vba news journal · 10 • looking back: quips, quotes and memories from past chairs 10 • before...

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE VIRGINIA BAR ASSOCIATION • VOL. XXXII, NO. 6 • DECEMBER 2006/JANUARY 2007

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yldVBA• •

1957-200750 YEARS OF SERVICE

VBA News Journal

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News Journal4 • President’s Page: Happy Anniversary

William R. Van Buren III

7 • VBA Annual Meeting Preview

50 Years of Service: The VBA Young Lawyers Division9 • The VBA/YLD: It’s Good to Belong

Lori D. Thompson

10 • Looking Back:Quips, Quotes and Memories from Past Chairs

10 • Before There Was a YLD:The Committee for Younger Members of the Bar

11 • 50 Years of VBA/YLD Achievements:A Timeline of Key Developments, 1957-2007

13 • 50 Years of Leadership:The Chairs of the VBA Young Lawyers Division

19 • Dedication to the Division:VBA Young Lawyers Division Award Recipients

21 • A Reputation for Excellence:The VBA/YLD and ABA Awards of Achievement

24 • Serving the Public & Profession:VBA Young Lawyers Division Committees

22 • VBA Member Benefits22 • Classifieds

VBA• •

VBA NEWS JOURNAL, the official publication of The Virginia Bar Association (ISSN 1522-0974, USPS 093-110), is published six times per year (December/January, February/March,April/May, June/July, August/September and October/November). Membership duesinclude the cost of one subscription to each member of the Association. Subscription priceto others, $30 per year. Statements or expressions of opinion appearing herein are thoseof the authors and not necessarily those of the Association, and likewise the publicationof any advertisement is not to be construed as an endorsement of the product or serviceunless specifically stated in the advertisement that there is such approval or endorsement.Periodicals postage paid at Richmond, VA 23232. POSTMASTER: Send address changes toThe Virginia Bar Association, 701 East Franklin Street, Suite 1120, Richmond, VA 23219.

701 East Franklin Street, Suite 1120Richmond, VA 23219

(804) 644-0041FAX (804) 644-0052

E-mail: [email protected]: www.vba.org

OUR MISSIONThe Virginia Bar Association is a voluntaryorganization of Virginia lawyerscommitted to serving the public and thelegal profession by promoting the higheststandards of integrity, professionalism,and excellence in the legal profession;working to improve the law and theadministration of justice; and advancingcollegial relations among lawyers.

On the Cover: A montage of photographs of Young Lawyers Division leadersand projects from the archives of The Virginia Bar Association and the personalcollection of Walter J. McGraw (Junior Bar Section Chair, 1963-64).

One hundred forty photographs of Virginia courthouses are contained in Virginia’sHistoric Courthouses, written by John O. and Margaret T. Peters with a forewordby the late Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr.; photographs by John O. Peters; publishedby University Press of Charlottesville; and sponsored by The Virginia BarAssociation. To order the book, call the VBA at (804) 644-0041 or 1-800-644-0987.

PresidentWilliam R. Van Buren III, Norfolk

President -electGlenn C. Lewis, Washington, D.C.

Chair, Board of GovernorsG. Michael Pace Jr., Roanoke

Immediate Past PresidentJames V. Meath, Richmond

Law Practice Management Division ChairDavid H. Sump, Norfolk

Young Lawyers Division ChairLori D. Thompson, Roanoke

Young Lawyers Division Chair-electMatthew E. Cheek, Richmond

Board of GovernorsThe Officers andProf. Margaret I. Bacigal, RichmondStephen D. Busch, RichmondJohn D. Epps, RichmondCheshire I. Eveleigh, Virginia BeachWilliam E. Franczek, NorfolkKaren Turner McWilliams, RestonSteven R. Minor, BristolJ. Lee E. Osborne, RoanokeStephen C. Price, LeesburgGlenn W. Pulley, DanvilleNancy N. Rogers, RichmondHon. Pamela Meade Sargent, AbingdonRichard C. Sullivan Jr., Falls Church

Member of ABA House of DelegatesE. Tazewell Ellett, Alexandria

Legislative CounselHon. Anthony F. Troy, RichmondHon. Robert B. Jones Jr., RichmondAnne Leigh Kerr, Richmond

Executive DirectorGuy K. Tower

Assistant Executive DirectorBrenda J. Dillard

VBA News Journal EditorCaroline B. Cardwell

THE VIRGINIA BAR ASSOCIATIONVOLUME XXXII, ISSUE 6

DECEMBER 2006/JANUARY 2007

4/THE VIRGINIA BAR ASSOCIATION NEWS JOURNAL DECEMBER 2006/JANUARY 2007

Happy AnniversaryBY WILLIAM R. VAN BUREN III

I am grateful for the opportunity you haveafforded me to lead the VBA, an organization ofwhich I am exceedingly proud... to the YoungLawyers Division, I offer you my admiration andmy best wishes for a Happy Anniversary – it’shigh time we celebrated your success.

PRESIDENT’S PAGE

As a former Chair of the YoungLawyers Division, I could not be morepleased to have had the opportunityto participate in the planning of its50th Anniversary celebration. OurAnnual Meeting will be a special tripdown the memory lane of the YLD’sstoried past and a criticallyimportant opportunity to reconnectthe VBA with some of the formeryoung lawyers who have built thefoundation of its great reputation forpublic service.

Year in, year out, the YLD hasmanaged to draw the best andbrightest young lawyers to volunteertheir time and talents to theirinnovative public service programs.Their leadership cultivation anddevelopment efforts continuallyproduce officers where careers in YLDgovernance have become steppingstones for later professionalaccomplishment. These formerleaders include among their ranks aformer Attorney General of Virginia,the current Rector of the Universityof Virginia Board of Visitors, and thecurrent Mayor of the City of Norfolk,whose leadership in the renaissanceof my own hometown will long berecognized.

The legacy of the YLD’s publicservice has been reflected in a longline of awards that we will proudlydisplay in the exhibit area of ourAnnual Meeting. Since 1976, theAmerican Bar Association hasawarded the VBA/YLD 13 first placecomprehensive awards among barsof comparable size and resources, fourfirst-place awards for individualprojects, 10 first-place awards forservice to the public and six first-placeawards for service to the profession.Further, one of the ABA’s mostprestigious awards, the HarrisonTweed Award, was given to the YLDin 1995 in recognition of itsdevelopment and implementation ofthe Pro Bono Hotlines, a pro bonoinitiative that has served countless

indigent citizens in Virginia over the15 years since its conception in 1991.

The VBA Patron Program, whichraises funds for the VBA Foundation,is the principal source of funding forthe YLD’s public service programs.We hope that our patrons who attendthis year’s banquet will take specialpride in the value of theircontributions when they view theremarkable pictorial history of theYLD in the evening’s special slidepresentation.

Two of our most outstanding YLDchairs, Vaughan Aaronson (2002) andRan Randolph (1996), served as co-chairs of the 50th Reunion PlanningCommittee and have done their usualsuperlative job in coordinating anumber of special reunion events,including the Friday eveningreception for past YLD leadership andthe publication of the 50th

anniversary history in this edition ofthe VBA News Journal. Too often, wehave allowed such great YLDcontributors to fade away from ourranks without reemploying them inour senior section activities. With thehelp of our new GovernanceCommittee, we hope to change thatdirection and to remain focused onplacing our graduating YLD talent inpositions of responsibility for thebenefit of the entire association.

Fifteen years ago, I passed the YLDChairman’s gavel to my good friendJim Ballowe. I have always thought

of that year as one of the highlights ofmy professional career. Yet it pales incomparison to the incredibleexperience I have had as President ofthis organization. With the ableassistance of Guy Tower, BrendaDillard and our outstanding staff, theAssociation has undergone anotheryear of significant milestones. True tothe 2006 initiatives identified by yourleadership at last year’s AnnualMeeting and to the strategic goalsendorsed by the Board of Governors,we have accomplished or madesignificant progress on each of thosefronts:

Improving the Lawin the Public Interest

Indigent Defense. Inspired by ourdeparted Board member, RogerGroot, the Board determined thatits highest priority should be theresolution of the constitutional crisiscreated by Virginia’s underfundingof indigent defense. Together withour partners at the Virginia IndigentDefense Coalition, your leadershipworked closely throughout the yearwith Senator Ken Stolle to identifyappropriate strategies to bring thisinequity to the full attention of theGeneral Assembly, the Governorand the public. We met withGovernor Kaine at our SummerMeeting to enlist his support foradditional funding and for system-wide improvements in the way in

DECEMBER 2006/JANUARY 2007 THE VIRGINIA BAR ASSOCIATION NEWS JOURNAL/5

which Virginia addresses itsconstitutional responsibility toprovide indigent persons accused ofcrimes with an appropriate andeffective defense. In response to theseefforts, Governor Kaine appointed aTask Force headed by Mark Rubin,one of his chief strategists. GuyTower and I spent many hours thisfall participating in Task Forcemeetings. I am pleased to reportthat, on December 15, 2006, theGovernor announced his proposedbudget amendments to the secondyear of the 2006-08 biennial budgetand that those amendments includean additional $9,000,000 to fundappropriate waivers of the existingfee caps for court appointed counsel,$1,200,000 to fund increases inpublic defender salaries to reduceattrition in their offices, $1,500,000to fund 18 new public defenderpositions and $833,280 to fund eightnew positions in the capitaldefender offices. It will be incumbentupon each of us, with the help of ourlobbyists, to convince the GeneralAssembly of the importance ofpreserving these proposed budgetamendments in order that we mighthelp elevate Virginia from itsdisgraceful position as the last of all50 states with regard to the fundingof court-appointed counsel.

Professionalism and CollegialityVBA Professionalism Task Force. For

well over a year, we have activelylobbied the Supreme Court andother statewide bar organizationswith the goal of convincing each ofthem of the merits of adoptingaspirational Principles ofProfessionalism to serve as a verypublic statement of the importanceVirginia lawyers place onprofessionalism and integrity. I amdelighted to report that the SupremeCourt has recently endorsed ourefforts to develop and propose a setof such principles for theirconsideration and potentialadoption. As a result, I have askedTom Spahn to serve as Chair of aspecial VBA Task Force onProfessionalism. Justice DonaldLemons of the Supreme Court hasgraciously agreed to serve on thisTask Force. Additional members willinclude a diverse and respectedgroup of leaders from Virginia’s

legal community, includingrepresentatives from the judiciary,Virginia’s law schools and manyother statewide bar associations.We expect this Task Force to bringforward a set of aspirationalPrinciples of Professionalism forconsideration by the SupremeCourt. If endorsed and adopted bythe Court, we hope that theseprinciples will be published with theCode of Professional Responsibilityand that they will be continuallyused as a teaching tool in the lawschools and in professionalismcourses presented to theCommonwealth’s lawyers. Over adozen states have already adoptedsimilar principles that haveproduced positive benefits for theprofession in the jurisdictions inwhich they have been adopted.

