Newly appointed Justice Chief of Staff Brian Abraham speaks to press during an April 17 COVID-19 briefing. (Photo courtesy of the WV Governor’s Office)

CHARLESTON — Gov. Jim Justice picked his new chief of staff Wednesday from within his administration, choosing one of his longest serving advisors.

Justice announced Wednesday that Brian Abraham, general counsel for the Governor’s Office, will be the new chief of staff. He succeeds Mike Hall, who retires effective Thursday, Dec. 31. Speaking Wednesday afternoon, Justice called Abraham a “true leader.”

“I could not be more proud,” Justice said. “He’s a veteran and he’s an experienced attorney. He loves our state probably as much as I do to tell you the truth.”

Abraham has been with the Justice administration since the governor took office Jan. 16, 2017, after winning election as a Democrat in 2016. Abraham is also a lieutenant colonel in the West Virginia National Guard, serving as chair of the National Guards joint staff.

A new general counsel will be selected later, though Deputy General Counsel J. Berkeley Bentley could possibly move up. Justice seemed to already know who would succeed Abraham.

“(Abraham) has been an unbelievable general counsel,” Justice said. “I guess we’ll have to replace Brian in that, but I’m sure we know the fellow who will do that, and he’s going to do a great job as well, or the young lady.”

While Hall has served as chief of staff since August 2017 after Justice switched his party registration from Democrat to Republican at a Huntington rally with President Donald Trump, Abraham has been one of Justice’s closest advisors along with Justice senior advisor Bray Cary.

Abraham has extensive experience as an attorney in private practice in Logan County. A former Special Assistant United States Attorney for Kentucky and Tennessee, Abraham went on to become the prosecuting attorney for Logan County between 1999 and 2009.

As part of the military experience, Abraham served in Iraq as a operational law officer for the 18th Airborne Corps, and trial counsel for the 101st Airborne Division. He has nine years of experience serving with the West Virginia National Guard’s special operations detachment as a legal advisor and paratrooper.

Justice announced Hall’s retirement as chief of staff last week. Hall was appointed to replace former chief of staff and former state Democratic Party chairman Nick Casey, who was fired shortly after Justice’s party switch.

“It has truly been an honor to serve the people of West Virginia under the leadership of Gov. Justice,” Hall said. “I sincerely thank him for his confidence in me to help implement his vision, and while I will miss the excitement of working in the Governor’s Office, I intend to spend more time in my retirement with my family and my grandkids.”

Hall is a former Republican state senator from Putnam County and minority leader of the state Senate’s Republican caucus until 2015 when the Republicans took the majority in the Senate and chose former Mercer County state senator Bill Cole as senate president. From 2015 to 2017, Hall chaired the powerful Senate Finance Committee. Hall was also a Republican candidate for State Treasurer in 2012 and served 12 years in the House of Delegates.

“He did a great job,” Justice said Wednesday. “I love Mike to death. Mike’s going to continue to work with us, but he’s going to go on and do other things with his life and that’s great too.”

Steven Allen Adams can be reached at sadams@newsandsentinel.com