On January 23, the Virginia Law Foundation inducted 26 citizen lawyers as Fellows and celebrated with the Virginia legal community at our annual dinner in Williamsburg. Nominated confidentially by their peers, Virginia Law Foundation Fellows are recognized for leadership in their practices, their communities, and the Commonwealth. The Class of 2025 joins more than 775 of the best and brightest legal practitioners in Virginia who are committed to the highest ideals of the law and exemplify the concept of citizen lawyer.
Learn more about each of our new Fellows below, and revisit photos from the event at this link.
Attison L. Barnes, III
Wiley Rein LLP
Alexandria, Virginia
Personal
Born in Easton, Maryland
Spouse: Karen Clarke Barnes
Children: Attison, Catherine
Education
B.A. International Relations, University of Virginia (1986)
TC Williams School of Law, University of Richmond (1989)
Admitted to the Virginia State Bar (1989), District of Columbia (1990),
Maryland Federal Bar (2001)
Law Practice
Partner, Wiley Rein LLP
Practice Area: Commercial and Government Contracts Litigation
Activities, Honors, Appointments, Positions
President, Northern Virginia Chapter of Federal Bar Association
Board Member, Episcopal High School
Board Member, University of Richmond School of Law
Board Member, St Paul’s Foundation
Jefferson Scholars Foundation
Recipient, Virginia Bar Association Emerson G. Spies Award
Recipient, Virginia Bar Association Sandra P. Thompson Award
Board of Governors, Virginia Bar Association
John J. Brandt
Nolan & Mroz, PLC
Dunn Loring, Virginia
Personal
Born in Washington, D.C.
Spouse: Laurie Matrigali Brandt
Children: Joseph, Paul, Michael, Justin
Education
B.S., Georgetown University (1958)
J.D., LL.M, Georgetown Law School (1961, 1963)
Admitted to the Virginia State Bar (1961)
Law Practice
Associate, Nolan & Mroz, PLC
Practice Area: Transactional and Litigation
Activities, Honors, Appointments, Positions
Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army
562nd Missile Battalion
Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
Rev. Edward J. Carney OSFS Award for outstanding ministry
Member, Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys
Recipient, the Virginia Little League Honor Roll
Adjunct Professor of Law, Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason University
Victor O. Cardwell
Woods Rogers
Roanoke, Virginia
Personal
Born in Lynchburg, Virginia
Spouse: Joann Fehrenbach
Children: Max, Ariana
Education
Bachelors, University of Virginia (1983)
Washington & Lee University School of Law (1987)
Admitted to the Virginia State Bar (1987), District of Columbia
Law Practice
Principal at Woods Rogers
Practice Area: Labor and Employment
Activities, Honors, Appointments, Positions
President, Virginia Bar Association
Recipient, Martin Luther King, Jr. “Drum Major for Justice Award”
Board of Governors, Virginia Bar Association
Board Member, Virginia Passenger Rail Authority
Virginia Historical Society
Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges
Fellow, Roanoke Law Foundation
Roanoke Lawyer of the Year
Virginia Bar Association Boyd Grave Conference
Ted Dalton Inns of Court
Virginia Black Business Leaders Hall of Fame
Mark K. Cathey
Glenn Robinson Cathey Skaff & White PLC
Roanoke, Virginia
Personal
Born in Waynesville, North Carolina
Spouse: Katherine Londos
Children: William, Emily
Education
B.A., English Language and Literature, University of Virginia (1990)
Washington & Lee University School of Law (1993)
Admitted to the Virginia State Bar (1993)
Law Practice
Partner at Glenn Robinson Cathey Skaff & White
Practice Area: Insurance Defense Litigation
Activities, Honors, Appointments, Positions
President, Roanoke Bar Association
23rd Circuit Representative to Virginia State Bar Council
Chair, Roanoke Bar Foundation, Board of Trustees
Roanoke City School Board
Roanoke Valley Governors School Board
Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys
Board Member, TRUST HOUSE
Youth Court Judge, Roanoke Bar Association
Darius Kobi Agyeman Davenport, Sr.