Service to the BarJudicial Selection Process. Improving

the confidence of the Bar and thepublic in the judicial selectionprocess has been an important partof our strategic focus. Clearly, theconstitutional responsibility for theappointment of judges in theCommonwealth resides with theVirginia General Assembly and it isnot the role of the bar associations tousurp that authority. Nonetheless, theconfidence of the public is enhancedby our measured and appropriateinvolvement in the process as animportant resource that can ably and,perhaps uniquely, provide qualitativeadvice regarding candidates’qualifications and standing at the bar.Working closely with a number ofthe lawyer-legislators in the GeneralAssembly, including Senators Stolle,John Edwards and Ryan McDougleand Delegates Dave Albo and MichèleMcQuigg, we have encouraged thecreation of a Joint Subcommittee onJudicial Selection by the Courts ofJustice Committees of the House andSenate. This Subcommittee, co-chaired by Senator McDougle andDelegate McQuigg, graciouslyinvited our input regarding theprocess for the appointment ofstatewide judgeships. Based onthose initial meetings, we areencouraged that the Subcommitteewill adopt rules requiring thatcandidates for statewide judicialoffices must be identified publicly by

a date significantly in advance of thevote determining the appointment.This process should ensure that theVBA Committee on Nominations toVirginia Commissions and AppellateCourts can adequately review andevaluate each potential candidate forjudicial office. Previous timing ofthese appointments often allowedcandidates to completely avoid anytype of review and led to theperception that Virginia was doingless than it could to ensure the qualityof the selection process. We trust thischange will allow the VBA to play ameaningful role in serving as aresource to the legislature in assistingwith the evaluation of alternativecandidates and that it will enhancethe confidence of the Bar and thepublic in both the judicial andlegislative branches.

Service to the PublicCommunity Service Program and the

YLD. In 2006, over 500 lawyers inVirginia committed to rendering 50or more hours of community and/orpro bono service as part of ourCommunity Service Program. And,of course, the very focal point of ourpublic service efforts has always beenour outstanding Young LawyersDivision. This year, I am particularlyproud of their new joint venture withJunior Achievement which has placedyoung lawyers in high schools to talkwith students about business ethics.The students gain wonderful rolemodels, the profession gets a muchneeded boost to its image, and theyoung lawyers involved experiencetremendous opportunities to networkwith volunteer business executivesactive with Junior Achievement.

With a staff of seven and an annualbudget short of $1,400,000, TheVirginia Bar Association achieves anextraordinary return on your duesinvestment. In his first full year, GuyTower has firmly taken the reins ofour venerable organization, built asolid, capable and efficient teamaround him and forged positiverelationships with all of our coreconstituencies. Brenda Dillard, nowpromoted to Assistant ExecutiveDirector, oversees two large andinvolved meetings of our associationeach year as well as numerous Boardmeetings, conferences and celebrations.


In my judgment, there simply is no better meeting planner inthe business. Caroline Cardwell, director of VBAcommunications, coordinates six VBA News Journalpublications a year and in her “spare” time has helped uslaunch two new electronic publications this year, TheComplete Lawyer and Just a Minute!, our electronic newsletterauthored by Guy Tower. Our new finance director, AnneBryant, our YLD coordinator, Jeremy Dillon, and staffmembers John Wimer and Dana Snead round out a veryspecial team that has offered me tireless support on whatoften seems like a 24/7 basis.

Let me add a few more points of pride with regard towhat has been accomplished by your staff in 2006:

· Establishment of a new joint venture with VirginiaCLE to produce DVDs of key CLE programs at VBAmeetings for subsequent marketing and distribution (withall VBA members receiving significant discounts);

· Activation of online meeting registration andmembership applications and renewals;

· Launch of the Law Practice Management newsletter;· Establishment of discounted meeting registrations for

judges, government lawyers and legislators;· Establishment of a non-dues paying category of

membership for Virginia’s lawyer-legislators;· Coordination and hosting of the first Virginia U. S.

Senate debate between George Allen and Jim Webb;· Establishment of a working relationship with the

Attorney General’s office to promote the involvement ofdeputy attorneys general on the governing councils ofkey substantive law sections;

· Solidifying outreach efforts with corporate sponsors,including growth in sponsorship revenue in excess of 25percent;

· Launch of our electronic newsletter, Just a Minute!;· Expansion of the VBA Board of Governors to include a

designated legislative seat; and· Recommendation and adoption of a written policy

concerning the administration of political debates by theVBA.

In addition, the Virginia Bar Association Foundationhas committed to be a principal sponsor of the Rule ofLaw Conference scheduled for April 2007 at the Universityof Richmond in celebration of the 400th anniversary ofJamestown. In conjunction with the Inns of Court ofAmerica and Great Britain and the T.C. Williams Schoolof Law, we look forward to taking a leadership role incelebrating our treasured legal traditions.

In closing, I am grateful for the opportunity you haveafforded me to lead The Virginia Bar Association, anorganization of which I am exceedingly proud. I havebeen elevated by my service in the distinguished companyof a passionate and dedicated Board and in the shadow ofthe many past leaders who have taught me by the force oftheir own example.

And to the Young Lawyers Division, I offer you myadmiration and my best wishes for a Happy Anniversary– it’s high time we celebrated your success.

Announcing Two ProgramsInstitute of Law, Psychiatry and Public Policy,

University of Virginiawww.ilppp.virginia.edu

January 25-26, 2007: Advanced ForensicEvaluation: Expanding Practice Parameters

January 25Stephen Porter, M.D.

Child Custody EvaluationsAmy Posey, Ph.D.

Scientific Jury Selection: Applications and EffectivenessJanuary 26

Mark Zelig, Ph.D., ABPPAssessing for High Risk Occupations

March 16, 2007: Mental Health and the LawSymposium: Civil Commitment Reform in Virginia

Keynote Address byLeroy Rountree Hassell, Chief Justice of Virginia

Richard J. Bonnie, Chair of the Chief Justice’sCommission on Mental Health Law Reform

Both programs will be in Charlottesville, Va.For program and continuing education information,

please contact els2e@virginia or (434) 924-5126.For registration information, please [email protected] or (434) 924-5435.


The 117th VBA Annual MeetingWILLIAMSBURG LODGE & CONFERENCE CENTER JANUARY 18-21, 2007

Schedule of EventsTHURSDAY, JANUARY 18Virginia CLE Committee Meeting10 a.m.-NoonVirginia Law Foundation Committee & Board Meetings10 a.m.-5 p.m.VBA Board of Governors (2006) Luncheon & MeetingNoon-4:30 p.m.Registration and Information Desk Open2-6 p.m.Friends of Bill W. (Open meeting)5-6 p.m.Welcome ReceptionCourtesy of Colonial Williamsburg6:30-7:30 p.m.Virginia Law Foundation Fellows Dinner & Induction7:30-9:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 19Registration and Information Desk Open8 a.m.-6 p.m.Continental BreakfastCourtesy of Virginia Business8:15-9:15 a.m.Past Presidents Council Breakfast8:30-9:30 a.m.Section & Committee Business Meetings8:30-9:30 a.m.Exhibits8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.CLE Programs: Concurrent Sessions (Separate listing)9:30-11 a.m.Culinary Demonstration/Tasting (Separate registration/fee)10-11:30 a.m.YLD Law School Liaison Recruiting Roundtable10 a.m.-NoonGENERAL SESSION: “Marketing by Associates: Increasingthe Bottom Line While Training.” A presentation by the LawPractice Management Division.11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.Virginia Association of Defense AttorneysBoard Luncheon MeetingNoon-4:30 p.m.

VBA Legacy Series Luncheon Program: “Jamestown 1607,Quebec 1608, Santa Fe 1609: Three North AmericanBeginnings.” A presentation by Dr. James C. Kelly of theVirginia Historical Society on behalf of the VBA Committee onSpecial Issues of National and State Importance. (Registerseparately; additional fee for lunch)12:30-2 p.m.YLD Executive Committee/Council Luncheon& Passing of the Gavel12:30-2 p.m.GENERAL SESSION: “From Jamestown to Washington,D.C. — The Challenge of Immigration: What if the NativeAmericans Had Built a Wall?”Courtesy of Hunton & Williams LLPA presentation by the VBA Committee on Special Issues ofNational and State Importance and the Miller Center ofPublic Affairs.2:15-3:45 p.m.GENERAL SESSION: “Improving Virginia’s Jury System: ACall to Action.” A presentation by the Judiciary CommitteeJury Reform Task Force and the Judicial Section.4-5:30 p.m.Friends of Bill W. (Open meeting)5-6 p.m.Reception (Black tie)Courtesy of LexisNexis6:30-7:30 p.m.Banquet and Dance (Black tie)Banquet courtesy of The McCammon GroupOur banquet will be a tribute honoring the 50th anniversaryof the VBA Young Lawyers Division. It will be short on remarksand long on entertainment!7 p.m.

After-Dinner Dance Music by “The Entertainers”Courtesy of U.S. Bank Corporate Trust Services

and Equity Concepts, QA3After-Dinner President’s Reception

Courtesy of Kaufman & Canoles, PC, & The Lewis Law FirmYLD After-Hours SocialCourtesy of LeClair RyanJoin members of the YLD to participate in after-hours“gambols,” the popular tavern games of Colonial times!10:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 20Annual Breakfast and Business Meeting (Spouses andguests welcome)Courtesy of Minnesota Lawyers Mutual Insurance Co.and Virginias Legal Directories8 a.m. (Continued)


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Registration and Information Desk Open8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.Exhibits8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.CLE Programs: Concurrent Sessions (Separate listing)9 a.m.-NoonSpouse/Guest Program: A Reading by White Lies AuthorSarah Honenberger. (No fee, but advance registrationis required)10-11 a.m.ReceptionCourtesy of SunTrust BankNoon-1 p.m.Managing Partners Roundtable Luncheon: “Developingthe Next Generation of Great Virginia Lawyers.”Courtesy of BB&TSponsored by the Law Practice Management Division.(Register separately; additional fee for lunch)1-2:30 p.m.VBA Board of Governors (2007) Luncheon & Meeting2:30-5 p.m.

