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Image source: http://norfolk.photodeck.com/-/galleries/city-of-norfolk-courthouse/-/medias/4709b6d4-634c-434c-9b97-2335ff9fc171-norfolk-courthouse-06-26-18 Author: Andrew Cooper - City of Norfolk photographer

Join the Norfolk & portsmouth Bar Association

The NPBA has served the Legal Profession, the Judiciary and the Public since 1900. Membership is open to licensed attorneys, law students, legal administrators, and the local military legal community.


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Notice of NPBA Bylaws Amendment Vote on October 15, 2024

The Executive Committee of the Norfolk & Portsmouth Bar Association is in the process of reviewing the organization’s Bylaws. In accordance with the current Bylaws’ amendment article XIV,

ARTICLE XIV – AMENDMENTS

These By-Laws may be amended by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the total members of the Executive Committee of the Norfolk Portsmouth Bar Association at a scheduled meeting, provided that written notice of the vote to amend the By-Laws with the proposed amendments be (1) posted on the NPBA website and (2) circulated by email to the NPBA membership at least 30 days in advance of the scheduled vote to allow review and comment by the membership.

The Executive Committee is opening a comment period through October 15, 2024, for the new membership category:

[Proposed Membership Category]

Proposed new language to be added to Article I, Membership:

Retired Members    

Any Active or Associate Member who (1) has been an Active or Associate Member; (2) who retires; and (3) who is not engaged in the practice of law or employed in a legal capacity, may apply to be a Retired Member. Applications for Retired Members shall be sent in writing to the Secretary of the Association using the form provided by the Executive Committee. Retired Members shall have all Active member privileges with reduced annual membership dues.

Email comments to contact@norfolkandportsmouthbar.org.

Upcoming events

    • Thursday, September 19, 2024
    • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
    • Norfolk Courthouse Rotunda
    • 26
    Register

    September 19, 2024

    12:00pm to 1:00pm

    Free to NPBA members; $30 non-members

    Registration includes boxed lunch and water.

    Amanda Ofsonka has been working with The Planning Council since 2017. As Director of the Continuum of Care Program, Amanda provides direction and support for preventing and ending homelessness across two Continuums of Care in the Greater Hampton Roads region. Working with diverse stakeholders to assess the strengths and gaps of the HUD Continuums of Care including individual program performance, overall system performance, analysis of data and trends, and alignment with national best practices are the core values in Amanda’s work. Amanda, and her team, received The Virginia Governor’s Housing Conference Best Regional Partnership Award in 2022.

    • Thursday, September 19, 2024
    • 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
    • Norfolk Courthouse Training Room - 1st Floor
    • 8
    Register

    Registration Required!

    September 19, 2024
    NPBA Members: Free
    Not yet NPBA Members: $30.00 (1 CLE Credit)

    Summary:

    In this interactive course, attendees will discover the leading causes of malpractice claims and bar complaints for attorneys licensed in Virginia.  This course will provide current statistics and steps in attorney discipline cases.  There will be a discussion on common scenarios such as dabbling, unauthorized practice of law and the supervision of attorneys.  The seminar will also cover Formal Opinions 506, 510, 511; 2019 ABA Legal Malpractice Study; and Substantive versus Administrative Errors.

      22 Person Limit due to capacity

      Presenters:  Joyvan Malbon-Griffin, Esq., Minnesota Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company

      Joyván Malbon-Griffin, Esq. is a Regional Director and Claims Attorney with Minnesota Lawyers Mutual. She received her undergraduate degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA and her Juris Doctor degree from North Carolina Central University School of Law in Durham, NC. Prior to joining MLM, Joyván practiced complex civil litigation in state and federal court. She was also an adjunct professor at Bryant & Stratton College where she taught Contracts Law and a vast array of other legal classes. She is a member and the International Deputy Legal Advisor for Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated. Additionally, Joyván is a member of the James Kent Inns of Court, a CLE Committee member of the Norfolk Portsmouth Bar Association and a member of the Metro Richmond Women’s Bar Association.

