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Law 2025: PAULK, COURTNEY MOATES
PRESIDENT, HIRSCHLER, RICHMOND
Virginia Business //September 2, 2025//
Law 2025: PAULK, COURTNEY MOATES
PRESIDENT, HIRSCHLER, RICHMOND
Virginia Business //September 2, 2025//
Paulk has led Hirschler since 2018, when she became the first female president of the now 79-year-old firm. With 86 attorneys in offices in Fredericksburg, Richmond and Tysons, it is the state’s seventh-largest law firm. Paulk also heads Hirschler’s litigation section.
After graduating from Mary Washington College (now the University of Mary Washington) with a degree in theater in 1992, Paulk took a job as a paralegal. She loved the work and later enrolled at the University of Richmond’s law school.
Paulk is also ambitious outside of work.
In 2013, she became the 85th person and 30th woman to achieve the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming, which requires swimming around the island of Manhattan, across the English Channel and across the Catalina Channel. In 2017, she became the first person ever to complete a Double Triple Crown, and in 2019, she completed a Triple Triple.
In 2023, Paulk swam 34 miles across Lake Gaston, which straddles the North Carolina and Virginia borders, in 19 hours, 39 minutes and 8 seconds. In 2024, she was inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame.
Return to the full list of this category’s recipients.