Educational ProgramsFRIDAY, JANUARY 199:30-11 a.m.“Restorative Justice: An Alternative Approach toCriminal Justice,” Virginia Joint ADR Committee, CriminalLaw and Judicial Sections, 1.5 credits.“Bankruptcy Law Essentials for the Employment LawGeneralist,” Bankruptcy Law and Labor Relations &Employment Law Sections, 1.5 credits.“Down the Slippery Slope: Applying Public CompanyGovernance Rules to Private Companies and Nonprofits,”Business Law and Corporate Counsel Sections, 1.5 credits.“Family Law Confidentiality — The Mental HealthProvider and the Family Coordinator,” Domestic Relationsand Judicial Sections, 1.5 credits.“Privacy Matters: How and Why Technology Moves FasterThan the Law Can Develop,” Intellectual Property andInformation Technology Law Section, 1.5 credits.“Charitable Giving and Retirement Plan DistributionChanges Under the Pension Protection Act,” Taxationand Wills, Trusts & Estates Sections, 1.5 credits.11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.“Marketing by Associates: Increasing the Bottom LineWhile Training Future Leaders,” a presentation by the VBALaw Practice Management Division. No credits.12:30-2 p.m.VBA Legacy Series Luncheon Program: “Jamestown 1607,Quebec 1608, Santa Fe 1609: Three North AmericanBeginnings,” a presentation by Dr. James C. Kelly of theVirginia Historical Society on behalf of the VBA Committee on

Special Issues of National and State Importance. No credits.Register separately; additional fee for lunch.2:15-3:45 p.m.GENERAL SESSION: “From Jamestown to Washington,D.C. — The Challenge of Immigration: What if the NativeAmericans Had Built a Wall?” A presentation by the VBACommittee on Special Issues of National and StateImportance and the Miller Center of Public Affairs. Spousesand guests are welcome and encouraged to attend. 1.5credits.4-5:30 p.m.GENERAL SESSION: “Improving Virginia’s Jury System: ACall to Action,” a presentation by the Judiciary CommitteeJury Reform Task Force and the Judicial Section. Spousesand guests are welcome and encouraged to attend. 1.5credits.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 209-10:30 a.m.“ED-ucating Yourself About Electronic Discovery,” CivilLitigation Section, 1.5 credits.“Clinical Drug Trials Under the Microscope: Ethical andLegal Concerns,” Health Law Section, 1.5 credits.“Taking Control: Strategies for Your Career and YourLife,” Law Practice Management Division, no credits.“Virginia Goes Digital: Electronic Signatures, ElectronicNotarization and Secure Remote Access to LandRecords,” Real Estate Section, 1.5 credits.Problems and Solutions in Shipping and Traveling—A Two-part Presentation. “Part I: So You Want to Ship? YourClient’s Rights with Regard to Freight Lost or Damaged inTransit,” or “Who Broke My Piano and Who Is Going toPay?” Transportation Law Section, 1.5 credits.10:30 a.m.-Noon“Emerging Issues in Energy Policy and DevelopmentProjects in the Commonwealth,” Administrative Law andEnvironment, Natural Resources & Energy Law Sections, 1.5credits.“Cameras in the Courtroom: Welcome Openness or AnnUninvited Guest?” Civil Litigation Section, 1.5 credits.“Learning to Think — and React— Like a SeasonedEmployment Lawyer,” Labor Relations & Employment LawSection, 1.5 credits.“The Law Firm’s Responsibility to the ImpairedAttorney,” Lawyers Helping Lawyers, 1.5 credits/1.5 ethics.1-2:30 p.m.Managing Partners Roundtable Luncheon: “Developing theNext Generation of Great Virginia Lawyers,” sponsored bythe Law Practice Management Division, no credits. Registerseparately; additional fee for lunch.

The VBA Community Service Program will sponsor acollection at the Annual Meeting of new or gently usedgloves, mittens, hats, scarves and coats for both adultsand children. Collection boxes (including one for cashdonations) will be available at the CSP exhibit. Donationswill go to two Williamsburg nonprofits: Avalon, a domesticviolence shelter for women and children, and FISH, anorganization which offers food, clothing and transportationto thousands of children and adults each year.


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onIn January of each year, peopleeverywhere (lawyers included) take timeto reflect on the accomplishments of thepast year and to set goals for the year tocome. It seems particularly appropriateas we celebrate the 50th anniversary of theVBA Young Lawyers Division.

This past year proved to be anothersuccessful year for the YLD, brought aboutby the countless hours of servicecontributed by members of the ExecutiveCouncil and Executive Committee. Theseyoung lawyers reflect the best attributesof our legal profession. They are dedicatedto improving the communities in whichwe live and work and to furthering the ideals of The Virginia Bar Association.What they gave:

While managing the demands of raising young children, managing busy practicesand serving the community through other worthwhile public service organizations,these lawyers managed, not only to continue the 60-plus programs already in placeto serve members of the bar and the public, but also to plan and implement newprojects and to expand services previously rendered. Legal Food Frenzy, YouthCourt expansion, and the Choose Law program to promote diversity in the legalprofession were all introduced during the past year.What they got:

In return for their service, members of the Executive Council and Committee alsoreceived much in return.

In 2006, we established a referral network by creating the VBA/YLD PracticeDirectory, which lists Executive Council and Committee members by practice areasand geographic region to facilitate locating other young lawyers in theCommonwealth when a referral needs to be made. We implemented “happy hours”for YLD members to provide networking opportunities. We restructured YLDmeetings to allow for smaller, more intimate brainstorming sessions to promoteinteractions among members and to pool our collective energies for the bettermentof our programs. We continued our social functions held in conjunction with theVBA Annual and Summer Meetings, including bowling at The Homestead until 1a.m. (when the doors were finally locked) and gambols planned for the Williamsburg

meeting. We also heldsocial events with LawSchool Council membersat the University ofVirginia School of Lawand the Washington &Lee School of Law duringmeetings in those areas.

Although these reflecttangible benefits ofactive membership in theYLD, there are othersignificant intangibles

that we remember, such as the feeling of accomplishment that comes with servingthe public and the friendships made with other young lawyers around the statethat will endure long after a “YLD” member becomes an “OLD” member.

For these reasons and others, young lawyers have been saying for 50 years that“it’s good to belong.”

The VBA/YLD: It’s Good to BelongBY LORI D. THOMPSON, Chair, VBA Young Lawyers Division

The 2006 VBA/YLD officers: Chair-electMatt Cheek, Chair Lori Thompson andSecretary-Treasurer Livy Haskell.

Members of the 2006 Executive Council, with spouses andfamilies, continue a tradition of family-friendly YLD events.

Fifty years have passed, the names (the Junior Bar Section of TheVirginia State Bar Association) have been changed, hundreds ofanecdotes have accumulated and thousands of lives have beentouched by the VBA Young Lawyers Division. Here, we includecomments by all Young Lawyer chairs since 1957. Some werewritten specifically for this issue; some (in quotes) were pulledfrom past publications; all reflect the work, the achievements,the energy and the enduring camaraderie of the Division.


Looking BackQuotes, quips and memories from past chairs

“For two years the SpecialCommittee on Younger Members ofthe Bar has worked on plans lookingtowards the formation of a Junior BarSection and it is respectfully urgedupon the membership that approvalbe given to the project.”

Vernon M. Geddy Jr., 1957

“During the first year of itsexistence, we hope that the JuniorBar Section has made sufficientprogress to justify the belief of itsproponents that it will be a usefulbranch of the Association. At itsorganizational meeting last summer,the Section voted to affiliate with theJunior Bar Conference of the AmericanBar Association. This affiliation has

proved most helpful in providing abroader base for cooperation and theexchange of ideas between theyounger lawyers of Virginia andthose in the rest of the nation.”

G.R.C. Stuart, 1957-58

“The Section at its annual meetingon August 1, 1958, showed a largeincrease in attendance over that of itsinception meeting in 1957, and theprimary business of the... meetingwas that of adoption of bylaws forthe Section. Following the annualmeeting of the Section, a cocktail partyand reception was held... wellattended by the members of theSection and their wives, and suchsocial function, as is usually the case,gave the members an opportunity tobecome better acquainted.”

William L. Shapero, 1958-59

“The National Moot CourtCommittee, under the chairmanshipof William A. Forrest Jr., sponsoredthe National Moot Court Competitionfor Region Six... Many members of theAssociation and the Section contributedto the success of the competition... byrendering services too numerous tomention.”

Angus H. Macaulay Jr., 1959-60

“During my term as chairman, theSection continued and expanded itsefforts to provide voluntarycontinuing legal education for all andto foster younger lawyers’ increasedparticipation in the Association’saffairs, but you can read all aboutthis in the annual reports. Mostly, Iremember the fun.... That year [1962],for Law Day, the Section organizedthe first citizenship ceremony everheld… The irrepressible, optimisticjoy of these people, their friends andrelatives was palpable, producingpleasurable feelings that linger to thisday.”

Charles W. Laughlin, 1961-62

“Of moment is the recognition ofthe active role of the Junior Bar Sectionby the unanimous approval by theExecutive Committee... that theChairman of the Junior Bar Sectionserve as an ex officio member of theAssociation’s Executive Committee...On August 30, 1962, the VirginiaLawyer’s Basic Practice Handbook, jointlypublished by the Junior Bar Sectionand the Joint Committee on

Before there was a “Young Lawyers Division,” a “Young Lawyers Section,” oreven the “Junior Bar Section,” there was the “Special Committee on YoungerMembers of the Bar,” created in 1937 by the Virginia State Bar Association, as theVBA was then known. For 20 years, the Committee sought to encourage younglawyers to join the Association and to attend Annual Meetings.

In honor of the 70th anniversary of this predecessor of the VBA/YLD, the VBANews Journal reprints the following excerpts from the Committee’s account inthe Association’s 1938 Annual Report:

“Having fixed arbitrarily the maximum age limit for ’younger members of thebar’ at 35 years, we began the rather indeterminate job of soliciting membershipsfrom the more youthful attorneys....In order to insure a systematic canvassing inthe future, our Committee resolved to obtain a list of all persons passing the StateBar examinations... and then to solicit the victims, getting them just as they leavethe cradle... As for the second part of the program... it is our opinion that, as longas annual meetings are held, most young lawyers prefer them to be at so-called‘resort hotels,’ even though they cannot afford to attend the sessions regularly...

“The following recommendations were adopted unanimously... that theadmission fee and/or annual dues during the three full Association fiscal yearssucceeding the date on which any member or applicant passes the Virginia StateBar examination shall be $3.00... that the holding of annual meetings of TheVirginia State Bar Association be continued at so-called ‘resort hotels,’ but thatthe Association attempt to secure some differential in rates...in favor of themembers of the Association less than 35 years of age...

“That a gathering, entirely social, for younger members of the Association andtheir friends be held some time during the annual meeting of 1938... That thePresident's Special Committee on Younger Members of the Bar be continued inexistence for the purposes of increasing the number of young lawyers in TheVirginia State Bar Association and of increasing the number of younger membersof the Association at the annual meetings.”

THE COMMITTEE FOR YOUNGER MEMBERS OF THE BAR

before there was a yld


1957: VBA bylaws amended toestablish a permanent Junior BarSection of members 36 years of ageor younger. Section sponsors aspecial ceremony to introduceattorneys to the Supreme Court ofVirginia.

1956: The Special Committee forYounger Members of the Bar, founded in1937, proposes the establishment of aJunior Bar Section. The Committee hadsought to recruit and involve youngermembers and had addressed the needsof veterans reentering the legalprofession after World War II.

50 years of VBA/YLD achievements...

Continuing Legal Education... wasplaced on sale to the members of thebar.”

Frank O. Meade, 1962-63

During the fiscal year 1963-64, theJunior Bar Section of The Virginia BarAssociation enjoyed an enviableperiod of productivity and success.Following my election as Chairman,Bob Rogers was designatedChairman-elect, Collins Denny toserve as Secretary. The designatedExecutive Committee was composedof Jack Kay, Frank Shepherd, JimCovington and Breck Arrington.

Skip Forrest accepted appointmentas Chairman of the Awards Committeeand named the personnel who wereto assist him in organizing andpreparing an appropriate entry forjudgment by the American BarAssociation to determine the mostfunctional Junior Bar in the UnitedStates for its size of membership.Ultimately, the Virginia entry tookfirst place in its class and Skip, FrankMeade and I accepted award plaquesin New York and Chicago.