Crenshaw, Ware & Martin, P.L.C.
Norfolk, Virginia
Personal
Born in Norfolk, Virginia
Spouse: Maria Davenport
Children: Darius, Jr.; David; Daniel
Education
B.A. from Norfolk State University (1999)
University of Wisconsin Law School (2002)
Admitted to the Virginia State Bar (2007), Wisconsin (2002)
Law Practice
Managing Partner at Crenshaw, Ware & Martin, P.L.C.
Practice Area: Data Privacy & Security, Government & Public Sector
Activities, Honors, Appointments, Positions
Captain, United States Army, Judge Advocate General’s Corp
President, South Hampton Roads Bar Association
James Kent American Inn of Court Administrator
Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce
Vice Chair, City of Suffolk, Wetlands Board
Board Member, Food Bank of Southeastern Virginia and Eastern Shore
Recipient, Walter E. Hoffman Community Service Award
Board Member, Virginia Law Foundation
Jason R. Davis
Kaufman & Canoles, P.C.
Norfolk, Virginia
Personal
Born in Lynchburg, Virginia
Spouse: Leigh Evans Davis
Children: Ella, Kate
Education
B.S. in Finance, University of Virginia (1991)
William & Mary Law School (1994)
Admitted to the Virginia State Bar (1994), North Carolina (1996)
Law Practice
Managing Partner at Kaufman & Canoles
Practice Area: Healthcare and Litigation
Activities, Honors, Appointments, Positions
President and Board of Trustees, The Williams School
President, Norfolk Forum
Benchmark Litigation Future Star
Virginia Lawyers’ Weekly Go-To Medical Malpractice Defense Lawyer
CIVIC Leadership Institute Class
Board of Directors, The Greenwood School
Daniel L. Gray
Cooper Ginsberg Gray, PLLC
Fairfax, Virginia
Personal
Born in Arlington, Virginia
Spouse: Kristin Kearney
Children: Andrew, Anna
Education
B.A. from University of Virginia (1993)
George Mason University School of Law (1996)
Admitted to the Virginia State Bar (1996), Maryland (1998), District of Columbia (1998)
Law Practice
Partner at Cooper Ginsberg Gray, PLLC
Practice Area: Family Law
Activities, Honors, Appointments, Positions
President, Young Lawyers Conference, Virginia State Bar
Chair, Board of Governors Family Law Section, Virginia State Bar
Chair, Family Law Coalition, Virginia Bar Association
Chair, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Virginia Chapter
Chair, Fairfax Bar Association Family Law Section
Member, Virginia Child Support Guidelines Review Panel
Board Chair, Pathway Homes Virginia and Pathway Homes Florida
Carlos L. Hopkins
Gentry Locke
Richmond, Virginia
Personal
Born in Columbia, South Carolina
Children: Isaiah
Education
B.A., Political Science, The Citadel (1993)
University of Richmond Law School of Law (1996)
Admitted to the Virginia State Bar (1996)
Law Practice
Partner at Gentry Locke
Practice Area: Government Relations and White Collar Defense
Activities, Honors, Appointments, Positions
Primary Legal Advisor to the Governor of Virginia
Virginia Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs
Board of Directors, Richmond Ambulance Authority
Richmond Steering Committee for Just the Beginning Program
Board of Directors, Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Chief Legal Officer, Virginia Army National Guard
Director of Training, Virginia Public Defender’s Office
William B. Hopkins, Jr.
Martin, Hopkins & Lemon, PC
Roanoke, Virginia
Personal
Born in Roanoke, Virginia
Spouse: Ann Carder Hopkins
Children: Catherine Dabney Lee Hopkins, Virginia Hopkins, Morris and Isabel Walker Hopkins
Education
B.A, Washington & Lee University (1976)
William & Mary School of Law (1980)
Admitted to the Virginia State Bar (1980)
Law Practice
Partner at Martin, Hopkins and Lemon, P. C.