      As a Claims Attorney, she manages litigation involving legal malpractice and provides advice to attorneys facing malpractice suits and ethical complaints. She frequently presents CLEs throughout the Commonwealth and beyond on topics related to ethics, firm management, legal malpractice, and attorney well-being.

      Number of CLE hours: 1 Ethics

      Areas of Law:  Business Transactions, Family Law, Wills/Trusts/Estates, Criminal Law, Personal Injury, Debt Collection

      Must be present at the start of the CLE program until the end in order to received credit(s).

      Additional Details:
      Please contact bar association staff at (757) 622-3152 or email contact@norfolkportsmouthbar.org if you have any questions.

      • Friday, September 20, 2024
      • Saturday, September 21, 2024
      • Williamsburg Lodge, Williamsburg, VA

      VSB 50th Anniversary Edition of the Advanced Business Law Conference

      CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!

      September 20-21, 2024

      Williamsburg Lodge in Williamsburg, VA

      Presented by the Business Law Section of the Virginia State Bar in cooperation with and with the support of the Virginia Bar Association Business Law Section

      The 21st Century Business Lawyer:  Counseling Businesses in the Age of Innovation and Increased Regulation

      “Business” law used to be a more discreet and manageable area of legal practice “expertise”.  In the “Innovation Economy”, the “business lawyer” must become an expert in the client’s business and industry.  By doing so, the business lawyer can guide the client through a much larger universe of constantly changing, industry-specific and often “lagging” (i.e., behind economic, technological and business model shifts) laws and regulations.   Increasingly, the business lawyer must collaborate with other attorneys who are focused in specific practice areas, as well as the client’s accountants and other advisers. As a result, while serving as the client’s primary counselor (or “coach”), the business lawyer must also coordinate the work of other lawyers (or serve as a “quarterback” or “gatekeeper” of the client’s team of legal and other advisors).  Especially for small and “lower-middle-market” companies, a business lawyer who can provide both sound business counsel and coordinate the work of an interdisciplinary advisor team can dramatically enhance the value, efficiency and effectiveness of the business’ legal planning and regulatory compliance.  

      This special 50th Anniversary edition of the Conference is designed to equip business lawyers with updates on some of the most common, cutting-edge and rapidly-evolving legal issues facing, and practical tips regarding planning opportunities available to, private companies today.  These updates, including new or changing laws and regulations and practical planning tips, should better position the business lawyer to perform his or her evolving business counselor roles – including as a “coach”, a “quarterback” and “gatekeeper”.

      • Wednesday, September 25, 2024
      • Zoom

      We Can Join together to Help Reduce the Eviction Crisis in Our Community

      Affordable housing can be difficult to find, especially for people who have limited income. A person’s rental history may be extremely important in the search for affordable housing. Potential landlords may check to determine if there have been one or more “Unlawful Detainers” filed against a person seeking to rent residential property. Unfortunately, the records stay in the Virginia Court Case Information (VCCI) system, usually for 10 years – even cases that were dismissed or nonsuited.

      A new law was enacted in Virginia in 2022 (Virginia Code Section 8.01-130.01 / Unlawful Detainer; Expungement). This law allows an eviction case that was dismissed or non-suited (and no possession was granted) to be removed from public court records after a certain of amount of time has passed. After an expungement is completed by the court, the case is then removed from VCCI. A cleaner rental history may make it easier for people to obtain future affordable housing.

      The Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia (LASEVA) received a grant to help address the eviction crisis in our service area by engaging volunteer attorneys via an Eviction Expungement Project (EEP) to clear up tenants’ rental and credit histories, thereby reducing some barriers to obtaining affordable housing.

      As part of this project, LASEVA is offering a 1-hour free CLE (Housing Law – Unlawful Detainer Expungements) followed by a ½ hour clinic to handle cases. The CLE, via zoom virtual format, has been approved by the Virginia State Bar for 1-hour CLE.

