Law School

Amos Overton Durrett Jr. B.C.L. ’60, M.L.T. ’63 passed away on April 1, 2024, in Kansas City, Missouri. Overton attended Missouri Valley College in Marshall for one year before transferring to the University of Missouri in Columbia where he graduated in 1954 as an accounting major with a Bachelor of Science in business administration. He was a member of Phi Gamma Delta social fraternity, active on campus and a cadet in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corp. Following graduation, he served in the United States Air Force as a first lieutenant (1954-1957) with duties as navigator and personnel officer at Langley Air Force Base in Norfolk, Virginia. Following the completion of his military service, he decided to stay in Virginia and attended W&M Law School. During his law school days, he also served as assistant and acting dean of men for William & Mary (1957-1959). In 1960, he became a member of the Virginia State Bar Association. Due in part to his father’s failing health, he decided to return to Missouri as an attorney associate with the former Lathrop, Righter law firm in downtown Kansas City. He was employed by Arthur Andersen in the tax department for three years and became a member of the Missouri Bar Association and the Missouri Society of Certified Public Accountants. He is survived by his wife, Sue, his son, John, and his extended family.

Robert S. Bersch M.L.T. ’61 passed away on March 28, 2024. He graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Science in commerce with distinction in 1957 and an LL.B. from the law school in 1960. He earned a master’s degree in law and taxation at the William & Mary in 1961. He was a tax attorney with the Tax Court Division in the Internal Revenue Service Office of Chief Counsel in Washington, D.C., from 1961 to 1965 and practiced with a Washington law firm from 1965 to 1970. He joined the Roanoke, Virginia, law firm of Eggleston, Holton, Butler and Glenn as its first tax partner in 1970, beginning 50 years of practice in the Roanoke Valley. He formed his own firm, Robert S. Bersch Law Offices PC, in 1978, which later became Bersch, Rhodes and Butler PC. He founded the Bersch Law Firm PC in 2005; in 2009, he started a new division of that firm, Wills on Wheels. Bob loved the law and worked until 2020 when he retired at age 85 after 60 years of practice. He is survived by his beloved wife and best friend, Martha Ratledge Bersch.

Richard S. Bray J.D. ’71 passed away on May 4, 2024, surrounded by his family. Richard’s professional career began as a law clerk to former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia Lawrence W. I’Anson ’28, LL.D. ’64. He then served as an associate attorney at Hodges & Kellam, and with Kellam, Pickrell & Lawler, where he established himself as a dedicated legal practitioner. In 1975, he co-founded Bray & Whitehurst, where he served as managing partner with his beloved friend Colon H. Whitehurst J.D. ’79, until 1989 when he was appointed as a judge for the Third Judicial Circuit of Virginia by the Virginia General Assembly, marking the beginning of a remarkable judicial career. He was elevated to serve as a judge for the Court of Appeals of Virginia in 1991. He continued to serve the judiciary with honor and integrity, culminating in his service as a senior judge on the Court of Appeals from 2002 to 2003. He is survived by his wife of 27 years, Dawn Blankenship Bray, and his extended family.

Robert L. Walker J.D. ’71 passed away on April 10, 2024. Robert attended college at Ohio University, where he completed a B.S. in business in 1969 while also completing his first year of law school at William & Mary. He graduated from William & Mary Law School in 1971. He began his career as an assistant attorney general in Virginia and then consulted as an attorney for the Virginia Department of Transportation and was still working part-time at the time of his death. The department relied on his keen intelligence, extensive experience, and astute understanding of the law. He is survived by his wife, Deb; their children, Morgan and Kate; and his extended family.

Giacomo “Jack” Guarnaccia J.D. ’73 passed away on Feb. 29, 2024, in Mansfield, Connecticut. Jack was a founding member of the firm that is known today as Guarnaccia, Connors, Kalom & Zorn LLC and focused his practice on elder law, commercial and residential real estate, estates and probate, and estate planning. Jack is survived by his daughter, Elizabeth Namba, and her husband, Nicholas, of Arlington, Virginia; his son, Anthony Guarnaccia, and Anthony’s wife, Melissa, of Minneapolis; and his grandchildren, Max, Alex and Olive, along with his extended family.

David R. Johnson Sr. J.D. ’74 passed away on March 15, 2024. David was a U.S. Army veteran, serving during the Vietnam War. David was a corporate attorney with the Richmond, Virginia, law firm, Williams Mullen for 30 years, during which time he represented several of the firm’s larger clients in litigation as well as business matters. He is survived by his wife, Beverly Standard Johnson; his son, David Johnson Jr.; his daughter, Kimberlyn Stevenson; his grandchildren and other extended family.

William F. Seitz J.D. ’74 passed away on April 13, 2024. He made his home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for 41 years where he was a practicing real estate attorney. An avid golfer and traveler, Bill is survived by his brothers, sisters and extended family.

Charles A. Smith J.D. ’76 passed away on March 28, 2024. During his 30-year Air Force career, Charles moved all over the U.S., retiring as a colonel. Charles enjoyed talking about his time as a combat radar operator on B-29 bombers out of Guam. After the war, Charles became a pilot and later began working in research and development, launching satellites and rockets into space. While in law school, at the age of 47, Charles was on the Law Review and made partner in a Newport News law firm upon graduation. He was primarily a trial attorney but also did pro-bono work with teenagers. Charles is survived by his daughter, Amy. He is predeceased by his wife of 66 years, Shirley Elizabeth Brown Smith.

Christopher J. Collins J.D. ’77 of Richmond, Virginia, passed away on March 29, 2024. Chris graduated from George Mason University and William & Mary Law School. He started his own criminal defense practice in the Central Virginia region. Chris attracted the attention of fellow attorneys and the courts, quickly establishing himself as a well-respected, successful attorney in Virginia’s legal community, defending 105 capital murder cases. Chris was a leading attorney in Virginia’s history of capital murder litigation. He would eventually become a substitute judge in the Richmond Courts. Chris was a regular contributor to the Young Lawyers Association. He was an adjunct professor at the University of Richmond School of Law, teaching capital murder litigation for many years. He is survived by his wife, Sheryl; his sons, Billings and Christopher; his grandchildren and other extended family.

Jonathan Park J.D. ’19 passed away on Feb. 24, 2024, in Ogden, Utah. He earned two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Utah, one in environmental and sustainability science and one in political science. He earned his Juris Doctorate from William & Mary Law School. Beyond his academic accomplishments, Jonathan was a published author, creative artist and a walking work of art. He is survived by his mother, Michelle Williams; his stepfather, Nathan Williams; his father, Todd Parks, and extended family.

Wilfred Drake J.D. ’78, M.L.T. ’79 of Durham, North Carolina, passed away on April 11, 2024.

The William & Mary Board of Visitors unanimously voted in April to confirm its current leadership for new terms, including, Charles Poston J.D. ’74 as rector and Barbara L. Johnson J.D. ’84 as vice rector.

“Conspiracy Ignited,” a new legal thriller from Raymond P. Johnson J.D. ’83 was selected as First Place Category Winner in the 2023 Clue Awards book competition sponsored by Chanticleer International Book Awards.

Gretchen Mundorff J.D. ’84 was appointed vice chairman of the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. She is a founding member of Watson Mundorff LLC, concentrating her practice on personal injury, family law, municipal law and zoning.

The Institute of Defense Analyses (IDA) awarded Cary Dier J.D. ’85 the 2023 W.Y. Smith Award for Excellence, which recognizes extraordinary individual or group contributions to IDA. Cary was part of a team that played a pivotal role in producing self-assessment inputs for the Department of Defense comprehensive review of IDA’s Systems and Analyses Center.

Catherine M. Stanton J.D. ’89 received the 2023 Comp Laude Applicant/Claimant Attorney of the Year for her commitment to advocating for injured workers and her consistent pursuit of justice, which have significantly contributed to the field of workers’ compensation law. The awards highlight individuals and companies dedicated to ensuring the system works as intended, fosters advocacy and care for injured workers and works to support a fair and balanced system. Catherine is a senior partner with Pasternack Tilker Ziegler Walsh Stanton & Romano LLP in New York City.

James T. Moore J.D. ’90 has joined Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney’s Delaware office as of counsel in the Intellectual Property section and Patent Office Litigation practice group. He was a former Patent Trail and Appeal Board (PTAB) deputy chief judge. As a patent attorney, James has extensive prosecution and litigation experience in both private practice and corporate settings. He also has judicial experience in all areas of PTAB jurisdiction, including appeals, interferences, America Invents Act (AIA) trials. He has held management roles as a member of the Senior Executive Service as vice chief judge, deputy chief judge and acting chief judge of the PTAB. He served at the PTAB from 2001-2022.

On April 1, Jason R. Davis J.D. ’94 became the president and chief executive officer of Kaufman & Canoles. His practice consists of health care litigation and counseling, as well as trust and estate litigation matters.

Teresa Brazzel Pernini J.D. ’94 and David Pernini J.D. ’94 are living in Atlanta and recently celebrated their daughter Taylor’s wedding to Wade Bledsoe. The Perninis also have formed Pernini Legal LLC, a law firm and corporate acquisition company.

Cliff Fleet ’91, M.A. ’93, J.D. ’95, M.B.A. ’95 was featured in the May 2024 Power List for Inside Business (Hampton Roads). He is the president and CEO of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

Michelle Bresnick Walsh J.D. ’96 was featured in the 2024 Power List of The Daily Record. She is the chair of the Business and Securities Practice groups at Gordon Feinblatt LLC.

James D. Fisher J.D. ’97 was appointed interim provost and vice president of academic affairs at Pennsylvania Western University.

Douglas Dziak J.D. ’99 was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as a commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Prior to his confirmation, Doug served as chief counsel for CPSC Commissioner Peter A. Feldman.

Dustin H. DeVore J.D ’01 has been named managing partner of Kaufman & Canoles’ Williamsburg office. Dustin joined Kaufman & Canoles in 2002 and chairs the firm’s lender representation practice group and the firm’s credit union team. Outside the firm, he serves on the board of directors of the Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance and has also served on the boards of Child Development Resources, the Williamsburg-James City County Schools Foundation, Hampton Roads Association for Commercial Real Estate, the James City County Technology Incubator (now Launchpad) and the Williamsburg Bar Association.

James W. Noel J.D. ’10 was promoted to president of development of The Franklin Johnston Group (TFJG). He will continue to serve as the company’s general counsel in this expanded role. Since joining TFJG as senior vice president and general counsel in 2017, James has played a pivotal role in the company’s development success. His unique blend of business acumen, extensive legal expertise and regulatory knowledge has driven significant growth in the development function. As president of development, James will oversee all aspects of TFJG’s development activities, while maintaining close collaboration with partners.

Mark W. Connolly J.D. ’12 was promoted to partner at Hunton Andrews Kurth. Mark represents clients in a broad range of alternative investment transactions, including private fund formations, private equity, joint ventures, acquisitions, divestitures and related matters. He regularly advises investment advisers with respect to regulatory compliance matters. He also represents a variety of real estate investment vehicles, including Real Estate Investment Trusts, with respect to fund formations, joint ventures and mergers and acquisitions.

Kevin S. Elliker J.D. ’14 was named to the 2024 On the Rise — Top 40 Young Lawyers list by the American Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division. The award honors 40 of the nation’s most promising lawyers, under the age of 36 or who have been licensed for 10 years or less, who exemplify a broad range of high achievement and legal and community service. Honorees are chosen for their work pertaining to service to the community, service to the legal profession, leadership, vision, innovation and professional achievement. Kevin’s career path has made him a valued member of Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP on the firm’s Issues and Appeals Team, where he helps clients in complex trials, appeals and government investigations. After graduating first in his class from William & Mary Law School in 2014, Kevin clerked for two federal judges in the Eastern District of Virginia and the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. He then worked for three years in the firm’s Richmond office as a litigation associate before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Richmond, Virginia, where he investigated and prosecuted white collar offenses. After two years as a federal prosecutor, Kevin was asked to join the investigative staff of the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol, a role for which he was recruited based in part on his work as a member of the Hunton Andrews Kurth team that conducted an independent review of protests and civil unrest for the city of Charlottesville, Virginia, in the summer of 2017. He returned to the firm in the fall of 2023. During his first decade in practice, Kevin has received favorable results in criminal and civil jury trials, argued before the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, prepared briefs at the Supreme Court and represented clients in civil, criminal and congressional investigations. He maintains an active pro bono practice representing indigent clients in civil rights cases and volunteers as a mentor with The Appellate Project, a nonprofit focused on encouraging and empowering law students of color to excel in the field of appellate law. Additionally, he hosts the firm’s podcast “Holding Fourth,” which explores topics related to practicing before the 4th Circuit.

Michael E. Schapiro J.D. ’14 was made partner effective Jan. 1, 2024, at Stradley Ronon. Michael focuses his practice on counseling investment companies (including mutual funds and exchange-traded funds), independent directors, private funds and investment advisers in connection with various regulatory, compliance and transactional matters. He has also counseled broker-dealers and investment advisers regarding regulatory and compliance issues before the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

Nicholas R. Raffaele J.D. ’15 joined Steptoe & Johnson PLLC as an associate of the firm's intellectual property (IP) practice. Nick’s background spans the entire spectrum of IP issues, including trademark clearance, strategic international filings, and enforcement of IP rights. Nick thrives in the courtroom with extensive experience in motion practice as well as high-stakes bench and jury trials.

Shane M. Rumbaugh, J.D. ’15 joined Steptoe & Johnson PLLC as an associate of the firm’s intellectual property (IP) practice. Shane, who will lead Steptoe & Johnson’s IP team, has extensive experience in managing complex global IP portfolios and litigating contentious trademark and copyright matters. From Fortune 500 companies to emerging growth businesses, Shane helps clients navigate federal lawsuits, Trademark Trial and Appeal Board proceedings, domain name challenges under the Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy and matters at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Jennifer A. Morris J.D. ’17 was promoted to partner with Cultural Heritage Partners (CHP) PLLC. Jennifer leads CHP’s Art and Museum Law practice and has been with the firm since 2016. Jennifer’s practice helps her clients build bridges to preserve significant cultural heritage. She regularly advises museums on compliance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, including how to engage with American Indian tribes and achieve free, prior and informed consent as required in the 2024 regulations.

Nicole Pasho J.D. ’23 joined Poole Brooke Plumlee PC as a litigation associate, focusing on land use and environmental law matters.

William R. Munroe ’64, J.D. ’66 passed away on Feb. 15, 2024, in Hamden, Connecticut. Bill served in the U.S. Army from 1966 to 1968 and was stationed in Seoul, South Korea, as a second lieutenant in the Adjutant General Corps. Upon returning home, he was employed in the trust department at First New Haven National Bank and remained through various buyouts and mergers until his retirement in 2007. Bill is survived by his life partner, Jane Knowles Marshall, twin brother, John, and his extended family.

“Beth” Norbrey Hopkins J.D. ’77 and her late husband, Dr. Larry Hopkins, were honored as Wake Forest University’s 2023 ACC UNITE Award recipients.

Lorraine D. Fortner J.D. ’81 passed away on Jan. 2, 2024.  She worked at LexisNexis for over 40 years and was active with the City Folk Dance group and her temple. She is survived by her brother, Walter, sister, Leslie, and her extended family.

David N. Kelley J.D. ’81 has joined O’Melveny's New York office as a partner in its White Collar Defense & Corporate Investigations Practice Group. He will represent and advise multinational and domestic public companies, boards of directors, audit committees, officers and directors on enforcement matters, internal and regulatory investigations, governance and compliance issues, monitorships and criminal investigations. Dave was a New York federal prosecutor for more than 17 years and he served nearly two years as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. He also served both as chief of the district’s organized crime and terrorism unit and co-chair of the Department of Justice’s task force investigating the 9/11 attacks.

Ronald Taylor J.D. ’81, a partner at Venable and chair of its Maryland Labor and Employment practice group, was featured in The Daily Record’s Employment Law Power List.

Thomas S. D’Antonio J.D. ’82 joined Hodgson Russ LLP as a partner in its Rochester, New York, office.  Tom is an experienced litigator who counsels and defends clients on education, health care and employment matters, as well as varied business and commercial claims, and select internal and governmental investigations.

The family of the late Hays T. Watkins LL.D. ’82 made a $1 million gift to the All In campaign in his honor. Read more in this W&M Alumni Magazine online exclusive.

Raymond P. Johnson J.D. ’83 has a new legal thriller, “Conspiracy Ignited” (Blank Slate Press). It is a top 10 selection in the Clive Cussler International Adventure Writers Competition and was recently placed on the short list for the CLUE Suspense/Thriller Book Award of Chanticleer International Book Reviews. See RaymondPaulJohnson.com for more information and first-edition pre-orders.

Lee Ann Gustafson J.D. ’84 has retired. Lee Ann left Tallahassee to retire to Jamestown, New York. She enjoys being retired, renewing friendships with people from her youth and laughing at winter because she doesn't have to go to work.

The Hon. Kendall Newman J.D. ’84 has retired as the chief magistrate judge in the Eastern District of California.

In December, Steven Kramer J.D. ’86 was named Faculty of the Month by the Arizona Bar Foundation for the work he does with the Arizona High School Mock Mediation program.

Lynda G. Thompson J.D. ’88 passed away on Oct. 30, 2023, after a nine-year battle with carcinoid cancer. She was a flight attendant for Braniff Airlines. In 1980, Linda pursued higher education, earning her bachelor's degree in political science at University of Texas at Arlington, followed by a law degree from William & Mary Law School. After passing the Virginia Bar Exam, Linda clerked for a federal judge for two years. The family settled in the Seattle area in 1991. She was later elected as King County District Court Judge where she served for 16 years. She is survived by her husband, Virgil, her daughter, Wendy, and two sons, Rick and Chad, along with her extended family.

Catherine Stanton J.D. ’89 has been named a 2023 Comp Laude Applicant/Claimant Attorney of the Year. Cathy's commitment to advocating for injured workers and her consistent pursuit of justice have significantly contributed to the field of workers' compensation law. This award is a reflection of her outstanding contributions to the legal community and the positive impact she has made on the lives of numerous people.

David A. Woodmansee J.D. ’89 and his wife moved back to Virginia in 2023. David retired from Eastman Chemical Co. at the end of the year after 25 years leading a robust global commercial legal practice. He and his wife are restoring a home on Arthur Ashe Boulevard in the Fan District of Richmond, Virginia, and spending more time in Cape Charles on Virginia’s Eastern Shore in another restored, historic home they previously purchased. He is enjoying more time with family, reconnecting with friends in the area and embracing the many attractions and opportunities in the area.

Monica T. Monday ’88, J.D. ’91 received the 2023 Edmund Randolph Award for Excellence in Oral Advocacy by William & Mary Law School’s student division of the Institute of Bill of Rights Law. She heads Gentry Locke’s appeals and critical issues team.

Christopher C. White J.D. ’95 joined the Dallas office of Steptoe & Johnson PLLC. Chris focuses his practice on catastrophic injury and professional liability matters.

Ann Neil Cosby J.D. ’98 joined GreeneHurlocker PLC as partner in its Richmond, Virginia, office. Ann Neil will significantly bolster and expand the firm’s growing land use and zoning practice, which serves clients in the energy, renewable energy, data center and digital infrastructure, commercial real estate, retail, nonprofit and other sectors in Virginia and throughout the mid-Atlantic region.

Priscilla H. Muhlenkamp J.D. ’98 was elevated as managing partner with Fragomen in Washington, D.C. Priscilla advises multinational corporations in information technology, management consulting, energy, consumer goods, telecommunications and nonprofit sectors on employment-related immigration issues, with a particular focus on strategic immigration planning and regulatory compliance. Additionally, she provides pro bono immigration assistance to service members through the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s Military Assistance Program.

Kevin Rasch J.D. ’98 is general counsel of Health Plans Inc. and corporate vice president of Point32 Health at the Endowment for Health.

Craig Dixon ’97, J.D. ’00 was honored with a 2024 Virginia Black Business Award from Virginia Business. Craig is the co-founder and co-CEO of The St. James Group. Read more about him in the  2019 W&M Alumni Magazine feature “Strong Bonds.”

James W. Beers J.D. ’01 joined Troutman Pepper as an environment partner in Washington, D.C. He will focus his practice on litigating Clean Air Act issues.

Monica N. Wharton J.D. ’01 was appointed to the American Hospital Association Regional Policy Board.  The board fosters communication between the AHA, its members and state hospital associations and provides important input on critical public policy issues unique to a region. Monica’s election to the AHA Regional Policy Board highlights her significant contributions to the organization and her commitment to improving patient care. As executive vice president and COO, she played a pivotal role in the health system’s success and has demonstrated outstanding leadership in managing and enhancing the delivery of health care services.

Sarita Bhandarkar J.D. ’02 joined Orange Bank & Trust Co. as vice president and trust officer in their trust and estate department. Prior to her current position, she practiced law in the Hudson Valley for over 15 years, establishing Bhandarkar Law P.C. in 2018. Before returning to the Hudson Valley, she practiced law for several years at a boutique trust and estate firm in Manhattan. Sarita is a member of the trusts and estates and elder law and special needs sections of the New York State Bar Association.

Cheran Cordell lvery J.D. ’03 was hired as a city attorney in Alexandria, Virginia. She was the city attorney in Hampton, Virginia, for the last five years. Cheran was previously the deputy city attorney in Portsmouth from 2010 to 2018 and was an adjunct professor at William & Mary Law School from 2014 to 2018.

David Massaron J.D. ’04 has been named the chief economic development and real estate officer at General Motors Inc.

Misty Whitehead J.D. ’04 was elected to the Henrico County, Virginia, Board of Supervisors.

Maxwell H. Wiegard J.D. ’04 joined Miles & Stockbridge in the Richmond, Virginia, office as a principal on the real estate and transactional finance team. Max works with clients in Richmond and throughout the mid-Atlantic, providing counsel on environmental, real estate, land use, zoning and business and commercial matters. He is currently chair of the environmental law section of the Virginia Bar Association and a member of the Virginia State Bar’s Real Property Section’s Land Use and Environmental Committee.

The Hon. Caroline Fleming J.D. ’05 was selected to serve as the presiding judge in the Board of Veterans Appeals Office of the Clerk of the Board. She will serve a one-year term as president judge for fiscal year 2024.

Michael Dick J.D. ’06 leads the Office of Military & Veteran Affairs at William & Mary Law School. Its goal is to provide dedicated, focused and holistic support to students at the law school who are veterans, active duty or Reserve forces personnel.

Stephen Cobb J.D. ’07, a member at Cozen O’Connor, has been appointed as the inaugural Democracy Fellow for the Defending Democracy initiative of the American Bar Association (ABA) Section of State and Local Government Law.

