Virginia Business// November 30, 2018//
Title: Partner
Other legal specialties: Class-action defense, financial-services litigation, intellectual property, regulatory and compliance, and corporate/partnership disputes
Birthplace: Winston-Salem, N.C.
Education: Bachelor’s degree (cum laude), James Madison University; law degree, University of Richmond
Spouse: Terry
Children: Jack, 16; Luke, 13; and Ana, 13
Hobbies: Running, traveling, sports fan
First job as a lawyer: Associate, Steptoe & Johnson
Fan of: Washington Redskins, Atlanta Braves, Lebron James, anything JMU
Favorite vacation spots: Charleston, S.C., St. Barts
Recently read book: “Moneyball” by Michael Lewis
Career mentor: Thomas Betz (retired Troutman Sanders attorney); Jonathan Hauser (current Troutman Sanders attorney); the Honorable Glen A. Huff (Virginia Court of Appeals); and the Honorable Walter D. Kelley Jr. (former U.S. Federal District Court judge)
Does the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau need to further reform? Yes. The CFPB needs to enact rules and launch enforcement actions unmotivated by politics and bias. There needs to be a balance between consumer protection and business innovation.
What was your most memorable civil litigation case? There have been many memorable cases in Virginia and elsewhere, many of which are confidential disputes that are never filed and made public. During the last 10 years, I have had the privilege to represent a senior partner at a large Virginia law firm in a family partnership dispute. We prevailed in a lengthy trial and on appeal to the Virginia Supreme Court. Russell Realty Assoc. v. Russell, 283 Va. 797, 724 SE. 2d 690 (2012). This case covered many subject areas and had extensive discovery, trial and appeal proceedings, and winding up/division of assets. However, what made this case so memorable was representing someone of such high integrity and getting a result that truly helped his family.
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