The VLW Blog

Guy Tower will step down as executive director of the Virginia Bar Association in July 2011 after six years in the post.
Tower, who will turn 70 next year, said in a letter to VBA President Steve Busch that he believes “this is an opportune time for transition” for both the association and himself.
Tower cited a [...]

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The Supreme Court of Virginia has asked the Virginia State Bar and the Virginia Bar Association to submit a proposed rule for pro bono practice by corporate counsel.
The request followed comments last month by Randal S. Milch, executive vice president and general counsel of Verizon Communications Inc., about “regulatory impediments” by the Virginia State Bar [...]

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Overheard at the Homestead:
“I think it’s talking out of two sides of your mouth, which we do fairly regularly.” –Sen. Rob Hurt, discussing “secondary offense” crimes like texting-while-driving.
“Social media and social networking let people know, like and trust you before you ever meet them.” –Legal marketer Heather Milligan
“Sure enough, the sky is falling in.” [...]

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The Richmond law firm of Schettine & Nguyen will receive the Attorney General’s Cup for the second year in a row for raising the most food per capita in the third annual Legal Food Frenzy.
The drive generated 1.6 million pounds of food for the state’s food banks. That tops last year’s effort by 300,000 pounds [...]

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Today is “Lawyer Professionalism Day” and, not coincidentally, the 266th birthday of the state’s most famous lawyer, Thomas Jefferson.
The Virginia Bar Association’s Commission on Professionalism is rolling out its “Principles of Professionalism” by providing electronic copies of the principles to bar organizations, law schools and law firms to e-mail to attorneys and law students.
In case [...]

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Roanoke lawyer Mike Pace, the managing partner at Gentry Locke Rakes & Moore, has had a very good month.
According to a press release from his firm, Pace (right) was awarded a double whammy of good in November.
Washington and Lee University awarded Pace its Honorary Order of the Coif award. The award is only periodically given [...]

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The Virginia Bar Association Foundation plans to recruit volunteer lawyers around Virginia in a program to make sure middle school students understand the importance of the rule of law in American society.
VBA President Mike Pace (left) described the program last week to members of the Lynchburg Bar Association.  Lawyers would work with teachers to present [...]

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Virginia Court of Appeals Judges D. Arthur Kelsey and LeRoy F. Millette Jr. and Fairfax County Circuit Judge R. Terrence Ney have won the endorsement of both the Virginia Bar Association and the Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys for a vacancy on the Supreme Court of Virginia.
The VBA also endorsed Arlington Circuit Judge Joanne F. [...]

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The Virginia State Bar, the Virginia Bar Association and the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association have endorsed candidates for the State Corporation Commission vacancy created by the retirement of Commissioner Theodore V. Morrison Jr.
The VSB’s judicial nominations committee told Gov. Timothy M. Kaine that it found four candidates to be highly qualified:
- Philip R. deHaas, [...]

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Two Virginia Supreme Court justices, two federal judges and two law professors are among the Virginia Bar Association’s recommendations for two vacancies on the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Virginia Sen. Jim Webb asked bar groups earlier this year to submit recommendations for the vacancies created by the senior status of Judge H. Emory Widener [...]

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