Arpan A. Sura J.D. ’09 has joined the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as legal advisor to Commissioner Brendan Carr. Arpan previously served as senior counsel to the chief of the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, where he focused on spectrum policy, emerging technologies and infrastructure matters. Before joining the commission, Arpan spent more than a decade representing clients in the telecommunications and technology sectors, most recently as counsel in the communications, internet, and media practice at Hogan Lovells.

Jessica A. Gordon J.D. ’10 joined Nason, Yeager, Gerson, Harris & Fumero as a shareholder in its corporate department. Jessica advises clients on corporate transactions such as mergers and acquisitions, equity and debt transactions, corporate restructurings, private equity, venture capital and joint ventures.

Stephen P. Barry J.D. ’11 was recently named to Bloomberg Law's “40 Under 40” list for 2023.  Stephen, a partner Latham & Watkins LLP in the securities litigation & professional liability practice, represents companies, accounting firms, individuals and organizations in a wide range of regulatory and litigation matters.           

Peter J. Farrell J.D. ’11 joined Brown Rudnick as a partner in its Tax Group. Peter’s practice focuses on corporate tax, income tax planning, international tax, spin-offs and mergers and acquisitions. He brings extensive experience in matters involving creating tax-efficient structures for domestic and international transactions, including joint ventures, separations, restructurings and other reorganizations. He also advises clients on tax matters related to internal planning, capital markets, debt financings and renewable energy projects.

Melissa B. Kessler J.D. ’11 was appointed by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser as the assistant deputy attorney general for corporate fraud.  The corporate fraud team investigates and prosecutes civil and criminal fraud against the state of Colorado. It comprises the longstanding Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, which pursues Medicaid fraud and abuse and neglect matters across the state, and the new False Claims Act Unit, which combats all types of fraud committed against the state.

Akinyi L. Orinda J.D. ’11 joined Piliero Mazza as an associate in its Washington, D.C., office. Akinyi brings over a decade of litigation experience across a wide array of complex litigation matters, including contract disputes, employment litigation, protection of trade secrets, restrictive covenant litigation, business governance disputes and white-collar civil investigations and litigation.

Tiffany M. Webb J.D. ’11 is the commonwealth’s attorney for King William County, Virginia. Before being elected to the position in November 2023, she was appointed by King William Circuit Court Judge Elliot Bondurant to fill the post. Matthew Kite, the former commonwealth’s attorney, left the position vacant when he was appointed judge of Middlesex County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.

Meredith K. McCoy J.D. ’12 was elected to Venable’s partnership. She provides experienced guidance to businesses, tax-exempt organizations, individuals and political groups in their efforts to impact public policy and the political process.

Eric Charity J.D. ’13 was elected partner in Kilpatrick’s 2024 partner class. Eric is a commercial finance attorney in Atlanta. His practice is focused on a wide range of credit transactions, representing agents, lenders, financial institutions, private equity groups, public and private companies and other business organizations.

Ashley Heilprin J.D. ’13, M.P.P. ’13 was featured in the Nov, 2, 2023, issue of New Orleans City Business as one of their 2023 Leadership in Law honorees.

Nick House J.D. ’14 was honored as one of the Crain’s Cleveland Business “40 under 40.” He is a partner at Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease.

Christopher A. Olcott J.D. ’14 was elected partner at Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP. He practices in the firm's Finance & Restructuring Group and focuses on representing lenders in the provision of loans to acquire, refinance and construct improvements on commercial real property.

Nicholas R. Raffaele J.D. ’15 joined Steptoe & Johnson PLLC as an associate. Nick’s background spans the entire spectrum of intellectual property issues, including trademark clearance, strategic international filings and enforcement of IP rights. 

Shane M. Rumbaugh J.D. ’15 joined Steptoe & Johnson PLLC as a member in the firm’s Pittsburgh office. Shane, who will lead Steptoe & Johnson’s IP team, has extensive experience in managing complex global IP portfolios and litigating contentious trademark and copyright matters.

Graham K. Bryant J.D. ’16 was presented with the Sandra P. Thompson Award by the Virginia Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, the group's highest honor.  He serves as deputy solicitor general in the Office of the Attorney General of Virginia.

Kelly Johnson Handzo J.D. ’16 was promoted to counsel in Venable’s Baltimore office. She represents companies and executives facing regulatory and criminal investigations, prosecutions and litigations. Kelly also conducts internal corporate investigations in response to whistleblower complaints at the direction of general counsel, boards of directors or management.

Shaina T. Massie J.D. ’16 has been elected to the partnership at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP. She devotes her practice to a wide variety of complex litigation matters in both state and federal courts, including mass litigation and class actions, commercial litigation, insurance bad faith, products liability and appellate issues.

Pamela “Pam” Jordan Penny ’77, HON J.D. ’16 received an Alumni Medallion, the highest and most prestigious award given by the William & Mary Alumni Association, at a ceremony during Charter Day Weekend. Read more about her in a feature in the winter 2024 edition of the W&M Alumni Magazine.

Abigail M. Pierce J.D. ’16 has been promoted to partner at Reed Smith LLP in the firm’s Philadelphia office. She is a member of the global commercial disputes group. Her practice is focused on complex litigation for clients in the health care and financial services sectors.    

The Hon. John Charles Thomas HON J.D. ’16, HON ’18, LL.D. ’24 is one of the newest board members of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Board of Trustees. He has also served multiple terms on William & Mary’s Board of Visitors. In May, he gave the Commencement address at W&M and was awarded an honorary degree.

Amber R. Will J.D. ’16, M.P.P.  ’16 was promoted to senior counsel at Morrison Cohen. Amber focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation.

Jack R. Wilson IV J.D. ’16 was elevated to principal with Fish & Richardson PC. Jack is a patent litigator who has secured victories for clients in patent-heavy venues across the country.

Matt Rosendahl ’15, J.D. ’18 has joined the consumer protection litigation firm, Kelly Guzzo PLC in Richmond.

Michael Goryelov J.D. ’22 joined Mandelbaum Barrett PC as an associate.

Preston Ball J.D. ’23 is an associate at Kaufman & Canoles.

Alexa D. Halkias J.D. ’23 was named one of the three outstanding first-year associates to join Hollingsworth LLP.  Alexa was the lead articles editor of the William & Mary Law Review and a legal practice fellow.

Charles H. King J.D. ’23 joined Shumaker, a legal services provider in Florida, as an associate in the firm’s corporate, tax and transactions service line.

Lyons Lascara ’20, J.D. ’23 is now at Pender & Coward, specializing in construction law matters and civil litigation.

Kate Pollard J.D. ’23 has joined Gentry Locke Attorneys as a member of its commercial litigation and civil defense practice groups.

Rachel V. Rogers J.D. ’23 has joined Christian & Barton LLP in Richmond as an associate. She will focus her legal practice on general health care and corporate matters.

Kelsie “Elle” Shipley J.D. ’23 is an associate at Lewis Thomason, where she focuses on estate planning, probate law, tax law and property law.

Jordan Vanorsdale J.D. ’23 joined the special federal litigation section of the New York City Law Department.

Eileen Albertson Chapman J.D. ’70 was named guest speaker for the 2023 Memorial Day Parade in Danville, Pennsylvania. The 2023 parade featured female veterans. She retired in 1997 after 30 years of service as a colonel in the United States Marine Corps. Among her many accomplishments, she presided as the first female trial military judge and appellate military judge in the Navy and Marine Corps. She was also named the first woman president of the Department of Naval Clemency and Parole Board.

Louis S. Shuntich J.D. ’71 published “Seeds of the Pasha” in May. Beginning before World War II, an exceptional young man from a modest background meets a Jewish family in Vienna. Amid the war, their bond persists, giving rise to a foundation advocating for freedom, education and democracy. Both families, spanning three generations, fund the foundation by proving the innocence of wealthy individuals charged with serious crimes, leading to intricate detective work, unexpected twists and tests of character.

The Hon. John A Gibney, ’73, HON J.D. ’19 received the 2023 American Inns of Court Professionalism Award for the Fourth Circuit. Judge Gibney is a senior U.S. district judge for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. 

Tommy Norment J.D. ’73 was appointed to the William & Mary Board of Visitors. 

Timothy Michael Broas J.D. ’79 was appointed to President Biden’s Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations. During the first term of the Obama-Biden Administration, Broas served on the Board of Trustees of the Wilson Center of International Scholars. He was then nominated by President Obama to serve as U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands and he served as chief of mission in The Hague from 2014 to 2016. In recognition of his service, Broas was awarded the Distinguished Public Service Award by the Department of the Navy, the highest award given by the secretary of the navy to a civilian.

Raymond Paul Johnson J.D. ’83 will have his legal thriller, “The Raven Society: Conspiracy Ignited” (cover at right), published in the spring of 2024 by Blank Slate Press, an imprint of Amphorae Publishing Group. Ray is represented by literary agent Dean Krystek, managing director of WordLink Literary Agency. See www.RaymondPaulJohnson.com for additional information.

William F. “Bill” Devine J.D. ’86 coach of the 1984 W&M varsity men’s lacrosse team, wasn't able to attend their annual reunion because of his health. So, last spring, the members gathered in Shenandoah Valley to pay tribute to Devine and the impact he had on their lives. Read more in the W&M Alumni Magazine online exclusive “Stepping Up.”

Thomas H. Cook Jr. J.D. ’87 has been named the Best Lawyers 2024 Tax Law "Lawyer of the Year" for Raleigh, North Carolina. Also, Chambers USA, a prominent ranking agency for law firms and lawyers, has listed him as a leading tax lawyer in its 2023 edition. He works with Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP in Raleigh.

Molly Ward J.D. ’87 was appointed to the National Park System Advisory Board in May. First authorized in 1935, the board advises the secretary and the director of the National Park Service (NPS) on matters relating to the service’s work.

Ed Shaughnessy J.D. ’88 was named to the Lehigh Valley Business Magazine’s “LVB Power List” for 2023.

Sara Austin J.D. ’90 received the Pennsylvania Bar Association Solo & Small Firm Section’s annual award in July.

Craig Nolan J.D. ’95 moved to Honolulu in 2020, where he serves as chief of white collar crimes at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. 

William “Bill” Kearney Jr., ’92, J.D. ‘96 joined Stinson LLP in Washington, D.C., as of counsel in the Corporate Finance Practice Division. Kearney counsels domestic and international clients on pre-merger notification compliance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act. He regularly represents multinational corporations, private equity, venture capital and hedge funds, mutual funds and investment advisors in financial and strategic acquisitions of all types.

Douglas Dziak J.D. ’99 was nominated to serve as a commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission with the Biden Administration. Dziak is currently chief counsel to U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission commissioner Peter A. Feldman and has spent almost a decade in public service. In this current role, Dziak’s work covers a broad range of issues including consumer safety policy, legal, budget and oversight to advance Consumer Product Safety Commission’s safety mission to protect the public from the unreasonable risks of injury and death from consumer products.

Courtney Malveaux J.D. ’02 was appointed to the Wiliam & Mary Board of Visitors. He is co-leader of Jackson Lewis’ workplace safety and health practice group. 

Hadley Perkins J.D. ’02 is excited to announce the launch of her student-focused law practice, Sereni Law Group LLC. Located in the Philadelphia suburbs, Sereni Law Group LLC represents students in all stages of education, from early intervention through college, with a particular expertise in special education, 504 Plans, Title IX and discrimination and retaliation claims.

The Hon. Thomas Cullen J.D. ’04 published a commentary piece in the Richmond-Times Dispatch regarding the importance of teachiing civil discourse. Judge Cullen serves as a district judge for the Western District of Virginia. 

Angela Jones J.D. ’04 was featured in the Sept. 5, 2023, issue of Variety Magazine as one of 2023’s top in-house Entertainment Attorneys. Angela is a senior director at Netflix.

Monica H. Khetarpal J.D. ’04 was recently named co-leader of the environmental, social and governance group at Jackson Lewis. Monica has almost 20 years of experience in employment litigation and counseling, with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) advice and higher education matters.

Andrew Skanchy J.D. ’05 has joined Downey Brand LLP as a partner in the environmental and land use practice.

William Hubbard J.D. ’07 has been appointed to the Chesapeake Bank Northern Neck Advisory Board.

Chris V. Rey J.D. ’10 is now president of Barber-Scotia College in Concord, North Carolina.

Kyle Elliott J.D. ’11 was named one of Style Weekly’s 40 under 40. In January 2022, he became the in‑house counsel for the Virginia Community Healthcare Association (VCHA), an organization he worked closely with while in private practice. The VCHA represents health centers around the state, making sure they can provide quality primary health care to all patients regardless of their ability to pay.

Anna Killius J.D. ’13 was selected as the new executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Commission.

Andrew King J.D. ’14 was honored as one of the “40 Under 40” in Columbus Business First Magazine. Andrew is a senior associate at Squire Patton Boggs.

Colleen Smith J.D. ’15 received an “Accomplished Under 40 Award" from The Idaho Business Review, presented by Boise State University’s College of Business and Economics. She is an associate at Stris & Maher LLP.

Michael Collett J.D. ’16 has joined the ranks of the personal injury law firm Breit Biniazan P.C., bringing with him extensive experience gained through his 14 years of active-duty service in the United States Navy, most recently serving as a judge advocate general.

Kaitlyn Hutcherson J.D. ’16 married Nigel Holley in June. She is an associate at Woolf, McClane, Bright, Allen and Carpenter. 

Michelle Dunbar J.D. ’20 obtained her LLM in taxation from Georgetown University.

Peyton Watts J.D. ’20 was named in Arkansas Business magazine’s ”The New Influentials: 20 in Their Twenties” for 2023. This recognition puts the spotlight on talented young leaders in Arkansas‘ business and nonprofit community. 

Wesley Clayton J.D. ’21 director of Mercury Public Affairs, was named in the 2023 Albany “40 Under 40.” Clayton has tackled a wide range of projects within the government sphere, first as a legislative fellow in the office of state Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris and now as director at Mercury Public Affairs, a global public strategy firm where he is focused on issues related to the gig economy and artificial intelligence.

Makenna X. Johnson J.D. ’21 was presented the 2023 Jefferson B. Fordham Up & Comers Award by the American Bar Association.

Curtis H. McSherry ’49, B.C.L. ’51 passed away on April 26, 2023. Curtis served in World War II as tail gunner on B-29 bombers. After the Army, he attended W&M for his undergraduate and law degrees. After graduation, he worked for the federal government until 1983. He is survived by his extended family.

Jim McGlothlin ’62, J.D. ’64, LL.D. ’00 was included in Virginia Business Magazine’s “2023 Heavy Hitters List” of “Virginia’s 50 most powerful and influential execs.” Jim was building a career as an attorney when he bought a Buchanan coal company for $25,000 at auction in 1970. He went on to launch The United Coal Co., a business that expanded into steel, oil and mining equipment. Instrumental in getting casinos legalized in Virginia, he is a developer and co-owner of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol, which opened in a temporary space in July 2022. Casino revenues have so far exceeded expectations, with adjusted gross revenues of more than $67 million earned from July to November 2022. The $400 million Hard Rock casino is set to open in its permanent location in 2024.

Howard J. Busbee ’65, J.D. ’67, M.L.T. ’68, L.H.D. ’22 passed away on May 16, 2023. Howard enrolled at William & Mary in 1961, beginning a connection that would last for six decades. In short order, he earned his undergraduate degree in accounting, his J.D., and his Master of Law and Taxation. He worked for 33 years as a partner at PriceWaterhouseCoopers in Lynchburg, Atlanta and Richmond. He returned to William & Mary in 2001, working first in the School of Business and, later, across the entire campus. He chaired committees as diverse as the Alumni Association and the Real Estate Foundation. He most recently served as the interim chief executive officer of the W&M Alumni Association and co-chair of the Boyle Legacy Society. He worked with Olde Guarde alumni to honor and preserve their memories of the College, and he mentored and inspired incoming freshmen to continue the university’s legacy and secure William & Mary's future for decades to come. He survived by his wife, Mary of 57 years, and his five children and 11 grandchildren.

Richard L. Young ’68, J.D. ’71 passed away on April 28, 2023. He studied business at William & Mary and graduated from the Law School shortly after. He took his legal knowledge into the field as an investigator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in New York and Washington, D.C., before moving to the Golden Isles in 1978 to teach at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. Dick is survived by his wife, Margie, and extended family.

Richard Hackman J.D. ’74 was honored during Salute to Service Day at Devon Preparatory School in Pennsylvania.

Edward R. Blumberg J.D. ’75 has been elected chair of the 21-person Board of Trustees of The National Judicial College, the oldest, largest and most widely attended school for judges in the United States. Edward is a partner and founder at the Deutsch, Blumberg & Caballero law firm with a Florida statewide practice in medical malpractice, products liability and catastrophic personal injury cases. In addition to serving as past president of the Florida Bar, he is a former member of the Board of Governors of the Florida Bar and the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association. He has chaired and served on countless professional committees and groups and is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Southern and the Middle Districts of Florida, U.S. Court of Appeals (11th Circuit and 5th Circuit), and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Don R. Cochran J.D. ’78 passed away on April 29, 2023. He graduated from Hampden-Sydney College with a degree in history and then attended William & Mary Law School. Although he was a lawyer by trade, the majority of his career was spent following in his father's footsteps and running Cochran Construction Company. He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Cynthia, his three children and their spouses and six grandchildren.

Gary W. Crawford M.L.T. ’80 passed away on March 23, 2023. Prior to entering private law practice, he worked as an estate and gift tax attorney with the Internal Revenue Service in Columbia and later worked for Senator Strom Thurmond in the U.S. Senate as Assistant Minority Counsel for the Committee on Veterans Affairs. In 1980, he entered the private practice of law in the field of taxation and related law as a solo practitioner in Florence. He leaves behind his wife, Becky, his children and grandchildren.

Bill Lascara J.D. ’83 has been crowned King Neptune for the Virginia Beach Neptune Festival.

The Best Lawyers in America has named Michael Garnier J.D. ’84 as their 2023 “Lawyer of the Year” for the Washington, D.C., metro area in the practice area of “Product Liability – Defendants.” One lawyer in each practice area and community is honored with a ‘Lawyer of the Year’ award, based on peer feedback. Also in 2023, Michael and his law partner, his brother Robert Garnier ’87, J.D. ’91, were named in four different “Best Lawyers” litigation categories, and their northern Virginia law firm, Garnier & Garnier, P.C., was included in the U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” rankings in the D.C. metro area, based on a combination of client feedback, information provided on the Law Firm Survey, the Law Firm Leaders Survey and Best Lawyers peer review.

Jeff Barnes ’81, J.D. ’86 was signed by Allen Media Strategies. Jeff’s book, “Mingo,” won the 2022 Readers Favorite International Book Contest Gold Medal for Southern Fiction.

Molly J. Ward J.D. ’87 was appointed by Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland to the National Park System Advisory Board.

Darrell Mounts J.D. ’88 passed away Dec. 17, 2022. He is survived by wife, Julie Heyward Mounts, and extended family.

Yvonne T. Griffin J.D. ’88 has been selected by Virginia Lawyers Weekly, both as one of Virginia’s Top 20 “Go To” Medical Malpractice Lawyers and for the 2023 class of Virginia “Influential Women of Law.” She is a senior partner in the law firm of Tucker Griffin Barnes P.C., in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Amy Grayson Pesesky J.D. ’90 passed away. Amy was an attorney and eventual shareholder at Hofheimer Nusbaum, P.C. and its successor, Williams Mullen, before opening her own practice, Amy G. Pesesky, P.L.C., in 2008, where she continued to practice until her retirement in 2019. She leaves behind her husband, Scott Pesesky, her children and extended family.

Monica Taylor Monday ’88, J.D. ’91 was named chairperson of the Executive Board at Gentry Locke. She heads the firm’s appellate practice.

The San Antonio Bar Foundation announced the appointment of Patricia E. Roberts J.D. ’92 to the SABF Fellows Program class of 2023.

Ann Rogers J.D. ’92 was recognized for Lifetime Achievement by the Congressional Management Foundation.

After two years working in law, Sean S. Sell ’87, J.D. ’93 went in a different direction. He taught high school English and history for 10 years, then got a master’s degree from San Diego State University (never went to a basketball game), and is now finishing a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from University of California, Davis, focusing on literature by writers in Tsotsil and Tseltal Maya languages from Chiapas, Mexico. He has translated “Chipas Maya Awakening” (2017) and “The Errant Children,” coming May 2023, followed by a paperback in November 2023. Also, though Sean mostly left law behind, his chapter “Restorative Indigenous Jurisprudence in Anishinaabe and Tsotsil-Maya Fiction” is set to be included in the book Bridging Hispanic and Indigenous Studies, coming soon from Amherst College Press.

William M. Connolly J.D. ’94 has been elected as board member at Faegre Drinker. Bill is an accomplished litigator in the firm’s Philadelphia office who represents companies and professional services firms in commercial litigation and class action matters.

Ivan Bates J.D. ’95 was sworn in as state’s attorney for the city of Baltimore, Maryland, in January.

Rebecca Eichler J.D. ’98 practiced immigration law exclusively, mostly in the Washington, D.C., area. In 2018, she retired from her practice and moved to Mexico, where she was uniquely positioned to provide legal aid to some of the 5,000 people during the Central American migrant caravan that passed near her home in the fall of that year. A documentary filmmaker approached her to make a movie about it. The film, “Las Abogadas: Attorneys on the Front Lines of the Migrant Crisis,” is complete and winning awards from juries and audiences on the international film festival circuit.

Douglas Dziak J.D. ’99 was nominated by President Joe Biden as a member of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Craig Dixon ’97, J.D. ’00 started the Global Black Syndicate to support black startup founders.

Michigan State University has appointed Laura Rugless ’90, J.D. ’00 to vice president of the Office for Civil Rights and Title IX Education and Compliance.

Sheyna Burt ’98, J.D. ’01 was welcomed as chair of the executive board at the Hylton Performing Arts Center in Manassas, Virginia. Sheyna also serves as president at other institutions, including Old Bridge Chamber Orchestra and Youth Orchestras of Prince William.

Monica N. Wharton J.D. ’01 was promoted to chief operating officer and executive vice president at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare. She joined Methodist Le Bonheur in 2017 as its senior vice president and chief legal officer and, in 2020, was promoted to chief administrative officer for the Memphis-based healthcare system. As CAO, Monica spearheaded several initiatives including reimagining the organization’s digitization, and recruitment and retention strategies to stabilize the workforce. In her new role, presidents of three of Methodist Le Bonheur’s community hospitals will report to her in addition to her system-wide responsibilities over several key operational areas. Monica has received the Tennessee Hospital Association Diversity Champion Award, as well as both Women Who Lead in Healthcare and Super Women in Business recognition by the Memphis Business Journal.

James Black J.D. ’02 was appointed as senior vice president and general counsel at Florida-based Terran Orbital Corp., a global leader in satellite-based solutions primarily serving the aerospace and defense industries.

