The VLW Blog

A Henrico County lawyer who wanted another tour of duty on the Virginia State Bar Council will get his wish, after defeating an incumbent representative.
Daniel L. Rosenthal, who previously served two three-year terms, will return to council after competing with the two incumbents who sought reelection, Thomas A. Edmonds and Roger T. Creager. Edmonds, a [...]

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The Virginia State Bar has established a leadership award in the field of legal education. It will be named for its first recipient, Roanoke lawyer William R. Rakes.
Rakes received the award April 22 at the 20th Anniversary Conclave on the Education of Lawyers in Virginia, held in Charlottesville. The event was financially assisted by the [...]

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The number of lawyers in the General Assembly continues to decline, and the president of the Virginia State Bar is urging attorneys to help change the trend.
Only14 of the 40 Senators and 25 out of 100 Delegates are lawyers, according to the Assembly’s clerks’ offices. Combining the numbers, about 28 percent of the state legislators [...]

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The Supreme Court of Virginia has reversed a public admonition for a prosecutor who talked to a defendant without his lawyer. The defendant was involved in two separate cases and the high court said the disciplinary charge did not adequately inform the lawyer which matter was at issue.
The Virginia State Bar charged Caroline County [...]

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A Newport News attorney has been suspended for three months after allegedly failing to keep in touch with his clients in a family financial dispute.
The complaint against Richard S. Gordon arose from a 2008 case in Hampton in which two brothers hired Gordon to represent them against a third brother in a dispute over their [...]

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The Virginia State Bar’s Judicial Nominations Committee has found six candidates highly qualified for the expected vacancy this year on the Court of Appeals of Virginia. One other candidate was found “qualified.”
The panel votes first on whether a candidate is “qualified.” A second round of votes is then taken on whether candidates will be deemed [...]

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The Virginia State Bar Criminal Law Section presented its 2012 Harry L. Carrico Professionalism Award last week to Alexandria Public Defender Melinda Douglas.
The award was presented on Feb. 3 during the section’s 42nd Annual Criminal Law Seminar in Williamsburg.
The award is named for the former Virginia Supreme Court chief justice who promoted the ideals of [...]

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A police officer is talking to a criminal defendant when the defendant offers some information and asks about a plea deal. The officer calls the commonwealth’s attorney’s office and asks if he can talk to the defendant about some horse trading.
The request should set off ethical alarm bells for the prosecutor who takes that call, [...]

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Virginia State Bar president George Shanks says he plans to make study of foreign government issues a regular part of the bar’s annual mid-year seminars.
Writing from Athens, Greece, Shanks said he hopes an annual “Rule of Law Conference” will become a centerpiece of future VSB-sponsored trips.
Future conference planners have a tough act to follow. In [...]

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Lawyers on a Virginia State Bar excursion to Athens are watching history in the making, with a possible change in that country’s government coming today.
Besides earning CLE credits and visiting antiquities, the Virginia barristers reportedly have set up a panel discussion with Greek parliament members and lawyers to discuss the rule of law.
“Amazing opportunity” is [...]

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