A high-voltage switching device is formed by: connecting a number of normally-on transistors, such as JFETs, in series with each other, where the drain of each transistor is connected to the source of the next; connecting the chain of normally-on transistors in series with a normally-off switch component, such as a MOSFET, where the drain of the normally-off switch component is connected to the source of the first transistor in the chain in the chain; and, for each transistor, connecting a voltage-clamping device, such as a diode, with the anode of the voltage-clamping device connected to the source of the transistor and the cathode of the voltage-clamping device connected to the gate of the next transistor in the chain.