Bar Associations

Apr 17, 2013

Toughen up to seek tough job as judge

Being elected as a judge in Virginia may look like a genteel affair, compared to the hurly-burly of direct election as used in other states. But it doesn’t necessarily feel that way to the would-be judges. You need to develop “skin as thick as an armadillo,” said Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth A. McClanahan. She appeared […]

Apr 8, 2013

Chief Justice Kinser knows both sides of mentoring

As the General Assembly worked to fill vacant judgeships on April 3, Chief Justice Cynthia D. Kinser reflected on her own election to the Supreme Court of Virginia. Kinser joined the Metro Richmond Women’s Bar Association to celebrate the bar group’s highly successful mentoring program. Responding to an audience member’s question, Kinser reported being conflicted […]

Mar 28, 2013

Koontz receives VTLA’s Distinguished Service Award

WILLIAMSBURG–Virginia Supreme Court Justice Lawrence L. Koontz Jr. retired from the high court in 2010, after 43 years as a judge. Since leaving the court full-time, he has remained busy, sitting on appeals as a senior justice and working as a mediator with The McCammon Group. On March 23 in Williamsburg, Koontz received one of […]

Feb 28, 2013

Supreme Court to weigh criminal discovery reform

After nine years of study and open conflict alternating with utter disregard, a proposal to liberalize criminal discovery in Virginia is now before the Virginia Supreme Court. With only three negative votes, the Virginia State Bar council on Feb. 23 sent to the court a recommendation for opening prosecutors’ files that emerged from a VSB-appointed […]

Feb 7, 2013

VBA taps leaders for the coming year

WILLIAMSBURG – Roanoke lawyer Thomas R. Bagby became president of the Virginia Bar Association at the group’s annual meeting in late January. The other new officers of the VBA: John L. Walker III of Richmond as president-elect, Harry M. “Pete” Johnson III of Richmond as chair of the Board of Governors, and Hugh M. Fain […]

Feb 4, 2013

Fairfax needs judges

Lawyers and legislators from various Virginia locales, including populous Fairfax County, say Gov. Bob McDonnell missed the mark when he proposed money to fill certain judgeships. The governor overlooked areas badly in need of judicial help, in part because the available caseload numbers are unreliable, Fairfax lawyers say. Other regions – including Arlington, Charlottesville, Roanoke, […[...]

Jan 28, 2013

An ‘unzip’ drive: Defense bar pushing new rules for broader access to prosecutors’ files

Weary of case-by-case skirmishing over discovery, the criminal defense bar has seized the initiative to push for broad change to the rules governing access to prosecutors’ files. Defense lawyers are one step closer to winning wider access to police reports and prosecutors’ files, as new recommendations go before the Virginia State Bar at the end […]

Dec 6, 2012

Tort reform battle ahead for Assembly

The Virginia Chamber of Commerce is out with its legislative wish list for the 2013 General Assembly and tort reform measures loom large on the Chamber agenda. The Chamber will continue efforts to change Virginia’s 40-year practice of barring depositions from summary judgment motions, an issue already aired in a July 18 hearing. The chamber […]

Nov 16, 2012

VSB ethics panel scratches 2 LEOs

The Virginia State Bar Legal Ethics Committee has withdrawn two 1990 legal ethics opinions out of concern they might lead lawyers astray in matters involving powers of attorney. The two opinions – LEO 1313 and 1339 – take the view that a law firm hired to prepare a power of attorney is representing the attorney […]

Oct 22, 2012

Court proposes to drop full-time rule for waived-in lawyers

Following angry reactions prompted by examination of the rules for “waived in” lawyers, the Supreme Court of Virginia is proposing to drop its full-time practice requirement. The change would affect lawyers who were licensed in other states and then admitted to the bar in Virginia by reciprocity, without taking the Virginia bar exam. Many of […]

Oct 17, 2012

Editor’s Notebook: ‘It’s only the nine’

Forget what you may have read or heard about the Supreme Court of the United States of America, because Justice Clarence Thomas will tell you a somewhat different tale. Thomas appeared before the Metropolitan Richmond Women’s Bar Oct. 16 to shed some light on the workings of the nation’s highest court. “We’re not that far […]

Oct 11, 2012

Judges urged to crack down on rude lawyers

HOT SPRINGS – Trial judges need to do their share to prevent rude and unprofessional conduct among lawyers, according to a justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia. Justice Donald W. Lemons said trial judges actually contribute to incivility when they offer only mild admonishment in the face of bad lawyer behavior. Speaking at a […]