Honorees and their guests gathered at The John Marshall in Richmond on Oct. 27, 2016.
Leaders in the Law is Virginia Lawyers Weekly’s signature event. VLW honors its annual class of lawyers who are setting the standard for other lawyers and recognizes attorneys and professionals in law-related fields who have a significant accomplishment or achievement.
These include outstanding contributions to the practice of law in Virginia, significant achievements through the practice of law, leadership in improving the justice system and important contributions to Virginia’s legal community and/or the community at large.
New for 2019, Virginia Lawyers Weekly honored in-house counsel who also embody the characteristics of a Leader in the Law.
In addition, Up & Coming Lawyers were also recognized. These are legal practitioners who are establishing a name for themselves, go above and beyond, and display the ambition, drive, determination and accomplishments that set them apart among their peers — in their first 10 years in practice.
2019 honorees announced
The Class of 2019 “Leaders in the Law” are:
- Phillip V. Anderson, Frith, Anderson + Peake, Roanoke
- Renu M. Brennan, Virginia State Bar, Richmond
- Elliott M. Buckner, Breit Cantor Grana Buckner, Richmond
- John M. Cooper, Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers, Norfolk
- John G. “Chip” Dicks, Gentry Locke, Richmond
- Ronald S. Evans, Barnes & Diehl, Richmond
- William E. Franczek, Vandeventer Black, Norfolk
- Melanie A. Friend, CowanGates, Richmond
- T. Daniel Frith III, Frith Ellerman Dacis, Roanoke
- Rebecca Geller, The Geller Law Group, Fairfax
- Mark K. Groves, Glasser and Glasser, Norfolk
- Claire Guthrie Gastanaga, ACLU of Virginia, Richmond
- Elizabeth Hanes, Consumer Litigation Associates, Richmond
- Monroe “Mike” Kelly, Williams Mullen, Virginia Beach
- Jason W. Konvicka, Allen Allen Allen & Allen, Richmond
- Anne C. Lahren, Pender & Coward, Virginia Beach
- Christie A. Leary, Leary Porter Law, Fairfax
- Deborah G. Matthews, Law Office of Deborah G. Matthews, Alexandria
- John B. Mumford Jr., Hancock Daniel & Johnson, Richmond
- Paul F. Nichols, Nichols Zauzig Sandler, Woodbridge
- Eric M. Page, Eckert Seamans, Cherin & Mellott, Richmond
- Hon. Jayne A. Pemberton, Chesterfield County J&DR Court, Chesterfield
- Brian R. Pitney, Sands Anderson, Richmond
- Christine L. Poarch, Poarch Law Firm, Roanoke
- Michael W. Robinson, Venable, Tysons Corner
- Sen. Glen H. Sturtevant Jr., The Rawls Law Group, Richmond
- Lorrie Sinclair Taylor, Biberaj, Snow & Sinclair, Leesburg
- J. Tracy Walker, McGuireWoods, Richmond
- Kathleen Grace Walsh, Law Office of Kathleen Grace Walsh, Occoquan
- Jeremy P. White, Virginia Legal Aid Society, Lynchburg
The members of the inaugural class of “In-House Leaders in the Law” are:
- Joseph H. Carpenter IV, Norfolk Southern Corporation, Norfolk
- Adam Casagrande, ADS Inc., Virginia Beach
- Andrea Z. Warmbier, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton
The members of the “Up & Coming Lawyers” Class of 2019 are:
- Nicholas V. Albu, Reed Smith, McLean
- Nina-Alice Antony, Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, Charlottesville
- W. Thomas Chappell, Vandeventer Black, Norfolk
- Deborah Yeng Collins, Sullivan Collins Law Group, Norfolk
- Diana H. D’Alessandro, Pesner Altmiller Melnick & DeMers, Tysons Corner
- Amanda E. DeBerry, Boleman Law Firm, Richmond
- Audra M. Dickens, McCandlish Holton, Richmond
- William Dickinson III, Kaleo Legal, Richmond
- Catherine J. Huff, Gentry Locke, Roanoke
- Del. Jay Jones, Bischoff Martingayle, Norfolk
- H. Scott Kelly, Troutman Sanders, Richmond
- Jordan E. McKay, MichieHamlett, Charlottesville
- Daniel M. Payne, Murphy & McGonigle, Richmond
- Ryan D. Ruzic, Public Defender’s Office, Warrenton
- Nathan H. Schnetzler, Frith Anderson + Peake, Roanoke
- Caroline W. Stanton, Williams Mullen, Charlottesville
These honorees were celebrated at a reception on Oct. 22 at the John Marshall Hotel in Richmond.
The “Leader of the Year,” voted by the 2019 “Leaders” themselves, was Claire Guthrie Gastanaga.
Each honoree was profiled in a special supplement that was inserted into Virginia Lawyers Weekly on October 28. You can read the profiles HERE.
