Governance
The VSB Executive Committee and Bar Council met October 22-23 and took the following actions.

An election for VSB president-elect occurs in November, with a voting deadline of midnight December 1, 2020. You should receive your ballot from Intelliscan on or around November 2 if you are eligible to vote. Please contact [email protected] if you do not receive a ballot, and learn about your two candidates below.

We need YOU to volunteer for the Disciplinary System and serve as the first line of defense in protecting the public from lawyer malfeasance.

The Supreme Court of Virginia extended the Judicial Emergency through November 22, 2020.

Comments are sought for a second time on revised Virginia Rules of Court that were amended to clarify the meaning of the word “shall” in the Rules without changing existing law.
Discipline
Evelyn Ann Miller, license revoked, effective October 2, 2020.
Jeffrey Marc Sherman, license revoked, effective October 7, 2020.
Jon Edward Shields, license revoked, effective October 22, 2020.
Benjamin Thomas Bledsoe, license revoked, effective October 23, 2020.
Jonathan Christian Dailey, license revoked, effective October 23, 2020.
Barry Ray Taylor, license suspended, effective October 7, 2020.
James McMurray Johnson, license suspended, effective October 8, 2020. 
Jan C. Smith, license suspended, effective October 22, 2020
Michael Denis Kmetz, license suspended, effective October 23, 2020.
Steven A. Strickler, license suspended, effective November 27, 2020.
Mary G. Commander, public reprimand, effective October 5, 2020.
Compliance
Reminder: the MCLE compliance deadline is midnight EST December 31, 2020. Now is the time to check your online record and complete your 2020 CLE requirement. The Supreme Court has extended the CLE completion deadline to midnight EST December 31, 2020 due to COVID-19. 

Virginia attorneys will have until 4:45 pm EST February 15, 2021, to report their CLE hours to our office. Please see the FAQs on our website here about the extension. Our office is closed to visitors due to COVID-19, please plan accordingly. If you have any questions, contact the MCLE Department at [email protected] or (804) 775-0577.
Pro Bono / Access to Justice
Thank you to everyone who participated in our Pro Bono Conference and hosted pro bono month celebrations. VSB conference sessions were recorded and will be posted to the Access webpage in the very near future. Until then, if you’d like access to the recordings please contact Cris Gantz at [email protected]. 
The Legal Services Corporation has just released "By the Numbers: The Data Underlying Legal Aid Programs" which reveals that Virginia is in the top ten per capita for pro bono.
Thank you, Virginia lawyers for all that you do!
Opportunities and Events
Our sections, conferences, and committees are sponsoring free CLE webinars. View a list of webinars (PDF).

The Young Lawyers Conference of the VSB has created a foster care resource guide to assist children and families involved in the foster care system in Hampton Roads.

Join the Virginia Lawyer Referral Service! Membership is free for first time participants, and we send you prescreened referrals in your area and your area of practice. More information here, or contact Toni Dunson at [email protected].

41st Annual Construction Law and Public Contracts Seminar
November 6, 2020, 9:00 a.m. - 4:20 p.m., 6.0 (Ethics: 2.0)
Thank you to writers and advertisers who made the October Virginia Lawyer possible.
 
Our online edition has new, interactive features that make it easy to read on your phone. Learn about our new features here.
 
Please sign on to the lawyer portal if you would like to opt out of the paper version of the magazine.

Stay connected to your Bar:
The VSB continues to provide essential services to Virginia’s lawyers and the public.
The VSB office at 1111 E. Main Street is closed to visitors. If you need to reach a staff person, please send an email or call the appropriate contact person. Many of our staff are teleworking and responses may be delayed. Thank you for your understanding.

This email is a service of the Virginia State Bar. Unsubscribers will not receive notices about changes to the rules of professional conduct, legal ethics opinions, compliance reminders, presidents' messages, or notices from sections and conferences of which they are a member. Read the Bar's digital privacy policy.
 
NOTE: Do not "update profile" below to change your email with the VSB.