      Upcoming CLEs for 2024:

      September

      9/25/24

      October

      10/23/24

      To participate in the CLE & Clinic and for additional information, please contact:

      Janet James, Esquire

      Pro Bono Expungement Grant Attorney

      Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia

      Phone: 757-305-9007

      janetj@laseva.org


      • Friday, October 04, 2024
      • 3:00 PM
      • City of Norfolk Courthouse - Courtroom 6A - 150 St. Paul's Boulevard

      PLEASE JOIN US FOR THE

      PORTRAIT UNVEILING CEREMONY

      of

      THE HONORABLE JOAN E. MAHONEY

      Friday, October 4, 2024 at 3:00 p.m.


      City of Norfolk Courthouse

      150 St. Paul's Boulevard

      Courtroom 6A

      Norfolk, Virginia 23510


      R.S.V.P. by September 20, 2024 to Diana Johnson

      drjohnson@vacourts.gov

      • Monday, October 07, 2024
      • 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
      • Norfolk Courthouse First Floor Training Room
      • 18
      Register

        Registration Required!

        NPBA Members: Free
        Not yet NPBA Members: $30.00 (1.5 CLE Credit)

        Summary:

        • What is Name, Image, and Likeness (“NIL”) in Virginia
        • Brief history regarding amateurism/NIL in college sports (events before 2021)
        • SCOTUS’ 2021 NCAA v. Alston decision and its legal impact
        • Discuss current law surrounding NIL in Virginia, including the most recent law that went into effect this past July 2024
        • Defining the roles of “Attorney” and “Agent” in the NIL marketplace.

        22 Person Limit due to capacity

        Presenters: 

        Diamond C. Royster, Attorney, Pender & Coward, P.C.

        Diamond is a Pender & Coward attorney focusing her practice on civil litigation, local government, eminent domain/right of way and waterfront law matters.  Prior to joining the firm, Diamond served as a law clerk for the Honorable Cleo Powell of the Supreme Court of Virginia.  Additionally, she has a background in higher education, having worked for several years in the industry and receiving a master’s degree in the field before pursuing law school.

        T. Lyons Lascara, Attorney, Pender & Coward, P.C.

        Lyons Lascara is a Pender & Coward attorney focusing his practice on construction law matters and civil litigation.  During law school, Lyons worked with the firm as a legal intern supporting the firm's construction law and litigation teams.

        Number of CLE hours: 1.5

        Areas of Law:  Sports Law; Business Law; Contract Law; Anti-Trust Law

        Must be present at the start of the CLE program until the end in order to received credit(s).

        Additional Details:
        Please contact bar association staff at (757) 622-3152 or email contact@norfolkportsmouthbar.org if you have any questions.

        • Wednesday, October 09, 2024
        • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
        • Zoom
        • Thursday, October 10, 2024
        • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
        • Norfolk Courthouse - First Floor Training Room
        Register

        Registration Required!
        NPBA Members: Free
        Not yet NPBA Members: $30.00 (1 CLE Credit)

        Summary:

        • Elements of a compensable workplace accident.
        • Exceptions and nuanced rules such as coming and going rule, sexual assaults, extended premise rule.
        • Distinguishing when an intentional tort is a compensable workplace accident with case law examples.
        • Distinguishing when an intentional tort is not a compensable workplace accident with case law examples.
        • A more in-depth discussion regarding Richneck Elementary and the shooting of a teacher.

        22 Person Limit due to capacity

        Presenters:  Joshua E. Lepchitz, Associate, Gentry Locke Attorneys

        Josh Lepchitz is a member in the firm’s Civil Defense Litigation practice group. Josh’s practice focuses on defense litigation, primarily on workers compensation, personal injury and insurance defense. He handles complex cases both in the General District and Circuit Courts throughout the Commonwealth.

        Prior to joining Gentry Locke, Josh was an associate at a boutique law firm in Norfolk. He also served as Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney for the city of Norfolk, prosecuting criminal offenses. Josh is a native of Southwest Virginia.

        Number of CLE hours: 1 

        Area of Law:  Torts; Personal Injury

        Must be present at the start of the CLE program until the end in order to received credit(s).

