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  The independent voice of Virginia lawyers             April 12, 2016.
Dear ,
We hope you'll find this month's Voice filled with recent event coverage and upcoming happenings that pique your curiosity and keep you involved in the organization that strives to be your law partner for life.

If you or your section, firm or project are not mentioned in this newsletter, why not? Share your news and activities! Send submissions to marilynshaw@vba.org.
Spring VBA Journal comes out in May

Your spring issue of the VBA Journal comes out features include a profile of VBA President Jim Guy, an article on the Supreme Court of Virginia's new spotlight on our vibrant legal history, a substantive look at how migration in Europe could affect Schengen border policies, and why the movie "Bridge of Spies" spurred a deeper look into the VBA's historical records. Members will receive their mailed copy in early May.

Upcoming events

The 18th Annual Virginia Health Law Legislative Update and Extravaganza is May 10 in Richmond. The afternoon conference seeks to offer 4.0 MCLE Credits. Registration is $90. Sign up today at vba.org/16healthupdate.

Also upcoming are the:
UR Real Estate Social 4-2016
Real Estate networking social

Law students and attorneys with an interest in real estate gathered April 6 for a networking and membership recruitment event. The event was co-sponsored by the VBA Real Estate Section and the University of Richmond Real Estate Law Society.
Insurance corner

Virginia Barristers Alliance Inc. logo
Did you know that several A-rated life insurance companies consider cigar or pipe smokers, or those who use smokeless tobacco, for non-tobacco premiums?

We recently helped a 45-year-old attorney who regularly smokes cigars obtain a $1 million, 20-year term life insurance policy with an A-rated insurance company with non-tobacco premiums.
 
Have you reviewed your policies recently? Virginia Barristers Alliance Inc. (VBAI) offers access to more than 50 A-rated life insurance carriers. Get your comprehensive review now.
NoVa LFF kickoff mixer 2016
In the Frenzy for 2016

In Northern Virginia, about 25 attorneys attended a mixer to kick off the 2016 Legal Food Frenzy. VBA President-elect David S. Mercer and VBA Past President "Pia" Trigiani were among the crowd. YLD member Laura Golden Liff reported that many guests expressed interest not only in signing up for Legal Food Frenzy but also in becoming members of the VBA.

Pearl Raw Bar LFF mixer Richmond 2016
In Richmond, a kickoff luncheon for about 50 at Williams Mullen and an evening mixer drew attorneys interested in participating in the Legal Food Frenzy. About 30 young lawyers attended the mixer at Pearl Raw Bar. YLD member Will Prince, a Legal Food Frenzy co-chair, gave a short overview of the project and VBA President Jim Guy talked about getting involved in the VBA.

Kickoff events also took place in Roanoke, Hampton and Virginia Beach. The contest started April 4 and continues until April 15 and aids regional food banks. 
New VBA membership coordinator

Kylie Niemand, VBA Membership Coordinator
Please welcome the newest addition to the VBA staff, Membership Coordinator Kylie Hinson. Reach her at kyliehinson@vba.org . She succeeds Lizzy Servito in the role. Kylie enjoys data entry, organizing things and performing research. And she's wild about film photography and creating art in the darkroom. Read on ...
Litigation issues in the sharing economy

Professor Emmy Reeves, presenter UR Symposium
Alison Grounds, presenter, UR Symposium
More than 20 individuals attended a free CLE presentation April 8 at the University of Richmond School of Law. This symposium was sponsored by the VBA Young Lawyers Division and the UR Law School Council. Alison Grounds (right), managing director of Troutman Sanders eMerge; and Emmy Reeves (left), a UR professor of law, discussed ediscovery issues and ethics, and tort liability, respectively.
Couldn't make a conference? Learn what you missed!

VBA Online CLE logo
Five Virginia Continuing Legal Education programs from the VBA Annual Meeting in January are available for purchase on VBA Online CLE. They are:
  • "How Not to be Stupid on the Internet: Part 3,"
  • "Disputing Irony: Systematic Look at Litigation about Mediation,"
  • "Hot Topics in Domestic Relations Law,"
  • "Knock, Knock. Who's there? VOSH, the Department of Labor and the IRS: What Your Clients Need to Know about the Consequences of Worker Misclassification," and
  • "Sudden Appellate Death is Bad for You: A Trial Lawyer's Guide to Preservation of Issues for Appeal."
Member news

Newest SCOVA justice
Justice McCullough
The Virginia General Assembly elected Court of Appeals Judge Stephen R. McCullough as the newest member of the Supreme Court of Virginia. His term expires March 2, 2028.

The General Assembly also elected 22 judges to state courts. Their terms begin July 1.

