Letters To The Editor

By Virginia Lawyers Weekly
Published: May 8, 2006

CPF officers explain fund’s purpose
Dear Editor:
As the chair and vice-chair of the Virginia State Bar’s Clients’ Protection Fund, we write in response to the letter submitted by fellow VSB attorney H. Watkins Ellerson in the April 17 edition of Virginia Lawyers Weekly (“Lawyer Objects to Mandatory Liability Coverage,” 20 VLW 1383). In his letter, Mr. [...]

Letter to the Editor

By Virginia Lawyers Weekly
Published: May 1, 2006

Dear Editor:
Watkins Ellerson’s recent letter (VLW, 4/17/06, “Lawyer objects to mandatory liability coverage”) reinforces how difficult it is (even for lawyers) to understand the distinction among various risks faced by lawyers and those who engage a lawyer’s services.
Members of the general public can be harmed by lawyers who commit malpractice, by unethical lawyers, and by [...]

Letter to the Editor

By Virginia Lawyers Weekly
Published: April 17, 2006

Lawyer objects to mandatory liability coverage
Dear Editor:
Once again the issue of mandatory liability insurance for lawyers has raised its ugly head from the (un)dead like Dracula.
Nowhere in Alan Cooper’s article of March 27 (“VSB: Mandatory insurance mulled”) was the extent of any problem stated. I have no problem with a client-disclosure rule as discussed, but [...]

VSB President Anderson urges action on appointed pay

By Virginia Lawyers Weekly
Published: February 13, 2006

Dear Editor:
Today hundreds of “innocent” Virginians will walk into Virginia courts charged with crimes. These charges could result in their loss of liberty. They are “innocent” because our system of justice presumes all Virginians are “innocent” until proven guilty—proven guilty through an adversarial process predicated upon an aggressive prosecution and an effective defense.
Many of [...]

Law prof questions Allen's action on Byrd Amendment

By Virginia Lawyers Weekly
Published: December 26, 2005

Dear Editor:
Sen. George Allen is opposing the repeal of the Byrd Amendment. Why on earth is the Virginia senator supporting legislation that has been roundly criticized by all supporters of free trade, the Bush Administration, and the World Trade Organization, which found it invalid? How can he contest a measure supported only [...]

OPEN LETTER TO ALL VIRGINIA LAWYERS

By Virginia Lawyers Weekly
Published: September 12, 2005

All Virginians have been dismayed by the destruction, dislocation, and loss of life caused by Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. The Supreme Court of Virginia and the Virginia State Bar have had discussions with representatives of the judicial systems and bar organizations in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. We have also had discussions [...]

Legal Aid Lawyer Responds On 'Parental Abuse' Cases

By Virginia Lawyers Weekly
Published: March 14, 2005

Dear Editor:
I read with interest Hugh F. O’Donnell’s article “What’s Wrong With the Picture: The Other Side of Repre-senting Parents in Child Protection Cases” [VSB Family Law News, Fall 2004] and his recent letter to Virginia Lawyers Weekly [VLW, Feb. 21, 2005] and felt that I had to comment. Mr. O’Donnell makes a number of [...]

Representation Of Parents Challenging, Prompts Lawyer To Critique The System

By Virginia Lawyers Weekly
Published: February 21, 2005

Dear Editor:
This past fall, “Family Law News,” the quarterly newsletter of the Family Law Section of the Virginia State Bar, carried an article I wrote about the challenges of representing parents in child protection (i.e., neglect and abuse) cases. The article was based on many years’ experience as a legal aid lawyer representing parents in [...]

Lawyer Provides Correction To Prior Letter To Editor

By Virginia Lawyers Weekly
Published: January 24, 2005

Dear Editor:
On page 5 of your Jan. 10 edition, you published a letter from me concerning the Uniform Trust Code. I have determined (and apologize for) an error stated as a fact.
It appears that the Uniform Trust Code was not adopted by the 2004 Session of the General Assembly, but is up for consideration [...]

Lawyer Questions Need For Uniform Trust Code

By Virginia Lawyers Weekly
Published: January 10, 2005

Dear Editor:
In the 2004 Session of the General Assembly, the Uniform Trust Code was adopted to become effective Jan. 1, 2006. This legislation, consisting of more than 50 pages of material, will have a drastic and dramatic impact on practicing attorneys and their clients.
However, I find that only a precious few lawyers who practice [...]

Virginia Lawyers Weekly