Practice Area: Trusts & Estates, Tax, Business
Activities, Honors, Appointments, Positions
President, Shenandoah Club
Volunteer, Southeast Athletic Association and the Greater Southeast Athletic Association
Board Member, Mill Mountain Zoo
Board Member, Roanoke Ballet Theatre
Virginia State Bar Council
Member, Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference
Member, Roanoke Law Foundation
Member, Roanoke City School Board
Richard H. Howard-Smith
Flora Pettit PC
Charlottesville, Virginia
Personal
Born in Newton, North Carolina
Spouse: Susan Howard-Smith
Children: John Howard-Smith, Virginia Peeples, James Howard-Smith Lusa
Education
B.A, Psychology, University of Virginia (1981)
William & Mary, Marshall-Wythe School of Law (1984, 1985)
Admitted to the Virginia State Bar (1984)
Law Practice
Partner at Flora Pettit PC
Practice Area: Trusts & Estates, Tax, Business
Activities, Honors, Appointments, Positions
President, Charlottesville-Albemarle Bar Association
President, Central Virginia Estate Planning Council
Bar Council Member, 16th Judicial Circuit, Virginia State Bar
Board of Governors Tax Section, Virginia State Bar
Fellow, American College of Trusts and Estate Counsel
Fellow, American Bar Foundation
Advisory Council, University of Virginia Health Foundation
Stanley K. Joynes III
Valley Road Vineyards
Crozet, Virginia
Personal
Born in Jackson, Mississippi
Spouse: Barbara Cole Joynes
Children: Alexandra Joynes, Elizabeth Joynes, Allison Thornhill, Clark Thornhill
Education
B.A., American Government, University of Virginia (1977)
University of Virginia School of Law (1981)
Admitted to the Virginia State Bar (1981)
Law Practice
Sole Practitioner (semi-retired)
Practice Area: Bankruptcy, Corporate Reorganizations, and Economic Development
Activities, Honors, Appointments, Positions
Chair, Third District Disciplinary Committee, Virginia State Bar
Sole Trustee, VRS Restitution Trust (appointed by Virginia AG and
Eastern District United States Attorney)
Board Chair, Children’s Museum of Richmond
Founding Trustee and Board Chair, Foundation for the Preservation
of Virginia’s Executive Mansion
Founder and Trustee, Project Exile Citizen Support Foundation
Board Chair, Virginia Winery Distribution Company
Director, Virginia Wineries Association
Greater Richmond Business Hall of Fame Laureate
Diane M. Lank
Lank Legal Services
Warsaw, Virginia
Personal
Born in Washington, D.C.
Spouse: Donald Hess
Children: Vanessa Lank Bliss
Education
B.A., Political Science & Theology, Marquette University (1973)
University of Maryland School of Law (1987)
Admitted to the Virginia State Bar (1996), Maryland (1987)
Law Practice
Principal at Lank Legal Services
Practice Area: General practice & guardian ad litem
Activities, Honors, Appointments, Positions
Secretary/Treasurer, Northern Neck Bar Association (2018–present)
Inns of Court, Baltimore Maryland
Board Member, Glen Harbor Civic Association
Country lawyer in a underserved community
Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland
Benjamin D. Leigh
Troxell Leigh P.C.
Leesburg, Virginia
Personal
Born in Leesburg, Virginia
Spouse: Laura Hering
Education
B.A., University of Richmond (1991)
University of Richmond School of Law (1996)
Admitted to the Virginia State Bar (1996)
Law Practice
Partner at Troxell Leigh P.C.
Practice Area: Real Estate
Activities, Honors, Appointments, Positions
President, Virginia Bar Association
Commissioner in Chancery and Special Commissioner, the 20th Judicial Circuit
Virginia State Bar Special Committee on Lawyer Wellness
Co-Chair, Virginia Bar Association Task Force on AI and the Future of the Legal Profession
Chair, Virginia Bar Association Real Estate Council
Member, Supreme Court of Virginia Committee on Lawyer Wellbeing
Member, Loudoun County Economic Development Commission
K. Lorraine Lord
Supreme Court of Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Personal
Born in Washington, D.C.
