Old Dominion Bar Association
"Virginia's Advocates for Equal Justice"
"Virginia's Advocates for Equal Justice"
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Beverly A. Burton, Esq., President
with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law in the
effort to monitor and correct voting irregularities in Virginia .
We will build on that legacy by addressing the restoration of
felons’ rights and participating meaningfully in the effort to
reverse the disenfranchisement of those who are not
permitted to participate fully in society after having paid their
debt to society. We will work diligently to ensure the judiciary
in Virginia continues to reflect the citizenry of Virginia .
The Old Dominion Bar Association will be undergoing
significant structural and administrative changes. As we
strive to improve, we must re-dedicate ourselves to our
mission:
To maintain and advance the honor and dignity of the
legal profession and to increase its effectiveness in
promoting and facilitating the proper administration of
justice;
To improve the professional competence of its members
and of other lawyers in the area through educational
means;
To promote reform in the law and in judicial procedure in
the interest of justice;
To uphold and elevate the standard of integrity, dignity,
honor and courtesy among the members of the legal
profession;
To establish and maintain cooperative efforts with the
Virginia State Bar, the National Bar Association, and other
voluntary associations comprised of members of the legal
profession;
To cultivate the support and fellowship among the
members.
The footprints we leave behind are important. It is my goal to
ensure that ours are made with purpose, direction and
meaning. Notwithstanding our legacy, the work continues. I
ask for your support in meeting the challenges I described
earlier as we forge ahead with renewed commitment to be
the best we can be as VIRGINIA ’S ADVOCATES FOR EQUAL
JUSTICE.
Sincerely,
Beverly A. Burton, Esq.
********************************************************************
PRINCIPLES OF PROFESSIONALISM
FOR VIRGINIA LAWYERS
PREAMBLE
Virginia can take special pride in the important role its
lawyers have played in American history. From Thomas
Jefferson to Oliver Hill, Virginia lawyers have epitomized our
profession's highest ideals. Without losing sight of what
lawyers do for their clients and for the public, lawyers should
also focus on how they perform their duties. In their very first
professional act, all Virginia lawyers pledge to demean
themselves "professionally and courteously." Lawyers help
their clients, the institutions with which they deal and
themselves when they treat everyone with respect and
courtesy. These Principles of Professionalism serve as a
reminder of how Virginia lawyers have acted in the past, and
should act in the future.
PRINCIPLES
In my conduct toward everyone with whom I deal, I should:
• Remember that I am part of a self-governing profession,
and that my actions and demeanor reflect upon my
profession.
• Act at all times with professional integrity, so that others
will know that my word is my bond.
• Avoid all bigotry, discrimination, or prejudice.
• Treat everyone as I want to be treated with respect
and courtesy.
• Act as a mentor for less experienced lawyers, and as a
role model for future generations of lawyers.
• Contribute my skills, knowledge and influence in the
service of my community.
• Encourage those I supervise to act with the same
professionalism to which I aspire.
In my conduct toward my clients, I should:
• Act with diligence and dedication tempered with, but
never compromised by, my professional conduct toward
others.
• Act with respect and courtesy.
• Explain to clients that my courteous conduct toward
others does not reflect a lack of zeal in advancing their
interests, but rather is more likely to successfully advance
their interests.
In my conduct toward courts and other institutions with
which I deal, I should:
• Treat all judges and court personnel with respect and
courtesy.
• Be punctual in attending all court appearances and
other scheduled events.
• Avoid any conduct that offends the dignity or decorum of
any courts or other institutions, such as inappropriate
displays of emotion or unbecoming language directed at the
courts or any other participants.
• Explain to my clients that they should also act with
respect and courtesy when dealing with courts and other
institutions.
In my conduct toward opposing counsel, I should:
• Treat both opposing counsel and their staff with respect
and courtesy.
• Avoid ad hominem attacks, recognizing that in nearly
every situation opposing lawyers are simply serving their
clients as I am trying to serve my clients.
• Avoid reciprocating any unprofessional conduct by
opposing counsel, explaining to my clients that such behavior
harms rather than advances the clients' interests.
• Cooperate as much as possible on procedural and
logistical matters, so that the clients' and lawyers' efforts
can be directed toward the substance of disputes or
disagreements.
• Cooperate in scheduling any discovery, negotiations,
meetings, closings, hearings or other litigation or
transactional events, accommodating opposing counsels'
schedules whenever possible.
• Agree whenever possible to opposing counsels'
reasonable requests for extensions of time that are
consistent with my primary duties to advance my clients'
interests.
• Notify opposing counsel of any schedule changes as
soon as possible.