The Hon. Carl Ezekiel “Zeke” Ross J.D. ’03 was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in December as one of seven judges for the D.C. Superior Court.

Jennifer L. Becker J.D. ’04 has joined Marshall Dennehy as director of marketing and business development.

Richard G. Collins J.D. ’05 has been appointed by the Virginia General Assembly to be the Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court judge for York County, Virginia. His term began on April 16, 2023.

Brainerd H. “Tripp” Whitbeck J.D. ’06 created a bourbon, I Bourbon (available at i-bourbon.com), which received a 90 from Whisky Advocate (“Outstanding”) and Best Bourbon in Las Vegas.

Stephen A. Cobb J.D. ’07 joined Cozen O’Connor as a partner. He also joins Cozen O’Connor’s state attorneys general group as a member and will continue his practice advising clients on government investigations and other issues. He’s based in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office and joins from Holland & Knight, where he worked as a partner for two and a half years.

Matt Getty J.D. ’07 now serves on the Rutland (Vermont) Town Select Board.

David A. Neiman J.D. ’09 was named an Emerging Lawyer in Illinois for 2023. Emerging Lawyers are those professionals who have been identified by their Leading Lawyer peers to be among the state’s top lawyers aged 40 or younger, although no age limit applies if the lawyer has practiced for a decade or less.

Alan Kennedy J.D. ’09, M.A. ’09 was presented the Public Integrity Award by the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA), the largest organization that represents policy professionals.

Tyler Butts ’07, J.D. ’10 has been elected as a Connecticut Bar Association Fellow.

Zachariah J. DeMeola J.D. ’10, M.A. ’10 was profiled in the ABA Journal as a “Legal Rebel.” Zach is a senior director of strategic initiatives with the Law School Admissions Counsel. His work includes developing a professional identity formation program for the LSAC’s subscription-based platform, LawHub.

Bradley A. Mainguy J.D. ’11 has been elected to partner at CohnReznick. Brad works in the international tax practice with more than a decade of public accounting experience providing international tax services to clients in a wide range of industries, as well as to individuals and publicly traded companies. Brad has extensive experience working with multinational corporate clients on consulting and compliance projects, including global business model optimization and restructuring projects from the design and feasibility stage through implementation. He also has expertise in U.S. tax issues relating to both inbound and outbound investments, as well as navigating the increasingly complex network of reporting, disclosure, and withholding requirements arising from doing business in a global economy.

Mark W. Connolly J.D. ’12 was promoted to counsel at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP. Mark focuses his practice on fund formation, alternative investment transactions and regulatory compliance for investment advisers. He represents clients in a broad range of alternative investment transactions, including private fund formations, private equity, joint ventures, acquisitions, divestitures and related matters.

Ashley J. Heilprin J.D. ’13, M.P.P. ’13 was selected as the Louisiana affiliate representative for the American Civil Liberties Union National Board. Ashley is a partner in the New Orleans litigation group at Phelps Dunbar. With a focus in commercial and tort litigation, she helps clients resolve First Amendment, intellectual property, privacy, casualty and general business issues. In addition to her practice, Ashley is a leader in the American Bar Association Section of Litigation and frequently presents at seminars and conferences concerning litigation topics.

Adam McGonigle J.D. ’13 has been elected a partner of HeplerBroom LLC and is practicing in the firm’s St. Louis office.

Anna Killius J.D. ’13 was named executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Commission, a tri-state legislative commission advising the general assemblies of Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia on matters of concern related to the bay. Anna, who had been advocacy director for the James River Association, worked with Virginia lawmakers to advance conservation policy and legislation. She started with the commission Jan. 25.

Charles L. Brewer J.D. ’15 was promoted to counsel at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP. Charles represents clients in connection with mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures and other strategic transactions. He also advises public companies on corporate governance policies and practices and related securities law issues.

Elizabeth B. Heddleston J.D. ’15 was elected principal at Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black. As a member of the firm’s health law, cybersecurity and data privacy, and business and corporate practice groups, Liz helps clients navigate the complex legal landscape governing healthcare. Liz provides practical guidance on regulatory, operational, and corporate issues to medical practices, hospitals, long-term care facilities and other healthcare organizations. She specializes in HIPAA compliance and data privacy and is certified in Healthcare Privacy Compliance (CHPC).

Michael Collett has joined the ranks of the personal injury law firm Breit Biniazan PC, bringing with him extensive experience gained through his 14 years of active duty service in the U.S. Navy, most recently serving as a judge advocate. Licensed in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C., Michael will continue to serve the Mid-Atlantic community through the firm’s Virginia Beach office. 

Elizabeth Leonard J.D. ’16 has joined Cranfill Sumner, focusing on construction law and civil litigation.

Elaine Sim LL.M. ’16 is back in Malaysia and running MigrateSafe, her own ethical recruitment agency for domestic workers.

Sarah Edwards J.D. ’17 recently joined the federal affairs team at Southern Environmental Law Center as legislative counsel.

Manda Brefo J.D. ’19 recently began a new position as an associate immigration attorney at Jackson Lewis P.C.

James “Mac” McClure J.D. 19 joins Dinsmore & Shohl as an associate in its Lexington office.

Tolulope Olaniyan J.D. ’21 has joined the Washington, D.C., office of McGuireWoods.

William & Mary News published a story about research conducted by Professor Thomas J. McSweeney and research assistants Katherine Ello J.D. ’21 and Elsbeth O’Brien J.D. ’21 that may prove that William & Mary was always intended to be a university. Their article, “A University in 1693: New Light on William & Mary’s Claim to the Title ’Oldest University in the United States,’” explores the historical context of one significant phrase that appears in the Latin charter, “stadium generale,” and argues that William & Mary’s founders envisioned the school as a university from the outset. While there’s no debate that W&M has been a university since the founding of the nation’s first law school, these findings may mean it was a university even earlier than that — renewing the debate over which university was the first in the United States.

Jessica Guzzo J.D. ’22 is now an associate at Kosakoff & Cataldo.

Jonathan N. Marchuk J.D. ’22 joined Damon Key Leong Kupchak Hastert as an associate.

Cranfill Sumner LLP announced that Maxwell Shafer J.D. ’22 has joined the firm’s Wilmington, North Carolina, office as an associate attorney. He focuses his practice in the civil litigation practice group handling admiralty and construction law matters.

Donald C. Grey ’50, B.C.L. ’52 passed away on Dec. 5, 2022. Through his career as an advocate and later as a judge in the Judge Advocate General’s Department of the U.S. Air Force, Donald rose to the rank of colonel. He served at Misawa Air Base in Northern Japan and later in Duluth, Minnesota, as part of the Air Defense Command. He was then reassigned to the Wing and then the Major Air Command (“Tactical Air Command”) at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, in 1960 where he served many years as mobilization augmentee to the staff judge advocate of the Tactical Air Command. Donald was engaged in the private practice of law in Norfolk for many years; the last firm was Grey & Arsenault, PC. Later in his career, he specialized in elder law and estate planning with an emphasis on the preservation of assets, providing services pro bono. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Virginia Lynn Hendrick Grey, and extended family.

Philip J. Hendel ’60, B.C.L. ’64 passed away on Oct. 6, 2022. Phil was an outstanding commercial bankruptcy lawyer and author of several treatises in his area of expertise. He testified twice before the U.S. Congress and was honored by the Supreme Court for his support and leadership roles in the Commercial Law League of America. Phil served as partner at Kamberg & Berman and later in his own firm Hendel & Collins. He is survived by his two sons (Daniel and William), stepson (Aaron Baskin), his brother (Robert Hendel) and extended family.

Edward Kendall “Ken” Stock J.D. ’64 passed away on June 2, 2022, in Hollywood, South Carolina. He practiced law in Loudoun County and Clarke County in Virginia for over 50 years before retiring to South Carolina. He was a board member of the Virginia State Board of Community Colleges and founder and chairman of the Board of the Bank of Loudoun. He is survived by his wife (Laura), three children (Mary Kim, Cecilia and Edward), and extended family.

Thomas Frantz ’70, J.D. ’73, M.L.T. ’81 was featured as a Living Legend in the Sept. 1, 2022, issue of Virginia Business magazine.

The Arlington Bar Foundation bestowed its highest accolade, the William L. Winston Award, to attorney William Murray J.D. ’73.

Thomas Norment J.D. ’73 was featured in the 2022 Power List in the Sept. 1, 2022, issue of Virginia Business magazine. He is the Senate Minority Leader in the Virginia State Senate.

Edward R. Blumberg J.D. ’75 has been elected chair of the Board of Trustees of The National Judicial College, the oldest, largest and most widely attended school for judges in the United States.

Ingrid Hillinger J.D. ’76 received the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges’ 2022 Excellence in Education Award.

Vincent H. Vickers II J.D. ’83 passed away on Oct. 27, 2022. He began his legal career working as a deputy attorney general with the Delaware Department of Justice. Vinnie enjoyed a distinguished career for 36 years as a Delaware attorney, specializing in criminal defense work. He was admired by both colleagues and clients and was recognized as a Delaware Top Lawyer in his field. Vinnie served in the U.S. Navy from 1970-1974 and was stationed at Pearl Harbor during the Vietnam War. He is survived by his son (Jacob), his partner of 16 years (Rosemary B. Beauregard) and extended family.

William H. “Chip” Wright J.D. ’85 passed away on Jan. 2, 2023, after a lengthy battle with cancer. Chip was a Petersburg native who donated more than 5,300 hours of free legal representation as an attorney for Hunton Andrews Kurth (previously known as Hunton & Williams), mostly for people he felt had been wrongly convicted or poorly represented on capital murder charges and sentenced to death. His most notable victory came in 1992, when then-Gov. Doug Wilder commuted the death sentence of Herbert Bassette to life imprisonment. He took a break from the law firm for several years in the early 1990s to work as a staff attorney for the Virginia Capital Representation Resource Center, based in Charlottesville, which assists lawyers representing indigent death row inmates. Chip is survived by his son (Lincoln), his father (William) and extended family.

Katherine M. Hessler J.D. ’88 has been appointed assistant dean of animal legal education and director of George Washington Law's new Animal Legal Education Initiative. Dean Hessler has been a clinical law professor for 30 years and has taught animal law for 21 years. The first law professor hired to teach animal law full-time, she helped develop the Center for Animal Law Studies at Lewis & Clark Law School. Her Animal Law Clinic was named one of the top 15 most innovative clinics in 2015.

Monica Monday ’88, J.D. ’91 was featured in the 2022 Power List of the Sept. 1, 2022, issue of Virginia Business magazine. She is the managing partner at Gentry Locke.

Brian Golden J.D. ’92 launched a real estate practice at Keegan Werlin LLP. Prior to working at Keegan Werlin, Golden served for more than eight years as chief executive of the Boston Planning & Development Agency, managing the largest building boom in Boston’s history.

Steven J. Moore LL.M. ’92 passed away on Nov. 18, 2022. Steve was a graduate of Cumberland College (now University of the Cumberlands), the University of Kentucky College of Law and William & Mary, where he earned a Master of Laws in tax. Steve was a member of the First Christian Church in Corbin and served as a deacon. He was the senior director of major gifts and estate planning for Hillsdale College and served on boards of the Historic Preservation City of Corbin and the Carnegie Foundation City of Corbin. He is survived by his wife (Debra), mother (Doris), three children and extended family.

Jan P. Myskowski J.D. ’92 joined Pierce Atwood LLP as a Partner in the firm’s trusts and estates practice group. Jan focuses on estate planning; estate and trust administration; non-judicial trust reformations and modifications; matters before the probate court including guardianships, reformations and contested will and trust disputes; and matters before the U.S. Tax Court. His particular areas of emphasis include federal and state estate tax mitigation, trust situs considerations such as the mitigation of state-level income taxation of trusts, asset conservation, business succession planning, charitable planning and special needs trust planning and administration.

Lisa H. Nicholson J.D. ’93 is the William Marshall Bullitt Chair in Business Law at Louis D. Brandeis School of Law. Professor Nicholson will hold the chair until Oct. 31, 2027.

Anna King J.D. ’94 was named one of Richmond Magazine's “Bold Women of Richmond 2022.” She oversees the U.S. and Bermuda legal team at Markel.

Ivan J. Bates J.D. ’95 was sworn in as Baltimore’s top prosecutor in the State’s Attorney’s Office. A city prosecutor from 1996 to 2002, Bates opened his own law firm, Bates & Garcia P.C., in 2006.

Cliff Fleet ’91, M.A. ’93 J.D. ’95, M.B.A. ’95, president and CEO of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and chair of the William & Mary Foundation, is this year’s recipient of the Prentis Award, which recognizes those in the Williamsburg community who perform extraordinary service to the community and have a connection to W&M.

Margaret Hardy J.D. ’95 was featured in the 2022 Power List of the Sept. 1, 2022, issue of Virginia Business magazine. She is a shareholder at Sands Anderson.

Amy Kreisler J.D. ’95 was appointed to the Marine Products Corporation Board of Directors. Previously, she was an attorney at Arnall Golden and Gregory LLP. Amy is a trustee on The Lovett School Board of Trustees and serves on the Executive Committee. She is also a member of the Dean’s Council at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. Additionally, she is executive director of the O. Wayne Rollins Foundation and a Trustee of the Ma-Ran Foundation. She has served as a director at RPC Inc. since 2016.

Jennifer Wexton J.D. ’95 was reelected to the U.S. House of Representatives, continuing to serve the people of Virginia’s 10th district.

Crystal Roberts Jezierski J.D. ’97 joins Guidepost Solutions as senior managing director. She recently served as associate general counsel and assistant secretary for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Past roles include senior vice president for global ethics at Walmart, partner at the global law firm Baker McKenzie, and chief counsel for oversight and investigations with the judiciary committee of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Daniel C. Summerlin III J.D. ’97, principal and president at Woods Rogers, was featured in the 2022 Power List of the Sept. 1, 2022, issue of the Virginia Business magazine.

Audra Dial J.D. ’98 was awarded the 2022 Citizen Lawyer Award. She is general counsel for Aston Martin’s North American subsidiary.

Scott D. McBride J.D. ’99 has been named the associate deputy chief counsel for trade enforcement and compliance at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Scott has been practicing international trade law on behalf of the United States for over 22 years.

Stacey-Rae Simcox J.D. ’99 and former William & Mary Law School adjunct professor David E. Boelzner recently published “Veterans Benefits: Law, Theory & Practice.” The book presents the statutory and regulatory provisions pertinent to the issues that commonly arise in pursuing claims for veterans and their family members, including relevant cases summarized with follow-up questions for discussion. The textbook also contains straightforward practical explanations about how to work through claims and with the government bureaucrats who process them. Realistic hypothetical claims in the form of client interview vignettes allow students to apply what they learn.

At the beginning of 2023, R. Joseph Barton ’91, J.D. ’00 founded the law firm of Barton & Downes LLP with Colin M. Downes and paralegal Ming Siegel ’16. Based in Washington, D.C., he represents employees, veterans and servicemembers across the country in individual and class action litigation involving issues of employment, employee benefits including under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).

Reginald Lucas J.D. ’00 joined Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner LLP.

On the jazz trio album Fault Lines, drummer Dana G. Fitzsimons J.D. ’01 collaborates with two other Atlanta-based musicians, pianist Bill Graham and bassist Brandon Boone, to create a program of rhythmic, free-style jazz improvisations.

James S. Black II J.D. ’02 was appointed senior vice president and general counsel with Terran Orbital Corporation. Jim joins Terran Orbital following a two-decade career as a management-level attorney with broad in-house experience advising public company boards and executive officers on a variety of legal and strategic matters — specifically within the areas of aerospace and defense. Prior to Terran Orbital, Jim served as vice president and deputy general counsel of the North American division of UK defense company Ultra Electronics and chief legal officer at Osiris Therapeutics. He also served as director and corporate counsel at Northrop Grumman and vice president and deputy general counsel at aerospace and defense company Orbital ATK. Jim began his aerospace and defense journey as assistant general counsel at satellite manufacturer Orbital Sciences Corporation.

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares J.D. ’05 was featured in the 2022 Power List in the Sept. 1, 2022, issue of Virginia Business magazine.

Stephen Feinour Jr. J.D. ’06 was featured in the Oct. 27, 2022, issue of the Philadelphia Business Journal. A partner at Stradley Ronon, he focuses on counseling investment companies and investment advisors in connection with various regulatory, compliance and transactional issues.

Keith H. Bensten J.D. ’08 was named a partner at Day Pitney LLP. Keith represents clients in various industries in complex commercial, product liability and employment litigation matters. He has represented businesses and individuals in arbitration proceedings and in litigation matters in federal and state courts throughout the United States in cases involving claims of product defect, toxic torts, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, misappropriation of trade secrets, tortious interference and unfair trade practices.

Lindsey R. Vaala J.D. ’08 was sworn in as the newest U.S. magistrate judge in the Eastern District of Virginia (Alexandria Division). Lindsey was previously counsel at Vinson & Elkins.

Christopher K. Gottfried J.D. ’09 was appointed to serve as director of William & Mary Law School’s Corporate Compliance Certificate Program. Designed for mid- to high-level career professionals, the new six-week hybrid program provides an advanced understanding of complex compliance issues across industries and businesses of all sizes.

David A. Neiman J.D. ’09 has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America for 2023 in Personal Injury Litigation, 2023 Illinois Super Lawyers, and Illinois Rising Starts in Super Lawyers Magazine. David is a personal injury and consumer rights attorney who has successfully litigated various cases throughout the country. David has spent much of his career representing victims and their families in cases involving medical malpractice, premises liability, transportation accidents, including automobile crashes and aviation disasters, and civil rights matters. Most recently, he has focused his practice on mass tort and class action litigation, including consumer protection matters involving insurance products, data and privacy cases, chemical toxic exposure cases, and victims in mass transit and other personal injury and product liability cases.

Julie Silverbrook J.D. ’12 was awarded the 2022 Taylor Reveley Award. She serves as the senior director of partnerships and Constitutional Scholar in Residence for iCivics, the nation’s leading civic education organization founded by former Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.

Rebecca L. Van Derlaske ’09, J.D. ’13 has been promoted to counsel in the shareholder activism practice at Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP. Her practice is focused primarily on shareholder activism, securities law, mergers and acquisitions, and general corporate law. Rebecca represents hedge funds and other investors in domestic and international shareholder activism matters, including proxy contests, withhold campaigns, consent solicitations and settlement negotiations. She also advises shareholder clients regarding Schedule 13D investments in public companies, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and other related matters.

Anna M. Killius J.D. ’13 was named the new executive director of Chesapeake Bay Commission. The commission, which includes legislators from Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania, plays a critical role in passing Bay-related legislation in state general assemblies and works with Congress to advance Chesapeake initiatives. She was the advocacy director for the James River Association, which worked with Virginia lawmakers to advance conservation policy and legislation. She previously worked in Washington, D.C., on the staff of U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD), handling environmental and resource issues, including those related to the Bay. Anna was named a “Champion of the Chesapeake: Next Generation” by the Chesapeake Conservancy in 2020.

Kevin S. Elliker J.D. ’14 has returned to Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP as counsel in the firm’s Richmond office. Elliker, who was an associate with the firm from 2016 to 2019, most recently served as investigative counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol.

Jenna Poligo J.D. ’14 has been named a Partner at Stoel Rives.

Richard C. Spoor J.D. ’14 was elected partner at Keating Muething & Klekamp. He practices in the firm's Real Estate Group with an emphasis on advising public and private clients on economic development projects, public finance transactions, tax incentives, and public private partnerships. He has served as bond and special counsel, underwriter’s counsel, and purchaser’s counsel for both public entities and private clients in connection with the issuance of both tax-exempt and taxable municipal debt.

Melanie V. Woodward J.D. ’14 was named partner in the Litigation Department at Nutter McClennen & Fish. She represents clients in complex commercial litigation matters (including matters involving complex accounting or financial components), government investigations and a variety of labor law matters. Melanie has successfully defended clients in breach of contract claims, professional malpractice lawsuits, SEC insider trading investigations, claims under the Massachusetts Wage Act and discrimination claims spanning a wide range of industries. Committed to pro bono representation, she has advised clients on immigration, special education and civil rights issues. She is a member of the Litigation Section of the American Bar Association and is recognized in The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch.

Timothy J. Chance J.D. ’15 found his unique calling: tangled titles. Tangled titles happen when a person has a legal interest in a home in which they live, but their name is not on the deed. They might be paying the mortgage, property taxes and utilities, but are not seen as the legal owner by the state of Maryland. In 2019, he joined the team at the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers’ Service (MVLS) and became their official tangled title attorney. Through MVLS’s “My Deed, My Legacy” and “My Home, My Deed” programs, he holds monthly community clinics where members of the community can learn whether their names are on their deeds, how to get it transferred if it’s not, and about estate planning. Tim is working to educate as many families in Baltimore and Maryland communities as possible. If a deed is in their name, he said, he and his volunteers talk with them about the importance of estate planning so it’s not an issue for the next generation. They also offer direct pro-bono representation for probate issues. Since he began his work at MVLS and the inception of the program, Chance and his team have helped over 250 people with full-scale representation in state administration. They have successfully opened and closed more than 130 cases.

Jacob A. Cain J.D. ’19 joined Maynard Cooper Gale in their Government Solutions Group. Prior to joining Maynard, Jacob served as a trial and procurement attorney in the United States Army. During his service, he was appointed Senior Program Manager for all U.S. Army Environmental issues in Alaska. He completed sensitive projects in the Arctic and around Alaska, ultimately earning the Individual Award for Excellence for his work.

Bryn Clegg J.D. ’21 has joined the Catastrophic Loss & Tort Defense practice group at Wilcox Savage.

Alec Hoeschel J.D. ’22 has been admitted to the Delaware bar and joined the Delaware law firm of Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP in its Corporate & Commercial Litigation group.

Oluwasayo E. Ayeomoni J.D. ’22 has joined Shook, Hardy & Bacon as an associate in its general liability litigation area.

Madeline Blackburn J.D. ’22 has joined Shaheen & Gordon as an Associate.

Savannah Kimble J.D. ’22 is now an associate at Kaufman & Canoles.       

Jonathan N. Marchuk J.D. ’22 is a new associate at Damon Key Leong Kupchak Hastert.

Aliyah N. Price J.D. ’22 is working at Faeger Drinker in Washington, D.C., as an associate specializing in health care. She provides strategic guidance to clients navigating the complexities of the health care landscape. Aliyah also completed a legal internship with the FCC’s Telecommunications Access Policy Division, where she worked with the COVID-19 Telehealth Program and Rural Health Care Program.

