At the Summer Meeting's banquet next month, the VBA will recognize two titans of the organization for their contributions. The 2018 class of VBA Life Members, who have been continuous members for 40 years and have reached age 70, also will take the stage.

The VBA's William B. Spong Jr. Professionalism Award honors leadership and example inspiring to the legal profession and the public. This year's honoree, Phillip C. Stone, will be the award's 12th recipient since 1997. 

Stone, a Life Member who joined the VBA in 1970, served as the association's 1997 president and was a member of the VBA Commission on Professionalism from 2007-2010. He also was president of Bridgewater College for 16 years and Sweet Briar College for two. He and three of his children formed the Stone Law Group, PLC, in Harrisonburg.

Life Member G. Andrew Nea Jr. will be receive the Roger D. Groot Pro Bono Publico Service Award. Nea, who joined the VBA in 1973, developed the policies that institutionalized pro bono at Williams Mullen.

He created the Wills for Seniors program, now statewide in scope. Although retired for several years, he serves as the firm's pro bono partner and all his annual hours are pro bono in nature. In 2016 alone, he coordinated 27 wills clinics that served 438 clients with the help of 98 attorney volunteers and 62 law students.

This year, the VBA membership was invited to nominate worthy individuals for consideration in the decision about award recipients.