• Return telephone calls, e-mails and other
communications as promptly as I can, even if we disagree
about the subject matter of the communication, resolving to
disagree without being disagreeable.
• Be punctual in attending all scheduled events.
• Resist being affected by any ill feelings opposing clients
may have toward each other, remembering that any conflict
is between the clients and not between the lawyers.
For more news and events, please click here.
Beverly A. Burton, Esq., President
with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law in the
effort to monitor and correct voting irregularities in Virginia .
We will build on that legacy by addressing the restoration of
felons’ rights and participating meaningfully in the effort to
reverse the disenfranchisement of those who are not
permitted to participate fully in society after having paid their
debt to society. We will work diligently to ensure the judiciary
in Virginia continues to reflect the citizenry of Virginia .
The Old Dominion Bar Association will be undergoing
significant structural and administrative changes. As we
strive to improve, we must re-dedicate ourselves to our
mission:
To maintain and advance the honor and dignity of the
legal profession and to increase its effectiveness in
promoting and facilitating the proper administration of
justice;
To improve the professional competence of its members
and of other lawyers in the area through educational
means;
To promote reform in the law and in judicial procedure in
the interest of justice;
To uphold and elevate the standard of integrity, dignity,
honor and courtesy among the members of the legal
profession;
To establish and maintain cooperative efforts with the
Virginia State Bar, the National Bar Association, and other
voluntary associations comprised of members of the legal
profession;
To cultivate the support and fellowship among the
members.
The footprints we leave behind are important. It is my goal to
ensure that ours are made with purpose, direction and
meaning. Notwithstanding our legacy, the work continues. I
ask for your support in meeting the challenges I described
earlier as we forge ahead with renewed commitment to be
the best we can be as VIRGINIA ’S ADVOCATES FOR EQUAL
JUSTICE.
Sincerely,
Beverly A. Burton, Esq.
********************************************************************
PRINCIPLES OF PROFESSIONALISM
FOR VIRGINIA LAWYERS
PREAMBLE
Virginia can take special pride in the important role its
lawyers have played in American history. From Thomas
Jefferson to Oliver Hill, Virginia lawyers have epitomized our
profession's highest ideals. Without losing sight of what
lawyers do for their clients and for the public, lawyers should
also focus on how they perform their duties. In their very first
professional act, all Virginia lawyers pledge to demean
themselves "professionally and courteously." Lawyers help
their clients, the institutions with which they deal and
themselves when they treat everyone with respect and
courtesy. These Principles of Professionalism serve as a
reminder of how Virginia lawyers have acted in the past, and
should act in the future.
PRINCIPLES
In my conduct toward everyone with whom I deal, I should:
• Remember that I am part of a self-governing profession,
and that my actions and demeanor reflect upon my
profession.
• Act at all times with professional integrity, so that others
will know that my word is my bond.
• Avoid all bigotry, discrimination, or prejudice.
• Treat everyone as I want to be treated with respect
and courtesy.
• Act as a mentor for less experienced lawyers, and as a
role model for future generations of lawyers.
• Contribute my skills, knowledge and influence in the
service of my community.
• Encourage those I supervise to act with the same
professionalism to which I aspire.
In my conduct toward my clients, I should:
• Act with diligence and dedication tempered with, but
never compromised by, my professional conduct toward
others.
• Act with respect and courtesy.
• Explain to clients that my courteous conduct toward
others does not reflect a lack of zeal in advancing their
interests, but rather is more likely to successfully advance
their interests.
In my conduct toward courts and other institutions with
which I deal, I should:
• Treat all judges and court personnel with respect and
courtesy.
• Be punctual in attending all court appearances and
other scheduled events.
• Avoid any conduct that offends the dignity or decorum of
any courts or other institutions, such as inappropriate
displays of emotion or unbecoming language directed at the
courts or any other participants.
• Explain to my clients that they should also act with
respect and courtesy when dealing with courts and other
institutions.
In my conduct toward opposing counsel, I should:
• Treat both opposing counsel and their staff with respect
and courtesy.
• Avoid ad hominem attacks, recognizing that in nearly
every situation opposing lawyers are simply serving their
clients as I am trying to serve my clients.
• Avoid reciprocating any unprofessional conduct by
opposing counsel, explaining to my clients that such behavior
harms rather than advances the clients' interests.
• Cooperate as much as possible on procedural and
logistical matters, so that the clients' and lawyers' efforts
can be directed toward the substance of disputes or
disagreements.
• Cooperate in scheduling any discovery, negotiations,
meetings, closings, hearings or other litigation or
transactional events, accommodating opposing counsels'
schedules whenever possible.