Samuel W. Phillips J.D. ’54 passed away on Jan. 19, 2022. He served in the infantry of the Virginia National Guard and for many years in the U.S. Army Reserves, reaching the rank of lieutenant colonel, and was the assistant-in-charge in the Richmond Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office during the 1960s. He left the U.S. Attorney’s Office to become Clerk of the Court for the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 1967. In 1971, Sam became the first circuit executive appointed in the country and was responsible for the administration of all the federal courts in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina and West Virginia. Recognized as one of the premier court administrators in the country, Sam retired at the age of 89. He is survived by five children and their spouses, fourteen grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

The Hon. Frederick P. Acuamp ’54, J.D. ’59 passed away on Aug. 7, 2022. Fred practiced as an associate and then as a partner with the Norfolk, Virginia, law firm of Rixey and Rixey for over 12 years. In January 1972, he was appointed as the first full-time judge of the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court of the City of Virginia Beach, where he served until his retirement in January 1992. In addition to his court duties, Fred was actively involved in the improvement of the administration of justice in the Commonwealth, serving as a member of the Committee on District Courts and on the Judicial Council. He was elected president of the Juvenile Judges Association and served as chairman of the Governor's Child Support Commission. He also served on the Council of Criminal Justice and was responsible for the implementation of rules of court for the juvenile courts. After his retirement, Fred continued to sit on a regular basis as a substitute in both Juvenile and General District Courts throughout Virginia. In addition, he established the Commonwealth Arbitration Group in 1993 to provide mediation and arbitration services in the Hampton Roads area. He is survived by his wife of 16 years, Fay Aucamp, and his two children, seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

John E. Donaldson J.D. ’63, Ball Professor of Law, emeritus, passed away on September 20, 2022, at the age of 84 after a brief illness. Donaldson, an alumnus and later professor, taught at the Law School for more than thirty years, focusing in federal taxation from 1966 to 2001. A student of renowned Law School Dean Dudley Warner Woodbridge, Donaldson lived the values he learned at William & Mary every day, graciously serving the Law School and the Williamsburg community as an assistant dean, a member and chairman of the James City County Board of Supervisors, and a supporter of Occasion for the Arts, a local organization chaired by his late wife, among others. A notable scholar and influential expert on taxation, Donaldson was a recipient of the Thomas A. Graves Teaching Award, the Walter L. Williams, Jr. Teaching Award, the Citizen Lawyer Award, and William & Mary’s Thomas Jefferson Award. In his long career, Donaldson educated legions of William & Mary students and his legacy and influence reverberate far beyond the Law School in the countless alums who continue to benefit from the lessons he taught. Donaldson was predeceased by his beloved wife of 53 years, Sue Sheldon, last May, and is survived by daughters Jennifer Hubbard and Keith “Kiki” Sheldon, son Kennon “Ken” Sheldon, and seven grandchildren. An internment ceremony at William & Mary is planned for a future date.

Philip P. Purrington J.D. ’63 passed away on Feb. 14, 2022. Phil practiced law in Norfolk for 10 years before moving to Lancaster County, Virginia. He served as Commonwealth’s Attorney of Lancaster County for eight years, continuing in private law practice for the rest of his professional career. He is survived by his wife, Connie, of 63 years, a daughter, two sons and four grandchildren. 

Phillip J. LaSusa Jr. J.D. ’64 passed away on Jan. 30, 2022. Phillip attended Highland Public High School, graduating in 1958, before attending the University of Rochester, where he was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. A love for historic houses led his career to real estate, where he specialized in antique properties. He was passionate about teaching and instructed a continuing education architecture and history class for many years. He retired from Houlihan Lawrence Real Estate in 2019.

Mary Tipton Holcomb J.D. ’65 passed away on March 8, 2022. She grew up in Kentland, Indiana, and graduated from Indiana University and William & Mary Law School, at a time when few women were admitted to law schools. She was admitted to the bar in three states, worked for the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, as Clerk of Court for the Bankruptcy Court in the Western District of North Carolina, and spent many years in private practice. She also taught at North Carolina State University and Gardner-Webb University. Mary is survived by her son Erik, her son Brian, her son-in-law Joel Perkin, and her niece Christina Tipton Hammock and her family.

The Hon. William J. Sullivan J.D. ’65, former Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court, passed away on June 6, 2022. Justice Sullivan was sworn in as chief justice on Jan. 22, 2001. He became a senior justice in 2006 and served on the Supreme Court until reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70 in 2009.

Robert E. Tomes J.D. ’68 passed away on June 9, 2022. After graduation, he served in the Air Force and retired in 1993. Ed is survived by his wife (Nancy), son (Nathan), daughter-in-law (Christy), and granddaughter (Lauren).   

George S. Newman J.D. ’70 passed away on April 20, 2022. He was a retired senior partner at Stinson Leonard Street, LLP in St. Louis and was an active member in the William & Mary Law School Alumni Association. He is survived by his wife (Susan), two daughters (Katherine and Caroline) and his extended family.

John J. Rice M.B.A. ’70, J.D. ’73 passed away on Feb. 6, 2022. Jack graduated from the University of Richmond with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and belonged to the Scabbard and Blade, a military honor society. He also served in the U.S. Army in Korea for two years and afterwards in the U.S. Army Reserves, rising to the rank of Captain. He practiced law for 41 years in Newport News, Hampton, Williamsburg, and Southside Hampton Roads, Virginia, acting as a true counselor to his clients. He was an associate professor at Hampton University for 33 years, where he taught business law and was affectionately known as “Attorney Rice.” He had a positive influence upon hundreds of young men and women, and due to his encouragement, many of them went on to pursue careers in law and business. He is survived by his wife, two sons and one grandson.

Steven F. Shames J.D. ’73 passed away on July 23, 2022. He was a graduate of Washington & Jefferson College and William & Mary Law School. He served honorably in the U.S. Army as a Second Lieutenant. Steven was a partner in the law firm of Shames & Byrum, P.C., member of the Virginia State Bar, member and past president of the Chesapeake Bar Association, past president of the Norfolk SPCA, four-term chairman of the First District Disciplinary Committee of the Virginia State Bar, divorce commissioner for the Circuit Court City of Chesapeake and adjunct professor of Legal Studies at Tidewater Community College. Steven is survived by his wife and his extended family.

Martin “Art” D. Walsh J.D. ’73 passed away on June 6, 2022. Art was the co-founder of one of the most prolific land-use law firms in Northern Virginia. What is today known as Walsh, Colucci, Lubeley and Walsh, branded as “The Land Lawyers,” was founded in 1983. Art specialized in land development, urban planning and zoning law, from feasibility through permitting and construction. Over the years, he played a role in rezoning Tysons for mixed-use development, in condemnation cases tied to the Silver Line and Express Lanes construction, in approvals for both the Arlington and Fairfax government centers and in numerous large and small land-use cases across the area, from Arlington to Merrifield to the Dulles Corridor. Walsh is survived by his wife (Nan) and children (Ada-Maria and Sarah Nell).

Richard G. Evans J.D. ’74 passed away on June 30, 2022, after a five-year battle with prostate cancer.  Rick began his legal career at the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office as a Special Assistant Attorney General. In 1984, he became the executive director of the Minnesota Racing Commission, which was responsible for implementing the selection and licensing process for the first pari-mutuel horse racing facility in Minnesota (Canterbury Downs). In 1985, Rick joined Green Tree Financial Corporation where he was general counsel and corporate secretary, a member of the board of directors, and finally executive vice president of their manufactured housing division. He left Green Tree after the company was sold in 1998 — his first retirement. He joined Metris Companies, Inc. in 2001, serving as general counsel and corporate secretary and was a member of their board of directors. He left Metris when it was sold in 2005 — his second retirement. Then, in 2017, Rick was selected as the executive director of the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, the agency that runs U.S. Bank Stadium. Rick is survived by his wife and extended family.

Edward R. Blumberg J.D. ’75 has recently been elected chair of the National Judicial College’s Board of Trustees. He has served on the board since 2016. Edward is a member of the Miami, Florida, trial law firm of Deutsch Blumberg & Caballero, P.A., with a statewide practice in the areas of medical malpractice, products liability and catastrophic personal injury cases.

Ardath A. Hamann J.D. ’77 retired from the faculty at University of Illinois Chicago after 35 years and was awarded emeritus status. An endowed scholarship was created in her name for moot court students in recognition of her work as the advisor to the moot court board and as a coach of many moot court teams.

The Hon. William Sharp J.D. ’77 has retired from the Warren County Circuit Court.

Michael J. Cummings J.D. ’78 passed away on March 9, 2022. Mike served as infantry operations officer and platoon commander with the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines in Vietnam. After law school, he became a Marine Judge Advocate and served as trial counsel, military judge and chief of the Military Law Branch at HQMC. He was awarded the Purple Heart, Navy Commendation Medal, three Meritorious Service Medals, Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Unit Citation and Marine Corps Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbons. After retiring as a lieutenant colonel in July 1990, Mike was appointed a deputy Commonwealth’s attorney in Virginia Beach and a special assistant U.S. attorney, where he successfully prosecuted numerous major drug and violent crime cases from July 1990 to July 1994, with the Special Investigative Division and FBI, DEA and ATF federal strike forces. In July 1994, Mike was appointed a U.S. Administrative Law Judge with the Department of Health and Human Services, where he spent the rest of his legal career adjudicating Medicare and Social Security cases. He is survived by his wife, Martha, four children, nine grandchildren and extended family. 

Neil Birkhoff J.D. ’80, a principal and the tax practice leader at Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black, recently completed his 14-month term as visiting director of the tax clinic at the Washington and Lee University School of Law. He has been an adjunct professor of law at Washington and Lee for 15 years, teaching income taxation of corporations, trusts and estates, and nonprofit organizations.

James Irving J.D. ’81 was featured in an article appearing in the June 8, 2022, edition of the Gloucester Daily Times, about the detective series he’s written. The thrillers are inspired by his time as a private investigator and practicing criminal law.

Robert S. Rausch J.D. ’81 passed away on June 24, 2022, after a valiant fight against cancer. He began his career at Hunton & Williams (now Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP), where he specialized in real estate law. He retired in 2020 after a nearly 40-year career at Hunton. Bob shared his passion for the law by becoming an adjunct professor at the University of Miami Law School. He is survived by his sons, his mother and extended family.

The Hon. Birdie Hairston Jamison ’79 J.D. ’82 was a speaker at William & Mary’s first Black Alumni Reunion, held May 6-8, 2022.

Sean F. Murphy J.D. ’82 retired on Jan. 1, 2022, after 34 years with McGuireWoods as a commercial and fiduciary litigator. Sean now works part-time as a consultant, mediator and expert witness in fiduciary disputes.

William L. Ross J.D. ’82 retired from Calfee, Halter in Cleveland, which he joined in June 1982. Will headed-up the firm’s Workers’ Compensation and OSHA practice for many years. In retirement, he keeps busy on several nonprofit boards, including serving as 2021-2022 president of the Western Reserve Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. Will and his wife, Donna, split their time between Northeast Ohio and Smith Mountain, Virginia.

Practicing Law Institute recently published the updated edition of Terry Budd J.D. ’83’s “Expert Witness” book, for which he is a co-editor and co-author. Terry has worked with PLI as an editor and author for each of the editions of the book since it was first published 10 years ago. The text has received critical acclaim as a great trial lawyers’ treatise. Terry was also honored to recently receive the GameChangers Progress Champion DEI Award for his and his law firm’s significant contributions and commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion advancements.  

Sincerest apologies to Walter Calvert J.D. ’83 whose name was misspelled in the Spring 2022 edition. He was elected a fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel.

Ronald T. Reel J.D. ’83 has retired after 30 years as a Virginia prosecutor and five years of private practice, and is now pursuing an interest in photographic art, along with his wife, Barbara. Both have had their photographs shown and sold in a number of Northern Virginia art galleries.

Michael L. Heikes J.D. ’84 passed away on Aug. 14, 2022. Michael started his own civil law practice, and taught at William & Mary Law School. He was proud to represent Eastern State Hospital patients. He is survived by his sons and extended family. 

Adam Andrew Gallo J.D. ’85 is now Assistant General Counsel for Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Inc. (ERCOT).

Colleen M. Quinn J.D. ’85 was named to the Virginia Lawyers Weekly’s list of “Virginia’s Go To Lawyers for Employment Law 2022.”

Laura C. Rublee J.D. ’85 joined Motley Rice as staff attorney. Laura litigates for consumers, unions, public pensions and other institutional investors. She advances complex class actions that shine a light on alleged financial violations and corporate misconduct that negatively impact investors and consumers. Her litigation experience includes representing a class of patients who allege Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company fraudulently inflated copayments and coinsurance by overcharging for medical services and products. She also represents more than a million tax return preparers who allege the IRS charged unauthorized user fees for the issuance and renewal of preparer tax identification numbers in the case Steele v. United States. Laura has served on additional litigation teams in class action suits filed against Medtronic Inc., Sprint Nextel Corp., and Twitter Inc.

Craig N. Thomas J.D. ’85 was promoted to senior vice president at Dewberry, a privately held professional services firm. Craig serves as the firm’s general counsel and has been with Dewberry for nearly 30 years. He is a member of the American Bar Association, American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), Association of Corporate Council, Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE), Virginia Bar Association and the Virginia State Bar.

Todd Leeson J.D. ’86 was named to the Virginia Lawyers Weekly’s list of “Virginia’s Go To Lawyers for Employment Law 2022.”

Lisa Bertini J.D. ’87 was honored in the June 2022 Virginia Lawyers Weekly’s “Virginia’s Go To Lawyers” for employment law.

Donald R. McKillop J.D. ’87 and his wife, Patricia, tragically passed away near San Simon, Arizona, as they traveled across the country to visit their son and his family on May 21, 2022. Don joined Klinedinst law firm in San Diego, California after graduating from William & Mary Law School. He built the firm up serving as the COO, CFO and eventually becoming a partner. After 16 years with the firm, he set up his own practice in which he specialized in defending contractors and construction company. They are survived by his son and his wife, four grandchildren and their extended family.

Jonathan Y. Short J.D. ’87 passed away on Feb. 3, 2022. He was born in Williamsburg and attended Duke University for his undergraduate degree. Jonathan opened a law practice in Alexandria, Virginia, where he specialized in criminal defense. He believed that people accused of crimes deserved not just a defense, but a zealous and energetic advocate. Throughout his 30-year career, Jonathan practiced law relentlessly as a court appointed attorney for courts in Alexandra, Arlington County, Prince William County and Fairfax County.  He is survived by his wife (Anne), mother (Catherine) and extended family.

Steven J. Mulroy J.D. ’89 was elected the district attorney general in Shelby County, Tennessee, on Aug. 4 for an eight-year term. A law professor at the University of Memphis since 2000, Mulroy is also a former civil rights lawyer for the U.S. Justice Department and a former federal prosecutor. It was his job at the university that brought him to Memphis, where he became known for voting rights activism and for working to save the beloved Libertyland Amusement Park. From 2006-2011, he was a Shelby County Commissioner.

Clay Campbell J.D. ’90 has been named to the New Mexico Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission, which was established by the Supreme Court of New Mexico in 1997 as a volunteer, nonpartisan commission to improve the performance of New Mexico’s judges and provide useful, credible information to voters on judges standing for retention in general elections.

The Hon. Helivi Holland J.D. ’90 received the 2022-23 St. George Tucker Adjunct Professor of Law Award for her service on behalf of students as an adjunct professor.

Lisa K. Lawrence J.D. ’92 was named to the Virginia Lawyers Weekly’s list of “Virginia’s Go To Lawyers for Employment Law 2022.”

Michael Reynolds J.D. ’92 has joined Baker Donelson in Washington, D.C., as a senior policy advisor. Michael previously held various roles in the U.S. Senate with the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, where he focused on aviation issues. Michael will be working in the Government Relations and Public Policy Group at Baker Donelson. 

Stephen C. Schofield J.D. ’92 is the current senior pastor at Dahlonega United Methodist Church in Dahlonega, Georgia.

Ashlea Ebeling J.D. ’93 was recently hired by the Wall Street Journal to cover the “death and taxes” beat, a new personal finance coverage area.

Timothy T. Hui J.D. ’93 retired at the end of 2021 after ten years as General Counsel of Zuellig Pharma, a leading health services company in Asia, and has moved from Hong Kong to Osaka, Japan.

Judith M. Conti J.D. ’94 was mentioned in Washington D.C.’s 500 Most Influential People in the Washingtonian: a list of experts and advocates, outside of the government, who are playing big roles in Washington’s policy debates. Judy is the government affairs director at the National Employment Law Project. Among economics and labor reporters, Judy is considered a dependable resource who knows more about the intricacy of unemployment issues than almost anyone else in D.C.

Anna King J.D. ’94 was recently featured in Richmond Magazine. She is managing director of the U.S. and Bermuda Legal team for Markel.

Susan R. Blackman J.D. ’95 passed away on Sept. 15. She was an employment litigator at Willcox & Savage and later became head of the firm’s immigration section. She is survived by her husband, Jerome S. Blackman, son, Theodore Blackman and her extended family.

Cliff Fleet ’91, M.A. ’93, J.D. ’95, M.B.A. ’95 president and CEO of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, spoke at William & Mary’s Convocation on Aug. 31 to help welcome W&M’s newest students to campus. Fleet also teaches at W&M as an adjunct professor in the Raymond A. Mason School of Business, is chair of the William & Mary Foundation and a board member of the Omohundro Institute.

Alisa Pittman Cleek J.D. ’96 joined Hooters Management Corporation as chief legal officer, focusing on the legal strategy surrounding the restaurant’s more than 400 locations worldwide. Prior to Hooters, she worked at Taylor English as a practice leader, heading the firm’s labor and employment group, and her practice focused on providing legal advice to the restaurant industry. At Hooters, she will help drive behavior, management and other operations through her legal oversight of workers compensation, risk management and other issues.

Pamela A. Kultgen J.D. ’96, after living in Kansas City for almost 20 years, has moved back to Williamsburg to take a position as an administrative law judge with the U.S. Department of Labor in Newport News, Virginia, in April 2022. While Pam was in Kansas City, she volunteered for the law school by being the William & Mary representative at two or three law school admission fairs in Kansas each year. Pam spent almost 20 years doing appellate arguments before federal courts as an assistant regional counsel for the Social Security Administration. 

Cynthia C. Moon J.D. ’97 has been promoted to vice president of legal recruiting and placement at Latitude. Latitude is a high-end legal services company that specializes in employing and providing peer-level attorneys and paralegals to its corporate legal department and law firm clients. Its clients range from Fortune 500 corporations to small companies and Global 50 law firms to boutiques. Cynthia joined Latitude in December 2019 as director of legal recruiting and placement in the company’s Nashville office.

Rebecca Eichler J.D. ’98 appeared in a feature-length documentary, “Las Abogadas: Attorneys on the Front Lines of the Migrant Crisis,” which premiered at the Awareness Festival in Los Angeles on Oct. 9. Eichler, who appeared as an “abogados,” or attorney, in the documentary, was featured for her work on legal clinics which have assisted migrants with their entry into the United States and exercise of their legal rights in the immigration and detention process, particularly in the wake of the Trump administration’s border policy changes over the past several years.

Alex B. Long J.D. ’98 is currently the Williford Gragg Distinguished Professor at the University of Tennessee College of Law in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Krista Newkirk J.D. ’98 was featured in the June 2022 Women Who Lead section of Inland Empire Magazine. She is the president of the University of Redlands.

Jimmy F. Robinson Jr. J.D. ’98 was named to the Virginia Lawyers Weekly’s list of “Virginia’s Go To Lawyers for Employment Law 2022.”

Douglas Dziak J.D. ’99 joined the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on Commissioner Feldman’s staff as his chief counsel.

Cristen S. Rose J.D. ’99 has joined as partner at Haynes and Boone LLP in their Washington, D.C., office. Cristen’s practice encompasses a variety of commercial and business litigation, including insurance recovery and environmental cases, and regulatory compliance.

Reginald D. Lucas J.D. ’00 joined Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner LLP as of counsel.

Elizabeth W. Brunins J.D. ’03 joined Sherrard, German & Kelly P.C. as of counsel and is a member of the firm’s corporate services and privacy & cybersecurity practice groups. Beth’s practice focuses in the area of counseling business entities, commercial transactions, data and technology contracts, and advertising and marketing law for clients ranging from startups and small and middle market entities to large international corporations.

Ian R. Conner J.D. ’03 was listed in The American Lawyer’s Top 25 Lateral Hires for 2021. Ian transitioned from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to Latham & Watkins.

Robert Driesson J.D. ’05 was featured in the Aug. 19, 2022, edition of the San Francisco Daily Journal. He is currently a San Bernardino County Superior Court Commissioner in California.

Nicholas Johnson J.D. ’05 was named to the Virginia Lawyers Weekly’s list of “Virginia’s Go To Lawyers for Employment Law 2022.”

Kim Moore Urbanchuk J.D. ’05 is the chief compliance officer at Covington & Burling LLP in Washington, D.C.

Douglas Bunch ’02, J.D. ’06 was appointed as representative to the U.N.

Steve Clarke J.D. ’06 scored some wins on “Jeopardy” over the summer.

Svetlana Ivy J.D. ’07 and Brian Ivy J.D. ’08 started ROKNE Pickleball, a company that sells pickleball equipment and apparel.

Allison M. Stelter J.D. ’07 has rejoined Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP as a counsel in the law firm’s Richmond, Virginia, office. She advises clients on the federal income tax aspects of asset securitization, partnerships and capital markets transactions.

Nicholas V. Cumings J.D. ’08 has been named a shareholder at Walsh, Colucci, Lubeley & Walsh, primarily focusing on securing zoning and land use entitlements in Arlington County.

Shukita L. Massey J.D. ’08 is now associate general counsel for Riverside Health System. She will be responsible for the oversight of litigation activities conducted by outside counsel, including developing strategy for complex cases, and providing general legal advice including on regulatory and compliance matters, litigation, risk management, labor and employment, contracts and transactional matters.

Spencer Kiggins J.D. ’09, an assistant U.S. attorney in the Western District of Texas in El Paso, was featured in the Alumni Spotlight of the September edition of the Brief: the W&M Law School Newsletter.

Tyler J. McIntyre J.D. ’08 was recently promoted to partner at Stanes Davis Florie. Tyler concentrates his legal acumen on civil litigation, including healthcare law and medical malpractice defense. He also serves as a member of the firm’s Diversity Committee.

Holly Brady J.D. ’09 was promoted to counsel at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP. Holly advises clients on a broad range of complex privacy, cybersecurity and data protection matters, including monitoring and assessing new and emerging requirements across the globe. Additionally, she assists clients in identifying, evaluating and managing global privacy and information security risks and compliance issues and further works with clients to address any privacy and data protection issues, including data breaches and cybersecurity incidents.

Spencer D. Kiggins J.D. ’09 recently was awarded Prosecutor of the Year by the special agent in charge for the El Paso Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations.