New circuit judges, elected to eight-year terms, are:
  • Mecklenburg County J&DR Judge S. Anderson Nelson - 10th Circuit
  • Northumberland County J&DR Judge R. Michael McKenney - 15th Circuit
  • Fredericksburg General District Judge Ricardo Rigual - 15th Circuit
  • Fairfax County J&DR Judge Thomas P. Mann - 19th Circuit
  • Salem General District Judge J. Christopher Clemens - 25th Circuit.
New general district judges, elected to six-year terms, are:
  • David B. Caddell Jr. - 15th District
  • John S. Martin - 15th District
  • Richard T. McGrath - 15th District
  • Goochland County Commonwealth's Attorney Claiborne H. Stokes Jr. - 16th District
  • Michael H. Cantrell - 19th District
  • Marcus Brinks - 21st District
  • Thomas W. Roe Jr. - 23rd District
  • Bedford County Commonwealth's Attorney Randy C. Krantz - 24th District
  • Petula C. Metzler - 31st District.
New juvenile and domestic relations judges, also elected to six-year terms, are:
  • James E. Wiser - 5th District
  • Mecklenburg County Commonwealth's Attorney Nora J. Miller - 10th District
  • Mary E. Langer - 13th District (term begins Aug. 1)
  • William L. Lewis - 15th District
  • Todd G. Petit - 19th District
  • Correy R. Smith - 25th District
  • Laura Faye Robinson - 29th District.
Jack W. Burtch Jr.
Burtch Law PLLC
Douglas Burtch
Douglas R. Burtch has opened BurtchLaw PLLC in Richmond and plans to continue to focus on employment law, among other matters. He is joined in the firm by his father, Jack W. (JB) Burtch Jr. Both were recently with Macaulay & Burtch, PC.  

Former Solicitor General of Virginia William E. Thro has been elected to a three-year term on the board of trustees of the National Education Finance Academy. A former chair of the VBA's Appellate Practice Section, he joined the University of Kentucky Office of Legal Counsel in 2012.    

The City of Bristol renamed the building housing its courtrooms the George M. Warren Justice Center in memory of George M. Warren Sr. and George M. Warren Jr., the Bristol Herald Courier reported. The father and son were attorneys, judges or state legislators for much of a century. The younger Warren was a VBA member from 1948 to 1975.

Richmond Bar's Young Laywer of Year 2016
Lisa J. Hedrick
Lisa J. Hedrick, a partner at Hirschler Fleischer in Richmond, received the Young Lawyer of the Year Award from the Bar Association of the City of Richmond. She served as co-chair of the firm's Associates Committee in 2013 and is active in the firm's Women's Initiatives Network. She also is involved in numerous charitable organizations, including Legal Information Network for Cancer and the Greater Richmond Bar Foundation's Pro Bono Clearinghouse as well as formerly in the VBA YLD Lawyers for the Arts project.

Wimbish Gentile McCray & Roeber PLLC, a small practice dedicated to representing health-care providers, opened this month. The firm consists of 10 attorneys formerly with Sands Anderson PC in Richmond, including Kenneth T. Roeber, Carlyle R. "Randy" Wimbish III and Colleen M. Gentile. 

Douglas Sanderson-McCandlish Lillard
Douglas
Sanderson

Douglas J. Sanderson, a principal at McCandlish Lillard, received a certificate of merit for 25 years of pro bono legal service as legal counsel for the Arts Council of Fairfax County.

U.S. Attorney EDVA
Dana Boente
Dana J. Boente is the 60th U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. He is a 31-year veteran of the Department of Justice. In January 2001, he became assistant U.S. Attorney in the Fraud Unit of EDVA. In 2007 he was selected First Assistant U.S. Attorney and then served as the U.S. Attorney from October 2008 to September 2009. In 2013 he became acting U.S. attorney for the district.  
Managing Director Spotts Fain PC
Dana McDaniel
Dana D. McDaniel, a shareholder at Spotts Fain PC since 2004, is now managing director of the Richmond-based firm. He succeeds Hugh M. Fain III, who served in that role since 1999. Fain was VBA president in 2012.

Michael P. Goldman and Thomas R. Waskom have been promoted to counsel at Hunton & Williams. 
 
At the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association annual meeting, VBA member Stephanie E. Grana, a director at Cantor Stoneburner Ford Grana & Buckner, P.C., in Richmond, was sworn in as the VTLA's 57th president. Vice presidents include M. Bryan Slaughter of MichieHamlette in Charlottesville, and Elliott M. Buckner of Cantor Stoneburner Ford Grana & Buckner in Richmond.

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