• Agree whenever possible to opposing counsels'
reasonable requests for extensions of time that are
consistent with my primary duties to advance my clients'
interests.
• Notify opposing counsel of any schedule changes as
soon as possible.
• Return telephone calls, e-mails and other
communications as promptly as I can, even if we disagree
about the subject matter of the communication, resolving to
disagree without being disagreeable.
• Be punctual in attending all scheduled events.
• Resist being affected by any ill feelings opposing clients
may have toward each other, remembering that any conflict
is between the clients and not between the lawyers.
For more news and events, please click here.
SAVE THE DATE!
**************************
Old Dominion Bar Association
Winter Meeting
January 28, 2012
William & Mary Law School
Williamsburg, Virginia
***************************
Click here for registration form & details
*************************************
IN THE NEWS...
JULY 2011
POWELL APPOINTED TO SUPREME COURT
On July 29, 2011, the Virginia General
Assembly elected Hon. Cleo E. Powell to the
Virginia Supreme Court. Justice Powell is the
first African-American female to serve on that
Court and is the first African-American elected
by the General Assembly. Others have been
appointed by governors and confirmed by
lawmakers. Justice Powell is the only
member of the Supreme Court bench who has
served at every level of Virginia’s judicial
system. Justice Powell of Chesterfield
County was elevated from the Virginia Court of
Appeals along with Hon. Elizabeth A.
McClanahan of Washington County. Justices
Powell and McClannahan will serve twelve-
year terms. The vacancies on the Virginia
Court of Appeals will be filled by Glen A. Huff of
Virginia Beach and Stephen R. McCullough,
who will serve eight-year terms.
JUNE 2011
ODBA at VSB Annual Meeting
President Robert A. Williams and several other
ODBA members attended the Virginia State
Bar's Annual Meeting, which was held in
Virginia Beach June 16-18, 2011. At the
conference, President Williams attended the
meeting of Virginia State Bar Council and
played in the first VSB Diversity Conference
Golf Tournament, of which ODBA was a
sponsor.
71st Annual Meeting
ODBA’s Annual Meeting was held at the Hilton
Garden Inn in Richmond June 2-5, 2011. Early
arrivals participated in Thursday’s golf
competition and attended an evening
reception. President Robert A. Williams
welcomed conference participants on Friday
morning, which began a weekend packed with
CLEs and social events. President-Elect
Vinceretta Chiles, Esq. was the conference
chair.
In addition to CLEs, Friday’s activities included
the Presidential Luncheon with guest speaker
Hon. Dwight C. Jones, the City of Richmond’s
mayor. Later in the evening conference
participants and their guests were treated to a
Fridays At Sunset jazz concert at Kanawha
Plaza featuring international artist Michael
Franks. Participants finished the evening in
the hospitality suite playing poker, bid whist,
and enjoying each other’s company.
Saturday’s events began with a breakfast with
businessman and one-time gubernatorial
candidate Terry McAuliffe. The morning
included a panel discussion on seeking
judgeships that was moderated by Supreme
Court Justice Bernard Goodwyn. The Judicial
Luncheon featured a tribute to the late Chief
Justice Leroy Rountree Hassell, Sr. offered by
Hon. Angela Roberts. Guest speaker Hon.
Roger L. Gregory of the United States Court of
Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and participants
were treated to musical selections performed
by the Richmond Community High School jazz
band.
Saturday evening began with a reception in the
hotel’s atrium and musical entertainment by
Quint Essential Jazz Band, which also
provided a musical backdrop for the evening’s
banquet. Following Hon. Gerald Bruce Lee’s
tribute to the late Chief Justice Hassell, the
group observed a moment of silence in honor
and remembrance of Justice Hassell. Banquet
speaker Senator A. Donald McEachin shared
his insights on Virginia’s judicial selection
process. Following the banquet, participants
adjourned to the hospitality room where lady
lawyers and a female judge bested the
competition on both the poker and bid whist
tables.
The Annual Meeting came to a close on
Sunday. Following the Executive Committee
meeting, conference participants enjoyed a
Jazz brunch featuring Quint Essential Jazz
Band and remarks from Virginia State Bar
President Irving Blank.