Another accomplishment wasgaining a voting seat on the Board ofGovernors of the Association. GeorgeCochran, who was the President-electand Charlie Blanton, the Association’ssecretary and treasurer, were bothmost helpful and influential in thiseffort.

Finally the members of the Sectionprepared, edited and published thefirst edition of the Senior Citizens’Handbook, which when distributedwas gratefully received by theinterested general public because ofthe information it contained.

Among the many amusing eventswhich took place during the year wasa request from Tom Gordon of Charlieto please stop while driving to a Boardof Governors meeting to be held inStaunton. Gordon’s home was inGoochland and he wished us to movehis outside plants inside the house toavoid an anticipated freeze to takeplace while he was at the meeting.This effort on our part took almost anhour and when the three of us arrivedlate for the meeting and the excusewas made, a great deal of laughterwas enjoyed by the assembled group.

Walter J. McGraw, 1963-64

“This Section got off to a flying startin receiving from the Young Lawyers

Conference of the American BarAssociation an award for outstandingaccomplishments during the pastyear. This award, second place in acategory involving competition from11 other states, was presented to lastyear’s chairman at the ABA meetingin New York.... [A new] committee,concerned with defense of indigents,quickly moved into something of avacuum in Virginia, and has renderedunlimited service in focusing attentionon a problem which has becomesuddenly acute....This Committee willalso work with the ProgramCommittee in presenting at theAnnual Meeting a program dealingwith possible adoption of the PublicDefender System in Virginia.”

Robert J. Rogers, 1964-65

I suspect that the politics of theYoung Lawyers Division is quite a bitmore structured today than the JuniorBar Section was accustomed to in the1960s. It was on our way to the 1963Annual Meeting of the VBA thatAngus Macaulay suggested that henominate me for secretary of theJunior Bar Section. He did, I waselected, and thus began myprogression to chairman in two years.No mess, no fuss, just automatic. Thesame progression occurred for BreckArrington and Andy Miller whosucceeded me as chairmen over thenext two years, although they hadfirst taken side trips to chair the stateYoung Democrats in the same order.They were quite obviously moreseasoned politicians.

In those years, Jack Edmunds andhis Junior Bar committee completed

the first edition of The Virginia Lawyerand started the Bridge-the-Gapseminars for young lawyers. We alsoput a lot of emphasis on ourparticipation in the Junior Bar Sectionof the American Bar Association bothnationally and as its local arm inVirginia. We competed with otherstate junior bars on the quality of ourstate programs and did quiterespectably, as I recall.

But above all, we had fun in theJunior Bar at Virginia Annual Meetingsand at ABA meetings. I suppose thatwe did some good for our brethren. Iknow that we had fun doing it.

Collins Denny III, 1965-66

Today the Young Lawyers Divisionis, more than ever, a mainspring of thefinest work of The Virginia BarAssociation. It is our principal publicservice arena. It is the breeding groundfor future leadership. It is fertile soilfor our legendary collegiality. In fact,the present-day Association knowsno greater blessing than the work ofthe present-day Young LawyersDivision.

Yet truly the past is indeedprologue, and the seeds for presentYLD eminence were planted years ago.1966-67 was the last term before theJunior Bar Section metamorphosedinto the Younger (now Young)Lawyers Section (now Division). Itwas a year that began with thedefection of Association President-elect Bill Spong to an arguably highercalling in the U.S. Senate and endedwith the membership of this augustAssociation truly integrated for thefirst time. In between these events –

The Section in 1960 was truly a “babe in arms” compared to[the Division] today. The senior bar was just beginning torecognize the energy and skill of the young lawyers, andthat more and more responsibility could be placed on theSection with success. Ed Ed Ed Ed Edwwwwward ard ard ard ard TTTTT..... Caton III, Caton III, Caton III, Caton III, Caton III, 1960-61 1960-61 1960-61 1960-61 1960-61


1959: Award ofAchievementCommittee established.

1958: Section obtainsauthority to sponsor theregional competition ofthe 10th National MootCourt Competition ofthe Association of theBar of the City of NewYork for 1959.

1960: Section isrequested to handleall tournamentarrangements atAnnual Meetings.

1961: Manual andlectures for a“Bridge-the-Gap”course prepared.Annual MeetingCommittee sponsorsfirst program.

1962: The BasicPractice Handbookoffered for sale.Junior Bar firstreferred to as“Young LawyersSection.”

both fueled by Section membersentiment as progressive steps for theCommonwealth and the Association– the level of Section activity roseperceptibly, buttressed by thevulnerability of the genial President-on-little-notice, A.C. Epps, and thelong-suffering Secretary, CharlieBlanton, to help, from whateversource available. They were generousin providing richer opportunities forSection participation in ExecutiveCommittee deliberations andAssociation committee activities.

While 1966-67, like any year, ishard to separate from the continuumof our history, there was the exerciseof a growing sense of commitment toservice to the organized bar andpublic at large. There were stapleprojects (The Docket newsletter, goodtimes, tournament conduct, programpresentation, admissions ceremonies,Law Day observances, law schoolliaisons and continuing legaleducation), new initiatives completed(first publication of The Virginia Lawyerpractice handbook, state survey ondefense of indigents, lawyer placementservice) and new initiatives begun(committees on legislation and onpublic relations; local Junior Bar units,Legal Aid and indigency projects).Participation levels were the best yet;there were more meetings, too. TheSection fostered a resolution puttingthe Association on record for the firsttime as recognizing responsibility tothe statewide problem of indigentdefense. Similarly, we rejuvenatedthe topic of a Clients’ Security Fund.

The hallmark of the year was amaturation of the works of the Sectionleavened by a sense of outreach –

increasing meaningful activity interms of the obligation of the lawyeras professional and as citizen. Thus,in that bygone time, the service of theSection foreshadowed the successesnow so evident.

C. B. “Breck” Arrington Jr., 1966-67

“This has been an exciting andproductive year for the YoungLawyers Section — one in which theSection gave new direction to itsefforts. In the past, we have beenmainly concerned with happenings,programs and projects within theprofession. This year we turned, withgreat success, to projects aimedtoward the public. Previously,individual attorneys participated incommunity programs, as attorneys.This year, community projects [Lawand Clergy Seminar for ministers,speakers’ bureau, informationalprograms on drug abuse] wereundertaken in the name of TheAssociation... For the first time in itshistory, the Section went ontelevision.”

Hon. David G. Simpson, 1968-69

“A stated objective of the Section’sleadership for the past several yearshas been to increase the number ofyoung lawyers actively working onthe Section’s programs on the locallevel across the state... The principalreason for the emphasis on increasedlocal participation is that a majorproject of the Section is the developmentof law-related programs for Virginia’shigh school students. It is apparentthat such programs cannot besuccessfully carried on without activesupport in the locality concerned... Of

particular note is the interestingproject undertaken by the CrimeControl Committee under theleadership of Assistant AttorneyGeneral Gerald L. Baliles of Richmond.”

Jesse B. Wilson III, 1969-70

The Young Lawyers Section wasvery active in 1970-71. During thisperiod of time, young lawyers acrossthe state were encouraged to developsections for young lawyers in theirlocal bar associations so that ourprograms would have morestatewide exposure. While Sectionprograms and activities have longprovided great opportunities forpublic service that benefit from legalskills and training, the main attractionfor the Section over the years has beena social one. Good lawyers fromvarious parts of the state have thechance to meet regularly and enjoybeing together. The friends made inthese early days have lasted a lifetimefor many of us and have made thepractice of law in Virginia a muchmore pleasant experience. We haveall grown up together in thiswonderful bar organization weknow as The Virginia Bar Association.It has occupied a very special place inmy life and I suspect in the lives ofmany of us.

Hugh L. Patterson, 1970-71

“Our major undertaking was theimplementation of a program ofeducation concerning the rights andresponsibilities of a citizen in a freesociety.... A most significant ongoingresponsibility of our Section involvesthe planning of portions of theprograms at the Midwinter andAnnual Meetings and the conduct ofthe tournaments and presentation ofa major social function at the AnnualMeeting.”

Roderick W. Mathews, 1972-73

“From the standpoint of tangibleresults during the past year, ourcommittees on disaster legal assistance

It serves as a training ground for future leadership in theprofession... However, participation in the Section results in farmore than a form of postgraduate education... The efforts ofthe Section’s members enhance the role of the Association bystrengthening the contribution of the Bar to our social fabric.

Hon.Hon.Hon.Hon.Hon. Andre Andre Andre Andre Andrew Pw Pw Pw Pw P..... Miller Miller Miller Miller Miller,,,,, 1967-68 1967-68 1967-68 1967-68 1967-68

The Chairman... cannot help but be made aware in a verygratifying way of the valuable reservoir of talent which theSection represents... Moreover, it is in the majority of thecases through the indulgence of the senior members of theAssociation... that their younger partners and associatesfind time to pursue our projects.

Thomas T. Lawson, 1971-72


CHAIRS OF THE VBA YOUNG LAWYERS DIVISION

50 years of leadershipHon. Vernon M. Geddy Jr., 1957*G.R.C. Stuart, 1957-58Hon. William L. Shapero, 1958-59*Angus H. Macaulay Jr., 1959-60*Hon. Edward T. Caton III, 1960-61Charles W. Laughlin, 1961-62Frank O. Meade, 1962-63Walter J. McGraw, 1963-64Robert J. Rogers, 1964-65*Collins Denny III, 1965-66Charles B. Arrington Jr., 1966-67Hon. Andrew P. Miller, 1967-68Hon. David G. Simpson, 1968-69Jesse B. Wilson III, 1969-70Hugh L. Patterson,1970-71Thomas T. Lawson, 1971-72Roderick B. Mathews, 1972-73Kenneth S. White, 1973 & 1974John W. Pearsall III, 1975J. Robert McAllister III, 1976C. Edward Russell Jr., 1977James A.L. Daniel, 1978David Craig Landin, 1979Charles F. Midkiff, 1980Thomas C. Brown Jr., 1981Clifford A. Cutchins IV, 1982

Hon. John E. Wetsel Jr., 1983Hon. Paul D. Fraim, 1984William G. Hancock, 1985Charles M. Lollar, 1986Thomas F. Farrell II, 1987Peggy O’Neil Haines, 1988David G. Shuford, 1989Stephen D. Busch, 1990William R. Van Buren III, 1991James E. Ballowe Jr., 1992Alison M. McKee, 1993Robert L. Brooke, 1994Matthew W. Broughton, 1995Alfred M. Randolph Jr., 1996John L. Walker III, 1997Harry M. Johnson III, 1998Philip W. Parker, 1999James V. Ingold, 2000David N. Anthony, 2001Vaughan Gibson Aaronson, 2002Stephen D. Otero, 2003King F. Tower, 2004R. Braxton Hill IV, 2005Lori D. Thompson, 2006Matthew E. Cheek, 2007 chair-elect*deceased

1963: ExecutiveCommittee votesunanimously thatJunior Bar Chair serveas an ex officiomember; Junior Barprogram of servicesignificantlyexpanded.

