Revisit some Annual Meeting highlights and see what your colleagues are up to.

  The independent voice of Virginia lawyers               Feb. 8, 2016.
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The newly designed The VBA Voice should look great on phones and tablets as well as PCs. It's all part of an approach to make communications from your professional association available whether you're in the office or on the go.
John Charles Thomas-Distinguished Service Award
Annual Meeting revisited

The fury of the winter storm and blizzard predictions in mid-January kept some members away from the 126th Annual Meeting. But at the Williamsburg Lodge, the flurries of activity modified programs, edified listeners and justified attendance.
More from the Annual Meeting

The VBA wants to acknowledge these individuals who registered for the meeting but declined any refund when the weather conditions dissuaded them from attending. We appreciate the support of:
  • The Honorable Rudolph Bumgardner III of Staunton
  • Scott Sigmon of Richmond, with Parker, Pollard, Wilton & Peaden, P.C.
  • Norman A. Thomas of Richmond
Also, Nancy Lester of Richmond donated 50 percent of her registration fees to The VBA Foundation. 
 
The also VBA applauds these attendees who won drawings after visiting with exhibitors at the Annual Meeting:
Caryn R. West of Clarke, Dolph, Rapaport, Hull & Brunick, P.L.C., in Virginia Beach; a $50 Amazon gift card from exhibitor mode5;
Matthew E. Cheek of Williams Mullen in Richmond, a Bose Soundlink mini speaker and
Mark J. Nelson of Lenhart Pettit in Charlottesville, a 2004 bottle of Barolo wine, both from exhibitor Yount Hyde & Barbour.
Scott W. Kowalski of Petty, Livingston, Dawson & Richards in Lynchburg, a $50 Best Buy gift card from exhibitor Virginia Barristers Alliance Inc.
VBA 2015 Year in Review
Annual Report

Before we leave 2015 behind, take a look at the VBA year in review. The photos are ample and the type kept to a pertinent minimum. Does your photo appear in the 2015 annual report?

2015 Leadership Conference
Upcoming events

February's calendar includes a webinar on the 17th offering advice for diverse attorneys and law students. The 2016 VBA Leadership Conference for board members and section, division and committee leaders is Feb. 25 in Richmond. Expect March events to be added to the calendar. April promises a Legal Writing Workshop in D.C. and the VBA Bankruptcy Law Conference at the Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg. 

Legal Food Frenzy 2016 logo
Gear up for Frenzy

Register your legal office to participate in the 10th annual Legal Food Frenzy in April. 

Do so before Feb. 15 and earn 100 extra points in the friendly contest to raise funds and food for your local food bank -- and your neighbors.
Networking icon
Have you renewed for 2016?

Thanks to the individuals who have already pledged their support of the VBA through a renewed membership. If you haven't already done so, it's time to renew your commitment to the VBA and its substantive law sections for 2016. That's right: Your dues are due.

Right now, the association is actively encouraging the adoption of better laws through the General Assembly. Follow the progress of legislation in updates Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the session. Lobbying to improve the administration of justice has its costs. Won't you renew your membership today?

Questions? Contact Lizzy Servito at lizzyservito@vba.org or 804-644-0041
Wntr15-16 Opening Statement
YLD winter newsletter

Daniel D. Mauler is the new editor-in-chief of the award-winning publication Opening Statement. His first effort succeeding Andrew Stockment came out at the first of the year. All 11 issues of the official publication of the VBA Young Lawyers Division areavailable on the Opening Statement webpage: vba.org/openingstatement. Have a submission? Send it to editors@openingstatement.org.
Virginia Barristers Alliance Inc. logo
Insurance corner

Did you know that disability is the leading cause of personal bankruptcies? Disability causes nearly 50 percent of all mortgage foreclosures, compared to 2 percent by death.* How will you cover expenses if you could not work for an extended period because of an illness or injury?

