From First West Virginia Associate to the C-Suite: Brace Mullet’s Journey to General Counsel
Back in 2001, a young Brace Mullett, then a fresh-faced associate at another West Virginia firm, stepped into Henry Jernigan’s office and was immediately transported. The space had the feel of a museum, filled with curated art and a fascinating collection of historical documents. What began as small talk about their shared experience at Washington & Lee University, quickly turned into something more intriguing when Henry let him in on a little secret: a new firm was planting roots in West Virginia.
Fast-forward to early 2002, and Brace officially became the first associate hire at Dinsmore’s Charleston office.
Today, Brace serves as General Counsel and Senior Vice President at City National Bank— one of his biggest clients during his Dinsmore days. When the opportunity came knocking in 2010, the pitch was clear: “We don’t just want a lawyer. We want you in the C-suite.”
Fifteen years later, he’s still going strong. In addition to running the legal department, Brace oversees compliance, loan review, internal audit, Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) and Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) work, the insurance program and even lends a hand with HR. He credits his longevity to a skillset he honed early in his career: “They brought me in to be a communicator and problem solver,” he says. “It’s worked out perfectly.”
What is your favorite memory from your time at Dinsmore?
BM
One of my favorite memories was the Firm’s annual golf outing at Shaker Run. Over the years, a friendly rivalry developed between a foursome led by Cliff Roe and another led by Colonel Paul Goodwin, the Firm’s Chief Operating Officer. I was honored to be selected for Col. Goodwin’s team in my first year, and we managed to edge out Mr. Roe’s team for several consecutive years—or at least, that’s how I remember it.
I also have fond memories of our outings at Great American Ballpark early in my time at Dinsmore. These events were a fantastic way to connect with colleagues from other offices on a personal level, strengthening relationships beyond the day-to-day work.
Perhaps the most formative experience of my career was working alongside Dr. Frank Woodside in defense of Brown & Williamson and later RJ Reynolds. In the early 2000s, we defended the largest civil action in West Virginia’s history, and being part of that team was invaluable education that shaped my professional growth.
Did you have a mentor at Dinsmore?
BM
I had a number of mentors. First and foremost was Henry Jernigan, who started the West Virginia offices in 2002. I was the first new associate hire in West Virginia. Henry was incredible to work with and for, and my career is built on his decision to bring me to Dinsmore.
While Ashley Pack and I started at the same time, her father had built a defense firm in West Virginia. She was savvy and brought a work ethic to the practice that was ahead of her time and integral to the practice we built.
I was also fortunate enough to work alongside Forrest Roles on a number of projects. Forrest was the preeminent traditional Labor lawyer in the region (and arguably the nation) and is one of the most intelligent people I have encountered in any walk of life. Beyond that, he is an incredible human being and was so gracious in how he worked with less experienced attorneys.
Even now, having been away from the Firm for 15 years, I continue to lean on Mike Dailey as a mentor. When I have a difficult issue at City, he is always my first phone call and he provides wise, practical counsel each and every time.
What have you noticed most about the Firm in the past year (2025)?
BM
Firms rise and fall on the talent of individual attorneys. Even with Dinsmore’s consistent growth, City Holding continues to receive incredible advice, service and attention from our core team at Dinsmore, which is led by Ashley Pack, Mike Dailey, Christian Gonzalez and others. The quality of counsel and representation has remained consistent over the last 23 years.
What prompted your transition from private practice to working in-house?
BM
In house opportunities are rare here in West Virginia. While I enjoyed my peers and the pace at Dinsmore, the opportunity to work for a best in class, single client was something that I could not pass up.
What do you enjoy most about your current role, and what are some of the unique opportunities it offers compared to private practice?
BM
Working for a single client and having the ability to be proactive to avoid problems, rather than doing damage control on the back end, is something I enjoy.
Second, I’m now a banker first and an attorney second. Working with the team here at City, I’ve been able to learn so much about business and banking in a deeper way than I was able to do as external counsel.
Just for fun, if you could have dinner with one person, who would it be?
BM
At Dinsmore, I’m going to cheat and say one dinner table. It would include Dr. Woodside, Cliff Roe, Ashley Pack, Mike Dailey, Henry Jernigan, Col. Goodwin, Christian Gonzalez, Susan Zaunbrecher, Brian Moore, Jason Long, MC Funk Tuckwiller, Mark Carter (and many others). The only caveat would be that I would not want the bar tab.
At a non-Dinsmore dinner table? Thomas Jefferson, David Foster Wallace, Bill Simmons and Magic Johnson.