1965: First ABAAward ofAchievementreceived; Legal Aidand Defense ofIndigent Committeesestablished.

1967: ABA LiaisonCommitteeestablished;Law School LiaisonCommitteeimplemented.

1966: Panels of youngattorneys speakbefore law schoolgraduating classesfor first time.

1964: Law DayCommitteeestablished.

and the publication of The VirginiaLawyer stand out conspicuously. TheDisaster Legal Assistance Committee,under the leadership of Guy K. Tower,began and completed a statewideorganizational program made up ofmembers of the Young LawyersSection....Under the chairmanship ofHullihen W. Moore, The Virginia LawyerCommittee completely revised 14chapters and added a new chapter onproducts liability.”

Kenneth S. White, 1973-74

“The Young Lawyers Section wasparticularly active in 1975, with theemphasis being on public service andeducation. The biggest singleundertaking was hosting the firststatewide conference on law-relatededucation for all 137 Virginia publicschool districts.... Apparently this wasthe first time any state had tried tointroduce the concept of law-relatededucation to all its educators at once.The enthusiastic response confirmedthat the Conference represented a bigstep toward the implementation of law-related education throughout the state.”

John W. Pearsall III, 1975

One 1976 VBA/YLD accomplishmentstood out above the rest. It was theproduction by the Division (withfinancial assistance from the ABA/YLD) of a 30-minute color film on theUnited States Supreme Court – thefirst such film ever authorized by theCourt.

The film was the project of theYLD’s Law Day Committee, andfeatured interviews with Chief JusticeWarren E. Burger, Associate JusticeLewis F. Powell Jr., and AssociateJustice Tom C. Clark (Retired).Representatives of the YLD activelyparticipated in all aspects of thefilming at the Court.

The YLD surmounted manyhurdles, financial and otherwise, toproduce the film. Quite significantwas the fact that this exciting projectwas arranged, approved by the

Supreme Court and the filmproduced for viewing in May 1976in a period of less than two months,and on a total budget of $10,000.

An outstanding success, the award-winning Supreme Court film wasdistributed nationwide with theassistance of the ABA/YLD, was shownon National Public Broadcasting andwas continuously shown for manyyears at the Supreme Court during

normal business hours in a theatreconstructed for that exclusive purpose.The film produced by the YLD in 1976was ultimately replaced by an updatedsuccessor film in which the VBA/YLDalso participated.

My congratulations to the VBA/YLD on the 50th Anniversary of itsvaluable service!

J. Robert McAllister III, 1976


1972: SectionExecutive Committeeendorses proposedlegislation onindeterminatesentencing draftedby the Crime andCrime ControlCommission.

1971: Youth and theLaw Committeeformally established.

1970: Sectionendorsesdevelopment of law-related education(LRE) programs forVirginia high schoolstudents as majorproject.

1969: Law-and-Clergy Committeeholds first all-dayseminar forministers inRichmond.

1968: AdmissionsCommittee holdsfirst qualificationceremony beforeFourth Circuit Courtof Appeals.

In 1977, The Virginia Bar Associationwas in its glory and the “YoungLawyers Section” was basking in theaccomplishments of the Sectionduring the prior year when Al Byrne,under Bob McAllister's leadership,initiated and delivered the first movieever produced on the United StatesSupreme Court. That resulted in theSection receiving, in 1977, a first placeaward in the Award of Achievementfor the Single Projects Competition.Additionally, the Section won theoverall first place award for medium-size state affiliates for the prior year.

Excellent committee chairmenencouraged their members to produceexcellent results. The Special Issuesand Projects Committee, underWellford L. Sanders, Jr., revised thebylaws of the Section to reflect itsgrowth, funding of social events wasincreased in order to add newmembers, and particular attentionwas given to bringing more womeninto the Section. Nelson County andother parts of the Shenandoah Valleyexperienced a severe flood during thatyear and the Disaster Legal AidCommittee was particularly busy.Several new committees were createdin order to handle emerging issues.Memory prevents me from recallingall of the activities of the variouscommittees, but it was truly a year ofgreat fun. The enthusiasm and senseof accomplishment exhibited bySection members has stuck with meduring my entire career.

On a personal note, Bill Spong, thenDean of the Marshall-Wythe Schoolof Law and former United StatesSenator, was President of TheVirginia Bar Association during thetime that I served as chairman of the

Young Lawyers Section. Because hedid not drive, it was my privilege totransport him to the various ExecutiveCommittee meetings around the state.It was a wonderful opportunity topartake of the great effectiveness,wisdom and wit exuded by thisSouthern Gentleman from Portsmouth.

C. Edward Russell Jr., 1977

“Young lawyers presently make upalmost 40 percent of the membershipof the Bar Association....As has beenmentioned in this Journal before, thereis no question that the YoungLawyers Section of The Virginia BarAssociation is the finest YoungLawyers’ group in the country. Interms of money expended relative tosuccessful projects completed, thereis simply no group which approachesthe accomplishments of the YoungLawyers Section in service to the Barand to the public.”

James A. L. Daniel, 1978

Serving as chairman of the YoungLawyers Section provided anopportunity to work with manytalented young lawyers who havegone on to make their marks on ourlegal profession. Our Section took homenational awards from the American BarAssociation and emphasized providing,through proactive programs, pro bonoservice to the public. The “senior”section not only encouraged our effortsbut also expected a representative ofour Section to work closely with theAssociation’s Executive Committee. Ona number of occasions, I recall sittingbetween Jay Walker (now deceased)of Woods Rogers and Judge JacksonKiser as we worked through theExecutive Committee’s agenda.

It is no surprise that our Sectionhad a great year in 1980. Our YLScommittee chairmen consisted of fourcurrent sitting judges (Don Lemons,Jay Wetsel, Waugh Crigler and RoddyDelk); Pat Schwarzschild, SandyRowe, Alan Rudlin, Thurston Mooreand Greg Stillman, who becamesenior partners at Hunton &Williams; Paul Fraim, who becamemayor of the city of Norfolk; WhittClement and Larry Framme, whoserved in the Governor’s Cabinet; WillAllcott, who became a writer amongother specialties; Jay McElligott, whois a senior partner at McGuireWoods,and Mike Harmon who, with severalothers, started a successful law firmover a decade ago. Many other finepeople spent countless hours onSection activities, but, due to spacelimitations, it is impossible torecognize everyone’s efforts.

Charles F. Midkiff, 1980

Many years after chairing whatwas then the Young Lawyers Section,I spoke at a CLE seminar in “UpperVirginia” and was teased during anintroduction about the fact that I stillhad my YLS chairmanship on myprofessional bio. I replied that it wasone of the best things I ever did. I stillfeel that way some 26 years later.

The specific accomplishments ofthe Section are somewhat faded inmy memory now but the statewidepersonal friendships made then arestill quite vivid.

When I looked back on the names ofthose who were active in the YLS in1981, I was struck by the fact that somany went on to achieve prominentbar, civic, business, judicial and lawfirm leadership positions. A purelyillustrative (and most certainlyincomplete) list would include: JayWetsel, Waugh Crigler, ThurstonMoore, John Keith, Paul Fraim, CliffCutchins, Howard McElroy, DonLemons, Whitt Clement, Tom Farrell,Bob Wooldridge, Debbie Russell, TomBell, Chuck Midkiff, Steve Busch, Pat

In comparing those memories… there is great consistency:intense enthusiasm, a desire to get the job done, whatever ittakes, and real pride in the goals of The Virginia BarAssociation of producing better laws and better lawyers.

David Craig Landin, 1979

I never realized how many voluntary attorney hours werespent by members of our Association toward so manycommendable public service projects until I became anofficer. Charles M. Lollar, 1986


1973: Disaster LegalAssistanceCommittee formed.

1974: LRE programsoffered to allseventh-graders inRichmond publicschools.

1975: Model JudiciaryCommittee formed toeducate Virginia highschool students aboutthe judicial processthrough mock trialcompetition.

1976: Acclaimedfilm, “The SupremeCourt,” is producedby Law Day/LibertyBell AwardCommittee andshown regularly atU.S. Supreme Court.

1977: Disaster LegalAssistance Committeeaids flood victims inSouthwest Virginia;“The Supreme Court”honored by ABA astop young lawyerproject in U.S.

Schwarzschild, Stephen Watts, GregStillman, Rod Delk, Henry Stout, DavidShuford, Alan Rudlin and David Landin.

David Landin is being listed lastand somewhat reluctantly because,at an ABA meeting we attended inDallas, he told me it would be perfectlyfine for me to play racquetball withhim wearing topsiders. Blisters thesize of silver dollars resulted and Ihave never forgiven him for that pooradvice.

Hugh Patterson was president ofthe VBA in 1981 and he was extremelysupportive of our work at every turn.

Research by the VBA staffreminded me that the Section tiedwith the highly-regarded NorthCarolina young lawyers for first placein the ABA’s Award of AchievementCompetition that judged overallyoung lawyer activities, a testamentto the Section’s success at that time.That said, it is still the personalrelationships formed while workingin the Section that we all rememberand that is an important key to thehalf century success of the YLD.

Thomas C. Brown Jr., 1981

During my tenure as Chair of theVBA Young Lawyers Division, wewere most interested in recruitingnew members to the VBA andproviding legal services to victims ofnatural disasters. Several majorhurricanes had recently devastatedlarge areas of the state and the urgentneed for legal services becameapparent. Maybe we were justpreparing for the needs that arosefrom the flood in Franklin, or for thebig one, Katrina, that hit the GulfCoast in 2005. Beyond that, weworried about getting the right bandfor the Winter and SummerMeetings and where we could meetfor the VBA/YLS ExecutiveCommittee meetings. Having a goodtime, while meeting with fellowpractitioners from around the state,was always foremost in our minds.

Clifford A. Cutchins IV, 1982

In 1983, I had the singular goodfortune to be sandwiched betweenthe stellar administrations of CliffCutchins and of Paul Fraim. Theinertia of Cliff’s finely tuned corporateadministration carried me throughthe first six months, and during thesecond six months, Paul Fraim, eventhen the adroit diplomat andconsummate politician, ensured thatnothing went awry that would tainthis tenure. The Section’s awardwinning programs, which wereinitiated by my predecessors andimplemented by my able colleagues,rolled on, and the Section won thefirst place award in the comprehensivedivision of the ABA’s Young LawyersDivision Award of Achievementcompetition. I smiled a lot, U.Va. hadits first winning football season inyears, and we had Baby Huey andthe Babysitters for the summer dance.Who can top that? David Landin, ofcourse, who had procured LittleAnthony and the Imperials a fewyears before. In the late 1970s andearly 1980s, the dances were one ofthe Young Lawyers Section’s majorcontributions to the summermeetings. The rhythmic rhapsodies ofthe blaring bands incited the revelingbrethren to increasingly exuberant,terpsichorean displays at the dances,which may in some measure explaintheir subsequent demise. As LordTennyson wrote, “Talk not to me of aname great in story; the days of ouryouth are the days of our glory.” Thatsays it all for my experience in theYoung Lawyers Section.