May 2011
FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN FEMALE FEDERAL
JUDGE IN VIRGINIA
The United States Senate confirmed the
nomination of Arenda Lauretta Wright Allen to
serve as a judge on the United States District
Court for the Eastern District of Virginia on
May 11, 2011. Judge Wright began her legal
career as a JAG officer in the United States
Navy and later served in the United States
Navy Reserve. She worked as an Assistant
United States Attorney in Norfolk and later as
a Supervisory Federal Assistant Public
Defender in Norfolk until her appointment to
the bench. A 1982 graduate of Kutztown
University of Pennsylvania, she earned her law
degree from North Carolina Central University
in 1985. Judge Wright is the first African-
American female appointed to the federal
bench in Virginia.
NORFOLK STATE HONORS “WT”
Former ODBA President William T. Mason, Jr.,
Esq., a long-time Norfolk attorney and
philanthropist, received an honorary doctorate
of humane letters from Norfolk State
University for his contributions to the
university and the community. “WT” has been
a part of the Norfolk State University family for
over 40 years, serving as a member of the
NSU Board of Visitors and the NSU Foundation
Board. He has generously supported the
university financially through the
establishment and growth of the W.T. and
Vivian Carter Mason Endowed Scholarship
Fund. Mr. Mason, a native of Norfolk, is a
graduate of Howard University School of Law
and served a two-year term as president of
ODBA from 1969 to 1971. The honor was
bestowed during commencement exercises
at NSU on May 7, 2011.
MARCH 2011
INFLUENTIAL WOMEN OF VIRGINIA
Virginia Lawyers Weekly announced in March
it Class of 2011 of “Influential Women of
Virginia”. The awards program, now in its
third year, recognizes the outstanding efforts
of women around the state in all fields,
including law, business, health care, education
and the arts. The honors are given to
individuals who make notable contributions to
their professions, their communities and
society at large. The Honorable Angela
Roberts is a member of this year’s class. With
her appointment to serve on the Richmond
Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court in
1990, Judge Roberts became the
Commonwealth’s first African-American
female judge. She presently serves on that
Court and has twice served as its Chief
Judge. Before going on the bench, Judge
Roberts served as a prosecutor and assistant
bar counsel for the Virginia State Bar. She
serves the larger community through her
involvement in Fifth Street Baptist Church,
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Jack and Jill of
America, Inc., and Boy Scouts of America.
Judge Roberts is a long-time member of
ODBA.
Col. Lula B. Holland, U.S. Army Reserves (ret.)
is also a member of the Class of 2011. She
was Chief Nurse of the Army’s 18th Field
Hospital in Portsmouth and before then served
as Portsmouth’s Assistant Director of Social
Services. She is a former chairperson of the
Portsmouth School Board and has served on
the board of the Obici Healthcare Foundation,
which addresses the needs of the medically
indigent and uninsured. Affectionately known
to some as “Mamma ODBA”, Col. Holland, a
strong ODBA supporter, is the mother of
former ODBA treasurer Helivi Holland, Esq.
FEBRUARY 2011
CHIEF JUSTICE HASSELL DIES
Leroy Rountree Hassell, Sr., Chief Justice of
the Virginia Supreme Court, passed away from
complications of lymphoma on February 9,
2011. He was the first African-American Chief
Justice of that Court and served two four-year
terms from February 1, 2003 to January 31,
2011. Justice Hassell was a 1973 graduate of
Norview High School in Norfolk, Virginia. He
earned his undergraduate degree from the
University of Virginia in 1977, and his law
degree from Harvard Law School in 1980.
After law school, he joined the Richmond
office of McGuireWoods where he made
partner after seven years. Governor Gerald
Baliles nominated Chief Justice Hassell to the
Virginia Supreme Court in 1989, and his peers
elected him Chief Justice in 2002. His body lay
in state in the Rotunda of the Virginia State
Capitol, and he was the first African-American
to be accorded that honor. He was interred on
February 12, 2011, at Greenwood Memorial
Gardens Cemetery following a memorial
service at Faith Landmark Ministries in
Richmond. He is survived by his wife, Linda,
two daughters, a son, and one grandchild.
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I am honored to serve as the Old
Dominion Bar Association’s 29th
President and look forward to
working with our membership to
address the challenges that
require the attention of
"Virginia's Advocates for Equal
Justice”.
Under my leadership, and with
your support, the Old Dominion
Bar Association will not rest
comfortably on the laurels of its
rich legacy. Instead, we will build
on that legacy by participating
meaningfully as a National Bar
Association Affiliate in partnership
Dominion Bar Association’s 29th
President and look forward to
working with our membership to
address the challenges that
require the attention of
"Virginia's Advocates for Equal
Justice”.
Under my leadership, and with
your support, the Old Dominion
Bar Association will not rest
comfortably on the laurels of its
rich legacy. Instead, we will build
on that legacy by participating
meaningfully as a National Bar
Association Affiliate in partnership