Virginia Lawyers Weekly VA Lawyers Weekly

The policy-making body of the federal judiciary has approved amendments to the judicial codes of conduct to state plainly what qualifies as “misconduct” and to make it easier for victims of sexual harassment or assault to come forward and report ...

Tagged with: Misconduct

A bankruptcy judge has refused to block a lawsuit demanding that SunTrust Bank be forced to give up nearly $3.3 million to a lawyer’s widow defrauded by a crooked investment adviser. The lawsuit claims SunTrust turned a blind eye to ...

Tagged with: Bankruptcy U.S. Bankruptcy Court

A Norfolk Circuit Court jury returned a $5 million asbestos verdict for the family of a deceased railroad employee, but cut the verdict to $1 million based on the employee’s smoking habit. The reduction was possible under rules for railroad ...

Tagged with: Negligence Norfolk Circuit Court

Virginia Lawyers Weekly will publish its annual survey of “Virginia’s Largest Law Firms” next month. As has been the case since the feature debuted in 1989, rankings within the survey are based on the number of Virginia-licensed lawyers working at ...

Tagged with: Largest Law Firms

Coming from a five-lawyer firm in Butte, Montana, Bob Carlson is different from what many expect when they think of the leaders of the American Bar Association. Carlson maintains he shovels his own snow, and he has been shoveling a ...

Tagged with: American Bar Association

The 2019 General Assembly was good for kids, to hear reports from child advocates and family law attorneys. Legislators approved and funded a plan to boost oversight of largely autonomous local welfare offices that run Virginia’s foster care system. The ...

Tagged with: Domestic Relations Family Law General Assembly

The Virginia State Bar’s Clients’ Protection Fund board has approved payouts worth $51,123 to clients who suffered financial losses as a result of six Virginia attorneys’ dishonest conduct. At a January meeting, the board approved funds for new claims worth ...

Tagged with: Virginia State Bar News

Justin W. Earley was “the picture of stability and success” early in his legal career, having graduated at the top of his law class at Georgetown, passed the bar in his home state and landed a job at one of ...

Tagged with: Virginia Bar Association

Penalties for missing evidence could become more common in Virginia courts. Legislation now awaiting approval by Gov. Ralph Northam would allow juries to infer that missing evidence is unfavorable if a party handled the evidence in a “reckless” manner. In ...

Tagged with: General Assembly

A misguided legal challenge to a probate order warranted an award of sanctions against a disgruntled heir, the Supreme Court of Virginia ruled last month. The court upheld a $12,480 award of attorney’s fees against a corporation owned by one ...

Tagged with: Supreme Court of Virginia News