Henrico Bar News
October 2016
Henrico County Bar Association
P.O. Box 70147
Richmond, Virginia 23255
HCBA Logo
From the Desk of Julie S. Palmer, HCBA President
 
Fall has (finally) arrived and our Bar year is in full swing. I have enjoyed meeting and getting reacquainted with many of you at recent events, including our Breakfast with the Circuit Court and General District Court Judges, Breakfast with the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court Judges and the Ethics CLE.  These events illustrate some of the top benefits of membership in the HCBA: interaction with the judges and exceptional CLE programming at an affordable price (read: FREE!).
 
I thank the judges for making time to attend the breakfasts and giving us the benefit of their remarks. I thank the Board, and especially Natalie McClearn and Susan Parrish, for planning these events. I thank our wonderful sponsors: Cook & Wiley, Collaborative Professionals of Richmond and Minnesota Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company. Last but not least, I thank Mary Lou Wellman, our Administrator, for ensuring that every detail is addressed and every event runs smoothly.
 
As you receive this Newsletter, Pro Bono Week will just have come to a close. Pro Bono Week takes place each year in October and is a global celebration of professional services given for the public good. If you are looking for pro bono opportunities, I hope you will consider our very own Court Docent Program or one of the other fine programs featured on our website (www.henricobar.org).
 
 Although it's hard to believe, the holiday season is almost upon us. I hope everyone will attend our always-popular Holiday Reception, which will be held on December 13, 2016 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Willow Oaks Country Club. And mark your calendars now for our Bench Bar Conference, scheduled for January 26, 2017.
 
Thank you for supporting our organization. We are here to serve you. If you have ideas, suggestions or questions, or if you'd like to become more involved, please let me know. 

Sincerely,
Julie S. Palmer
President
Breakfast with the Circuit Court and General District Court Judges
 
On Tuesday, September 13, 2016, the Association hosted its annual Breakfast with the Circuit Court and General District Court Judges. All judges from both courts were in attendance, including the newest judge for the Henrico County General District Court, The Hon. Thomas O. Bondurant, Jr. Congratulations to Judge Bondurant. Judges and attorneys enjoyed bagels, donuts, coffee and juice in the Jury Assembly Room, courtesy of Cook & Wiley, who sponsored the event. Jeanne Wiley and Chris Brown of Cook & Wiley were also in attendance.

The Hon. James Stephen Yoffy, Chief Judge of the Henrico Circuit Court, introduced the new law clerks for the Circuit Court. The Honorable George Barton Chucker, Chief Judge of the General District Court, made a few brief announcements. He requested that attorneys notify the Court if they are running late for a hearing or if they have matters in multiple courtrooms. He also reminded attorneys that good cause must be shown for a continuance and pointed out that a first calling appearance on its own is not a legitimate basis for a continuance.

Dan Rosenthal, Marissa Mitchell and Judge Wallerstein
Judge Hicks, Judge Chucker and Jamie Sexton
Mike Feinmel and Judge Marshall
Ian Vance, Judge Chucker, John Gayle and Judge Honey
Judge Harris, Judge Steverson and Mike Huberman
Julie Palmer, Natalie McClearn and Lisa Leiner
Judge Yoffy, Judge Bondurant, Judge Dunkum
 and Judge Wallerstein
Heidi Barshinger and Judge Yoffy

       For more pictures from the Judges Breakfast, please 
visit our website at www.henricobar.org.

Breakfast with the Juvenile & Domestic Relations District Court Judges
 
On September 28, 2016, the Association hosted its annual Breakfast with the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Judges. Attorneys mingled in the informal setting, while enjoying bagels, donuts and coffee.
 
The Hon. Stuart L. Williams, Jr., The Hon. Rondelle D. Herman and The Hon. Randall G. Johnson, Jr. were in attendance. Judge Williams and Judge Johnson addressed the attorneys who were present. Judge Williams noted some upcoming changes in staffing, including the hiring of a new judicial assistant and deputy clerk. He also reported that the Court will be going paperless in the coming months.
 
Judge Johnson advised that the Court has put in an application for a Juvenile Drug Court program. A meeting was scheduled for mid-October and a decision will be made shortly thereafter. The Judges will be making decisions regarding attorney guardians ad litem once the Juvenile Drug Court is approved. Judge Johnson thanked applicants for their interest.
 
