Methodist Communities