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Henrico Bar News
February 2019
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Henrico County Bar Association
P.O. Box 70147
Richmond, Virginia 23255
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From the Desk of Natalie T. McClearn, HCBA President
I hope the New Year is off to a great start for each of you. We wrapped up 2018 with our annual Holiday Reception, which was a delight as always. Guests enjoyed the opportunity to mingle with old friends and get to know new ones at a fresh location. A special thank you to Mary Lou Wellman for her careful attention to planning the details for a new venue and ensuring the event was a smashing success.
In recent months, two of our esteemed Henrico County judges announced their retirement, creating vacancies on their courts. The Hon. Gary A. Hicks will be retiring from his service on the Henrico County Circuit Court, and the Hon. L. Neil Steverson will be retiring from his service on the Henrico County General District Court. Thank you both for your years of capable and dedicated service to the community.
On January 30, 2019, the HCBA held a special meeting to select our nominees to the General Assembly for the judgeships in these courts. The membership considered many experienced and qualified candidates for both judgeships and voted to select our nominees. It is my honor to announce that the HCBA nominee for the Circuit Court judgeship is the Hon. Margaret W. Deglau and the nominee for the General District Court judgeship is Linda Y. Lambert, Esquire. The alternate nominees were the Hon. Randall G. Johnson, Jr. and Michael S. Huberman, Esquire, respectively. Congratulations to you! You have the full support of the HCBA behind you in your candidacies for these judgeships.
The HCBA held its annual Bench Bar Conference on February 6, 2019 on the subject of trial preparation for each of the three Henrico County Courts. Thank you to Judge Harris, Judge Chucker, Judge Herman, Susan Parrish, Britney McPheron, Eddie Whitlock, and Jeff Everhart for serving as panelists and for sharing their valuable experiences and insight. I would also like to thank Jennifer Wheeler and Jeff Miller for planning such an entertaining and informative event.
Although 2019 has just begun, spring is not far on the horizon. I hope you will join us for the Spring Luncheon on March 21, 2019. At the luncheon we will hear from HCBA member Jeff Everhart who served as defense counsel on the South Side Strangler cases thirty years ago. Please join us for what is sure to be a fascinating presentation. Please also mark your calendars for our other spring events: the Legislative Update (April 29) and the Annual Reception (May 9).
I am grateful to each of you for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend Henrico County Bar events. Your involvement is in part what makes our bar association stand out as being one of collegiality and professionalism. I look forward to seeing you in the spring.
Sincerely,
Natalie T. McClearn
President
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Holiday Reception
On Wednesday, December 5, 2018, members gathered at The Wine Loft for the annual Holiday Reception where they enjoyed drinks, hors d'oeuvres, and the company of fellow members. The new location for the annual celebration, The Wine Loft, located in West Broad Village, offered an upscale ambiance where members mingled in style. The tunes of the Flying Sulsers jazz trio made the evening complete. Association President, Natalie McClearn, gave a warm welcome to guests and thanked Planet Depos and Superior Document Services for sponsoring the event. The Association could not have enjoyed such an elegant event without their generous support.
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Britney McPheron and Natalie McClearn
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Margie Rapisarda, Judge Honey,
Judge Wallerstein and Joe Rapisarda
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Jon Nichols, Emily Bishop and Rob Friedman
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Jeff Palmer, Sarah and Keith Barker, and Julie Palmer
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Peter Bowen, Bradon Childs and William Smith
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A great evening at The Wine Loft
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Alexis Fisher-Rizk, Steven Rizk and
Greg and Paula Hough
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| Judge Hammond, Sam Bernier and Natalie McClearn |
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| Tony Quitiquit, Adam Jurach, BJ McGee, Stephen Mutnick and Brad Goodwin |
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Bench Bar CLE
On February 6, 2019, the Henrico County Bar Association hosted its Annual Bench Bar. Judges Harris, Chucker and Herman joined our panel of experienced Henrico attorneys to talk about what happens "Before the Main Event: Trial Preparation in Henrico County Courts". The panel discussed everything from preparing for first returns to the court's perspective as we enter a courtroom to try a case. Jennifer Wheeler served as moderator, Jeff Everhart shared his experience as a criminal attorney, Susan Parrish shared her experience as a Commonwealth's Attorney, Britney McPheron shared her experience as a family law attorney, and Eddie Whitlock shared his experience in civil litigation.
For more pictures from the Bench Bar CLE, please
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Member Spotlight
Full Name: Kelly L. Sturman
Employer and Position: Parcell, Webb & Baruch, P.C. - Associate Attorney
College: University of Virginia - B.A. in Politics
Law School: University of Richmond
Years in Practice: Three years
Hobbies and Interests: My husband and I love to check out new restaurants as they open and re-visit old favorites. There is such variety in what Richmond has to offer that it is an always changing and never boring experience.