Collaborative Professionals of Richmond sponsored the Breakfast. Mollie Barton and Susan Buniva gave an overview of the collaborative process from legal and mental health perspectives. The Association thanks Collaborative Professionals of Richmond for their sponsorship!

Casey Coleman, Denise Letendre, Kristin Knudsen,
Tim Davidson and Andrew Kolp
Judge Johnson, Mollie Barton and Nancy Cook
Susan Buniva, Judge Williams and Barbara Picard
Mary Hunt, Natalie McClearn and Aileen Lang
Andrew Kolp, Linda Lambert and Geneva Gnam
Marissa Mitchell, Sharon Jacobs and Judge Herman
Marc Boyko and John Mizell
Karen Dottore and Jason Hart
 
For more pictures from the Judges Breakfast, please visit
our website at www.henricobar.org.
Member Spotlight
  
 

Full Name:  Susan L. Parrish
 
Employer and Position:  Henrico Commonwealth's Attorney's Office, Asst. Commonwealth's Attorney
 
College:  The George Washington University
 
Law School:  TC Williams
 
Years in Practice:  19
 
Hobbies and Interests:  Traveling, reading, cooking   
 
Favorite Movie:  Splendor in the Grass (dramatic); The Shop Around the Corner (comedy)
 
Favorite Book:  Tender is the Night
 
Favorite Pro and College Sports Team:  My college doesn't even have a football team, and the basketball team was 1-20 when I was there.  (Thankfully, they have improved.)  I have been known to attend a few Yankees games. 
 
One Thing You Might Not Know About Me:  I was a high school majorette.
 
Best Thing About Practicing Law in Henrico:  Working with our skilled defense bar.
 
Funniest Experience as an Attorney:  Many funny stories, but one that I can repeat is a defendant who came to traffic court wearing a 
t-shirt that said "I can't drive" above a picture of the I-95 sign.  Naturally, he was there for a speeding ticket.
 
Advice to Young Attorneys:  No one client or case is ever worth sacrificing your reputation over.  



Full Name:  Jason Matthew Hart
 
Employer and Position:  Spencer Shuford LLP, Senior Associate
 
College:  James Madison University
 
Law School:  Pennsylvania State University - Dickinson School of Law
 
Years in Practice:  8
 
Hobbies and Interests:  Chasing my toddler around the house, golfing (poorly), and playing guitar (even more poorly)
 
Favorite Movie:  Ghostbusters-the original, not the remake (The remake was funny, but just didn't have the spirit of the original.)
 
Favorite Book:  Good Omens, by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.  I read it for the first time about 20 years ago, and I have probably read it 10 times since then.
 
Favorite Pro and College Sports Team:  Boston Red Sox and JMU Dukes
 
One Thing You Might Not Know About Me:  Henrico has been my home since I was six, and I am a proud product of Henrico County Public Schools. Go Tucker Tigers!
 
Best Thing About Practicing Law in Henrico:  The collegiality of the Henrico Bar and the judges in the Henrico Courts. 
 
Funniest Experience as an Attorney:  Reading the facts of some of the cases that came before the Fourth Circuit when I worked there. It is astounding what people think they can get away with.
 
Advice to Young Attorneys:  Reputation matters.  Treat everyone you meet in this profession, whether client, witness, opposing party, or court clerk, with respect and courtesy.  It will pay dividends and will make the practice of law that much more pleasant for everyone.
    
Save the Date

Holiday Reception
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 
Willow Oaks Country Club

Bench Bar CLE
Thursday, January 26, 2017
4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Henrico County Board of Supervisors' Boardroom

Spring Luncheon
Monday, March 13, 2017
12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Westwood Club

Annual Reception
Wednesday, May 10, 2017
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens

Please check the Calendar of Events on our website at www.henricobar.org for the most up to date information.