David A. Neiman J.D. ’09 was named partner at Romanucci & Blandin LLC. His practice is focused on mass tort and class action litigation including consumer protection matters involving insurance products as well as privacy and cybersecurity claims.

Cullen D. Speckhart J.D. ’09 was appointed partner-in-charge of Cooley’s Washington, D.C., office.  Cullen joined Cooley’s D.C. office in 2019 and was appointed chair of the firm’s business restructuring and reorganization practice shortly thereafter. She represents various parties to insolvency proceedings — including debtors, creditors, creditors’ committees, trustees and foreign representatives — and has deep experience in corporate restructuring and financial litigation across a broad range of industries.

Bishop Garrison J.D. ’10 is Paravision’s vice president of government affairs and public policy. Garrison will represent the computer vision company specializing in face recognition technology before government entities, regulators and trade associations to help shape thoughtful and ethical policy around the deployment of Vision AI in general and face recognition in particular. Garrison most recently served under the Biden Administration as chief of staff of the Selective Service System, leading human capital and management operations. Prior to that, he was senior advisor to the secretary of defense for human capital and diversity, equity and inclusion as a leading counselor to the secretary and deputy secretary on workforce-related issues including extremist activity, DEI issues and other priority areas.

Melanie Palacios Soderstrom J.D. ’10 earned her Ph.D. in criminal justice from the University of Central Florida and accepted a tenure track assistant professor position in the School of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas.

Lawton B. Way J.D. ’10 joined the national securities group at McGuireWoods after spending 11 years at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP. At McGuireWoods, Lawton will work closely with clients, learning their business models and advising them on issuances, disclosures and corporate governance matters.

Andrew I. Almand J.D. ’11 was promoted to partner at Ballard Spahr LLP. Andrew is in the firm’s finance practice, where he focuses on real estate financing and advises clients on complex servicing matters for securitized and non-securitized loans.

Brit Mohler Dufilho J.D. ’11 was recognized by Chambers Global 2022 as “up and coming” for her work in Securitization: Mortgage Servicing Rights. Brit’s practice focuses on asset securitization, structured finance and other corporate finance transactions. She represents borrowers, lenders, issuers and underwriters with respect to the financing and securitization of various asset classes primarily related to servicing rights, residential mortgage loans and credit risk collateral.

Kyle R. Elliott J.D. ’11 will be starting a new position as the general counsel and chief legal officer of Virginia Community Healthcare Association. VCHA is the primary care association representing Virginia’s 27 federally qualified health centers that receive HRSA and state funding to provide medical care for Virginia’s uninsured and most vulnerable people. Kyle was honored by the Richmond Bar Association as the Young Lawyer of the Year.

Scott D. Fitzgerald ’07, J.D. ’11 recently became Shareholder at Allen Allen Allen & Allen.

Johanna Orleski J.D. ’11 has been promoted to counsel at Hunton Andrews Kurth, LLP. She represents clients in commercial real estate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, development, financing, joint venture negotiation and leasing. Johanna regularly represents real estate developers in connection with new real estate projects through the country, with a special emphasis on multi-family and mixed-use developments. She also often represents borrowers seeking financing for multi-family projects from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Jessica A. Glajch J.D. ’12 was promoted partner at Eckert Seamans. She focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation, including financial services, product liability, aviation, employment, insurance coverage and commercial landlord-tenant disputes.

John Sando J.D. ’14 married Gina DeNaples in December 2019. He is an attorney with S&R Law in Fairfax, Virginia.

Bria Cunningham J.D. ’16 has been promoted to partner at Couch White.

Connor R. Garstka J.D. ’16 passed away on Feb. 13 after a long illness. He was a senior attorney in the Legislative Services Department of the Commonwealth of Virginia. His words and his legacy are forever stamped in the pages of Virginia law and in history. He enjoyed cooking, yoga, hiking, bike rides with friends and walking with “Buddy the love dog.” He was lucky in life to have had a cadre of friends who were both empathic and fun loving. His coworkers remember him as a brilliant attorney, model mentor, and an even better person and friend. In Connor’s short life he carried himself with dignity, intelligence and kindness. Despite chronic medical issues, he had an inner warmth, abounding wit and an engaging smile for everyone. He leaves behind his parents, Ellen and Alan, his brother and sister-in-law, and friends, coworkers and extended family.

Scott A. Krystiniak J.D. ’16 is an attorney with Wolcott Rivers Gates. Scott was nominated for a CoVa BIZ Next Gen Award for young professionals who are leading the way and making a difference in Coastal Virginia.

Arlen Papzian J.D. ’17 has been promoted to an agent in the Creative Artists Agency’s podcast group.  He already represents several podcast properties, creators and production companies, with a focus on creating live touring opportunities. 

Meronne Teklu J.D. ’17 was named to the top “40 Under 40” list of up-and-coming professionals and entrepreneurs by the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce and Zebra Press.

Lauren G. Riley J.D. ’18 was also named to the top “40 Under 40” list by the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce and Zebra Press.

Andrew E. Huang J.D. ’20 recently joined the U.S. Department of Defense Office of General Counsel, Office of Information Counsel, as an associate deputy general counsel.

Jefferson C. Hunt J.D. ’20 joined Williams Mullen as an associate in the firm’s Private Client & Fiduciary Services Practice in the Norfolk, Virginia, office. He will focus primarily on trusts and estate planning and administration, assisting clients with the preparation of wills, trusts and other relevant documents.

Benming Zhang J.D. ’20 is a corporate and securities attorney at Kaufman & Canoles. Benny was nominated for a CoVa BIZ Next Gen Award for young professionals who are leading the way and making a difference in Coastal Virginia.

Sami Abdallah J.D. ’21 has become an associate attorney at Berenzweig Leonard LLP.

Faculty 

Walter S. Felton Jr., former professor and adjunct professor at William & Mary Law School, passed away on April 29 at the age of 77. Judge Felton joined the William & Mary faculty in 1982 as assistant professor and administrative coordinator of the Commonwealth’s Attorneys Council (Trial Practice, Criminal Law). During his first year at William & Mary Law School, he taught Criminal Law and Trial Advocacy. In September 2002, Professor Felton left teaching after 20 years to become a judge on the Virginia Court of Appeals, though he continued at William & Mary as an adjunct professor. He was the 1993 recipient of the Law School’s John Marshall Award for “exceptional character, leadership, and a spirit of selfless service.” Walter is survived by his wife of 28 years, Kay Felton, and his extended family.

Editor’s note: Our apologies for misspelling the name of Walter R. Calvert J.D. ’83 in the spring 2022 Class Notes. 

Jim McGlothlin ’62, B.C.L. ’64, J.D. ’68, LL.D. ’00 was named to the “Top 50 Heavy Hitters” by Virginia Business Magazine.

In March, Robert Edwin Scott J.D. ’68 was awarded the 2021-2022 Marshall Wythe Medallion, the highest honor given by the law school’s faculty. He is director of Columbia Law School’s Center for Contract and Economic Organization. 

James E. Cornwell Jr. J.D. ’74 was named the interim town attorney of Front Royal, Virginia.

The Hon. Charles E. Poston J.D. ’74 was elected rector of the Board of Visitors.

The Hon. Mark L. Tunnell J.D. ’75 completed the 10-year term on the Chester County, Pennsylvania, Court of Common Pleas to which he was elected and has retired.

W. Jeff Barnes ’81, J.D. ’86 has published his first novel, “Mingo,” about two brothers during the unionization of America’s coalfields. 

Barbara L. Johnson J.D. ’84 was elected vice rector of the Board of Visitors.

Gretchen A. Mundorff J.D. ’84 was appointed a member of the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

Lee Sherman J.D. ’84 was featured in the Baltimore Jewish Times for his service as the interim executive director of Chizuk Amuno Congregation and Schools.

In January, Kevin Antoine J.D. ’91 hosted a virtual voting rights forum at Bucks County Community College in Newtown, Pennsylvania.

Beverly McLean Murray J.D. ’91 was featured in the North Bay Business Journal. She is the regional chief human resources officer for Providence, Northern California. 

Michael Chu J.D. ’92 was awarded one of the inaugural W&M Asian Centennial Awards, designed to recognize individuals whose work for diversity, equity and justice have had a lasting impact. 

Vanessa Williams J.D. ’95 was appointed an independent director to the board of Horizon Bank.

The Hon. Matthew W. Hoffman J.D. ’96 has been elevated to the Newport News Circuit Court.

Ky Tran-Trong J.D. ’97 helps Visa develop leading-edge products and services as the financial services company’s first regulatory lawyer.

Paul Carlino J.D. ’98 has published “The Year We Ruined Our Lives: A Family Road Trip Through Mexico and Central America,” which follows the journey of his family’s year-long road trip.

Audra Dial J.D. ’98 is now general counsel for Aston Martin Lagonda of North America.

Alicia Lewis J.D. ’99 is special counsel to Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman Rostin Behnam.

Dan Graham J.D. ’01 has joined McDermott Will & Emery as partner in its Regulatory Practice Group.

Patrick J. Mays J.D. ’04 was appointed to the district court in Montgomery County, Maryland.

Thomas Okuda Fitzpatrick ’04, J.D. ’10 is the new president and CEO of Richmond-based nonprofit Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia Inc.

Jessica Aber J.D. ’06 has been confirmed as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Shannon Daily ’06, J.D. ’09 was promoted to partner at global law firm Hunton Andrews Kurth.

Syed Masood J.D. ’08 has published his debut novel, “The Bad Muslim Discount,” where two young people — one from Pakistan and the other from Iraq — struggle to reach America in the 1990s.

Perry Cooper J.D. ’11 now covers state and local tax issues for Bloomberg Law, where she had previously covered the federal circuit as senior legal editor.

Jamilah D. LeCruise J.D. ’11 was appointed to the Norfolk General District Court.

Lindsay Welter Davis J.D. ’12 was featured in the March edition of the Milwaukee Business Journal.

Merideth Snow Daly J.D. ’13 was also promoted to partner at Hunton Andrews Kurth.

Daniel Doty J.D. ’13 has been appointed to the Superior Court in Ketchikan, Alaska. 

Kelsey Kremer McGonigle J.D. ’13 has been promoted to officer at Greensfelder Hemker & Gale PC in St. Louis.

Kristen Yarows J.D. ’19 joined Hudson Cook in Washington, D.C., and will represent clients in government investigations and enforcement actions.

Samantha McDermott J.D. ’21 joined Goldberg Segalla’s Global Insurance Services group in Syracuse, New York.

David L. Short ’62, B.C.L. ’64 passed away on Nov. 23, 2021, after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. After high school, David served in the U.S. Air Force. He graduated from William & Mary in 1962 and W&M Law School in 1964. David started his own law firm, Short, Short, Telstad & Kerr, and became a prominent real estate attorney. He was a long-time member of the Corporate and Foundations Boards for the Boys & Girls Club of the Virginia Peninsula, the William & Mary Law School Foundation, and many other organizations. He is survived by his wife, Tammy, her son Kyle, his sons Mike, Paul, and Mark, and numerous extended family members.

The Hon. Richard Bray J.D. ’71 was honored with a Lifetime Achievement in Philanthropy award by the Hampton Roads Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. After his retirement from the bench in 2002, Judge Bray served as the president and CEO of the Beazley Foundation Inc. until 2021.

The Hon. Timothy M. Broas J.D. ’79 joined Wilson Sonsini in its government investigations practice group as senior of counsel in the firm's Washington, D.C., office. Tim served as U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands from 2014-2016 and has more than 30 years of experience as a white-collar criminal defense attorney. He is also a renowned white-collar lawyer who has led internal investigations involving accounting and securities fraud, as well as violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. At Wilson Sonsini, Ambassador Broas joins a team well known for representing high-profile clients in investigations by state and federal enforcement agencies, including the DOJ, SEC, FTC, CFTC, and IRS. 

David L. Robbins ’76, J.D. ’80 published “Isaac’s Beacon.”  In the small kibbutz of Isaac’s Beacon, an Irgun fighter, a young farmer and an American journalist meet, and, subsequently, their lives reflect the drama of the history swirling around them. Based upon real events, the book is the first novel in a series that will show how Israel formed after World War II and why it continues to impact the world.

James Irving J.D. ’81 published “Friend of the Court,” his third book in the Joth Proctor “Fixer” series.

Catherine M. McNally J.D. ’81 was elected mayor of Grand Haven, Michigan.

A park in Chesapeake, Virginia, has been renamed after the Hon. Eileen A. Olds J.D. ’82, the first Black woman judge to serve on the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court in Chesapeake.

Walter R. Calvert J.D. ’83 was elected a fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel. The American College of Tax Counsel is a professional association of tax attorneys with fellows limited to a maximum of 700 across the United States. Fellows must be nominated for membership and must then undergo a rigorous screening process prior to being elected as Fellows of the College. Walt is a partner in the Transactional Tax Practice Group of Venable LLP. 

Jim Miller J.D. ’85 was named interim director of intercollegiate athletics at the Virginia Military Institute.

Julie Currin J.D. ’87 has established the Equal Justice Center PLC with offices in both Virginia Beach and Henrico, Virginia.

Donald P. Boyle Jr. J.D. ’89 launched a boutique firm, Continuum Legal Group, with 11 experienced attorneys offering a full suite of services for businesses and individuals in Atlanta. The firm comprises attorneys who have been collaborating together for years. Its unique footprint in the legal space in Atlanta includes representing a wide range of clients from individuals to Fortune 100 companies. Don has successfully litigated complex commercial business, environmental and tort matters through trial and appeal in state and federal courts in Georgia and the eastern United States for 30 years. His work for major manufacturers, large corporations and state agencies includes general commercial litigation, contract disputes, insurance coverage, environmental (CERCLA), construction disputes, product liability, toxic torts, debtor-creditor, government contracts, tax, the Georgia Tort Claims Act and eminent domain. Don counsels his clients to consider alternative dispute resolution, which, through careful planning, can result in a true win for the client at a reduced cost over resorting to the courts.

The Hon. Kathleen D. English J.D. ’94 was appointed to the Local Circuit Court for Frederick County, Maryland.

The Hon. William J. Trezvant J.D. ’94 was sworn in as associate judge of the Rhode Island District Court. William served as senior counsel for Pannone Lopes Devereaux & O’Gara, and previously held various positions as special assistant in the Rhode Island Department of Attorney General, where he worked for 16 years.

Elizabeth “Beth” Bruns J.D. ’95 was promoted to vice president for business affairs at PBS. In that role, Beth will collaborate with PBS’ general audience and children's programming teams to structure, negotiate and draft program and other content-related deals (including co-production, commission and licensing). In this leadership role, she will manage the attorneys, negotiators and other personnel on the Business Affairs team. Bruns will also advise management with respect to industry trends and will be responsible for the development of deal parameters and execution of agreements that further PBS’ business objectives. 

Daniel D. Barnes J.D. ’96 was promoted to member at Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi. Daniel focuses his practice on business and litigation issues, including contract and partnership disputes, employment covenant and related litigation, tortious interference claims, franchising matters, disputes involving health care companies, environmental claims, trust and estate disputes, FINRA arbitrations relating to employee claims, and corporate governance.

Krysia Kubiak J.D. ’97 was appointed as city solicitor for the City of Pittsburgh. As solicitor, Krysia will lead Pittsburgh’s law department, which includes a team of attorneys who specialize in corporate counsel, civil litigation, labor, real estate and tax, contracts and worker’s compensation. Krysia previously served as director of state regulatory strategy and government affairs for Duquesne Light Co. Before that, she served as a litigator, starting her career as a deputy district attorney in Colorado.

Vivieon Kelley Jones ’96, J.D. ’99 was named assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia by U.S. Attorney Kurt Erskine. She joins the office from the Department of Justice in Washington, where she served as a trial attorney in the Office of General Counsel for the U.S. Trustee Program, promoting the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system. Vivieon entered duty at the department in 2009 as a trial attorney for the U.S. Trustee Program in the Northern District of Georgia. Prior to her tenure with the department, Vivieon worked as an associate at Troutman Pepper, where she focused her practice in the areas of bankruptcy reorganizations and complex litigation.

Gregory D. LoGerfo J.D. ’99 is the recipient of the 2021 James A. Baker Award for Outstanding Deputy Chief of Mission for his exemplary performance as the deputy chief of mission with the State Department in Tunis. This prestigious award recognizes outstanding contributions made by a deputy chief of mission who demonstrates the proficiency, creativity and overall capacity to serve effectively as deputy chief of mission and, if the ambassador is absent, as charge d’affaires. LoGerfo assumed the role as deputy chief of mission in Iraq in 2021.

Kevin M. O'Neill J.D. ’99 of Arnold & Porter’s Legislative & Public Policy practice group was recognized by the National Institute for Lobbying and Ethics for his outstanding legislative work in the group’s 2021 “Top Lobbyist” list. Kevin was also named to the list last year, and focuses on helping clients understand and navigate federal legislative and executive complexities in order to further their business objectives. His clients span several sectors of the economy including trade, technology, tax and financial services, federal funding health care, education, transportation and local government.

L. Judson Welle J.D. ’00 has joined Goodwin Procter LLP as a partner in the firm’s data, privacy and cybersecurity practice after a nearly three-year stint as head of digital investigations and cyber defense at global investigations firm Nardello & Co. Prior to that, Jud was a managing director at specialized risk management firm Stroz Friedberg and spent more than 12 years as an assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey in Newark, where he investigated and prosecuted cases related to computer hacking, data theft by nation states, international terrorism and a range of other topics.

Toyja E. Kelley J.D. ’01 has joined Locke Lord LLP’s litigation group as a partner in Washington, D.C. Toyja is also an adjunct professor at Washington & Lee University School of Law and an executive board member of the National Black Lawyers Association.

Elizabeth Weldon J.D. ’01 of Snell and Wilmer, was named by Super Lawyers as a top lawyer in Orange County and Los Angeles County.

Monica Wharton J.D. ’01 was featured in the Memphis Business Journals’ "Women Who Lead." She is the executive vice president and chief administrative officer for Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare.

Henry D.W. Burt II J.D. ’02 is now the chief administrative officer at Troutman Pepper.

Kendra L. Roberson J.D. ’03, M.P.P. ’03 has joined Faegre Drinker as partner in the Benefits and Executive Compensation Practice Group in Washington, D.C. Kendra utilizes nearly two decades of experience to design and implement health and welfare plans, retirement plans, executive compensation agreements and equity compensation plans. She has deep knowledge of health and welfare plan compliance issues and provides creative solutions to implementing increasing regulations affecting those plans. Roberson has represented public companies, tax-exempt organizations, universities, and governments in these areas.

Mary “Molly” Iams J.D. ’05 was promoted to general counsel at The New Albany Co. Molly is responsible for overseeing all company legal matters, including developing and negotiating real estate agreements for land sales and acquisitions, development agreements, leases, and real estate covenant and restrictions.

M. Janelle Lyons J.D. ’05 was presented the 2021 Distinguished Leader in Diversity and Inclusion Award by Cranfill Sumner LLP. . The Cranfill Sumner Distinguished Leader in Diversity and Inclusion Award is presented to an individual who embodies the firm’s commitment to expanding diversity and inclusion within the firm’s offices and the surrounding communities. Janelle is one of few practicing attorneys in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area who maintains a practice in the areas of civil litigation in Superior Court and the federal court, and practices in the area of family law. She also serves as chair of the Cranfill Sumner Diversity Committee, and the firm’s community service initiatives in Charlotte. She is active in the Mecklenburg County Bar, is former co-president of the John S. Leary Association of Black Attorneys, and is a current member of the Board of Directors for the John S. Leary Bar Association Scholarship Foundation. She has served in various leadership positions with the Junior League of Charlotte and was named an honoree in the Charlotte Business Journal’s 2017 40 Under 40 listing.

Jason S. Miyares J.D. ’05 was elected Virginia attorney general, making history as the first Latino to hold statewide office. A former assistant commonwealth’s attorney in Virginia Beach, Miyares became the first Cuban American to be elected to the Virginia General Assembly when he won the Virginia Beach House seat in 2015. 

Kristine Wolfe J.D. ’05 published her first novel, “Fractions of Sanity.”

Hannah Hutman J.D. ’06 was appointed to the Board of Directors at F&M Bank (Virginia).

Michael W.S. Lockaby J.D. ’06 was appointed town attorney for Bedford, Virginia.

Steven G. Popps J.D. ’06 has been selected to the Attorney General of Virginia’s leadership team. Steven previously was a partner at a private law firm, representing businesses and executives in high-stakes disputes during government investigations, fiduciary litigation, and receivership actions and negotiations. He also has experience advising on political law issues, including the Federal Election Campaign Act and the Lobbying Disclosure Act. Prior to private practice, Steven clerked for U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson of the Eastern District of Virginia.

Matthew A. Shaw J.D. ’06 was appointed to the Corporate Advisory Board at Tauriga Sciences Inc. His main focus will be to help the company in general strategic advisory role in evaluating opportunities to grow revenue and expand market opportunities.

Doug Smith J.D. ’06 is now counsel at Mayer Brown LLP in Los Angeles. He is also a lecturer in law at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, teaching classes on intellectual property, and cybersecurity and cyber crimes, and has been elected board chair of The Samburu Project and a board member of Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles.

Kenneth R. Wiggins J.D. ’06 was appointed as co-chair of Akerman LLP’s M&A and Private Equity Practice. He was ranked by The Best Lawyers in America 2022 in Florida for corporate law. Ken counsels public and private companies, private equity funds, and individuals through corporate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, growth capital investments, equity securities and recapitalizations.

Douglas S. Griswold J.D. ’08 is the new section chair for Health Care and Nonprofit Service Groups at Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel P.C., which advises industry leaders across the county on the latest laws and regulations that drive their most important business decisions.

Shukita Massey J.D. ’08 recently published a children’s book, “Oh, Parker!” — a collection of short stories that provide impactful life lessons about thankfulness, friendship, determination and kindness. The book is available for purchase at multiple retailers, including Amazon.

Brian McNamara J.D. ’08 has joined the Tulane School of Professional Advancement as a professor of practice, public administration.

Steven M. Johnston J.D. ’09 was sworn-in as an assistant district attorney of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. He will handle a wide array of cases, including trials, plea negotiations and appeals.

Corey D. Kaplan J.D. ’10 was promoted to partner at David & Gilbert LLP. Corey provides practical and effective solutions for office and retail leasing transactions, real estate acquisitions and sales, real estate financings, and construction agreements. He helps landlords, tenants, sellers and purchasers close deals as efficiently as possible. He handles a wide variety of transactions, from acquisitions and sales to financings and a range of construction and professional service agreements.