Spouse: Nathan McAdams Lord
Children: Katherine Davenport Lord, Nathan McAdams Lord, Jr.
Education
B.A. with honors, Washington & Lee University (1990)
Washington & Lee University School of Law (1996)
Admitted to the Virginia State Bar (1996)
Law Practice
Chief Staff Attorney of the Supreme Court of Virginia
Practice Area: Appellate—all issues that can be presented Virginia’s circuit courts
Activities, Honors, Appointments, Positions
Law Clerk for the Honorable A. Christian Compton, Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia
Member, John Marshall Inns of Court
Member, Boyd-Graves Conference
Member, Supreme Court of Virginia Wellness Advisory Committee
Member, Supreme Court of Virginia Well-Being Committee
Supreme Court appointee to the Board of Directors of Virginia Judges and
Lawyers Assistance Program
Member, Board of Directors of the Center for Teaching the Rule of Law
Board of Directors, School of Performing Arts Richmond Community
Krista M. Mathis
Virginia State Bar
Richmond, Virginia
Personal
Born in Lubbock, Texas
Children: Henry
Education
B.A., University of Virginia (2000)
University of Richmond School of Law (2003)
Admitted to the Virginia State Bar (2003)
Law Practice
Counsel, Virginia State Bar
Practice Area: Ethics
Activities, Honors, Appointments, Positions
President, Historic Monument Avenue & Fan District Foundation
President, Fan District Association
Panel Member, Mental Health Law Conference for Special Justices
Board Member, Metropolitan Richmond Women’s Bar Association,
Awards Committee Chair, and Mentor
Community Criminal Justice Board, Citizen Appointee and Secretary
Member, Mayor’s Census Committee
Community Criminal Justice Board for the City of Richmond
Charles G. Meyer, III
O’Hagan Meyer
Richmond, Virginia
Personal
Born in New York, New York
Spouse: Susan Campbell Meyer
Children: Caroline, Margaret, Charlie
Education
B.A. in History from Yale University (1988)
University of Virginia School of Law (1992)
Admitted to the Virginia State Bar (1992)
Law Practice
Managing Partner at O’Hagan Meyer, PLLC
Practice Area: Labor and Employment
Activities, Honors, Appointments, Positions
Past Chair and Board Member, Virginia Chamber of Commerce
Co-Chair, Virginia Chamber of Commerce Legal Institute
Pro Bono Volunteer, Central Virginia Legal Aid
Chair, Virginia Bar Association’s Lawyers Helping Lawyers Program
Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
Board Member and Past Chair, Fellowship of Christians in Universities and Schools
General Counsel, The American Chestnut Foundation
Nancy F. Reynolds
Kiernan Trebach, LLP
Richmond, Virginia
Personal
Born in Charlottesville, Virginia
Children: Claire, Lauren
Education
B.A., William and Mary (1979)
The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law (1992)
Admitted to the Virginia State Bar (1995)
Law Practice
Partner at Kiernan Trebach, LLP
Practice Area: Medical Malpractice Defense
Activities, Honors, Appointments, Positions
President, Virginia Women Attorneys Association
Board of Directors, National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations
Board Member, Roanoke Bar Association
Ted Dalton Inn of Court
Member, American Inns of Court Achieving Excellence
Chair of the Board of Directors, Spina Bifida Association of Southwest Virginia
Michael W. Robinson
Venable LLP
Tysons, Virginia
Personal
Born in Fredericksburg, Virginia
Spouse: Courtney Rohr
Children: Tyler, Zachary, Annah, Zoe, Chance
Education
B.A., Philosophy/ English, George Mason University (1982)
George Mason University Law School (1986)
Admitted to the Virginia State Bar (1966), Maryland, District of Columbia
Law Practice
Partner at Venable LLP
Practice Area: Litigation
Activities, Honors, Appointments, Positions
President, Virginia State Bar
Chair, Virginia State Bar Standing Committee on Legal Ethics
Chair, Virginia State Bar Special Committee on Bench Bar Relations
Virginia State Bar Faculty Professionalism Course
Fairfax Bar Association, Circuit Court Committee
Board Member, Virginia Law Foundation
W. Ryan Snow
Crenshaw, Ware & Martin, P.L.C.