        Additional Details:
        Please contact bar association staff at (757) 622-3152 or email contact@norfolkportsmouthbar.org if you have any questions.

        • Tuesday, October 15, 2024
        • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
        • Norfolk Law Library

        Purpose of the Committee – To support and improve the local administration of justice, enhance service to the community, and increase professionalism within the legal system by exploring issues of emerging concern or interest that affect the local bench and bar (the specific issues to be explored ultimately will be determined by the committee); additionally, the committee will liaise with the Bench-Bar Conference Committee and Young Lawyers Section regarding appropriate topics.

        • Thursday, October 17, 2024
        • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
        • Norfolk Courthouse Rotunda
        • 53
        Register

        October 17, 2024

        12:00pm to 1:00pm

        Free to NPBA members; $30 non-members

        Registration includes boxed lunch and water.

        Join us for the monthly luncheon meeting on October 17, 2024, More Information to Come!



        • Thursday, October 17, 2024
        • 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
        • Norfolk Courthouse First Floor Training Room
        • 19
        Register

        October 17, 2024

        1:15pm to 2:15pm

        Free to NPBA members; $30 non-members


        • Wednesday, October 23, 2024
        • Zoom

        We Can Join together to Help Reduce the Eviction Crisis in Our Community

        Affordable housing can be difficult to find, especially for people who have limited income. A person’s rental history may be extremely important in the search for affordable housing. Potential landlords may check to determine if there have been one or more “Unlawful Detainers” filed against a person seeking to rent residential property. Unfortunately, the records stay in the Virginia Court Case Information (VCCI) system, usually for 10 years – even cases that were dismissed or nonsuited.

        A new law was enacted in Virginia in 2022 (Virginia Code Section 8.01-130.01 / Unlawful Detainer; Expungement). This law allows an eviction case that was dismissed or non-suited (and no possession was granted) to be removed from public court records after a certain of amount of time has passed. After an expungement is completed by the court, the case is then removed from VCCI. A cleaner rental history may make it easier for people to obtain future affordable housing.

        The Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia (LASEVA) received a grant to help address the eviction crisis in our service area by engaging volunteer attorneys via an Eviction Expungement Project (EEP) to clear up tenants’ rental and credit histories, thereby reducing some barriers to obtaining affordable housing.

        As part of this project, LASEVA is offering a 1-hour free CLE (Housing Law – Unlawful Detainer Expungements) followed by a ½ hour clinic to handle cases. The CLE, via zoom virtual format, has been approved by the Virginia State Bar for 1-hour CLE.

        Upcoming CLEs for 2024:

        May

        5/22/24

        June

        6/26/24

        September

        9/25/24

        October

        10/23/24

        To participate in the CLE & Clinic and for additional information, please contact:

        Janet James, Esquire

        Pro Bono Expungement Grant Attorney

        Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia

        Phone: 757-305-9007

        janetj@laseva.org


        • Wednesday, October 23, 2024
        • 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
        • Norfolk Courthouse Training Room - 1st Floor
        • 19
        Register

        Registration Required!

        October 23, 2024
        NPBA Members: Free
        Not yet NPBA Members: $30.00 (2 CLE Credits)

        Summary:

        • Agency Documents
        • Guardianship/Conservatorship Code Overview (including recent updates)
        • Guardianship/Conservatorship Timeline
        • Guardianship/Conservatorship Best Practices

          22 Person Limit due to capacity

          Presenters:  Nicholas R. Thompson, William & Mary Elder & Disability Law Clinic

          Nick Thompson is currently an adjunct professor of law at William & Mary Law School and is the managing attorney at its Elder & Disability Law Clinic. Nick has managed the Clinic since September 2020. At the Clinic, Nick regularly handles matters related to family and elder and disability law. He primarily represents clients before circuit courts in guardianship and conservatorship matters and counsels clients on estate planning issues. Nick serves on the board of Boaz and Ruth based in Richmond, Virginia. He is a member of the Virginia State Bar and the Richmond Bar Association.