Hon. John E. Wetsel Jr., 1983

“Despite the dramatic changes inthe size and level of activity of theYLS, several characteristics haveendured since its inception. The

Section has enjoyed the selflessdedication of young lawyers whowere willing to devote considerabletime and effort to the Section’s workwithout the certainty of public praiseor special recognition. The Sectionhasalways operated with relativelymodest budgets. Finally, the YoungLawyers Section has enabled younglawyers to develop and maintainfriendships which will last a lifetime.It is proper that we thank the chairmenof the YLS and the hundreds of unnamedlawyers who have established thetraditions which the men and womenof today’s Young Lawyers Sectionnow enjoy and serve.”

Hon. Paul D. Fraim, 1984

I have so many great memories ofthe YLS, which was a major part ofmy life for 10 years.

First, Leadership. Being Chairman ofthe YLS and, as a result, a member ofthe VBA Executive Committee, putall of us fortunate enough to serve,in a position of leadership and gaveus the opportunity to work with somany outstanding leaders of ourday. Whether introducing Judge Borkat a VBA meeting or moderating apanel with the best lawyers andjudges in the region, including JudgeMerhige, or attending a private LawDay ceremony with Bob Pattersonand Penny Kyle in then-GovernorRobb's office (or defaulting Lynda Birdin the VBA Tennis Tournamentbecause she was late) or playingtennis against the then unbeatableduo of Emerson Spies and Jay Wilkinson,working with the top talent in our fieldwas an unforgettable experience.

Second, Community Service. In an erawhere it is easy and popular todenigrate our profession, it is bothimportant and ironic to recall the


20071980: First FellowsAward presented inrecognition ofmembers’ promotingthe VBA’s missionthrough outstandingservice.

1981: First ABAAward ofAchievementCompetitionfirst-placecomprehensiveaward received.

1979: Child AbuseProject sponsors TVpublic serviceannouncements.

1982: First Town HallMeeting Committeeformed.

1978: JointCommittee on Law-Related Educationformed with VSBYoung LawyersConference.

good works lawyers do for others.Pro bono work within the VBA hasalways been strong and if we werethe standard, I doubt if we wouldhear the criticism. I remember when Iwas chair, the YLS had 32 committeesand 13 of those were devoted to publicservice in one way or another.Whether it was serving the elderly,the indigent or the disabled, pro bonowork was the rule, not the exception.It was very satisfying to accept onbehalf of the Section first place in theABA Award of Achievement(fittingly, for Service to the Public) atthe ABA Annual Meeting in NewYork.

Third, Relationships. Being a partof the VBA/YLS meant that I wouldwork with the best and the brightestwithin our profession. I am lookingat a photograph hanging on myoffice wall picturing the YLS ExecutiveCommittee from 1985: Chuck Lollar,Tom Farrell, Paul Fraim, Steve Busch,Bob Rolfe, Ted Ellett, Killis Howard,Steve Rosenthal, Stephen St. John,Bill Wallace, T. Bell, Peggy O'Neal,David Shuford and Ted Chandler.What an outstanding group ofpeople to know and work with. Addto that relationships built with themembership and leadership of theVBA, the VSB, and the leadership ofthe YLS sections all over thecountry, and you have experiencesthat are extraordinary. Some of myfondest memories come fromattending ABA meetings with thelikes of Robert Grey and BeauDudley and all the Chairs of the YLSsections from around the country.It is with great satisfaction that Istill practice today with so many ofthose familiar faces from VBA/YLSdays. The sports and the partiesare the subject of a future novel,but who can forget the Embers atThe Greenbrier, the Big Edsel Band

at The Homestead and inWilliamsburg and Brick Houses I, IIand III. Thank you, VBA/YLS.

William G. Hancock, 1985

“The primary role of the Section —now Division — has not alteredsignificantly during all those years, atleast as I see it. It was at its foundingand through these decades the publicservice arm of the Association. It hasperformed admirably despite beingstaffed by volunteers who arejuggling young families and buddingcareers. Many of the committees andfunctions that exist today workedeffectively in 1987 as well...Weshould not be surprised at theaugust history of the Young Lawyersbecause, as Ed Burnette reminded meyears ago, it was mostly younglawyers who had the foresight todevise the Constitution as well.”

Thomas F. Farrell II, 1987

“I continue to be amazed at theenergy with which these volunteersassume their duties.... Without theirtremendous efforts, the Section wouldnot have garnered its two first placeawards in the 1988 ABA Award ofAchievement Competition.

“I am impressed that the Sectionnever rests on its laurels but is alwayslooking for ways to strengthen itsexisting programs and for newopportunities to be of service to thepublic and to the bar.”

Peggy O’Neal Haines, 1988

“Most of the Section’s activitiespresently are directed in the areas ofpublic service and service to the Bar.Our emphasis on certain types ofactivities changes periodically. .. Thedepth and diversity of our activitiesmay surprise those who are unfamiliarwith the Section... the underlyingpurpose of each committee is

essentially the same. We dedicate aportion of our time to be of service tothe public and the bar and hope toenjoy ourselves in the process.Involvement in our organization isone of the best ways.”

Stephen D. Busch, 1990

Having run out of extensions andfaced with the impending deadlinefor this submission, I did what anyself-respecting lawyer would do: Ilooked for a form. The VBA kindlysent me the remarks I wrote for theYLD’s 40th anniversary issue and,reading back through them, I wasstruck by how much cleverer I was10 years ago than I am now. Assumingthat represents a pattern of straight-line regression, perhaps I wasdownright rational when I chairedthe Division five years earlier.

I chaired the Young Lawyers in 1992,having reluctantly started down thatroad as Secretary-Treasurer when theNominating Committee couldn’t findanyone else willing to take the job.The members of the committee deniedthat, of course, but I knew better themoment I received the call from SteveBusch asking tentatively whether Iwas interested. Again, like any self-respecting lawyer, the first thing I didwas object. “I think I'm too old,” Isaid. “No, you’re not,” Stevecountered. “We’ve already checkedyour birth date; you’ll age out duringyour year as Chair.” I didn’t knowwhich was scarier — the fact that allthese people knew when I was bornor the ominous-sounding concept of“aging out.”

And now the YLD has survivedand prospered for 50 years and,although not exactly prosperous, atleast I survived “aging out.” The YLDhas been so consistently successful inboth its public outreach as well as itsinternal camaraderie that every pastchair has a basis for believing that hisor her term was the Division’s bestyear ever. One thing is certain: each ofus led a winning team of energetic

Give the YLD your best and it will be returned tenfold.David G. Shuford, 1989

For those... looking for a little more career satisfaction,consider getting involved with the Young Lawyers Section.A little camaraderie and a healthy dose of public servicecan adjust your attitude in a hurry.

William R. Van Buren III, 1991


19871983: First VBAexecutive directorhired; VBAheadquarters movedto Richmond fromCharlottesville.

1984: First-of-its-kind “StatewideCall-a-LawyerProgram” is airedon public TV.

1985: Town HallMeeting Committeesponsorsgubernatorialcandidates’ debate;Lawyers for the ArtsCommittee formed.

1986:VBA/YLDreceives three ABAAwards ofAchievement for thefirst time.

1987: First RecruitingRoundtable held byLaw School LiaisonCommittee; Law andCitizenship StudiesCommittee producesdocumentary on theConstitution.

and devoted young lawyers. And thatis what I remember the most — thepeople.

James E. Ballowe Jr., 1992

“My approach to leading ouryoung lawyers took into account thatmany of our volunteers were youngparents. Recognizing that meetingtime away from family was the lastthing our young lawyers wanted, weplanned our meetings to includespouses and children wheneverpossible.... In large part through theencouragement of the YLD, themeetings of the Association becamemuch more family-friendly also.”

Alison M. McKee, 1993

Oh, to be a young lawyer (andqualify for membership in theDivision) again! It has been over 11years since I handed the reins of theYoung Lawyers Division to MattBroughton. Highlights of my year asChair included an in-depth long rangeplanning effort, the Law Book Project(which donated over 10,000 law-related books to former Iron Curtaincountries), our cooperative venturewith the Virginia State Bar YoungLawyers Conference to develop adisaster legal assistance network, andthe expansion of the Pro Bono HotlineProgram, which fellow young lawyerChip Nunley and I helped start, toRoanoke and Southside Virginia. Iwas especially proud when theProgram won the ABA's prestigiousHarrison Tweed Award in 1995 forbeing the nation’s top pro bonoprogram.

My fondest recollection of the yearis the Saturday evening cookout onthe deck of the Sanderling after ourSpring Executive Council Meeting. Wehad been blessed with a huge turnoutof members and their families, as wellas beautiful spring weather. After aproductive Executive CommitteeMeeting (which ended promptly ontime), we were treated to a bountifulcookout. After dinner, all of the

families sat on the deck and watchedthe sunset, catching up with oldfriends and making new ones.Memories of that evening, as well asthe friends I made in the Division, willstay with me for a long, long, time.

Robert L. Brooke, 1994

“Unquestionably, the mostsuccessful program of the VBA/YLDin recent years has been the Pro BonoHotline. The program was conceivedin 1991 under the chairmanship ofBill Van Buren. From there it evolvedfrom a pilot project to one of theAssociation’s biggest and mosteffective services to the public... In fact,the Pro Bono Hotline recentlyreceived the ABA’s highest pro bonoaward, the Harrison Tweed Award...[The developers] have done more toimprove the perception of lawyersthan they will ever know. Not onlydoes the program engender positivethoughts about lawyers, it also leavesvolunteers with a real sense ofsatisfaction... The program has beenparticularly well received byattorneys because of the positiveimpact it has on lawyers and theirclients.”

Matthew W. Broughton, 1995

I have so many great memories ofmy year as Chair of the YLD in 1996.Perhaps most noteworthy was that1996 marked the 40th anniversary ofthe founding of the YLD. That year,which is now a decade past, endedwith a celebration at the AnnualMeeting honoring that anniversary.Now the YLD has reached the half-century mark. The additional 10 yearshave only added to its legacy ofcommunity service work and service

to the Bar. Happy birthday again,YLD!

From the beginning of myinvolvement with the YLD in 1987(prompted by Bill Van Buren’sencouragement) to my “graduation”from the YLD when I turned 36, I mademany great friends. Perhaps the mostrewarding aspect of my job as Chairwas my work with my Chair-Elect,John Walker, and with “O.L.D.”President, Doug Rucker. I think Johnand I made a great leadership team,and I know we enjoyed each other asmuch as friends as we did as co-leaders of the Division. Doug and Istill keep in touch, have workedtogether on deals and remain greatfriends. As past leaders of thisDivision know, you get to spend atremendous amount of time with yourleadership team, and one of the greatby-products of that work together isthe enduring friendships that evolvefrom that hard work.

Breck Arrington’s special attentionto the YLD and to my development asa leader left an indelible impressionon me I will never forget. I remaingrateful to him for his mentorshipand friendship.

I also remember what a tremendousturnout we had at the Sanderling thatyear. I still have a picture in my office ofall of the many young lawyers and theirfamilies gathered at the Sanderling fora group photo. As I look at the facesand recall the many names, there aresome whom I see regularly and otherswhom I have not seen for quite a while,but I know I can count all in thatpicture as friends. The amazing thingis that the babies in that picture arenow nearing their teenage years!

