About

Sydney Kaplan joined Calwell Luce diTrapano PLLC as its Practice Manager in November 2020. Before joining the firm, Sydney worked as a lawyer (and earlier, as a law clerk) for Offutt Nord in Huntington, where she focused on medical malpractice and 42 U.S.C. Section 1983 civil rights cases. Sydney also worked as a Public Defender in Allen County, Ohio. In addition to managing the daily operations of the firm, Sydney’s practice at Calwell Luce diTrapano PLLC primarily focuses on general personal injury and complex class action matters.

Sydney was one of twelve young lawyers selected from all over West Virginia to participate in the West Virginia Bar Foundation’s 11th Lawyer Leadership Institute at Stonewall Resort in May 2023. The objective of the Institute is to provide newer lawyers with specific education and professional training to acquire a deeper understanding of leadership traits revolving around ethics, public service, professionalism, well-being, organization and civility, and interpersonal skills.

Sydney was selected to the 2024 West Virginia Rising Stars list and recognized in the practice area of Personal Injury – General. Each year, no  more than 2.5 percent of lawyers in the state are selected by the researchteam at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. Super Lawyers, part of Thomson Reuters, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Rising Stars candidates must be either 40 years old or younger or have practiced law for 10 years or less.

Sydney was honored to be appointed to the Board of Governors of the West Virginia Association for Justice for the 2023-2024 term. WVAJ is a volunteer bar association for West Virginia attorneys and paralegals to protect access to state and federal courts, the civil justice system, and the 7th Amendment, which is the right to a jury trial.

At Ohio Northern University’s Pettit College of Law, Sydney graduated magna cum laude and was on the Dean’s List, an Executive Board member of the Law Review, and a member of the Willis Society. She graduated as Valedictorian with double majors in History and Political Science from West Virginia State University, where she was also a member of the Psi Sigma Alpha Honor Society.

Sydney is a passionate advocate for civil and human rights and enjoys participating in community and fundraising events for various causes. As a former college athlete, she translates her competitive spirit into her work as an attorney. She is a zealous book, fitness, and animal lover. Sydney is a native of Huntington and currently resides in Milton.

Bar Admissions

• West Virginia, 2019

Court Admissions

• U.S. District Court, Southern District of West Virginia

Education

• J.D., Ohio Northern University, Pettit College of Law, 2019
  • Magna cum laude
  • Dean’s List
  • Willis Society
  • Law Review Executive Board Member  
  • Two published articles 
  •  Multiple book awards
• B.A., Majors: History and Political Science, West Virginia State University, 2016
  • Valedictorian
  • Psi Sigma Alpha Honor Society

Areas of Practice

• Personal Injury

Memberships

• Injury Board
• West Virginia Association for Justice

Honors

• Board of Governors, West Virginia Association for Justice (2023-2024)
• West Virginia Bar Foundation’s 11th Lawyer Leadership Institute (2023) (one of twelve young lawyers selected from all over West Virginia)
•  West Virginia Rising Stars, 2024 (Personal Injury – General)
• American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys, 10 Best Law Firm for Client Satisfaction in Personal Injury (2019-2020)