Roanoke lawyer Robert S. Ballou has been selected as a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Western District of Virginia to replace Michael Urbanski, who was recently elevated to the district court bench.
Ballou is a partner with the Roanoke firm of Johnson, Ayers & Matthews. He served for eight years on the Virginia State Bar’s Special Committee on Resolution of Fee Disputes.
He dons the robe on Oct. 3.
The district court judges of the Western District appointed a selection panel and then voted Ballou as their choice from among the handful of names recommended by the panel, according to a spokesperson for Chief Judge Glen Conrad.
An investiture ceremony will be scheduled.