One vivid recollection from that


20071988: First womanchair of the YLD,Peggy O’NealHaines, takes office.

1989: VBA/YLDprepares a regularcolumn in Virginia’sThe Farm BureauNews.

1990: VBA/YLD andRichmond Bar beginmajor pro bonoinitiative in housingand family lawassistance to theindigent.

1991: Pro BonoHotline concept firstdiscussed; MinorityRecruitmentProgram formed.

1992: MinorityRecruitment Programdevelopsrelationships withnumerous minorityhigh school andcollege studentsinterested in law as acareer.

year that does come to mind is DexterRumsey's “cigar party” at TheHomestead. Perhaps that year couldhave been aptly called “The Year ofthe Cigar,” given Dexter's infectiousenthusiasm for a good cigar. Allwinter and spring he promoted theidea of having a cigar party at theSummer Meeting and ultimatelyprevailed upon the VBA leadershipto allow him to have one. As I recall,members of the YLD were wellrepresented at that party whichlasted well into the evening. Some inattendance at the Summer Meetingeither ran the other way or watchedfrom afar as that party unfolded,given the smoke and revelry thataccompanied it. However, I alwayshave a warm feeling when I think ofthe camaraderie and collegiality thatwere in full display on the porch ofThe Homestead at 1 a.m. when theparty was still going strong.

That year, I learned so very muchabout leadership and about thetremendous amount of talent thatexists within the ranks of Virginia'syoung lawyers. I and my wife,Kristen, will always cherish thewonderful experiences, the greattravel, and the numerous friendshipsfrom that year. I owe a debt ofgratitude to The Virginia BarAssociation and its many membersfor having given me the opportunityto serve in such an important andrewarding capacity in 1996.

Alfred M. Randolph Jr., 1996

My greatest takeaway from myVBA/YLD experience is one that needsto be shared with law firms whichhave reduced or eliminated financialsupport of associates interested inbar association activities — theVBA/YLD is a terrific investment ifyour law firm is interested indeveloping leaders.

Through my grandfather and myfather, I had the good fortune of beingintroduced to the VBA as a child.Long before I attended law school,

my first trips to Williamsburg andThe Greenbrier were family affairsat VBA meetings. I realized early onthat the VBA was especiallymeaningful to my grandfather andmy father because of the strongfriendships they formed withfellow members and the highquality of the practitioners whocomprised the membership at large.Even at a young age, it was easy tofigure out that the giants of the legalprofession in Virginia were the face,heart and soul of the VBA.

Against this backdrop, it is notsurprising that, when I became alawyer, I immediately becameinvolved in the VBA and, morespecifically, the YLD. I soon confirmedthat my childhood observationsconcerning the importance ofinteracting and forming friendshipswith talented lawyers across Virginiawere on the mark. Yet, I also learnedthat the VBA/YLD had many othervalue-added benefits. One suchbenefit is that the VBA/YLDprovides a tremendous trainingground for young lawyers to becomeleaders. Within the YLD, theopportunities to lead are plentiful,and leadership skills are developedand honed through theseopportunities. These skills are furtherrefined through lessons learned fromolder VBA lawyers with moreleadership experience, who are morethan happy to provide sage guidanceand advice. They do so because theywere the beneficiaries of the samecounsel and understand theimportance of continuing a legacy ofnot only leadership but alsofriendship.

Today, the vast majority of lawyerswith whom I served on the YLDExecutive Council have assumedsignificant leadership positionswithin their law firms, companies orgovernment agencies. I believe thatthe YLD served as an importantstepping stone for these younglawyers and that their employers got

a great return on their investment inthe VBA.

John L. Walker III, 1997

Many have probably forgotten thatI was not even supposed to be theChair of the YLD in 1998. My friendand law partner, Anne Walker, was asuperstar in every respect. She hadbeen the obvious choice for secretary/treasurer in 1996, and everyone knewthat she would become the chair-electthe following year.

But, as the currently-runningtelevision commercial says, “Lifecomes at you fast.” Anne found ahigher calling than the law when shegot the wonderful news that she wasexpecting triplets. (Yes, triplets.)Although the VBA was delightedwith the happy news for Anne, itmeant looking for someone to fill thebig void when she understandablywithdrew from consideration forchair-elect. That’s where I came in. Ieven had the rare good fortune to skipthe normal year as Secretary-Treasurer and move directly into theChair-elect post.

Looking back with a smile, I realizethis space is far too short to recountall the great times that we had duringthose years. We had an outstandingExecutive Council, many of whosemembers became lifelong friends,partly as a result of late nights atplaces such as the Sanderling. As I amsure my fellow past chairs will attest,the year as chair of the YLD is anunforgettable experience.

By the way, when I see Anne andher boys around the neighborhood, Irealize how — sometimes at least —life works out well for everyone.

Harry M. “Pete” Johnson III, 1998

Upon being asked to reflect on myyear as Chair, certainly a number ofthings come to mind; upon thinkingabout it, however, a couple of generalthoughts keep emerging. One, I amsure recognized by all chairs, is thecollegiality and professionalism of all


19971993: The first ProBono Hotline iscreated in Richmondwith Central VirginiaLegal Aid andbecomes a modelfor other areas.

1994: The WorkingParent’s Handbook: AGuide to the Legaland PracticalAspects of Childcareis published.

1995: VBA receivesABA’s HarrisonTweed Award forPro Bono Hotlines,recognized as thetop U.S. pro bonoproject.

1996: First Pro BonoHotline Summit held;NCAA Circuit RidersProgram launched toassist Virginia highschool athletes withunderstandingNCAA eligibilitycriteria.

1997: HamptonRoads Town HallMeeting Committeesponsors attorneygeneral candidates’debate.

of the lawyers in working toward thepublic service goals of the division.The manner in which the younglawyers went about their work inleadership meetings and “in the field”was in a style that seemed to bewithout many of the typicaldifficulties with which manyorganizations have to manage.Perhaps due in part to limited timeavailability, the focus was clearly onthe objectives. The second persistentthought is the reminder of the desireto innovate, to implement novel, yeteffective projects. In fact, a specialcommittee was ultimately formedwith the purpose of evaluatinginventive projects that would fillunmet needs. One project thatreminds me of these innovativequalities is the Child SupportEnforcement Project, where the YLDhelped recruit and train younglawyers to act as special counsel tothe Attorney General’s office, probono, in collecting child supportpayments. Another is the DomesticViolence Project, then in NorthernVirginia, where attorneys wererecruited and trained to aid victimsof domestic violence, assisting withobtaining civil protective orders.Lawyers for the Arts was a programdesigned to coordinate lawyers tohost a forum for artists where legalareas of interest specific to the artistswere addressed. Unfortunately, whathas probably not changed that much,is the lack of sufficient recognition forthe many lawyers who work selflesslyin creating and implementing theYLD’s quality projects that benefit thepublic and lawyers alike.

Philip W. Parker, 1999

“No man will ever bring out of thePresidency the reputation whichcarries him into it. To myself,personally, it brings nothing butincreasing drudgery and daily loss offriends.” Fortunately, my recollectionof 2000 as YLD chair was not inaccordance with Mr. Jefferson’s

reflection of his circumstance 200 yearsprior. To the contrary, the honor ofhaving The Virginia Bar Associationallow me the ability to participate inits leadership brought a daily increaseof friends, dozens of whom I stillregard as such now, years later.

Substantively, the majoraccomplishment of The Virginia BarAssociation’s young lawyers duringmy year as Chair, aside fromsurviving Y2K, was the receipt of fourAmerican Bar Association awards forwork done the previous year – theComprehensive category: first placenationally; the Service to the Bar

category: second place nationally (forthe VBA/YLD Mentoring Program);the Service to the Public category: firstplace nationally (for the VBA/YLDDisaster Legal Assistance Program);and the Outstanding Public ServiceProject.

The following year, whichincluded work performed byVirginia Bar Association younglawyers during my year as Chair in2000, the YLD swept with first placesin the categories of Comprehensive,Service to the Bar (for The VirginiaLawyer) and Service to the Public(for the DMV Project), in addition to

VBA YOUNG LAWYERS DIVISION AWARD RECIPIENTS

dedication to the divisionThe VBA/YLD Sandra P. ThompsonAward (known as the Fellows Awarduntil it was renamed in 2002) recognizesan individual for outstanding work andlong-term service.1979 Daniel A. Carrell

Robert H. Powell III1981 Gregory N. Stillman1983 Patricia M. Schwarzschild1985 Thomas G. Bell Jr.

Robert M. Rolfe1989 John D. Epps

E. Tazewell Ellett1990 D. French Slaughter III1991 Kurt J. Krueger1992 Michael F. Urbanski1993 Michael P. Falzone1994 Lynne Jones Blain

Amy T. Holt1995 Nancy N. Rogers1996 Mary Hoge Anderson

Bruce M. Steen1997 Kevin P. Oddo1998 Brian K. Jackson1999 Attison L. Barnes III2000 Charles G. Meyer III2001 Mary Catherine Zinsner2002 Monica Taylor Monday

Melissa Amos Young

2003 Katherine Harman-StokesKing F. Tower

2004 Nicole C. Daniel2005 Elizabeth Mason Horsley

The VBA/YLD Emerson G. Spies Awardrecognizes an individual Divisionmember for enthusiasm, loyalty anddedication in the work of the Associationduring a given year.1991 Douglas M. Nabhan1992 Mary Hoge Ackerly

Anne K. Walker1993 Philip W. Parker1994 Cheryl Watson Smith1995 Harry M. Johnson III1996 Attison L. Barnes III1997 Mary Catherine Zinsner1998 Erica S. Beardsley

Katherine Harman-Stokes1999 Stephen D. Otero2000 Patrick R. Hanes2001 Cyane B. Crump

Agustin E. Rodriguez2002 Michael L. Walton2003 Daniel Ortiz2004 Molly Shuttleworth Evans2005 Rudene Mercer Bascomb


20071998: DomesticViolence ProjectCommittee offerstraining in NorthernVirginia foradvocates; LegalServices for MentallyIll receives state andnational honors.

2002:“ProtectingChildren” videoproduced anddistributed statewideto mandatoryreporters of suspectedchild abuse.

1999: Child SupportEnforcementCommitteeestablished.

2000: Disaster LegalAssistance receivestop American BarEndowment honors asOutstanding PublicService Project.

2001: VBA/YLD sweepsDivision IC with first-places in Service to theBar, Service to thePublic andComprehensivecategories in the ABAAwards of Achievementcompetition .

a special recognition for theMinority Recruitment Project.

The young Virginia lawyers withwhom I served, and their manyindependent and collectiveachievements, remain aboveadmiration; however, there could beno merit to their efforts without thecommitment of The Virginia BarAssociation staff, whose dedicationwas necessary for all VBA/YLDsuccesses. Moreover, the Associationin its entirety has earned great creditfor seeing value in the YLD andsteadfastly supporting its developmentand growth over the past 50 years.