Marne Marotta J.D. ’10 of Arnold & Porter’s Legislative & Public Policy practice group was recognized by the National Institute for Lobbying and Ethics for her outstanding legislative work in the group’s 2021 “Top Lobbyist” list. Marne is a next generation lobbyist and works with clients facing complex challenges to develop and implement dynamic government relations strategies. Drawing from her experience in the Senate and the executive branch, she provides clients with strategic guidance and counseling, devises and implements comprehensive advocacy campaigns, and builds coalitions with allied stakeholders.

Joseph F. Mauk J.D. ’10, M.B.A. ’10 passed away.

Steven G. Popps ’06, J.D. ’10 has been selected for the attorney general of Virginia’s leadership team.

Christina Sartorio Ku J.D. ’12 has been elected partner at Connell Foley LLP. She focuses her practice on federal and state environmental litigation as well as land use and permitting issues. She and her husband, Jonathan, also welcomed their son, Jonathan Jr., on September 1, 2021.

Jamel Rowe J.D. ’12 is now a lead senior associate at Livesay & Myers P.C.

Anna Pulliam Cathcart J.D. ’13 was named among the top attorneys in Super Lawyers’ 2022 North Carolina lists. This is the second Rising Stars list recognition for Anna, who helps clients navigate first-party property and third-party liability issues.

James T. Graves J.D. ’14 has been elevated to the partnership of Stoel Rives LLP. James is an environment, land use and natural resources attorney based in the firm’s Seattle office. He counsels clients working with state and federal regulators through all phases of investigation and remediation of contaminated sites and is experienced in cost recovery through litigation and alternative dispute resolution, including equitable allocation proceedings at complex, multiparty sediment cleanup sites. In addition to counseling clients on environmental aspects of real estate and business transactions, he advises industrial and municipal clients regarding Clean Air Act regulatory and enforcement defense matters as well as low-carbon clean fuel standards, greenhouse gas (GHG) cap-and-trade legislation and other GHG reduction regulations recently enacted in Washington state. James also has extensive experience providing counsel on federal and state environmental regulations and laws, including the Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, Clean Water Act and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). He was included in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America (Environmental Law), 2021–2022.

Tyler J. Rosa J.D. ’16 was named to Inside Business’ Top 40 Under 40. Tyler represents clients in a wide range of commercial real estate matters, including acquisitions, sales, leases and financings. He counsels clients throughout the life cycle of a real estate transaction, from contract drafting and negotiation to due diligence and closing. Tyler serves as president on the executive committee of CBDX, the young professionals division of the Central Business District Association (CBDA) of Virginia Beach, and was named one of CoVa BIZ's 2019 Millennials on the Move.

Eric J. Sutton J.D. ’16 has joined Baylor Evnen LLP. Eric is a member of the firm’s Workers Compensation Practice Group and has experience in appellate practice. He has argued before the Nebraska Supreme Court and authored briefs to the Nebraska Court of Appeals, Nebraska Supreme Court and the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Parisa Tabassian J.D. ’16 has joined the Department of Justice, Specialized Torts Division, Vaccine Defense Litigation Team.

Thomas Ringler-Lantzy J.D. ’17 passed away on Dec. 28, 2021, from cancer. He was the recent recipient of the Secretary of Labor Honor Award and received his undergraduate degree from University of Georgia. He is survived by his parents, two brothers, his wife, Rebecca, and his two young daughters, Eleanor and Madeline.

G. Garrison Tolbert J.D. ’17 passed away. Over the years, Garrison embarked on a lifelong pursuit of education and excelled each step of the way. Upon graduating high school as a national merit scholar, he obtained degrees from Millsaps and William & Mary Law School. After passing the bar exam, he moved to Washington D.C., to pursue a career in law, serving as an attorney for the Veterans Affairs Board of Appeals. Garrison was devoted to his family and friends. He cared for and served his family in ways that are beyond measure. He would often comment that he made some of his dearest friends while at William & Mary Law School. He loved the pets that graced his life, especially his Sheltie, Cosette. Garrison enjoyed reading, writing and the company of his friends and family. Most important, Garrison was deeply interested in the people around him and treasured building relationships with others personally and professionally. Whether sharing funny stories over a cup of coffee or traveling cross country to spend time with those he loved, Garrison would be there for you. His unmatched humor and compassion will be sorely missed.  He is survived by his father, Richard Tolbert; brother, Thomas Tolbert; sister, Mary Margaret Pritchard; and extended family.

Taylor Trenchard J.D. ’17 has joined the office of state Sen. Brendan Crighton, a Democrat representing Massachusetts’ Third Essex district, as his chief of staff.

Benming Zhang J.D. ’20 was named to Inside Business' Top 40 Under 40. He is a commercial lawyer at Kaufman & Canoles, with a broad skill set in private and public companies. His practice also includes real estate, land use, eminent domain and estate planning. This year, one of his most rewarding experiences was advising clients on the Paycheck Protection Program and COVID-19 relief programs.

Rigzin Dolma, L.L.M. ’21 was featured in a W&M News article on how she is using her law degree to serve her Tibetan community. 

Shannon T. “Skip” Mason B.C.L. ’62 passed away June 19, 2021. He served as a law clerk to United States District Court Judge Walter E. Hoffman before going into private practice in Norfolk, Virginia. He and his family moved to Newport News, Virginia, where he practiced law with a number of firms before retiring from Mason, Mason, Walker & Hedrick in 2008. Skip served on the Board of Visitors of Old Dominion University from 1976 until 1984. He also served as president of the Newport News Bar Association, as a substitute judge in the Newport News District Court, and on the Disciplinary Board of the Virginia State Bar. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Mary Louisa Fanshaw Mason, his three children, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Lowell Coolidge B.C.L. ’65 passed away Sept. 3, 2021. He founded the law firm of Walrath & Coolidge in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, in 1972 and practiced law for 45 years. Lowell’s love of Tioga County and his dedication to his community led him to take up leadership positions in numerous local organizations throughout his life. Lowell was preceded in death by his wife, Lynne Watkins Coolidge, and is survived by his children and grandchildren.

Wayne O'Bryan ’64, J.D. ’67 passed away Sept. 6, 2021. Working his way through college and law school as a waiter, Wayne was the second in his family to get a college education and the first to become a lawyer. Wayne was president of the student body at William & Mary and went on to be president of the law alumni, where he pioneered its first fundraising program. After graduating, Wayne went into general practice on his own. In 1977, Wayne was elected to the House of Delegates, where he served four years on the Courts of Justice committee. In 1981, Wayne formed a partnership which evolved into the largest personal injury firm in Virginia. He is survived by his son, David Jr.; daughter-in-law, Kathy; and two grandchildren: Rose and Charles.

David J. Agatstein J.D. ’68 has retired after 30 years as a U.S. administrative law judge.

The Hon. Richard Larry Lewis J.D. ’73 passed away on June 2, 2021. A lifelong Southwest Virginia resident, Judge Lewis returned to Lee County after graduating and practiced for 12 years. Five of those years were spent serving as the Commonwealth's Attorney for Lee County. In March 1985, he was appointed general district judge for Lee, Wise and Scott Counties and served honorably in that position for 29 years. He also served on the Committee of District Courts for 16 years, the Advisory Board at Appalachian School of Law, and was president of the Association of District Courts for two years. Judge Lewis is survived by his wife of 40 years, Linda, their two daughters, and his extended family. 

Glen E. Conrad ’71, J.D. ’74 passed away on May 20, 2021. In 1976, he was appointed magistrate judge; the year after he began his career as a probation officer and law clerk in Abingdon, Virginia. Conrad was the nation’s youngest magistrate judge at the time and went on to serve for 27 years in that role, presiding in Abingdon, Charlottesville and Roanoke. Appointed to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia in 2003, he was chief judge from 2010 to 2017, taking senior status at the end of 2017. Entitled to a reduced schedule, he continued to maintain a full civil caseload. He is survived by Mary Ann Steger Conrad, his wife of 39 years.

Bill Flynn J.D. ’77 reports: “I retired from law practice in April 2019, having been with Eckert, Seamans, Cherin & Mellott in Pittsburgh for my first three years, then 39 more years in the Raleigh, North Carolina, office of Hunton & Williams (with a name change to Hunton Andrews Kurth after a 2018 merger), so 42 years total. I worked with cooperative and talented colleagues at both firms, from whom I learned a lot and with whom many good friendships resulted. I started out primarily doing litigation, but after a year or so I switched into business/corporate/transactional work. I was fortunate to have had challenging work and good clients to work with and for. I also enjoyed becoming very involved in the North Carolina Bar Association (voluntary bar) for many years, and through that organization made many friendships with lawyers in the state I would not have met otherwise. Bar association involvement can be very rewarding (as it was for me on many levels), and I always encouraged new lawyers to give it a try. I consider myself lucky to have been able to go to Marshall-Wythe, to have obtained such a good education, and to have been with many great schoolmates at the Law School from 1974-77. And last but not least, I loved Wednesday Disco Night at the Rainbow’s End bar next to/underneath the Green Leaf Cafe (where I waited tables during law school). It was such a great mid-week break. Fond memories of those times and great music and dancing.”

The Hon. Robert A. Rapaport J.D. ’79 has been elected chairmen of the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission to serve a three-year term. Commissioners serve as appellate judges at the agency and also direct its operations and staff.

Morton L. Bresenoff M.L.T. ’81 passed away on July 5, 2021. He is survived by his wife, Harriet, and son, Marc Bresenoff J.D. ’79.

Garen E. Dodge J.D. ’82 has rejoined national employment law firm Jackson Lewis P.C. as a principal in the firm’s Washington, D.C. region office, focusing his practice on labor and employment litigation. He represents clients before state and federal court on issues involving privacy, discrimination, background checks, harassment, wage and hour, and occupational safety and health. 

Arthur E. Gary J.D. ’83 was appointed to the position of deputy assistant attorney general for policy, management and procurement in the U.S. Department of Justice. Art previously served as general counsel of the Justice Management Division since 2012, and also served as acting deputy assistant attorney general and chief human capital officer since January 2021.

Barbara L. Johnson J.D. ’84 was reappointed by former Gov. Ralph Northam to a second term on William & Mary's Board of Visitors, and currently serves as its secretary. Initially appointed in 2017, she has been a member of the Committee on Administration, Buildings and Grounds; vice chair of the Richard Bland College Committee; and Co-Chair of the Committee on Organizational Sustainability & Innovation.

The Hon. Junius P. Fulton III J.D. ’85 has been appointed to the newly expanded Court of Appeals of Virginia. Judge Fulton previously served as a judge of the Norfolk Circuit Court since 1996.

Thomas E. duBois “Ted” Fauls, ’83, J.D. ’86 is a partner at Troutman Pepper and was recognized in the 2022 edition of “The Best Lawyers in America” as Lawyer of the Year in Banking and Finance Law.

Michael J. Conroy LL.M. ’88 passed away on May 26, 2021. A United States Marine from 1967 to 1969, he served in Vietnam. He graduated from Madison College (now James Madison University) in 1973 and T.C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond in 1976, and was admitted to the Virginia Bar. He later earned his Master of Laws in taxation from William & Mary Law School. He is survived by his wife, Kathleen, and his extended family.

Michael F. McAuliffe J.D. ’89 published an opinion essay titled “Charting the Path Ahead in Trump Criminal Investigation” in the Florida Sun-Sentinel on July 25, 2021.

The Hon. W. Neal McBrayer J.D. ’89 has been elected vice president of the Tennessee Judicial Conference. He currently sits on the Court of Appeals Middle Section.

Lauren S. Drake J.D. ’93 was named to the “Lawdragon 100” for the second consecutive year and was recently profiled by the publication. Lauren specializes in representing and placing partners, groups and senior government lawyers into top law firms. She joined Macrae in 2019 from Major, Lindsey & Africa, prior to which she enjoyed a 16-year tenure at McKinsey & Company. Lauren is the founder and leader of the Female Law Firm Leaders Roundtable in D.C. and the Women Practice Group Leaders Roundtable in New York and is the D.C. co-chair of the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF).

Mark G. Capron J.D. ’94 passed away on Sept. 3, 2021. He is survived by his wife, Vikki, and was a father to Wesley, Jack, and Tobin.

Amy Allison J.D. ’94 is the chief administrative officer of Denver Film.

The Hon. Carla N. Archie J.D. ’95 assumed the role of senior resident superior court judge in North Carolina's 26th Judicial District.

Erica Swecker Beardsley J.D. ’95, who has served as a judge at the United States Civilian Board of Contract Appeals since 2016, was appointed as chair of the board in June 2021. The Civil Board of Contract Appeals hears contract disputes between private, government contractors, the General Services Administration, and other federal civilian agencies and entities. 

Richard H. Ottinger J.D. ’95 is the new president of the Virginia Bar Association (VBA) for 2021. The VBA is dedicated to the improvement of law and the administration of justice in the Commonwealth through advocacy and volunteer service. He currently serves as a director of the Norfolk Economic Development Authority Director and a board member of the Downtown Norfolk Council. He is a highly accomplished attorney recently included in Virginia Lawyers Weekly’s list of “Leaders in the Law” for 2020 for his outstanding contributions to the practice of law in Virginia, significant achievements through the practice of law, leadership in improving the justice system, and significant contributions to Virginia’s legal community. He is also listed in Virginia Business’ “Virginia 500 – The Power List” for 2020.

The Hon. Lorrie Sinclair Taylor J.D. ’96 was elected in 2020 to the Loudoun County District Court by the Virginia General Assembly. 

Brenda J. Oliver J.D. ’97 has joined Jackson Lewis' Washington, D.C. region office. She will focus her practice on business-related immigration matters. Her experience in obtaining nonimmigrant visas, immigrant visas, and I-9 compliance will be of tremendous value to the firm’s domestic and multinational clients.

Krista Newkirk J.D. ’98 has been appointed president of the University of Redlands.

Gurbir Grewal J.D. ’99 has been appointed director of the Division of Enforcement at U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission. Grewal served as Attorney General for the State of New Jersey, a role he has held since January 2018, when he was confirmed by the New Jersey State Senate after being nominated by Governor Phil Murphy. As New Jersey's attorney general, Grewal headed the Department of Law & Public Safety, which employs more than 3,700 uniformed officers, 750 lawyers, and thousands of additional public servants, including investigators, regulators and administrative staff. Before becoming attorney general, Grewal served as Bergen County prosecutor, the chief law enforcement office of New Jersey's most populous county.

Tim M. Dunham M.B.A. ’00, J.D. ’00 was named the assistant director of the Training Division at the FBI. Tim joined the FBI as a special agent in 2002 and worked counterintelligence cases in the Chicago Field Office. He moved to the Washington Field Office in 2018, where he first served as the special agent in charge of the Counterintelligence Division. In 2019, he was appointed the special agent in charge of Washington’s Criminal Division. Tim was promoted in 2020 to deputy assistant director of the Criminal Investigative Division at Headquarters, where he was in charge of programs dealing with transnational organized crime, violent crime and operational support.

Carrie Hunt J.D. ’00 is the next president of the Virginia Credit Union League, the state trade association for not-for-profit, member-owned credit unions.

Henry D.W. Burt II J.D. ’02 will take over responsibilities as Troutman Pepper's chief operating officer. Firm leaders are counting on Burt, who is based in Richmond, Virginia, to support firmwide governance functions, lead interdepartmental projects and oversee the firm’s real estate as it continues to grow its footprint from 23 offices. He will also serve as the primary administrative contact for the firm’s consulting subsidiaries, Troutman Pepper Strategies and Troutman Pepper eMerge.

Ward P. Griffin J.D. ’03 was promoted to deputy general counsel in the Office of the General Counsel of the Farm Credit Administration (FCA), where he assists the general counsel in providing legal services to the FCA board and the agency. Griffin previously worked with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, served a detail with the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and worked with the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board.

Col. Shane Reeves J.D. ’03 was appointed the next dean of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

David Massaron J.D. ’04 is joining Wayne State University as chief business officer, CFO/senior vice president for finance and business operations, and treasurer. 

The Hon. Dominique Callins J.D. ’05 was appointed to the Virginia Court of Appeals. Dominique was a clerk for Henrico County Circuit Court and the Virginia Court of Appeals. Before her appointment, she practiced family law at Simms Showers, LLP in Fairfax.

Kristine Kippins J.D. ’05 has joined Lambda Legal as its deputy director for legal policy.

Mark Ohrenberger J.D. ’05 is now senior associate general counsel for the Arkansas State University System.

Kimberly M. Urbanchuk J.D. ’05 was mentioned as one of the “Top 15 General Counsels to Watch in 2021” by WashingtonExec.com. Kim is proud of Parsons’ designation as one of Ethisphere World’s Most Ethical Companies for the 12th consecutive year in 2020. In 2020, she supported Parsons’ CARE initiative, was heavily focused on acquisition diligence and support and noted achievements in digital transformation of Parsons’ internal processes and procedures. In 2021, Kim and her team are focused on continued efforts in digital transformation and automation, training and data analytics to inform continuous program improvements. She’ll also continue to support Parsons’ CARE initiatives.

Jessica D. Aber J.D. ’06 was confirmed as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. With more than a dozen years of criminal justice experience, Jessica has worked both as an assistant U.S. attorney handling complex financial fraud, violent crime and child exploitation cases and as the deputy criminal chief, supervising operations across the District’s four divisions.

John D. Owens III M.B.A. ’06, J.D. ’06 joined Greenberg Traurig as a shareholder from K&L Gates, LLP in Miami. Owens focuses his practice on representing venture capital funds, hedge funds, angel investors and family offices seeking investment opportunities in emerging and established industries. Owens also represents entrepreneurs and start-ups in numerous industries, including technology, telecommunications, media, international shipping/logistics, e-sports, e-commerce, cybersecurity, manufacturing and consumer products. He advises these companies on formation, initial-and later-stage public or private financing, mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, and ongoing corporate governance and regulatory compliance.

Rebecca Price J.D. ’07 has been appointed solicitor to the Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, Board of Assessment Appeals. As solicitor, Price will review applications, attend hearings, and provide her legal opinion to the board when requested.  

Brian K. McNamara J.D. ’08 has joined Tulane University School of Professional Advancement as professor of practice in the public administration program. McNamara brings experience from a 21-year active-duty military career with the United States Coast Guard. As a judge advocate, he led the Coast Guard’s marine safety law practice group, advising field legal offices and senior leaders on all aspects of foreign-flag and domestic vessel inspections and casualty investigations and participating in U.S. delegations to the International Maritime Organization’s Maritime Safety Committee. As the deputy regional counsel for the largest field legal office in the Coast Guard, he managed a court-martial prosecution docket and oversaw the delivery of all administrative law, operational law and agency law services for Coast Guard missions along the Gulf Coast and the Mississippi, Ohio and Missouri River systems.

The Hon. Reneta Green-Streett ’03, J.D. ’09 was sworn in as a Judge of the Superior Court of the State of Delaware. Prior to joining the court, Judge Green-Streett was a partner at Morris James, LLP, where she managed the firm’s Dover office. Her practice focused on representing plaintiffs in personal injury and workers’ compensation cases. She began her legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable Robert B. Young of the Superior Court of Delaware, Kent County.

Stanimir Kostov J.D. ’09 joined Allen & Overy as a partner. Stan will work in the firm's debt finance and private credit & direct lending practices. He brings over a decade of experience representing credit funds, alternative capital providers, banks, corporate borrowers and private equity sponsors in a variety of debt financing transactions. 

Austin W. Musser J.D. ’09 has joined Bricker & Eckler, LLP as a partner. His practice focuses on land use planning and zoning, real estate leasing and purchasing, development and redevelopment projects, eminent domain, public bidding and construction contracting, and dispute resolution. Additionally, Austin helps clients representing financial institutions in loan workouts, foreclosures and asset liquidation.

Mark A. Pike J.D. ’09 was invited as a SIPS (Student Intellectual Property Society) guest speaker at William & Mary Law School. Mark currently serves as director, legal (product counsel) at Slack, and previously worked on the IP and privacy teams at Facebook. Mark discussed his experience working in IP and related fields and covered the current challenges of remote lawyering and how Slack is working to overcome them.

Christia “Chris” Rey J.D. ’10 was recently elected as the International President for Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Chris led the effort to charter the undergraduate Sigma Chapter at William & Mary. He is also a nominee for the W&M Alumni Association Board. 

Shengyang Wu LL.M. ’12 has been named a “Rising Star” by the New York Law Journal. Wu, whose practice focuses on personal injury actions, is an active member of the Community Legal Advocates of New York and an active member of the AABANY pro bono service. Wu is of counsel at Caesar and Napoli, P.C., and advises young lawyers to “inherit the spirit as a citizen lawyer of William & Mary.”

Mia Bowler J.D. ’13 has been named a recipient of the North Bay Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 Award. She is a partner at Friedemann Goldberg Wargo Hess LLP.

Brett Herbert J.D. ’13 married Mallory Taylor Brennan in Midlothian, Virginia, on July 24, 2021.

Rakesh J. Parikh M.B.A. ’13, J.D. ’13 joins Hirschler’s M&A, finance and capital markets group. He represents businesses in mergers and acquisitions and other complex corporate transactions, counseling clients on general corporate matters including formation, restructuring and governance. He also has experience advising on intellectual property, technology, finance, and state and federal regulatory matters, including regulations by state departments of insurance and the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Jessica Arena ’11, J.D. ’14 joined the Leesburg, Virginia, Town Attorney's Office as an assistant town attorney. Her primary responsibilities will be collection actions, risk management regarding claims against the town, procurement and contracting.

Taylor L. Connolly J.D. ’14 was elected principal at Brown & James in Kansas City, Missouri. Taylor practices in the areas of business and commercial litigation, construction law, insurance law, premises and retail liability, as well as product liability. Since 2018, Taylor has been recognized as a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers.

The Hon. Chace Craig J.D. ’14 was appointed associate municipal judge in Abilene, Texas.

Sean P. Bevil J.D. ’15 joined Shumaker Loop & Kendrick as an associate. Sean comes to Shumaker from the State Attorney’s Office for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, where he was no stranger to the courtroom. As an assistant state attorney, Sean was responsible for prosecuting thousands of cases, including felony crimes involving murder, armed robbery, traffic homicide, schemes to defraud and drug trafficking. Sean represents clients on a wide variety of issues and disputes. As a former prosecutor with significant trial experience, Sean takes a very practical approach to litigation when it comes to efficiently managing a case and tenaciously arguing his client’s issues.

William “Scott” Daisley III ’13, J.D. ’16 has joined Sands Anderson as an associate. He provides proactive legal advice to healthcare providers on regulatory and administrative law matters and will be based in Sands Anderson’s Williamsburg office.

Ambria Armstrong J.D. ’16 joined Barley Snyder as counsel in their Business Practice Group. She is an experienced M&A attorney as lead counsel for sellers, buyers, and investors. She assists clients with every level of a deal, from drafting the letter of intent, to conducting due diligence, negotiating the purchase agreement and handling all related matters specific to each transaction — including financing, related real estate sales or leases and employee contracts.