In This Issue
Breakfast with the Circuit Court & GDC Judges
Breakfast with the J&DR District Court Judges
Member Spotlight
Ethics CLE
VSB Council for Henrico
Ethics CLE
 
On Wednesday, October 26, 2016, the Association held a CLE on "Cyber Security and Wire Fraud". The panel consisted of Tom Auth from Minnesota Lawyers Mutual, Paul Georgiadis of Paul D. Georgiadis, PLC, Barry Montgomery with Kalbaugh, Pfund & Messersmith, and Marshall Ross with Goodman Allen Donnelly PLLC, and was moderated by Tim Gephart from Minnesota Lawyers Mutual. The two-hour presentation gave insight into exactly how hackers can infiltrate emails and computer systems to commit wire fraud and identity theft. Our personal and professional lives are increasingly digital - more information is created daily than has been created from the beginning of time to 2003 - and the practice of law is no exception. While cyber-crime is increasing, protecting yourself from a hacker is a skill that is unfamiliar to most attorneys. 

The panel what the Bar requires attorneys and law firms to do with respect to protecting electronic communications and files. The panel also discussed how hackers infiltrate our systems, and offered attendees some valuable advice about what to do to protect their practice. Tips included how to best protect your information, how to train your staff and what to do in the event that you or your firm is hacked and information is compromised. 

 
Clerk's Corner
 
Henrico County Circuit Court Local Rules

The updated Henrico County Circuit Court Rules can be found on our website at www.henricobar.org.  They can be found under the Courts tab on the Home Page.
 
J&DR Twitter Page
 
Please check out the Twitter page for the Henrico Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court
@HenricoJDRCt.

Supreme Court of Virginia Announcement

The Supreme Court of Virginia is pleased to announce that a new website is available to aid self-represented litigants in the Commonwealth. The Virginia Judicial System Court Self-Help Website, http://selfhelp.vacourts.gov/, provides neutral legal information as a public service in topical areas commonly sought by self-represented litigants, such as traffic tickets, divorce, and landlord and tenant issues. 

VSB Council for Henrico

The Virginia State Bar Council met on October 8, 2016, in Roanoke to discuss important issues facing the Bar. One of those issues was mandatory reporting of pro bono hours and donations. Proponents argued that such a requirement would serve as a 'call to action for all attorneys' to close the gap in access to justice for less-privileged citizens by encouraging more Virginia lawyers to contribute time and money to legal aid entities.  Opponents of the action felt that such a requirement was tantamount to "shaming" lawyers because they were not doing enough to help the indigent and the organizations who serve them.  

Debate on the topic was spirited and lasted more than two hours. The final vote was 29-25 in opposition to the requirement. Nevertheless, the Virginia Access to Justice Commission will submit its proposal to mandate pro bono reporting to Supreme Court of Virginia shortly.
 
It is our privilege to represent you before the Virginia State Bar. Your 14th District representatives, Jon Nichols (jnichols@hccw.com), Dan Rosenthal (dan@lawrosenthal.com) and Rhysa South (sou06@henrico.us) want to know what you think about this and other issues of importance to your practice.  Please feel free to contact us to make your opinions known.


Welcome New Members

Brittany Auberger
Samuel T. Bernier
Frances Caruso
Tim Davidson
Laurence M. Dickinson
Paul D. Georgiadis
Geneva N. Gnam
Deanna Hathaway
Tania J. Kregar
Aileen F. Lang
K. Taylor Linkous
Britney McPheron
G. Wythe Michael
E. Duffy Myrtetus
Jed Patterson
Brooke Taylor
Terrica M. Taylor
Malcolm Thomas
Martha A. Weis
Kathleen C. Whitman
Jerrell Williams


Members on the Move   

If you have recently changed jobs or been promoted, please share your news with the Henrico Bar.  We would like to post your announcement in our newsletter and update your member profile.  Announcements can be emailed to Mary Lou Wellman at admin@henricobar.org.  Please include your name, firm or employer's name, new title and areas of concentration.  

Officers and Directors
 
President
Julie S. Palmer

President-Elect
Brian J. Schneider

Vice President
Natalie T. McClearn

Secretary
Ryan C. Young

Treasurer
D. Brooks Hundley

Immediate Past-President
Michael Y. Feinmel

Directors 
Emily P. Bishop
Julie M. Cillo
Jason M. Hart
Andrew R. Newby
Susan L. Parrish
 
Administrator
Mary Lou Wellman