10 Questions for new VTLA President, Lisa O’Donnell

Tort reform package is signed into law

By Peter Vieth
Published: March 28, 2013
Tags: Gov. Bob McDonnell, Tort Reform, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association

Gov. Bob McDonnell has signed a number of bills that were designed to make Virginia more business-friendly, including three advanced by the Medical Society of Virginia. The tort reform measures hammered out in early-session negotiations all have been signed into law by Gov. Bob McDonnell. One bill backed by doctors will make it easier to [...]

VTLA honors the late Betty Thompson

By Virginia Lawyers Weekly
Published: March 28, 2013
Tags: Virginia Trial Lawyers Association

WILLIAMSBURG—The Virginia Trial Lawyers Association honored the late Betty Thompson of Arlington with its Lifetime Achievement Award, presented to her family at the group’s 2013 annual convention. The VTLA Board of Governors voted on Sept. 22 to honor Ms. Thompson, who was the first woman to serve as president of the association. Former President Sandra [...]

Koontz receives VTLA’s Distinguished Service Award

By Virginia Lawyers Weekly
Published: March 28, 2013
Tags: Bar Associations, Justice Lawrence L. Koontz Jr., Virginia Trial Lawyers Association

WILLIAMSBURG–Virginia Supreme Court Justice Lawrence L. Koontz Jr. retired from the high court in 2010, after 43 years as a judge. Since leaving the court full-time, he has remained busy, sitting on appeals as a senior justice and working as a mediator with The McCammon Group. On March 23 in Williamsburg, Koontz received one of [...]

Tort reform bills passed by Assembly

By Peter Vieth
Published: February 14, 2013
Tags: General Assembly, Tort Reform, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association

The Virginia General Assembly has approved a bundle of bills designed to make Virginia courts more business-friendly. At press time, only one bill from the package of tort reform measures hammered out in negotiations was still awaiting final approval by the full Senate. If approved by Gov. Bob McDonnell, the new measures will relax somewhat [...]

Tort reform deal launched in House

By Peter Vieth
Published: January 24, 2013
Tags: General Assembly, Tort, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association

A Virginia tort reform package has been launched from a House of Delegates subcommittee after trial lawyers and business groups hammered out a compromise on five key bills. Separately, the bills may look like so much tinkering around the edges of tort reform. But taken together, they recalibrate personal injury practice in Virginia. Given the [...]

The Unusual Suspects

By Peter Vieth
Published: January 14, 2013
Tags: General Assembly, Tort Reform, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association

As the 2013 General Assembly session opened last week, a newly formed group of business leaders and lobbyists launched a well-financed campaign pushing dramatic changes to the rules for civil lawsuits in Virginia under the broad banner of “tort reform.” While hoping for support from normally business-friendly Republican lawmakers, the tort reform panel confronted a [...]

No class claim against Equifax, appeals court says

By Deborah Elkins
Published: December 3, 2012
Tags: Consumer Protection, Federal Courts, Judge Dennis W. Shedd, Judge Robert E. Payne, Judge Roger L. Gregory, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association

A major credit reporting agency will not face a class action suit by Virginia residents with potentially inaccurate Virginia court judgments on their credit reports. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed an order certifying a class in a suit that had the U.S. Chamber of Commerce squaring off against the Virginia Trial Lawyers [...]

Payee notification passes VSB Council unanimously

By Peter Vieth
Published: October 23, 2012
Tags: Clients' Protection Fund, General Assembly, Payee Notification, Supreme Court of Virginia News, Virginia State Bar, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association

ROANOKE – A plan to require insurance companies to notify clients of insurance claim payments made to their lawyers won unanimous approval from the Virginia State Bar council Oct. 19. The proposal had a tangled and contentious history. Approval came only after the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association accepted the version of payee notification hammered out [...]

VTLA elects officers, board

By Virginia Lawyers Weekly
Published: April 9, 2012
Tags: Virginia Trial Lawyers Association

The Virginia Trial Lawyers Association elected new officers and board members March 31 at The Greenbrier. The slate for 2012-2013 is as follows: Lisa P. O’Donnell, President Bertini O’Donnell & Hammer PC Norfolk Barbara S. Williams, President-Elect Barbara S. Williams PC Leesburg Thomas J. Curcio, Vice President Curcio Law Alexandria John E. Lichtenstein, Vice President [...]