Graham K. Bryant ’13, J.D. ’16 has been named by Virginia Lawyers Media as one of the “Up & Coming Lawyers” for 2021. Graham holds leadership positions in the Virginia State Bar, Virginia Bar Association and John Marshall Inn of Court, and his practice focuses on appellate law, the future of law practice and the mentorship of new attorneys.

Jeff Breit HON J.D. ’17 was invited to join the Inner Circle of Advocates, a group of the top plaintiffs’ lawyers in the country. The exclusive organization, founded in 1972, has only 100 members, and works to foster “courtroom competence and mutual fellowship” among trial lawyers. Breit is a founding partner at the firm of Briet, Cantor, Grana, Buckner, which has offices in Norfolk and Richmond. Breit was also the St. George Tucker Adjunct Professor of Law in 2008 at the law school and coaches William & Mary’s Trial Team.

Samuel Y. Lee J.D. ’18 recently joined Williams Mullen in its Richmond office. Lee will be focusing his practice in the firm’s Financial Services and Real Estate section. During law school Sam was a judicial intern for the Hon. Christopher C. Conner of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. At Williams Mullen, Sam will be focusing on national, regional and local clients in all aspects of commercial real estate transactions.

Alyson M. Brown J.D. ’19 was recently named to The National Black Lawyers “Top 40 Under 40 in Virginia, Class of 2021.” The professional honorary association recognizes attorneys under 40 from each state who demonstrate superior leadership, reputation, influence, stature and profile as a Black lawyer. Brown focuses her practice on representing and advising employers on all aspects of labor and employment law. She represents employers in administrative proceedings before federal and state agencies, counsels employers on compliance with federal and state labor and employment laws, and represents clients in employment litigation.

Evan X. Tucker J.D. ’19 was named among the “Top 40 Under 40” Black Lawyers in Virginia by The National Black Lawyers. The National Black Lawyers is a professional, honorary organization composed of lawyers who represent individuals and businesses in the American legal system. Membership in the NBL’s “Top 40 Under 40” is by invitation only and is limited to the top 40 black attorneys under the age of 40 in each state who have demonstrated excellence and have achieved outstanding results in their careers. The selection process for this elite honor is based on a multi-phase process which includes peer nominations combined with third party research. Evan is an associate at Williams Mullen in Richmond and focuses his practice on general civil litigations matters.

Gabrielle Pelura J.D. ’20 was named a 2021 Professional Excellence Honoree in the “Unsung Hero” category of the New Jersey Law Journal’s Legal Awards. The “Unsung Hero” award recognizes individuals who are indispensable to a firm’s daily operations, often work long hours behind the scenes, and are crucial to the success of their respective firms. Gabrielle was recognized for her demonstrated exemplary commitment to pro bono work. She was selected for her consistent efforts and dedication to advocating for the rights and safety of those who cannot afford legal representation. Gabrielle is an associate at Bressler, Amery & Ross, P.C.

Gabrielle B. Shea J.D. ’20 was named the 2021 recipient of the SIA Industry Advocate Award, which recognizes leadership in public policy. In her role at NEC Corporation of America, Shea helps develop internal initiatives to promote data privacy, artificial intelligence ethics and broader digital trust and helps manage related external engagements with federal, state and local governments.

Neil W. Schilke B.C.L. ’61 passed away on April 8, 2021, in his home. Neil served in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1955. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Midland College in 1958 and graduated first in his class from William & Mary Law School. He returned to Midland, serving as a lecturer of business law and teaching journalism law. He was a director and a founder of the Fremont Community Foundation and the Nebraska Tennis Foundation. Neil is survived by his wife, Bonnie; a daughter, Lisa Novak; and grandson, Nicholas.

Constantine “Gus” A. Spanoulis B.C.L. ’64 passed away on Feb. 2, 2021, in Virginia Beach. He spent 56 years practicing law and was elected judge for the General District Court of Virginia Beach. He is survived by his wife Marisa, four children, three stepchildren, 11 grandchildren, one great-granddaughter and extended family.

Allan D. Zaleski B.C.L. ’66 passed away at his residence on March 24, 2021. Born and raised in Connecticut, it was at William & Mary where he met Lucy, his wife of 55 years. While at law school, he was research editor of the William & Mary Law Review. Throughout his long career, he represented hundreds of defendants in appeals before the Supreme Court of Virginia, the Court of Appeals of Virginia and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. He was featured in two books regarding his representation of defendants in two different trials: “The Wrong Guys” and “American Fire.” He was also featured in a Frontline episode: “The Confessions.” At the time of his death, he was a part-time administrative hearing officer for the Commonwealth and was of counsel with the law firm Protogyrou Law in Norfolk. Allan truly believed in justice and that all individuals deserved a fair trial and spent his whole career standing up for the rights of all people. When he saw injustice, he would work tirelessly to make changes in the system. The last project that he tackled was jury sentencing reform. He was predeceased by his wife Lucy, and his infant son, Paul. He is survived by his brother, children and grandchildren.

Robert R. Kaplan ’69, J.D. ’72 has launched Kaplan Advisors, a service providing legal advice with a particular emphasis on business finance, mergers and acquisitions, commercial dispute mediation, including consulting on business structuring, financing, strategic planning, development, management and similar topics for growing businesses.

Rick L. Burdick J.D. ’76 was elected as chairman of the board of AutoNation, Inc. Rick has served as one of AutoNation's directors since May 1991 and as lead independent director since December 2018. Effective Feb. 15, 2021, Rick Burdick assumed the position of independent chairman of the board. He is a member of AutoNation's Compensation and Corporate Governance and Nominating Committees and also serves as lead independent director of CBIZ, Inc., a provider of outsourced business services to small- and medium-sized companies in the United States. From 1988 through 2019, Rick was a partner with Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P., a global full-service law firm. 

Daniel Lonergan J.D. ’83 retired after 37 years as a federal government attorney, having practiced banking regulation and appellate litigation with agencies such as the FDIC, Department of Justice and Federal Reserve. Daniel filed over 150 Federal Circuit Court briefs and argued before nine Federal Circuit Courts of Appeals.

Mark Bader J.D. ’86 recently retired as senior associate tax counsel at Freddie Mac after 26 years of service. While at Freddie Mac, Mark helped develop the new uniform mortgage-backed security (which is now the primary passthrough security for trading mortgages in the multi-trillion dollar mortgage market), Freddie Mac’s novel STACR Debt and STACR Trust securities (which effectively transfer credit risk from taxpayers to investors) and several other types of securitization transactions using trust, partnership and REMIC structures. Prior to joining Freddie Mac, Mark was a senior associate in the Tax Section at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, working on several tax audit and litigation matters.

Jon D. Huddleston ’82, J.D. ’86 has been selected as member of the Virginia Lawyers Hall of Fame for 2021.

Archie L. Harris Jr. ’86, J.D. ’89 was cast as a police officer in “Wonder Woman 1984.” He still has his legal practice, specializing in food and drug law and mergers and acquisitions. 

The Hon. Brenda C. Spry J.D. ’89 was appointed as a Circuit Court judge by the Virginia General Assembly. Previously, she was a public defender in the City of Portsmouth for three decades, leading the office for nearly 13 of those years.

Jeffrey W. Middlebrook J.D. ’90 passed away in January 2021. He was actively involved in his community and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. In high school, Jeff was involved in the marching band and carried this passion into his college years at Central Michigan University, where he graduated with honors, propelling him to the prestigious William & Mary Law School. There he involved himself in new interests, including directing the play “Silas Marner,” participating as a coxswain in the rowing club and completing a semester abroad at the University of Cambridge. Upon graduation, Jeff relocated to Chicago where he practiced aviation and real estate law before diverting to commercial real estate consulting and development. During these years, he joined the Chicago Pipes and Drums Corp band and became a bagpiper playing for recreation, in competitions and parades, and as a volunteer for funeral services. Jeff was a driving force behind the Chicago Caledonian Pipes and Drums band advancing to a Grade II pipe band and earning the ability to compete in the World Championship in Scotland. Over the years, he worked for notable firms including Meijer, Inc., Target Corporation, CBRE and others. He also worked for private development firms and shepherded major developments involving Walmart, Menards and others throughout the region. He is survived by his mother, son and extended family.

The Hon. Helivi L. Holland J.D. ’90 will serve as a judge for the Suffolk General District Court, stepping down as the city attorney in Suffolk.

Judith Corrigan J.D. ’91 was selected as the next general counsel of the Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission (“PERAC”) in Massachusetts. PERAC is the Virginia regulatory agency which oversees the public retirement systems in the state.

Carl Failmezger M.B.A. ’92, J.D. ’92 has been named to the board of directors for Boys and Girls Clubs of the Northern Neck (Virginia).

Karen Hale J.D. ’93 has been named chief legal officer at Novartis. She will be based in Basel, Switzerland, and brings over 20 years of deep, global legal and compliance experience in the pharmaceutical industry. She joins Novartis from AbbVie where she held the role of vice president, deputy general counsel. Prior to this, she held the position of chief ethics & compliance officer at AbbVie for 6 years, leading the global compliance program and acting as a trusted advisor to AbbVie’s xecutive Leadership Team and board of directors. Karen joined Abbott in 1997 and transitioned when AbbVie was created. She has overseen and managed complex commercial litigation globally and provided counsel on a variety of significant corporate issues. 

Hannah E. Sims J.D. ’94 passed away on March 20, 2021. A long-time resident of Berkeley, California, Hannah was known as a tenacious and passionate advocate for women (especially those in abusive situations), people with mental illness and the homeless. Hannah is survived by her husband, children, stepchildren and extended family.

Crystal R. Jezierski J.D. ’97 has joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as associate general counsel, providing legal advice to a broad range of Chamber executives and employees. Crystal brings over 20 years of legal experience in the private and public policy sectors, including stints as a partner with global law firm Baker McKenzie and as chief counsel for oversight and investigations with the Judiciary Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives. 

Stephen P. Diamond Jr. J.D. ’98 recently joined Freeline as senior vice president and general counsel. A corporate attorney, he has more than 20 years of experience across a range of industries including life sciences and financial institutions.

Jeffrey A.D. Cohen J.D. ’98 joined Greenberg Traurig LLP as a shareholder in the corporate practice group. Jeffrey focuses his practice on leading complex domestic and cross-border transactions for private equity funds, technology companies and government contractors. He joins the firm from Womble Bond Dickinson, where he was a partner.

Alicia L. Lewis J.D. ’99 has rejoined the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to serve as special counsel to Acting CFTC Chairman Rostin Behnam. Alicia has served at the CFTC since 2009 and is the fourth African American in the CFTC’s history to hold such a role.

The Hon. Holly Smith J.D. ’99 has been appointed as a judge of the Virginia Ninth Judicial District.

Dawn Figueiras J.D. ’00 is now in her third year of full-time teaching at Appalachian School of Law (ASL), where she teaches Civil Procedure, Wills & Estates, Immigration Law & Policy, and Law & Modern Literature. Dawn assists with the medical-legal partnership between ASL and Ballad Health Systems, which is dedicated to providing access to justice for low-income community members whose health is impacted by their legal issues. ASL is a mission-based law school, providing opportunities for students from the Appalachian region to realize their dreams of practicing law. She served as outside counsel to ASL, as well as an adjunct professor, before taking the leap from private practice to full-time academic life in 2018. Dawn continues to represent ASL as Associate General Counsel, in addition to her role as assistant professor of law.

Samuel B. Franck J.D. ’02 was chosen for the 2021 Legal Elite list in Business North Carolina magazine. Sam leads Ward and Smith’s real estate practice and is certified by the North Carolina State Bar as a board-certified specialist in Real Property Law: Commercial Transactions. His practice experience includes all aspects of commercial real estate development and transactions, as well as community association matters. He regularly assists commercial and residential developers in the entitlement, acquisition, subdivision, development and sale of real property, including the formation of complex, mixed-use planned communities, commercial and residential condominiums and multitenant commercial projects.

Ian R. Conner J.D. ’03 has joined Latham & Watkins as a partner in its Litigation & Trial Department and as a member of the Antitrust & Competition Practice. He previously oversaw antitrust enforcement at the Federal Trade Commission as Director of the Bureau of Competition. He managed the nearly 300 attorneys and staff of the Bureau during the pandemic and oversaw the most prolific antitrust enforcement and policy period at the Commission in several decades, including bringing the monopolization case against Facebook.

Dave Massaron J.D. ’04 has been appointed Michigan's state budget director.

Alvis Hester M.B.A. ’17, J.D. ’06 has been appointed to the National Bar Association Magazine Editorial Board. 

Brainerd H. “Tripp” Whitbeck III J.D. ’06 has launched a new business: I Bourbon. Working on getting into brick-and-mortar stores through distributors, his business can be found at i-bourbon.com. 

Josh D. Whitlock J.D. ’06 has joined national labor and employment law firm Jackson Lewis as a principal in Charlotte, North Carolina. He focuses his practice on meeting the legal needs of higher education institutions. Josh represents numerous colleges and universities and has extensive experience defending clients in a broad range of litigation and investigations, as well as counseling them on campus sexual misconduct, disability accommodation, faculty tenure and student discipline, safety and privacy. He frequently interacts with the U.S. Department of Education, having successfully represented schools in dozens of federal investigations and participated in multiple, invitation-only small group sessions with Education Department leadership on topics such as Title IX regulatory reform and the rights of transgender students. He is a national thought leader on Title IX- and disability-related claims and compliance, frequently speaks and publishes on those matters, and has conducted Title IX- and disability-related trainings for hundreds of institutions. 

Ashley Reynolds Marshall J.D. ’07 was appointed as Charlottesville, Virginia’s first deputy city manager for racial equity, diversity and inclusion. The deputy city manager for racial equity, diversity and inclusion will oversee a portfolio that includes the city’s new Office of REDI, the human services and social services departments, as well as the staff of the Police Civilian Review Board and the Office of Human Rights. Ashley has served most recently as CEO for YWCA of Central Virginia, located in Lynchburg. 

Elizabeth Y. Ryan J.D. ’07 joined Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP as a Dallas-based partner in the Complex Commercial Litigation practice. She counsels corporations and individuals in a variety of disputes, including breach of contract, fraud and tort cases.

Zachary Terwilliger J.D. ’07 has joined Vinson & Elkins as a partner.

James “Jacksy” Bilsborrow J.D. ’08 joined SeegerWeiss LLP as partner. He is a nationally respected leader in class action, mass tort, and environmental litigation. Jacksy held prominent roles throughout the Deepwater Horizon Litigation, working closely with the Phase One trial team that ultimately secured a finding against BP of gross negligence in the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. He also served on the Medical Benefits Settlement team that negotiated BP’s commitment to provide compensation and preventive treatments to Gulf Coast shoreline residents and to workers involved in the spill cleanup. Finally, he was a member of the appeals team that successfully defended the economic portion of the BP settlement all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Andrew F. Knaggs J.D. ’08 was appointed as chief executive officer of PACEM Solutions International and PACEM Defense LLC.

Loren C. Locke J.D. ’08 has been named a partner at FordHarrison LLP. Loren focuses exclusively on employment-based immigration. She helps individual foreign nationals and their employers obtain a variety of nonimmigrant and immigrant visas and to achieve lawful permanent residence in the United States. Loren has vastly expanded the firm’s representation of foreign-born people doing specialized work in the U.S., including the O-1 visa and the EB-1 immigrant petition for outstanding workers in the sciences, arts, entertainment, academia and business. 

Sarah B. Miller J.D ’08 was elected member at Bass, Berry & Sims. Sarah counsels clients in high-stakes civil litigation, including mass torts, class action claims and other complex business litigation matters.

Alan Kennedy M.A. ’09, J.D. ’09 and his wife Tamalynn welcomed their daughter, Caledonia, on Oct. 2, 2020, in Denver. Alan also served as a presidential elector for President Biden and Vice President Harris.

Bishop Garrison J.D. ’10 has been appointed senior advisor to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin for human capital, diversity, equity and inclusion, a newly created role within the Pentagon. 

Nathan C. Mortier J.D. ’10 joins firm Sands Anderson as counsel. A full-service healthcare lawyer, Nathan collaborates with healthcare providers to develop new services, navigate ever-changing laws and regulations, and respond to regulatory investigations and government enforcement actions. He will be based in Sands Anderson’s Williamsburg office.

Paul J. Spadafora J.D. ’11 was elevated to principal at Lasher Holzapfel Sperry & Ebberson, where he serves a wide variety of clients in commercial litigation, real estate litigation, trust and estates litigation and creditor/debtor rights.

Christopher R. Brennan J.D. ’12 has been promoted to partner at Reed Smith LLP in the firm’s Pittsburgh office. His practice focuses on international cartel litigation and investigations, financial services litigation and health care fraud claims.

Christa Moss J.D. ’12 was honored with a Diversity and Inclusion 2021 Award from Missouri Lawyers Media for her efforts to organize CLE programming featuring “The Milly Project,” a play that documents the life of Milly Sawyers, an enslaved woman who won her freedom in an 1836 lawsuit in Greene County. Christa is an assistant U.S. attorney in the Western District of Missouri.

Thomas C. Moyer ’08, J.D. ’12 has been promoted to partner at Akin Gump. Tom represents clients facing complex and politically sensitive government investigations and related criminal, civil and regulatory proceedings. He routinely advises corporations, institutions and individuals in navigating all aspects of congressional investigations and parallel inquiries and in executing related internal reviews and investigations.

Gregory Proseus J.D. ’12 is now chief of staff to Commissioner Keith Sonderling at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Bradley Reed J.D. ’12 has been elected partner at Frantz Ward, focusing on regulatory and compliance issues with health care providers, as well as data privacy and cybersecurity issues.

Jacqueline A. Rogers J.D. ’12 has been elected a partner at Potter Anderson. She focuses on high-stakes mergers and acquisitions litigation, corporate and stockholder disputes, and complex commercial litigation in the Delaware Court of Chancery.

Valentine Uduebor J.D. ’12 joined the firm Spencer Fane as an associate in Denver. Valentine focuses his practice on helping clients through insurance and premises liability litigation, construction litigation and other civil matters. He also previously served as an in-house trial attorney for a Fortune 500 insurance company, where he gained extensive experience and unique insight into the full range of civil litigation processes. He has successfully litigated more than 50 jury trials and has obtained numerous defense verdicts as lead counsel.

Mia S. Bowler J.D. ’13 was awarded a North Bay Forty Under 40 Award, which recognizes the most influential executives and professionals in the North Bay area under 40 years old in Santa Rosa, California.

Ashley J. Heilprin M.P.P. ’13, J.D. ’13 was elected partner at Phelps Dunbar LLP, practicing in the litigation group. She counsels clients in commercial disputes from case inception to resolution. Ashley is known for keeping clients’ goals and bottom line in mind through every phase of litigation.

Melanie R. Walter M.P.P. ’13, J.D. ’13 has been appointed as executive director of the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency.

Andrew R. Howard J.D. ’14 has become the deputy public defender of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, in charge of the Major Felony Unit. He has been employed by the Public Defender’s office since March 2015.

Ali Rabe J.D. ’14 has been elected to Idaho State Senate, representing District 17.

Clarence R. Hawkes III J.D. ’18 is an associate at Baker Botts, focusing on complex energy regulatory and transactional matters.

Danielle E. Makia J.D. ’19 recently co-founded Pembe, a nonprofit organization designed to connect prospective law students of African descent and appropriate mentors with the goal of boosting representation in U.S. law schools.

Natasha N. Phidd J.D. ’19 has joined Ackerman & Falcon.

Jeremy A. Theisen ’19 has joined Byrne Canaan Law and concentrates his practice on defending healthcare providers in complex litigation, including civil malpractice claims, government investigations, and white-collar criminal cases.

Layla Abi-Falah ’17, J.D. ’20 has been named the 2021-22 Drapers’ Scholar. The Drapers’ Scholarship is awarded annually to a graduating William & Mary Law student who goes on to enroll at Queen Mary College of the University of London for a year of post-graduate study. 

Caine Caverly J.D. ’20 is an associate in the Labor and Employment Section at Wilcox Savage. 

Emily C. Snyder J.D. ’20 is an associate at Bass Berry & Sims PLC in Nashville. She represents clients on a broad range of intellectual property matters involving the development, transfer and licensing of technology and IP. She helps clients protect their IP assets, representing them in a variety of transactions, including advising on the IP aspects of mergers and acquisitions, licensing and service agreements and strategic relationships.

Briana Jackson J.D. ’20 is now an associate at Harman Claytor Corrigan & Wellman.

Chenxi Lu J.D. ’20 has joined Kaufman & Canoles as of counsel.

Frances Davis Levy Birshtein ’60, B.C.L. ’62 passed away with her family by her side in Norfolk, Virginia, on Sept. 28, 2020. Frances attended William & Mary on a full scholarship, where she received her bachelor's degree and continued her education as the only female student at William & Mary Law School. Upon graduating in 1962, she returned to Norfolk and practiced law for many years as one of the first female attorneys in the city. Frances is survived by her five children, eight grandchildren and her extended family.

Richard A. Repp J.D. ’68 passed away on Oct. 1, 2020. Dick grew up in Dearborn, Michigan. He worked for the Ford Motor Company and graduated with an A.B. in history in 1963 from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he met Anne. From 1962 to 1969, he served in the U.S. Navy Reserve and on active duty as an air controlman on the USS Boxer from 1963 to 1965. In 1990 he earned a master's degree in humanities from the University of Richmond. Dick practiced civil law in Richmond for most of his professional life. He is survived by his wife, three children and two grandchildren.

Lawrence Hopkins, husband of Muriel Beth Hopkins J.D. ’77, passed away at age of 70. In 1972, he became the first African American to graduate from Wake Forest with a degree in chemistry. After declining a contract from the New England Patriots, Hopkins enrolled in the Wake Forest School of Medicine where he earned his degree in 1977.  He is survived by his wife Beth, two children, and two grandchildren.

Samuel R. McCord M.L.T. ’77 was recognized by Continental Who's Who as a Top Attorney in the field of law and in acknowledgment of his work with Samuel R. McCord Attorney At Law. Having accrued 44 years of providing legal counsel to businesses and individuals, he has garnered a laudable reputation for his remarkable contributions in civil and criminal tax litigation and is licensed to practice law in Alabama and Georgia. He also handles cases in corporate and incorporation partnership.

Robert B. "Chip" Delano Jr. ’78, J.D. ’81 of Sands Anderson PC in Richmond, Virginia, was profiled in Virginia Business 2020 Legal Elite for Appellate Law.           

Debra C. Albiston J.D. ’83 of Kaufman & Canoles PC in Virginia Beach, Virginia, was profiled in Virginia Business 2020 Legal Elite for Family Law/Domestic Relations Law.

