March-April 2021
The VBA Voice
The independent voice of Virginia lawyers
Catch up on activity at the VBA. February and March have been busy and April events have blossomed. Get the most out of your VBA membership through active involvement.
VBA members always get discounts at VBA Online CLE
Missed the VADER training in Feb.?
Get it on-demand
VBA Online CLE is your go-to when you can go to scheduled MCLE programs.

New to the catalog is a widely attended program presented in late February of importance to Domestic Relations practitioners: "VADER Online for Advanced Users."

VBA members get discounts on all on-demand videos and podcasts. Nonmembers are welcome at VBA Online CLE, too!

Have you tried VBA Online CLE?
Legal Food Frenzy runs all of April
The 15th Annual statewide Legal Food Frenzy aims to address the most significant increase in food insecurity since the Great Recession.

Yes, 2020 was tough for a lot of people. But the Legal Food Frenzy, a joint project of the VBA Young Lawyers Division, the Attorney General's Office and the Federation of Virginia Food Banks, is back to help meet the need and support our neighbors.

In the past 14 years, this project has donated more than 18.5 million pounds of food.

This year's effort will be entirely virtual because of the pandemic.It also will run the entire month of April. Online fundraising is encouraged. As always, funds raised with benefit your local food bank.

Register your legal organization to take part and you will be connected with your local food bank
The Legal Food Frenzy welcomes sponsors and matching funds raised by VBA members. Contact Alex Cuff for details.

A Legal Food Frenzy virtual happy hour is set for April 22. RSVP.
VBA reviews more judicial candidates

VBA committees that review candidates for judicial vacancies have been active.

The Committee on Nominations to Virginia Commissions & Appellate Courts will do a second round of review of candidates for the planned expansion of the Court of Appeals of Virginia. Submissions should be received by April 15 for VBA consideration. Filing with the Division of Legislative Services is required and consideration also by the Virginia State Bar is recommended.

The VBA also will answer a request from Virginia's U.S. senators to evaluate candidates for an upcoming vacancy on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Nominations must be received by April 6.

The Committee on Federal Judgeships / Western District will consider candidates for an upcoming vacancy on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia. The schedule for that was postponed at Virginia's U.S. senators' request in March to address other judicial reviews. Watch for updates in your inbox and VBA.org website News.
'Excellent program'
"Excellent program -- a powerful mix of straight talk along with wisdom and thoughts on positive, concrete action," N. Thomas Connally said about the Young Lawyers Division's Black History Month panel: A Discussion of Black Attorneys' Experiences in the Legal Profession. Did you miss it?
Black History Month Panel
Photo by Martin Lopez via Pexels
COVID-19 Live Chat
Friday at 10 a.m.

The fourth COVID-19 Law Practice Live Chat of 2021 will be this Friday, April 2, and feature an update on the expansion of the Court of Appeals of Virginia, efforts to make the National Labor Relations Act more employer-friendly, updates on Virginia restrictions, and court and case statistics. President Richard H. Ottinger will moderate.

Great articles

Be sure to read the timely substantive and feature articles and columns in the spring issue of the VBA Journal, out in print and digital versions.

Now calling for substantive article ideas for fall. Query editor Marilyn Shaw with a summary of the topic and approach. Articles should be original to the VBA Journal.
Haven't renewed yet? Get current!
If you are among these groups who haven't renewed your VBA membership for 2021, please express your support by doing so now. More than 800 members in 2020 have yet to renew.

Section members in good standing for 2021 will receive Legislative Summaries.

  • Regular 1-5 years in practice: 18
  • Regular 6+ years in practice: 313
  • YLD 1-5 years in practice: 105
  • YLD 6+ years in practice: 97
  • Fall 2019 new admittees: 89
  • Spring 2020 new admittees: 8
  • Government: 52
  • Judicial: 26
  • Retired/disabled: 10
  • Law School Faculty: 9
  • Nonprofit: 8
  • Legal Aid: 4

The 81 Life Members who paid Section dues in 2020 should renew their Section dues or contact staff to update their status to current.

Your 2020 membership and Sections expired Dec. 31, 2020. Act now to avoid any interruption in benefits.

You can securely renew online with a credit card. Simply log in and click on ***Renew Your Membership Now*** at the top of your profile page. It's the fastest way to be in good standing for 2021.
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APRIL

Thursday, April 1-30
Register your organization here

Friday, April 2, 10-11 a.m.
COVID-19 Law Practice Live Chat. Conference call. Free. RSVP.

Monday, April 12, noon-1 p.m.
Zoom webinar. Free. RSVP

Thursday, April 15, 5-6 p.m.

Friday, April 16-Sunday, April 18
In-person, Alexandrian Hotel. Book rooms by April 5 for the discounted rate. 2.0 MCLE Credits have been approved.

Tuesday, April 20
Audit and Finance Committee Meeting

Thursday, April 22, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Friday, April 23-Saturday, April 24
Board of Governors Spring Meeting

Tuesday, April 27
VBAI Board Meeting

Wednesday, April 28, 4:30-5:45 p.m.
Zoom. Free. Register.
Lawyers Building Bridges
Reuniting America Part 2, April 28

Panelists for Lawyers Building Bridges will discuss how and why Virginia lawyers can promote open-minded and civil civic engagement. This program is a sequel to the VBA's January 2019 panel, "Reuniting America: Can We Be Part of the Answer?"
Va. Health Law Legislative Update

The VBA Health Law Section will present its 22nd/23rd Annual Virginia Health Law Legislative Update and Extravaganza on May 11. The fully virtual Zoom conference begins at 12:05 p.m. and ends at 4:30 p.m.

4.0 (1.0 Ethics) MCLE Credits are pending.
Member news, in brief
Terrence L. Graves of Sands Anderson PC in Richmond received the VTLA-VADA Civility and Professionalism Award at at the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association’s 2021 Annual Convention. He is also a member and past president of the Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys.

Agustin Rodriguez with Troutman Pepper is immediate past chair of the board of directors for Housing Opportunities Made Equal of VA.

James T. Bailey, Joseph E. Blackburn III and Jennifer L. Ligon have been elected partners at Williams Mullen in Richmond.

VBA Board of Governors member Charles E. "Chuck" James Jr. has been elected to the board of directors at Williams Mullen in Richmond.

Ryan Starks has joined the commercial litigation practice group at Gentry Locke Attorneys' office in Richmond.

Alexandra Hamm and Jeremy Theisen have joined Byrne Legal Group in Richmond.

Holly Cerasano is an associate in the business law practice at GreeneHurlocker in Richmond.

D. Patrick Callahan is counsel at Sands Anderson, where he has joined the labor and employment practice group.

WFXR-TV featured the first Black female partner at Woods Rogers PLC, Patice L. Holland, during Women's History Month. See the interview.

Spotts Fain PC shareholder John W. Anderson died Feb. 7. He worked at the Richmond firm for 23 years. Read his obituary.

Please share your member news with mshaw@vba.org.
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