Norfolk, Virginia
Personal
Born in Fort Sill, Oklahoma
Spouse: Sarah McDonald Snow
Children: Zoey, Piper
Education
B.A., Franklin & Marshall College (1998)
Washington & Lee University School of Law (2001)
Admitted to the Virginia State Bar (2001)
Law Practice
Partner at Crenshaw, Ware & Martin, P.L.C.
Practice Area: Business litigation, construction, and maritime law
Activities, Honors, Appointments, Positions
President, Virginia Bar Association
President, I’Anson-Hoffman American Inn of Court
Chair, VBA Construction & Public Contracts Section
Chairman of the Board, Norfolk Botanical Garden Foundation
Committee Member, Panel Advisor/Moderator, The Civil Rights Law Institute 2024
A. Benjamin Spencer
William & Mary Law School
Williamsburg, Virginia
Personal
Born in Atlanta, Georgia
Spouse: Marlette Franklin Spencer
Children: Isabella, Mya, James, Mary, Emma, Alyssa, Adam, Philip, Sophia
Education
B.A., Morehouse College, (1996)
Harvard Law School (2001)
Admitted to the Virginia State Bar (2001), District of Columbia (2002)
Law Practice
Dean and Trustee Professor, William & Mary Law School
Activities, Honors, Appointments, Positions
Major, United States Army JAG Corps (Reserves)
Justice Thurgood Marshall Distinguished Professor of Law,
University of Virginia School of Law
Member, Board of Trustees, Southeastern Association of Law Schools
Member, Boyd-Graves Conference
Permanent Member, Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference
Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Virginia
Member, Board of Directors, Virginia Poverty Law Center
Member, Board of Directors of Piedmont Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)
Chair, National Conference of Bar Examiners Civil Procedure MBE Question Drafting Committee
Member, Board of Directors for the Girl Scouts Council of Virginia
Chair, Archons of Charlottesville Foundation
Joanna L. Suyes
Suyes Law
Richmond, Virginia
Personal
Born in Petersburg, Virginia
Spouse: Jimmy R. Ogle, Jr.
Children: Jessica Ogle Cavanagh, John Ogle
Education
B.A., Government, College of William & Mary (1989)
University of Richmond School of Law (2007)
Admitted to the Virginia State Bar (2007), District of Columbia (2008)
Law Practice
Founder of Suyes Law, PLLC
Practice Area: Social Security Disability Claims
Activities, Honors, Appointments, Positions
President, Viginia Trial Lawyers Association
President, Metro Richmond Women’s Bar Association
President, Virginia Poverty Law Center
Member, Virginia State Bar Council
Volunteer, CancerLINC
Sustaining Member, National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives
Susan Bradford Tarley
Tarley Robinson
Williamsburg, Virginia
Personal
Born in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania
Spouse: John Tarley, Jr.
Children: John B. Tarley, Erika S. Tarley
Education
B.S., Science, Pennsylvania State University (1983)
George Mason University Law School (1988)
Admitted to the Virginia State Bar (1988)
Law Practice
Partner at Tarley Robinson, PLC
Practice Area: Community Association Law and Real Estate Law
Activities, Honors, Appointments, Positions
President, Williamsburg Bar Association, Greater Peninsula Women’s Bar Association
Vice President, American Heart Association-Williamsburg Chapter,
Williamsburg-Area Trial Lawyers Association
Virginia State Bar Executive Committee
Chair, Virginia State Bar SB Clients’ Protection Fund Board
Chair, Virginia Legislative Action Committee, Community Association Institute
Virginia Legislative Action Committee (FHA Task Force Chair)
2006 Virginia Leader in the Law, establishing pro bono legal clinic for Williamsburg
Elizabeth L. Wildhack
MWM Legal Group
Arlington, Virginia
Personal
Born in Washington, D.C.