Disability income protection insurance helps to replace the policyholder's income if he or she is sick or injured and cannot work. Virginia Barristers Alliance Inc. (VBAI) offers access to multiple carriers -- some of which even offer discounts. Contact VBAI to determine what coverage strategies may be appropriate for your planning needs.  

* Source: The Council of Disability Insurers, The Long Term Disability Claims Review
Jim Guy checks in at NCBP
Member news

VBA President James Patrick Guy II is tweeting under the handle @VirginiaBarPrez. He welcomes followers. Jim has already represented the VBA (and his own membership) at the Old Dominion Bar Association winter meeting and at the National Conference of Bar Presidents in San Diego.
 
Williams Mullen welcomed six attorneys to the firm and its health care section. All are VBA members. Joining as partners are Jamie Baskerville Martin, who will be co-chair of the health care section, Jeremy Ball and Dominic Madigan. Jennifer Ligon is a new associate at the firm and Maggie Krantz is of counsel, all in Richmond. Ashley Provost is of counsel in Virginia Beach.
 
Steven L. Brinker joined Crenshaw, Ware & Martin, P.L.C., in Norfolk as chair of its business law group.
 
Allison Domson has assumed the role of chair of Williams Mullen's diversity committee. She is a partner in the firm's financial services practice group in Richmond.
 
New partners at Williams Mullen include Jamie Bruno, Elinor Clendenin, Daniel J. Durst and Andrew O. Mathews in the Richmond office, and Scott C. Miller in the Norfolk office. 
 
Hirschler Fleischer of Richmond was recognized as the 2015 Law Firm of the Year by The M&A Advisor and Andrew M. Lohmann, co-chair of the firm's mergers and acquisitions practice group, was one of eight finalists for Legal Advisor of the Year.
 
Lisa J. Hedrick, a member of Hirschler Fleischer's M&A practice group, is now a firm partner. She also has been named the 2016 Young Lawyer of the Year by the Richmond Bar Association.
 
Separately, the firm combined with Leach Travell PC, a law firm in Tysons Corner, and added seven partners in four practice areas. They include Stephen E. Leach, Lawrence A. Katz, who will lead the firm's bankruptcy and creditor rights' practice from the Tysons Corner office.

Wolcott Rivers Gates in Virginia Beach marked 120 years of existence in 2015.
 
McGuireWoods LLP created a strategic alliance with FuJae Partners, a law firm in China, to provide counsel to companies in China and to foreign companies doing business with the country. 
 
Thirty lawyers, law professors and retired judges were inducted as Fellows of the Virginia Law Foundation at a VLF ceremony during the VBA Annual Meeting.
 
First-year associates who have joined Williams Mullen in Richmond are Hadeel Abouhasira, Arrion Dennis, Erica B. Mitchell, and Rebecca Winder.  
 
The 2015 Legal Elite, a Virginia Business list of top lawyers selected by their peers, lists 992 attorneys from 3,800 nominees and profiled category representatives Michael E. Harman of Richmond, Karen M. Crowley of Norfolk, David L. Dallas Jr. of Charlottesville, George Keith Martin of Richmond, Thomas T. Cullen of Roanoke, Harry M. "Pete" Johnson III of Richmond, Grant T. Moher of Fairfax, Stephen E. Noona of Norfolk, James H. Shoemaker Jr. of Newport News, Courtney Malveaux of Richmond and Bethany B. Ingersoll of Fairfax.
 
Geoff McDonald & Associates in Richmond expanded the firm's personal injury services with a new practice dedicated to drone injury liability. Geoff McDonald is the firm's principal.
 
Katherine E. Ramsey is now with Virginia Estate & Trust Law, PC, in Richmond. Formerly she was with Hunton & Williams.
 
Monica Taylor Monday of Roanoke was elected as a Fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers.
 
Gary LeClair, co-founder of LeClairRyan, stepped down as chairman and returned to the full-time practice of law within the firm. 
 
George A. Somerville is senior counsel at Harman, Claytor, Corrigan & Wellman in the Innsbrook area of Richmond.
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