Favorite Movie: It may sound cliché, but 12 Angry Men and to Kill a Mockingbird are actually two of my favorite movies.
Favorite Book: The Stand by Stephen King
Favorite Pro and College Sports Team: University of Virginia and the Redskins
One Thing You Might Not Know About Me: I minored in Anthropology, with a focus on Central and South America, while in college.
Best Thing About Practicing Law in Henrico: The people. It is always a pleasure to be able to work with people that truly appreciate and understand the stakes that are involved when dealing with participants caught up in the judicial system. The collegial environment that is fostered between the defense bar and the prosecutors sets Henrico apart.
Advice to Young Attorneys: As a relatively new lawyer myself, I would not feel qualified in dispensing wisdom. Instead I will share what wisdom others have given me which is that we are "attorneys and counselors at law," and advocating for our clients means embracing both roles with equal passion and zealousness.
Full Name: Samuel Thomas Bernier
Employer and Position: Moran Reeves & Conn, PC - Associate
College: Hawaii Pacific University, Honolulu, HI
Law School: University of Richmond
Years in Practice: 8
Hobbies and Interests: Most have to do with my two boys (6 & 8) nowadays: coaching soccer, helping out with Cub Scouts and science projects, trying to keep them from killing each other. But I have managed to keep an annual Spring canoeing/camping trip with some old friends on the calendar every year for the past decade or so.
Favorite Movie: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Favorite Book: Hornblower Series by CS Forester and anything by Terry Pratchett
Favorite Pro and College Sports Team: Redskins, Capitals, Va. Tech
One Thing You Might Not Know About Me: I lived in Hawaii for eight years but I'm not a big fan of the beach.
Best Thing About Practicing Law in Henrico: Because I live in Henrico, relatively near the Courthouse, when I get to practice there it makes me feel like a small-town lawyer. And every time I go to the Courthouse, I see people I know and like.
Funniest Experience as an Attorney: I had been doing medical malpractice defense almost exclusively for several years when I had my first opportunity to work on a products liability case. I went to South Carolina in July to meet with my client's engineering expert, and then we were supposed to inspect the subject machine along with the attorneys for all the parties and their experts. My experience in med mal taught me to wear a suit and tie when meeting with a physician expert. My engineering expert looked at me strangely when I showed up at his office that morning in my blue pinstripes, but not as strangely as everyone else did when we went to the open-air warehouse to inspect the product and I was the only person not wearing short sleeves in 98 degree heat with 90% humidity. The plane trip back to Richmond in my sweat-soaked suit was just a delight. I made sure to wear short sleeves for the next product inspection I went to, but that was a mistake too as it took place in the freezer of a Pennsylvania veal processing plant. One day I'll get it right.
Advice to Young Attorneys: Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Take the time to edit before sending your work product to your supervisor, and you will spend less time editing when you get it back.
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Save the Date
Spring Luncheon
Thursday, March 21, 2019
12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Westwood Club
Legislative Update
Monday, April 29, 20q9
4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Westwood Club
Annual Spring Reception
Thursday, May 9, 2019
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
Please check the Calendar of Events on our website at
www.henricobar.org for the most up to date information.
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Spring Luncheon
Save the Date -
"Southern Nightmare: The Hunt for the South Side Strangler"
Please join us for our HCBA Spring Luncheon this year on March 21, 2019, at noon at the Westwood Club, when defense attorney Jeff Everhart will join us to talk about his work as lead council on the South Side Strangler case. The case involved a serial killer who terrorized Richmond, brutally raping and murdering women in their homes. Timothy Spencer was dubbed "The South Side Strangler" and ultimately became the first capital murder defendant in U.S. history to be caught using DNA evidence.
Last year, True South Media LLC, in cooperation with Style Weekly magazine and WRIR 97.3 FM Richmond Independent Radio, launched a 10-episode weekly true-crime podcast telling the whole story of the case which includes exclusive interviews with homicide detectives, FBI profilers, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and friends and family of victims. Those interested in learning more about the podcast before the luncheon can find more information at www.southernnightmare.com.
We look forward to seeing you at the luncheon for what will certainly be an engaging discussion about one of the most high profile criminal cases of our time.
Seeking HCBA Board Members
If you are interested in serving on the HCBA Board for the 2019-2020 year, please email our administrator, Mary Lou Wellman, at [email protected] and let her know of your interest.