Spouse: Margaret S. Doyel
Education
B.A. in Archaeology, University of Virginia (1986)
American University Washington College of Law (1998)
Admitted to the Virginia State Bar (1998), District of Columbia (2020)
Law Practice
Managing Partner at MWM Legal Group
Practice Area: Elder Law/Estate Planning & Administration
Activities, Honors, Appointments, Positions
Member, Treasurer, Secretary, Virginia Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
Virginia Public Guardianship & Conservatorship Advisory Board, appointed by Governor
Faculty, Virginia State Bar Harry L. Carrico Professionalism Course
Member, Co-Chair of Elder Law Section, Arlington County Bar Association
Director, Virginia Women Attorney’s Association – Northern Virginia Chapter
Recipient, James B. Hunter Human Rights Award, presented by the Arlington County
Commission on Human Rights for outstanding service to elderly and disabled
Sara Redding Wilson
Drive-to-Work
Manakin Sabot, Virginia
Personal
Born in Washington D.C.
Spouse: Claude W. Wilson, M.D. (deceased)
Children: David Wilson, Blythe Myers, Leigh Salinas, Rob Myers
Education
B.A. in Mathematics, Kirkland College (now Hamilton College) (1972)
University of Richmond School of Law (1978)
Admitted to the Virginia State Bar (1978)
Law Practice
President & CEO, Drive-To-Work
Practice Area: Driver’s License Restoration
Activities, Honors, Appointments, Positions
Director, Department of Human Resource Management
(appointed by five Virginia Governors)
Most Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Richmond School of Law
Leadership Award, National Association of State Personnel Executives
Distinguished Service Award, Jackson-Feild Homes Board of Trustees
Most Distinguished Board Member Award, the Virginia Association of Children’s Homes
Richmond Law Advisory Board
Thomas M. Wolf
O’Hagan Meyer
Richmond, Virginia
Personal
Born in Wilmington, Delaware
Spouse: Carol A.O. (Schofield) Wolf
Children: Kelly, Josiah, Dale
Education
B.A., Vanderbilt University (1973)
Vanderbilt University School of Law (1977)
Admitted to the Virginia State Bar (1978)
Law Practice
Partner at O’Hagan Meyer
Practice Area: Business Litigation
Activities, Honors, Appointments, Positions
President, the International Alliance of Law Firms
Virginia Lawyers Weekly Go-To Business Litigation Lawyer
Member, Virginia Lawyers Hall of Fame
Board Member, Virginia Law Foundation
American Bar Foundation Fellow
Board Member, Virginia Poverty Law Center
Board Member, Virginia Commission on Parole Review
Board of Commissioners, the Virginia Port Authority
John Edward Zydron
The Zydron Law Firm, P.L.L.C.
Chesapeake, Virginia
Personal
Born in Portsmouth, Virginia
Spouse: Joyce Glemming Zydron
Children: Andrea Zydron Warmbier; John Edward Zydron, Jr.
Education
B.A., University of Richmond (1971)
George Mason School of Law (1977)
Admitted to the Virginia State Bar (1977), North Carolina (1995)
Law Practice
The Zydron Law Firm, P.L.L.C.
Practiced Area: Personal Injury-plaintiff/Nursing Home Malpractice
Activities, Honors, Appointments, Positions
Retired Brigadier General after 32.5 years of military service
both as an enlisted member and officer in the Army and Army National Guard
Awarded the United States Legion of Merit Medal
President, the Virginia National Guard Foundation
President, the Chesapeake Bar Association
Co-Commissioner, the Virginia Marine Resource Commission
Selected as a “Virginia Leader in the Law”
Inducted into the Virginia Lawyers Hall of Fame
Honored with the “Nation’s Top One Percent” designation by
the National Association of Distinguished Counsel
Member, the Ruritan Club
