Legal Elite 2024 Q&A is sponsored content.

Title: Counsel

Education: Bachelor’s degree in economics, Harvard University; law degree, University of Virginia School of Law

Family: I have been married to S. Bernard Goodwyn for 39 years. He is currently the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia. We have two adult children, Sam and Sarah, both of whom graduated from U.Va.

Career mentors: At Hunton, I worked closely with James “Jim” Naughton for over 20 years. Jim not only modeled what outstanding work product and client service looked like, he took an interest in and supported my professional development.

Book I’d recommend: During a recent vacation, I read “Black Cake,” by Charmaine Wilkerson. It was beautifully written.  

First legal job: My first legal job was as a summer associate at Vandeventer, Black, Meredith and Martin in Norfolk after my first year of law school. I was a summer associate at Vandeventer and what was then Hunton & Williams after my second year of law school. I joined Hunton upon graduation from law school and have spent my entire legal career at Hunton.

Favorite place I’ve traveled: I love warm weather and beach vacations. My favorite beach vacation was to Grand Cayman.

What are some recent labor and employment compliance trends that employers may want to seek legal advice on? Employers may want to consult counsel to ensure that they are compliant with the Fair Labor Standards Act’s new salary thresholds for exempt workers and the requirements of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.

You are currently chair of the Hampton Roads Community Foundation, and you have served on many nonprofit boards. How does your law expertise aid you in your volunteer board service? In our day-to-day work as lawyers, we spot issues, analyze and solve problems, and evaluate the consequences of a proposed course of action. I apply these same skills to my volunteer board service. 

Read all of the 2024 Virginia Legal Elite here.

Legal Elite 2024 Q&A is sponsored content.

Legal Elite 2024 Q&A is sponsored content.

Title: Co-founders

Other legal specialties: Business and family immigration

Education: Seton Hall University School of Law

Family: We have three amazing daughters!

Career mentors: Jim Tom Haynes and Keith Kimball, and both of our dads, Conrado Mendoza and James Gardner

Hobbies: For Radlyn, travel & food; John: running, travel, reading

First legal job: For Radlyn, eat-what-you-kill at Stowe & Associates; John hung a shingle after law school.

Book you’d recommend to others: Radlyn: “10x is Easier Than 2x,” by Dan Sullivan and Ben Hardy; John: “The Fountainhead,” by Ayn Rand

Fan of: Go Bucks! 

Favorite place you’ve traveled: Zermatt, Switzerland (and hiking to see the Matterhorn), Galapagos Islands and Singapore to watch the F-1 Formula Race

What do you enjoy most about your legal specialty? To be a part of our clients’ immigration journey and watching their dreams materialize. And getting showered with gifts and foods from all over the world is a plus!

What case was your biggest win? We do many different types of immigration cases in business and family, but it’s always a big win when we help children who have entered the U.S., many of them unaccompanied, with the Special Immigrant Juvenile process. The knowledge that we’re setting them up for a far better future than they would’ve had in their countries feels pretty great. 

What are the most recent challenges you’re seeing in your legal specialty? Extremely long processing times for people applying for immigrant visas abroad and sometimes double and triple the processing times at United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for certain cases. 

Is there something in your past work or personal life that makes you a better attorney? We’re better attorneys because we’re married. We’ve cultivated our firm’s evolving vision over the past 25 years, and with our awesome, growing team, we are excited for the next 25 to be the go-to immigration law firm to help businesses and families in all 50 states.

Read all of the 2024 Virginia Legal Elite here.

Legal Elite 2024 Q&A is sponsored content.

Legal Elite 2024 Q&A is sponsored content.

Title: Owner

Other legal specialties: Family Law (Divorce, Custody, Support etc.) and serious personal injury cases and medical collections 

Education: Bachelor’s degree, Emory University; law degree, Western Michigan Law School

Family: Two children who attend Tulane University and Pace University in New York City

Career mentors: My father, Bernard Miller, was a seasoned trial lawyer with Moody McMurran and Miller, and then Miller Bondurant. He specialized in FELA trial law representing injured railroad employees. He believed that the most important aspect of practicing law was preparation.

Hobbies: Hiking, skiing, tennis, golf, and playing the drums 

First legal job: Worked for Michael I. Ashe PC as an associate attorney for three years before going out on my own

TV show, podcast or book you’ve enjoyed lately and would recommend to others: “In the Kingdom of Ice,” by Hampton Sides

Fan of: “The Sopranos” 

Favorite place you’ve traveled: Zermatt, Switzerland, and Glacier National Park

What do you enjoy most about your legal specialty? Making sure my clients are not defined by their one momentary lapse of reason

What are the most recent challenges you’re seeing in your legal specialty? Attorneys who believe they must be uncivil to zealously represent their clients. Also, there are fewer experienced paralegals in the workforce. As a result, we have hired less experienced employees and trained within.

What made you choose your specialty area of practice? I’m very empathetic and can easily place myself in the shoes of my clients.  

Is there something in your past work or personal life that makes you a better attorney? In between college and law school, I took seven years off to play music. During this time, I worked construction and warehouse jobs to make ends meet. I believe this experience helps me relate to juries, clients, and opposing counsel.

Read all of the 2024 Virginia Legal Elite here.

Legal Elite 2024 Q&A is sponsored content.