Clerk's Corner
Henrico J&DR Court
To see a list of contacts at the Henrico JDR Clerk's Office. please click
here
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Please check out the Twitter page for the Henrico Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court
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Pro Bono Opportunities
Wills for Heroes Program
The HCBA is soliciting volunteer attorneys to assist in the creation of a Wills for Heroes program for the benefit of Henrico County first responders. In recognition of the services and sacrifices first responders make, the Wills for Heroes program provides them free basic legal estate planning services. Eligible first responders and their spouses can create a basic will, advanced medical directive, and/or power of attorney. Volunteer attorneys will draft the estate planning documents using a document assembly program, the first responder will execute the documents upon completion, and the legal representation provided under the program terminates, all typically occurring the same day. If you are interested in more information about how you can help the HCBA assist first responders in our community, please contact Pro Bono Coordinator, Mary Hunt, at [email protected]
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CANCERLINC - Small Unique Nonprofit has a Growing Mission
Seeking Volunteer Professionals to Help Cancer Patients
For more than 22 years, CancerLINC has been a vital resource for local cancer patients who need help with legal and financial matters.
We are a
unique, local non-profit organization whose mission is to ease the burden of cancer for patients and their families. CancerLINC partners with more than 200 local attorneys and financial advisors to offer legal assistance and financial counselÂing for those patients who need help, but can't afford these services.
CancerLINC was established as a Legal Information Network for Cancer (LINC) in 1996 by two local attorneys, Ann Hodges and Phyllis Katz. Both are also cancer survivors and still involved with the organization. Their firsthand understanding of the non-medical challenges that patients face while battling cancer formed the idea of providing a resource network, especially for those patients who have lower incomes.
Last year, CancerLINC assisted 398 Richmond area cancer patients with 704 non-medical issues. Volunteer attorneys assisted in a number ways, helping them with estate planning, such as wills, advance medical directives and powers of attorney; employment issues, insurance matters, debt and bankruptcy issues; housing stability; social security and disability denials.
CancerLINC is expanding its efforts to reach more cancer patients and to engage with them early in their cancer journey with the intent of helping them proactively prepare for the non-medical impact of their disease. The organization is seeing recent growth in the number of cancer patients who are referred by local medical providers for legal and financial needs. Additional volunteer attorneys are needed to provide pro bono assistance for these patients and their families. Volunteer professionals help these patients with needs that normally they could not afford or even know how to access. The main outcome is simply providing peace of mind that these pressing issues are being handled by a competent professional.
Help a neighbor in need through volunteering with CancerLINC. Your efforts will not only help them, but also provide you with a fulfilling sense that you made a difference.
If you are interested in volunteering with CancerLINC, please contact Beth Browning, Client Services Attorney, at CancerLINC at 804-562-0371, ext. 103.
Click
here for more information about CancerLINC.
Welcome New Members
Jessica Boutwell
Cary Bowen
Neill C. Bradley
James A. Bullard, Jr.
David Giroux
Shameka Hall
Thomas L. Johnson, Jr.
Margaret M. Ransone
A. Bellamy Stoneburner
Anthony B. Taddeo, Jr.
Blackburn, Conte, Schilling & Click welcomes
Stephen A. Mutnick to the firm as a partner. Stephen focuses his practice on criminal defense, domestic relations and personal injury.
Leslie A. Winneberger and
Robert F. Friedman have been elevated to Partner at the law firm of Harman Claytor Corrigan & Wellman. Leslie defends claims involving civil rights, labor and employment, local government, law enforcement, and religious institutions. Rob focuses his practice on insurance coverage litigation.
Saemi Murphy and Emily P. Bishop have been elevated to Of Counsel at the law firm of Harman Claytor Corrigan & Wellman. Saemi defends claims involving civil rights, wrongful death, personal injury, construction defect, logging/trucking accident, malicious prosecution, excessive force, premises and professional liability. Emily focuses her practice on motor vehicle accident cases, local government and law enforcement officials, and landlords and property owners.
Harman Claytor Corrigan & Wellman
welcomes
Simone T. Williams
to the firm as an associate. Simone focuses her practice on civil ligation defense including auto, premises and products liability.
If you have recently changed jobs or been promoted, please share your news with the Henrico Bar. We would like to post your announcement in our newsletter and update your member profile.
Announcements can be emailed to Mary Lou Wellman at
[email protected]
. Please include your name, firm or employer's name, new title and areas of concentration.
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Officers and Directors
President
Natalie T. McClearn
President-Elect
Ryan C. Young
Vice President
Emily P. Bishop
Secretary
Jason M. Hart
Treasurer
Michael R. Gill
Jeffrey P. Miller
Susan L. Parrish
David A. Stock
Jennifer S. Wheeler
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