As a voluntary organization thataffords young Virginia lawyers theinteresting phenomenon of servingthe public by improving theadministration of legal services whilesimultaneously advancing the legalprofession by promoting collegialrelations among the bar, The VirginiaBar Association YLD is unique. Itcreates the opportunity for those witha civic conscience to be what Jeffersondesired – a citizen lawyer, not simplya skilled practitioner but also a leaderfor the common good. For me, the callwas never one of drudgery, and I lookforward to a new generation of younglawyers continuing to lead TheVirginia Bar Association YLD into thiscentury that I enjoyed the privilegeto commence as chair in 2000.

James V. Ingold, 2001

“As Chair of the VBA/YLD, I haveattended several conferences withrepresentatives from numerous othernational, state and local barorganizations. At nearly everymeeting, bar leaders from these

organizations have complimented meon the success and innovation of theVBA/YLD’s programs and inquiredas to how and why we haveflourished and maintained a level ofexcellence.

“During this past year, I haveworked with lawyers throughout theCommonwealth, especially withinthe VBA/YLD, and have witnessedwhat makes them so exceptional.Without fail, the Virginia lawyer isdedicated to working zealously toprotect his or her client’s interestswithin the confines of the legal system,while ascribing to the highest andnoblest standards of our profession.At the same time, the Virginia lawyerdonates his or her legal services at nocharge, attempts to improve theadministration of justice in Virginiaand serves his or her community.

“Over the years, the VBA/YLD hasworked hard to meet the goals ofserving the unmet legal needs ofsociety, improving the law and theadministration of justice andupholding the highest standards ofprofessionalism for lawyers.”

David N. Anthony, 2001

As I sat down to reflect on my yearas chair and put pen to paper, I mustadmit that the first thing I did was topull out my final column printed inthe VBA Journal to refresh mymemory of all the great projects thatthe many volunteer young lawyersof the YLD completed and completedwell in 2002.

In addition to a number ofsuccessful committees and projectsalready underway prior to mytenure, 2002 brought a few new and

very timely undertakings that, as withmany YLD projects, turned to gold.Perhaps the largest undertaking wasthe production of a video to educatemandatory reporters of child abuseon the signs of child abuse and theprocedures for reporting it. The YLDassembled a coalition of statewidechild abuse prevention groups toproduce the video, distributed it tohundreds of organizations and, fiveyears later, it is still in use. This videoproject was awarded the “MostOutstanding Public Service ProjectAward” in the nation by the ABA/YLD. In addition to the video, a “hottopic” within the legal community atthe time was the work/life balanceissue and I am proud that the YLDplayed a role in discussing this issueat the 2002 Winter Meeting. The YLDco-sponsored, planned and participatedin a panel discussion that was very wellattended by lawyers of all ages andagain, this YLD endeavor brought yetmore recognition to the YLD with a"First Place Service to the Bar Award"from the ABA/YLD. Further projectsincluded the publication of the SpecialEducation Handbook and the NewLawyers Survival Guide and an updateof the Working Parents Handbook.

As important as the actual hands-on work that so many young lawyersso generously contributed in 2002 tothe community, when I think back onmy experience as chair, it is theindividuals I remember so fondly andthe good times that were shared. I feelthat I could not have been blessedwith a better group of officers andcommittee members that year and tothis day many remain in my life astreasured friends. The young lawyerexperience has to include some funalong the way and from the VBAmeetings to the YLD weekend at theSanderling to the officers’ meetings atJoe’s Inn in the Fan, I can say I enjoyedmyself immensely. Additionally, the2002 “senior section” leaders reallywelcomed Rusty and me into the VBAfamily and I found that particular

While we celebrate the accomplishments of this particularorganization, we also celebrate and recognize thededication and service of its past and current members andall members of the legal profession who believe that, withthe authority granted by a law degree, comes theresponsibility of public service.

Lori D. Thompson, 2006

2006: Food BankCollection Challenge,Youth CourtExpansion Projectadded to current YLDprojects.


2007: VBA/YLDreflects on andcelebrates a half-century of service tothe public andprofession.

2005: “ProtectingAdults at Risk”video honored bythe ABA as the toppublic serviceproject in thenation.

2004: VBA/YLDproduces the VBA’sfirst regularelectronic newsletter.

2003: “ProtectingChildren” honoredby the ABA as the toppublic serviceproject in the nation;“Wills for Heroes”project launched.

group to be truly inspiring, genuineand a whole lot of fun.

The many wonderful younglawyers involved with the YLD in2002 made my job as chair easy. I leftoffice in January 2003 proud not onlyof the YLD’s accomplishments overthe previous year but apparently justin time… Rusty and I welcomed ourfirst child a couple of weeks later. Sodespite running out of breath as Ipassed the gavel to Steve Otero andwaddling up to the podium to presentthe YLD awards at the banquet, thesatisfaction was well worth the effort.

Vaughan Gibson Aaronson, 2002

Top Ten YLD Memories from 2003,the year the YLD found itself in theeye of the storm(s) — literally:

10. Near white-out conditions inWilliamsburg for the Winter Meeting(imagine that).

9. First-ever presentation of YLDawards at the Winter Meeting by a(very) pregnant, outgoing YLD Chair(a.k.a. Vaughan “Big Mama” Aaronson)

8. Gambols! Gambols! Gambols!(If you have to ask, then I guess you'venever had the pleasure of singingbawdy Colonial drinking songs withyour arm around a minstrel — pitythat.)

7. Monsoon-like conditions duringthe YLD Spring Meeting at theSanderling. (Three days in a hotelroom with your toddlers — that'squality family time!)

6. Wills for Heroes program kicksoff in Arlington; inauguralProfessionalism and Civility CLEpresented in Fairfax.

5. Reading the minutes of the 8 a.m.YLD Summer Meeting at TheGreenbrier, taken the day afterSecretary-Treasurer Brack Hill“chaperoned” a late night trip to theOld Bear in downtown White SulphurSprings.

4. Law School Council expands tofour Virginia law schools; VBA bylawsamended to permit law studentmembers.

3. Hurricane Isabel postpones YLDFall Meeting in Wintergreen, buttriggers another successful effort bythe YLD Emergency Legal Servicesprogram.

2. YLD wins first place in its divisionin all three ABA Award of Achievementcategories, and also wins American BarEndowment’s Most OutstandingPublic Service Award for all projectsin all categories.

1. VBA Board of Governors ChairJim Meath, bowling at the Greenbrierlanes, late night, at the YLD Social, ina skirt—I mean, “kilt.” (Yes, we havepictures... for the right price.)

Stephen D. Otero, 2003

During my year as Chair of the VBAYoung Lawyers Division, I wasconsistently inspired by thededication of attorneys throughoutthe state who, despite their heavyworkloads, spent countless hours onthe public service projects that arethe trademark of the YLD. Like mostpeople involved in the YLD, I was abig fan of the quarterly meetings. Itwas a chance to catch up on theamazing progress of a huge breadthof projects during the day, and thencatch up with friends from all overVirginia during the social events.

Although the YLD has now enjoyedmany years of great success, I thinkone of the things that makes it such agreat organization is the tradition ofconstant change, both in theleadership and in the agenda. TheYLD offers a great mix of a fewvenerable programs that haveshown excellent results, and anopenness to new ideas that has keptthe agenda dynamic and interesting.I don’t think the YLD has ever been inbetter hands than it currently is, andI expect that constant improvementto be a hallmark of the YLD for yearsto come.

King F. Tower, 2004

“As should be apparent from the...VBA/YLD’s activities and the nationalrecognition they have received, themembers of the Young LawyersDivision play a significant role in theAssociation’s achievement of itsmission... It is only through the ongoingencouragement and cultivation of ourYoung Lawyer leaders, as well ascontinued support from those whoemploy them, that the Associationwill maintain its preeminent statusin our profession.”

R. Braxton Hill IV, 2005

a reputation for excellenceThe VBA Young Lawyers Division has amassed numerous national honors forits programs of service to the public and the legal profession. over the 50 yearsof its existence. Starting with the Junior Bar Section’s first national award duringthe 1963-64 bar year, the VBA/YLD has received well over 75 first- and second-place honors, special awards and certificates of recognition in the AmericanBar Association Awards of Achievement competitions. Despite such a winningstreak, the VBA/YLD has never rested on its laurels, but continues to strengthenand enhance existing programs and to develop new programs in response toneeds. Current VBA/YLD Chair Lori Thompson perhaps summarized it best ina recent column: “The ABA Award of Achievement is a valuable tool by whichthe YLD measures how well our organization is achieving the dual goals ofkeeping our existing projects relevant while creating new programs to meetthe unmet needs of our communities and the profession.”

THE VBA/YLD AND ABA AWARDS OF ACHIEVEMENT

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Professional announcements may beprinted; the cost per announcement is$15 and text may be edited for styleand space limitations. Deadlines areone month in advance of the date ofpublication. Information is availableonline at www.vba.org, or call for detailsat (804) 644-0041.

Information about display advertisingis available online at www.vba.org. Avariety of sizes may be purchased andspecial rates are available for multipleinsertions. As with other forms ofadvertising, costs must be paid inadvance. The VBA News Journalreserves the right to review all copybefore publication and to reject materialdeemed unsuitable.


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VBA• •

The Virginia Bar Association701 East Franklin Street, Suite 1120Richmond, Virginia 23219

VBA YOUNG LAWYERS DIVISION COMMITTEES

serving the public & professionABA Liaison/Project Development/

GrantsABA/YLD Award of AchievementBridge-the-GapChoose LawCommunications/PublicityCommunity Law Week/Law DayCredit Issues ProjectDisaster Legal AssistanceDiversity RecruitmentDMV Project/RichmondDMV Project/RoanokeDomestic Violence Project/

Northern VirginiaDomestic Violence Project/

RichmondHealth Law Project/

Advanced Medical DirectivesImmigrant AssistanceThe John Marshall Foundation LiaisonLaw School Council/AppalachianLaw School Council/George MasonLaw School Council/Richmond

yldVBA• •

1957-2007

Law School Council/VirginiaLaw School Council/

Washington & LeeLaw School Council/William & MaryLaw School LiaisonLawyers for the ArtsLawyers Helping Lawyers LiaisonLegal Services for the Mentally IllLegal Food FrenzyMembershipMentor Program/LynchburgMentor Program/RichmondMentor Program/RoanokeModel Judiciary ProgramNational Moot CourtNew Lawyers’ Survival GuideNew ProjectsNonprofit Legal Support ProgramPatent Litigation CLEPro Bono Hotlines/

Statewide CoordinatorPro Bono Hotline/Central VirginiaPro Bono Hotline/Northern Virginia

Pro Bono Hotline/RoanokePro Bono Hotline/TidewaterProfessionalism & Civility in PracticeProfessionalism & Civility in Practice/

RoanokeSubstantive Law Sections/

Representative CoordinatorTown Hall Meeting/CharlottesvilleTown Hall Meeting/Hampton RoadsTown Hall Meeting/RichmondTown Hall Meeting/RoanokeThe Virginia LawyerWills for HeroesYouth Court Expansion Project

vba news journal · 10 • looking back: quips, quotes and memories from past chairs 10 • before...

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