          Nick earned his JD/MBA from William & Mary. After graduating law school, Nick began his legal career as an associate at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP located in Richmond, Virginia. At Hunton, Nick’s practice focused on commercial financing matters across the energy industry. He advised lenders and borrowers in connection with commercial financing matters across a broad range of industries and asset classes, with a particular focus on renewable and conventional energy assets.

          During the fall of 2021, Nick lateralled as an associate at Dechert LLP located in Washington, D.C. At Dechert, Nick represented private equity, private company, and public company clients on mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures.

          Number of CLE hours: 2

          Areas of Law:  Guardianship, Contervatorship, Elder Law, DIsability Law

          Must be present at the start of the CLE program until the end in order to received credit(s).

          Additional Details:
          Please contact bar association staff at (757) 622-3152 or email contact@norfolkportsmouthbar.org if you have any questions.

          *Application for approval for this course or program is pending with the Virginia Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Board.

          • Thursday, October 24, 2024
          • 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
          • Norfolk Courthouse - First Floor Training Room
          Register

          Registration Required!

          October 24, 2024
          NPBA Members: Free
          Not yet NPBA Members: $30.00 (1 CLE Credit)

          Summary:

          1.      What is Defamation in Virginia?
          a.      Basic summary of defamation (includes libel and slander)
          b.      Elements of Defamation
          c.       Two primary types of defamation in Virginia:
                                                                  i.            Defamation Per Se
                                                                 ii.            Defamation Per Quod
          2.      Defamatory Publication
          a.      Publication element of defamation
          b.      What qualifies as a publication?
          c.       Intent
          d.      What the statement actually heard and understood by third parties?
          3.      Actionable Statements
          e.      Statements must be false.
          f.        Defamatory Sting
                                                                  i.            Reputational damage
                                                                 ii.            Professional damage
          a.      Defamation Per Se vs Defamation Per Quod
                                                                  i.           Rule in Virginia that all defamation is either per se or  per quod.

          4.      Defamation and the First Amendment

          g.      Intimately connected.
          h.      Opinion and true statements protected.
          i.        Different standards for public officials, public figures, and private individuals.
          j.        Crucial U.S. Supreme Court Cases
          5.      Defenses to Defamation
          k.       Privileges
          i.        Litigation privilege, qualified privilege, statutory privileges.
          l.        Opinion
          m.    Truth
          n.      Innocent Construction
          o.      Ecclesiastical Abstention

          22 Person Limit due to capacity

          Presenter(s):

          Kole F. Donaldson, Attorney, Wolcott Rivers Gates

          Kole F. Donaldson is an attorney with Wolcott Rivers Gates and focuses his practice on civil litigation. Kole received his Juris Doctor from William & Mary Law School in May of 2022 and was admitted to the Virginia Bar in October of 2022. He received his bachelor’s degree in 2019 from Hampden-Sydney College, where he studied history and religion. He joined Wolcott Rivers Gates in 2023. Prior to joining the firm, Kole completed a clerkship at the Norfolk Circuit Court, assisting the Judges with case preparation and court administration. He interacted daily with judges, court staff, attorneys, and litigants, making him comfortable with the litigation process, court procedure, and effective methods of preparation for civil hearings and trials.

          The Hon. Everett A. Martin, Jr., Norfolk Circuit Court

          Judge Martin joined the VBA member in 1990 and is a former VBA Board of Governors judicial representative. He also has served on the Civil Litigation Section Council and as vice chair of the Judicial Section.

          The Carrico award honors the longest serving chief justice and longest serving member in the history of the Supreme Court of Virginia. Recipients - one a year - have "demonstrated exceptional leadership in the administration of the courts while exhibiting the traits of integrity, courtesy, impartiality, wisdom and humility." All appellate, circuit and district court judges are eligible for nomination.

          Judge Martin became a judge of the Norfolk Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court in 1990 and was elected as a judge in Norfolk Circuit Court in 1995. Earlier, he was in private practice and served as an assistant commonwealth's attorney in Norfolk.

