The VLW Blog

Proponents of reinstating mandatory IOLTA as a tool to raise money for legal aid appear to have stumbled at the first step.
The Supreme Court of Virginia approved mandatory IOLTA, the acronym for Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts, on a 4-3 vote in 1993, much to the consternation of state bankers.
Two years later, the bankers prevailed [...]

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Add the Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys to the list of organizations opposing Gov. McDonnell’s proposal to take $5 million from the State Bar Fund for the state budget.
In a statement sent Thursday to members of the General Assembly money committees, the VADA said the money at stake comes entirely from dues, fees and penalties [...]

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The 2,145-member Fairfax Bar Association has chimed in with the pleas for filling Virginia judicial vacancies.
An FBA resolution this week urges General Assembly members to fully fund all vacant judgeships and to reject the governor’s plan to use $5 million from the State Bar Fund for general spending purposes.
Unfilled judgeships “are creating undue hardships that [...]

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The Virginia State Bar website now has a third button to click to check on the status of an attorney – “Attorneys Not in Good Standing.”
That button supplements buttons for “Attorneys Without Malpractice Insurance” and “Disciplined Attorneys.”
In most instances the new button duplicates the information available by clicking the “Disciplined Attorneys” button, but an [...]

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The Virginia State Bar Council will have more of a say over the regulations governing mandatory continuing legal education according to a rule change adopted by the Supreme Court of Virginia.
Under the changes, the council could reject amendments or regulations from the MCLE Board by a two-thirds vote of council.
Moreover, any regulations would have to [...]

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Del. David Albo, R-Fairfax County, says the Virginia State Bar overstepped its mission in lobbying the legislature for more judicial spending.
Albo, chairman of the House Courts of Justice Committee, views the plan by Gov. Bob McDonnell to use the VSB’s $5-million cash reserves for general spending as a rebuff to the VSB’s advocacy for restoring [...]

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A Williamsburg grand jury has returned an indictment charging patent attorney Bambi Walters with practicing law without a license, according to the local prosecutor.
Williamsburg/James City County Commonwealth’s Attorney Nate Green said the charge resulted from a Virginia State Bar investigation. VSB Counsel Ned Davis confirmed his office had turned over results of its investigation to [...]

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The Sixth District Committee of the Virginia State Bar has issued a public admonition to Caroline County Commonwealth’s Attorney Anthony G. Spencer for talking to a defendant who was represented by counsel without advising him of his right to have counsel present.
Spencer has appealed the citation, and a hearing before the VSB Disciplinary Board is [...]

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The Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board has imposed a public reprimand with terms on former Floyd County Commonwealth’s Attorney Gordon Earl Hannett Jr.
The reprimand stemmed from the removal and destruction of three computer hard drives in the prosecutor’s office by Hannett just before he left office and was replaced in January 2008 by Stephanie M. [...]

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The Virginia State Bar and former president Jon D. Huddleston have received a national award for excellence in marketing.
The “Virginia Is for Good Lawyers” project that Huddleston developed during his tenure last year includes “The Big Picture,” a video project about the pro bono and civic work of individual lawyers, and “Reflections,” a collection of [...]

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