WesBanco announced the appointment of Richard Laws to the role of Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Counsel, effective Aug. 18, 2025. Laws will report to WesBanco President and CEO Jeff Jackson.
With more than 25 years of legal experience across private and in-house practice, Laws will lead WesBanco's legal function, providing strategic counsel to the executive team and Board of Directors. His responsibilities will include development and execution of the company's legal strategy, execution of day-to-day legal operations and coordination of external counsel to ensure consistent, business-aligned support across the enterprise.
"Bringing legal leadership in-house is a significant strategic evolution for WesBanco, and we are confident Rich is the right leader to build a legal function that will grow with us," said Jackson. "He brings deep banking industry experience, sound judgment and a grounded, collaborative style that fits our culture. As we continue to grow and navigate an increasingly complex landscape, Rich will be an invaluable partner, complementing the trusted guidance we have long received from our external counsel with day-to-day legal insight embedded in our business."
Laws most recently served as Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary for Northwest Bank, a $16 billion financial institution, where he led all legal activities. In that role, he advised executive leadership on corporate governance, compliance, commercial banking, employment, intellectual property and M&A activities. He also managed relationships with external counsel and led legal support across banking, insurance, trust and brokerage services.
"I'm excited to step into the role of Chief Legal Counsel and continue building on WesBanco's strong legacy of success," said Laws. "WesBanco's commitment to helping people, businesses and communities thrive deeply resonates with me, and I look forward to building a best-in-class legal department that supports that vision. I'm eager to work closely with both internal teams and external counsel to help drive WesBanco's continued success."
In addition to his corporate legal roles, Laws has served as an adjunct professor at Penn State Law, where he developed and led courses on legal ethics and the evolving role of in-house counsel. He holds a law degree from Widener University School of Law and a bachelor's degree from Juniata College. He is based at WesBanco's corporate headquarters in Wheeling, West Virginia.
Laws' appointment follows WesBanco's successful acquisition and conversion of Premier Financial, a strategic transformation that expands the Bank's reach and capabilities. As WesBanco continues to evolve in scale and complexity, the addition of in-house legal leadership reflects the company's commitment to building the infrastructure needed to support long-term success. WesBanco continues to earn national accolades, including Forbes' Most Trusted Companies and Newsweek's America's Best Regional Banks.