          In addition to his contributions to the VBA, the award recipient has served on the Supreme Court's Ad Hoc Committee on Local Rules, which produced the uniform scheduling order and Rule 4:15; the Circuit Court Forms Committee; and the Law Council of his undergrad and law school alma mater, Washington and Lee University. He also serves on the invitation-only Boyd-Graves Conference.

          As a judge, he has presided over more than 450 jury trials, contributed to legal scholarship in Virginia law journals, served for nearly 30 years as a bar examiner for the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners, and participated in numerous conferences and educational programs, including at VBA events.

          Judge Martin received the Harry L. Carrico Outstanding Career Service Award May 11 at the annual meeting of the Judicial Conference of Virginia.

          Number of CLE hours: 1 Ethics

          Areas of Law:  Tort Defense/Civil Litigation

          Must be present at the start of the CLE program until the end in order to received credit(s).

          *Application for approval for this course or program is pending with the Virginia Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Board.

          • Wednesday, November 13, 2024
          • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
          • Zoom
          • Thursday, November 21, 2024
          • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
          • Norfolk Courtbouse Rotunda
          • 55
          Register

          November 21, 2024

          12:00pm to 1:00pm

          Free to NPBA members; $30 non-members

          Registration includes boxed lunch and water.

          Join us for the monthly luncheon meeting on November 21, 2024, More Information to Come!


          • Thursday, November 21, 2024
          • 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
          • Norfolk Courthouse First Floor Training Room
          • 22
          Register

          November 21, 2024

          1:15pm to 2:15pm

          Free to NPBA members; $30 non-members



          • Wednesday, December 11, 2024
          • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
          • Zoom
          • Wednesday, January 08, 2025
          • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
          • Zoom
          • Thursday, January 16, 2025
          • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
          • Norfolk Courthouse Rotunda
          • 55
          Register

          January 16, 2025

          12:00pm to 1:00pm

          Free to NPBA members; $30 non-members

          Registration includes boxed lunch and water.

          Join us for the monthly luncheon meeting on January 16, 2025, More Information to Come!



          • Thursday, January 16, 2025
          • 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
          • Norfolk Courthouse First Floor Training Room
          • 22
          Register

          January 16, 2025

          1:15pm to 2:15pm

          Free to NPBA members; $30 non-members


          • Wednesday, February 12, 2025
          • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
          • Zoom
          • Thursday, February 20, 2025
          • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
          • Norfolk Courthouse Rotunda
          • 55
          Register

          February 20, 2025

          12:00pm to 1:00pm

          Free to NPBA members; $30 non-members

          Registration includes boxed lunch and water.

          Join us for the monthly luncheon meeting on February 20, 2025, More Information to Come!


          • Thursday, February 20, 2025
          • 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
          • Norfolk Courthouse First Floor Training Room
          • 22
          Register

          February 20, 2025

          1:15pm to 2:15pm

          Free to NPBA members; $30 non-members


          • Wednesday, March 12, 2025
          • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
          • Zoom
          • Thursday, March 20, 2025
          • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
          • Norfolk Courthouse Rotunda
          • 55
          Register

          March 20, 2025

          12:00pm to 1:00pm

          Free to NPBA members; $30 non-members

          Registration includes boxed lunch and water.

          Join us for the monthly luncheon meeting on March 20, 2025, More Information to Come!


          • Thursday, March 20, 2025
          • 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
          • Norfolk Courthouse First Floor Training Room
          • 22
          Register

          March 20, 2025

          1:15pm to 2:15pm

          Free to NPBA members; $30 non-members


          • Wednesday, April 09, 2025
          • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
          • Zoom
          • Thursday, April 10, 2025
          • 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
          • Hilton Norfolk The Main, 100 E. Main Street, Norfolk, VA 23510

          SAVE THE DATE! - More Information to Come!

          27th Annual NPBA Bench Bar Conference 2025
          April 10, 2025
          Hilton Norfolk The Main


          11:00 a.m. Registration Opens