Daniel G. Lonergan J.D. ’83 retired after 37 years as a federal government attorney practicing banking regulation and appellate litigation with agencies such as the FDIC, DOJ and Federal Reserve.

Leila Noël J.D. ’83 has again been listed in the “Who’s Who of Professional Services” by the Pacific Coast Business Times. She is a partner at Cappello & Noël.

Barbara L. Johnson J.D. ’84 was elected to Washington, D.C.'s Best Lawyers in Employment Defense. She helps clients translate complex workplace legal issues into practical business-minded solutions. With over 30 years of experience in the litigating civil rights discrimination, whistleblower and wage and hour claims, and in providing sound day-today employment law advice, Barbara represents employers of all sizes, from small business owners to Fortune 50 corporations.     

Gretchen M. Santamour J.D. ’84 has been recognized by Philadelphia Business Journal’s 4th Annual Best of the Bar: Philadelphia’s Top Lawyers. Her practice focuses on business restructurings, loan workout, loan documentation, bankruptcy, collection and foreclosure litigation. She regularly represents financial institutions, real estate investors, landlords and other business organizations.

Edward Janes Bell III J.D. ’85 passed away on Nov. 26, 2020. He was an attorney and air force veteran (ret. colonel) and a graduate of Harvard (English), Michigan (engineering), Berkeley (math) and William & Mary (law). Ed was an attorney in private practice in Williamsburg, Virginia, and served as guardian ad litem for the Williamsburg/James City County General District Court. As an adjunct professor, Ed taught Legal Skills at William & Mary Law School for over 10 years. After moving to Winchester in 2006, he continued to serve as guardian ad litem for the Frederick/Winchester Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. Ed is predeceased by his beloved wife of 50 years, Meredith, and is survived by four children (Alison Dresser, Emily Spitz, Ed Bell, and Jen Watts) and eleven grandchildren.          

Terry G. Kilgore J.D. ’86 was reappointed by the Virginia General Assembly to the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission.

Michele Bachmann LL.M. ’88 is dean of Regent University’s Robertson School of Government.

Stephanie Lipinski Galland J.D. ’89 was named to Washingtonian’s Best Lawyers 2020 in the Tax category. She is a partner in Williams Mullen’s Tax Section with over 30 years of experience providing clients with state and local tax counsel.        

Lawrence H. Gennari J.D. ’89 was named a Super Lawyer in the Mergers & Acquisitions category and a Top 100 Massachusetts Lawyer — his 16th consecutive year on the list. He is also an adjunct professor at Boston College Law School, where he developed and teaches Project Entrepreneur, a legal/business fundamentals bootcamp for entrepreneurs who were previously incarcerated.  

Julius Rothstein J.D. ’93 was appointed a member of the Senior Executive Service with the U.S. Department of Justice. He serves as the director of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces Fusion Center, the largest federal law enforcement intelligence center, and recently celebrated 20 years of service with DOJ.

William J. Trezvant J.D. ’94 joined Pannnone Lopes Devereaux & O’Gara LLC as senior counsel of special masterships and alternative dispute resolution. He was a former special assistant in the Office of the Rhode Island Attorney General for nearly two decades as a criminal prosecutor.

Ivan Bates J.D. ’95 was featured in the Baltimore Business Journal’s Who’s Who in Law. He is the managing partner at Bates & Garcia.

Tammy J. Calabrese LL.M. ’95 is a partner at Dunlap Bennett & Ludwig, focusing on estate and gift tax planning, business succession planning, estate administration and fiduciary litigation matters.

Maj. Keenon C. Hook J.D. ’95 was named a deputy director of the Bureau of Administrative and Support Services for the Virginia State Police.

Jennifer Wexton J.D. ’95 was reelected to the United States House of Representatives for Virginia’s 10th Congressional District.

Daniel C. Summerlin J.D. ’97 of Woods Rogers PLC in Roanoke, Virginia, was profiled in Virginia Business 2020 Legal Elite for Legislative/Regulatory/Administrative Law.                                                                                                      

Richard L. Weber J.D. ’99 has been recognized as a 2020 Upstate New York Super Lawyer in the field of Environmental Litigation.

Travis A. Sabalewski J.D. ’01 is a partner of Holland & Knight’s Litigation Section, actively litigating and managing litigation teams throughout the country.

Elizabeth M. Weldon J.D. ’01 co-hosted the American Bar Association's 43rd Annual Forum on Franchising — Franchising in Focus @ Home — on October 27-30, 2020. Its mission is to be the preeminent forum for the study and discussion of the legal aspects of franchising. This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Weldon, her co-host Gary Batenhorst and the Forum’s planning committee made the decision to move forward with the annual event in a virtual format. The event offered workshops, plenaries and intensive programs, along with virtual networking opportunities for the industry’s leading professionals.

Harmon “Monty” Cooper M.P.P. ’04, J.D. ’04 has been named chair of the American Bar Association’s Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources’ (ABA-SEER) Equity and Inclusion Taskforce.  

Kelly J. Gastley ’02, J.D. ’05 recently received the Philadelphia Bar Association Award, given to a public interest attorney who is dedicating his or her life to equal access to justice by working in the nonprofit legal services field. She currently serves as the managing attorney for Philadelphia VIP, one of the Bar Foundation’s nonprofit partners. Gastley has dedicated her 15-year career to public interest work at VIP, securing representation for individuals, families, and organizations in need, including developing VIP’s Tangled Title Project to stem the tide of Philadelphia’s affordable housing crisis.

Jason Miyares J.D. ’05 will seek the Republican nomination for Virginia’s Attorney General. He is currently a member of the Virginia House of Delegates representing District 82.

Lizzie Fletcher J.D. ’06 was reelected to the United States House of Representatives for Texas’ 7th Congressional District.

Bret W. Rawson J.D. ’06 was named member to Global Warming Solution Inc. Advisory Committee. Global Warming Solutions, Inc seeks to develop and commercialize technologies aimed at harvesting solar energy, improving energy efficiency of buildings, and creating new sources of drinking water.

Laura Daniel Willis J.D. ’06 is of counsel at the Law Office of Hudson, Jones, Jaywork & Fisher. Her primary practice areas include estate planning, estate administration and business transactions.

Alison W. Toepp J.D. ’07 is counsel at Reed Smith LLP. She was also named to the 2020 Legal Elite by Virginia Business magazine in the Civil Litigation category.

Matthew J. Whipple J.D. ’07 joined Wohlsen Construction Company in 2020 as director of risk management and was recently promoted to vice president of risk management and senior counsel. He was previously a member of the law firm of Eckert Seamans Cherin and Mellott, LLC, where he frequently worked with the construction, engineering and real estate development industries.

Joycelyn “Joy” Eason J.D. ’08 was featured in the November 23, 2020, edition of North Carolina Lawyers Weekly’s Leaders in the Law section.

Andrew F. Knaggs J.D. ’08 is chief operating officer of PACEM Solutions International and PACEM Defense LLC. He will continue to build on PACEM's mission to provide cutting-edge approaches to consultancy, training, and risk management.

Stephanie N. Morales J.D. ’09 published her first book, a picture book called “The Day I Became a Lawyer!” It is a children’s book that describes how her mother, Paula Lassiter, set the foundation for her to become the first Black female top prosecutor in Portsmouth.

Jeffrey S. Palmore ’00, J.D. ’09 of Reed Smith LLP was named to the 2020 Legal Elite by Virginia Business magazine in the Legislative/Regulatory/Administrative category.

Trent J. Benishek J.D. ’10 is general counsel for the General Services Administration. He will oversee the agency’s Office of General Counsel, consisting of 137 attorneys nationwide, and serve as the chief legal advisor to the GSA administrator.

J. Tyler Butts ’07, J.D. ’10 is a partner at Robinson + Cole. Tyler represents the insurance industry in complex first-party property insurance coverage litigation throughout the country, focusing on litigation concerning allegations of bad faith and other extra-contractual claims. He is part of Robinson+Cole’s Litigation Section and a member of the firm’s Insurance + Reinsurance Group. 

Joseph M. Bargnesi J.D. ’11 is a partner at Latham & Watkins and is a member of the Litigation & Trial Department, focusing on white collar defense, internal and government investigations, and related civil litigation. He also works with clients in the aerospace, energy, gaming, life sciences, manufacturing and technology sectors to develop and enhance their internal compliance programs and advises companies, private equity firms and investment banks on compliance issues in transactional matters.

Stephen P. Barry J.D. ’11 is a partner at Latham & Watkins and a member of the Litigation & Trial Department, focusing on complex commercial litigation and investigations, including internal investigations, regulatory enforcement matters, securities class actions and shareholder derivative lawsuits. He has defended U.S.-based and international companies, accounting firms, and individuals in investigations by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, as well as in private litigation, spanning a range of industry sectors.

Kyle R. Elliott J.D. ’11 has announced his candidacy for the democratic nomination of the Virginia House of Delegates 68th District.

Jamilah D. LeCruise J.D. ’11 of The Law Office of J.D. LeCruise PLLC, in Norfolk, Virginia, was profiled in Virginia Business 2020 Legal Elite for Criminal Law.

Amanda B. Robinson J.D. ’11 is a partner at Morgan Lewis.

John Holden J.D. ’12 began a masters course in Environmental Policy and Regulation at the London School of Economics.

Caitlyn Huffstutter J.D. ’12 and Timothy Huffstutter ’07, J.D. ’12 welcomed their daughter, Caroline Grace Huffstutter, on March 18, 2020.

Thomas C. Moyer ’08, J.D. ’12 has been named a partner at Akin Gump. He represents clients facing complex and politically sensitive government investigations and related criminal, civil and regulatory proceedings.

Jacqueline A. Rogers J.D. ’12 is a partner at Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP. She focuses on high-stakes mergers and acquisitions litigation, corporate and stockholder disputes and complex commercial litigation in the Delaware Court of Chancery.

Melanie R. Walter M.P.P. ’13, J.D. ’13 was appointed executive director of New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency. Melanie served as acting director then under permanent appointment. In that role, Melanie advocated for local government interests, revitalizing the Division’s supportive initiatives and developing grant programs while overseeing the financial and operational regulation of New Jersey local units to help ensure fiscal solvency. Through these functions, she championed transparency measures as well as expansive open data and local education programming and enhanced local procurement, municipal officer certification and distressed municipality resources. More recently, she has developed and implemented numerous COVID-19 response and recovery measures.

Allison S. Handler J.D. ’14 joined Freedland Harwin Valori, a consumer justice law firm. Her practice focuses on representing plaintiffs and their families in medical malpractice, birth, injury and nursing home negligence cases.         

Heather Schmidt Marello J.D. ’14 is a partner at Andreozzi Bluestein LLP, focusing her practice on tax controversy and international tax compliance. She serves as an adjunct professor with both UB Law School and Canisius College and assists in editing and contributing content to an annual Reuters publication.

Tyler Chriscoe J.D. ’16 is an associate at Young Moore and Henderson, P.A., practicing in the areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration, business law and commercial real estate.

Seth Q. Peritz J.D. ’16 has opened Crowley Peritz Law in Fairfax, Virginia, focusing on criminal and serious traffic defense.

Krishna A. Jani J.D. ’17 earned the American National Standards Institute-accredited certified information privacy professional credentials through the International Association of Privacy Professionals. Krishna advises a range of privacy-sensitive organizations on privacy, data security and data breach laws and regulations.    

Andrew C. Allen J.D. ’19 is an associate at Williams Mullen. He focuses his practice on representing national, regional and local clients in all aspects of commercial real estate transactions, including land acquisition, development, leasing, financing and dispositions. He also assists clients with multifamily, office, hotel, industrial and mixed-use projects.

Deborah S. Goodwin ’16, J.D. ’19 is an associate at the Akers & Cleator Law Group in Williamsburg, specializing in family, criminal, and special education law.

Julianna Lyons J.D. ’19 has joined Bischoff Martingayle, handling civil litigation, administrative law, and appeals.

Thomas J. White J.D. ’19 is an associate at Laddey Clark & Ryan, providing support to the personal injury, commercial, employment and workers’ compensation litigation practice groups. Prior to joining Laddey, Clark & Ryan, White served as a Judicial law clerk to Superior Court Judge Rosemary Ramsay, Presiding Judge, Civil Division, in the Morris-Sussex Vicinage.          

Lots of news this cycle so no real intro.

David O. Williams Jr. J.D. ’55, M.L.T. ’56 passed away November 26, 2019, at home in Arlington, Virginia. After graduation, David joined the Chief Counsel's Office of the Internal Revenue Service and worked there for 10 years. He was then invited to join the Bethlehem Steel Corporation's Tax and Law Department in 1965, so the family moved to Pennsylvania but then returned to Arlington in 1974 when David became Bethlehem's Tax Counsel based in Washington, D.C. After electing early retirement in 1983 from Bethlehem Steel, David joined the Washington-based Tax Foundation. From July 1984 to July 1985, David held the position of Legislative Assistant for Business and Taxation in the office of Senator Dave Durenberger (R-MN). From July 1985 through retirement, David was Director Federal Relations, BellSouth Corporation. He is survived by his children, grandchildren and extended family.

Benjamin Dean Lorenz B.C.L. ’66 passed away on August 4, 2020. Having spent many summers with family in Williamsburg, Virginia, he entered William and Mary to pursue a master’s in business. After one year and a heart-to-heart conversation with the law school dean, who recognized a sharp legal mind, he switched to law and earned a J.D. in 1966. Dean worked for the U.S. Small Business Administration and later was a vice president at SouthTrust Bank. He is survived by his wife, daughters, grandchildren and extended family.

John A. McKinney Jr. J.D. ’73 was recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© 2021 listing.

Anthony P. Tokarz J.D. ’74 passed away on July 11, 2020, in Providence, Rhode Island. After college in 1964, he was commissioned as an officer of the U.S. Marine Corps and served two combat tours in Vietnam as an Infantry Company Commander. He then received his law degree from William & Mary Law School in 1974 and his advanced LL.M. in Criminal Law and Psychiatry from George Washington University. He is also a graduate of the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. He continued serving as a Marine Corps prosecutor, judge and staff judge advocate for the First Marine Brigade and Second Marine Division until his retirement in 1989 after 25 years of devoted service to his country. His career was distinguished by being awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Navy Commendation with Combat V and Legion of Merit. Following his military retirement he continued practicing law in Kentucky and West Virginia, specializing in environmental and patent law, until his final retirement in 2008. He is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren and a sister.

Clifford R. Weckstein J.D. ’74 passed away on June 20, 2020. Cliff began practicing law in the Roanoke law office of Barry N. Lichtenstein, remembered as a model lawyer who combined civility, genuine kindness, legal acumen and persistence, and who passed these traits on to his young colleague, Cliff. Cliff continued his private practice for 13 years, handling everything from personal injury cases to capital murder, serving as a substitute judge in the 23rd Judicial District, and gaining recognition as a "lawyers' lawyer" who could advise and assist on a wide array of subjects. In 1987, at age 39, he began a 28-year career as a judge of the 23rd Judicial Circuit, comprising Roanoke City, Roanoke County, and Salem. At his retirement in 2015, he was the longest-serving active circuit court judge in Virginia. He is survived by his children, grandchildren and extended family.

William H. Casterline Jr. J.D. ’76 has been named to the 2020 Super Lawyers lists of both Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Sandra Boek Werness J.D. ’81 celebrated her seventh year as executive director of the Global Autoimmune Institute.

Robyn H. Hansen ’78, J.D. ’83 has joined Sands Anderson PC's Williamsburg office, bringing a significant employment law practice.

The Hon. David B. Franzen J.D. ’86 has been appointed to the 16th Judicial Circuit of Virginia.

Robert J. Stoney J.D. ’87 has been named to the 2020 list of Virginia Super Lawyers and the list of 2020 Washington, D.C., Super Lawyers. Robert also has been selected by Virginia Lawyers Weekly for its annual “Leaders in the Law” list honoring prominent lawyers across the state who set the standard for other Virginia lawyers.

Ellen C. Carlson J.D. ’88 passed away on August 1, 2020. After a successful career as a realtor, she graduated from William & Mary Law School in 1988 and began to practice law throughout Hampton Roads. She is survived by her sons, grandchildren and extended family.

Michael F. McAuliffe J.D. ’89's debut novel “No Truth Left To Tell” (Greenleaf Press) was published in March 2020. The book is carried in bookstores nationally and by all major online retailers. The book is a legal thriller that tells the story of the Klan starting a new race war in Louisiana and the feds’ efforts to stop them. The book addresses numerous legal issues including the federal grand juries, the First Amendment and prosecutors’ ethical dilemmas. He practices law in Florida and teaches as an adjunct law professor at William & Mary and as a senior lecturing fellow at Duke University School of Law.

Dennis F. Kerrigan J.D. ’91 has been appointed executive vice president and general counsel of The Hanover Insurance Group. In this role, Kerrigan is responsible for The Hanover's legal, regulatory and government affairs, as well as compliance, state filings, securities and corporate governance matters.

Claudia DelGross Kostel J.D. ’92 was elected to the Board of Senior Services of Alexandria. She is senate chief counsel for employment for the United States Senate and provides legal advice and representation in all labor and employment law matters.

John P. Domeika L.L.M. ’94 has joined COPIC as general counsel. He brings more than 30 years of experience as a health care attorney and executive in domestic and international markets to this role.

Vanessa P. Williams J.D. ’95 was named senior vice president and general counsel for Kelly Services, Inc. In this position, Vanessa  leads the strategic direction of Kelly’s legal and corporate security organizations, which includes managing regulatory and legal compliance for the company, directing Kelly’s strategic legal initiatives and providing senior management with actionable counsel regarding company objectives. She will also oversee Kelly’s global in-house legal team and manage outside counsel relationships.

Doug Dziak J.D. ’99 was named the staff director for the U.S. Senate Committee on the Budget. In addition to working in private practice, Doug previously served as legislative director for Senators Mike Enzi of Wyoming and George Voinovich of Ohio.

Christopher J. Forstner J.D. ’00 was named 2021 Lawyer of the Year by The Best Lawyers in America. Only one lawyer is recognized as the “Lawyer of the Year” for each specialty and location.

Arnie B. Mason J.D. ’00 has been selected to the 2020 Washington, D.C., Super Lawyers list. No more than five percent of the lawyers in a state are named to Super Lawyers.

Jennifer R. Muse J.D. ’01 has joined Sands Anderson PC's Williamsburg office, bringing a significant employment law practice.

Elizabeth M. Weldon J.D. ’01 has been named as a 2020 Legal Eagle by Franchise Times for the 10th consecutive year, marking her induction into the Legal Eagle Hall of Fame. Elizabeth also has been has been invited to join the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation.

Courtney M. Malveaux J.D. ’02 has been named a co-leader of Jackson Lewis P.C.’s Workplace Safety and Health Practice Group. Courtney is a principal in the firm’s Richmond, Virginia, office and serves as co-leader of the firm’s Construction Industry Group. His practice focuses on representing employers cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and other regulatory agencies, oftentimes following catastrophic incidents.

Amanda L. Wait J.D. ’04 was named to Benchmark Litigation's 40 & Under Hot List 2020. Each year, the Benchmark team sets out to find the best and brightest law firm partners who stand out in their practices throughout the U.S. and in Canada. The current group of litigators is diverse and enthusiastic, ready to take the reins from previous generations. These young ambitious and accomplished lawyers frequently handle major cases — some of which are high-stakes or precedent-setting. They are able to adapt to rapidly changing times in addition to juggling their flourishing careers and personal lives, and all while staying on top of their industry. These practitioners are among the top young talent in their respective litigation communities in the U.S. & Canada.

Carl D. Neff J.D. ’05 left Fox Rothschild’s Wilmington office to join FisherBroyles as a partner.

Douglas Bunch ’02, J.D. ’06 was named to Benchmark Litigation's 40 & Under Hot List 2020.

John H. Ambrose Jr. J.D. ’07 was named in the Washington, D.C., Business Journal to its 2020 “40 Under 40” list.

Stephen A. Cobb J.D. ’07 was named by Virginia Lawyers Media on the “Leaders in the Law” list, which recognizes attorneys across the commonwealth who are “setting the standard for other Virginia lawyers.” Mr. Cobb was recognized among a distinguished group of lawyers noted for “changing the law, serving the community, changing practice or improving Virginia’s justice system, among other accomplishments.” A former Deputy Attorney General of Virginia and presidential appointee at the U.S. Commerce Department, Cobb is a member of the firm’s State Attorneys General Practice in Richmond. He assists clients through the myriad legal challenges inherent in high-profile litigation and investigations. He currently serves as counsel at Troutman Pepper’s Richmond office.

Rania M. Hago J.D. ’07 passed away on May 2, 2020.

Chara M. O'Neale J.D. ’07 was named by the Charlotte Business Journal among the 40 top business leaders under the age of 40 in the Charlotte region.

Wesley D. Allen ’05, J.D. ’08 has been named to the 2020 Super Lawyers Virginia Rising Stars list and the 2020 Super Lawyers Washington, D.C., Rising Stars list. He is an associate with Blankingship & Keith in Fairfax.

Joy A. Thompson J.D. ’08 became president of the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York on May 30, 2020. She works as an assistant general counsel with New York City’s Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings.

David A. Neiman J.D. ’09 was named to the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association Board of Managers. He has been involved as a member of the organization on the Board of Advocates since 2016.

Omid Safa J.D. ’09 was named to Benchmark Litigation's 40 & Under Hot List 2020. He is a partner at Blank Rome.

Robert Paul Barrett J.D. ’10 and Amy Buckmaster Barrett welcomed a son, Max Alexander, on 3/26/20.

Janice Craft J.D. ’10 has joined the faculty at the University of Richmond School of Law, leading the Professional Identity Formation Program, which prepares students to develop the habits of mind and character that are associated with professional excellence in the legal system.

Ashley P. Jarmer J.D. ’10 has been named general counsel to the chief justice of the Kansas Supreme Court, Marla Luckert. Chief Justice Lukert says Jarmer has been a research attorney for her since August 2019 and previously was a research attorney for Supreme Court Justice Lee Johnson and Court of Appeals Chief Judge Richard Greene.

Jessica L. Sura J.D. ’10 has been named to the 2020 Super Lawyers Virginia Rising Stars list and the 2020 Super Lawyers Washington, D.C., Rising Stars list. She is a principal with Blankingship & Keith.

Jamilah D. LeCruise J.D. ’11 has been awarded the 2020 Young Lawyer of the Year Award by the VSB Young Lawyers Conference. The award recognizes young lawyers who demonstrate dedicated service to the conference, the legal profession, and the community.

Brit K. Mohler J.D. ’11 was recently promoted to partner at Hunton Andrews Kurth. She represents borrowers, lenders, issuers and underwriters with respect to the financing and securitization of various asset classes primarily related to servicing rights, residential mortgage loans and credit risk collateral.

Kojo Asamoa-Caesar J.D. '12 is the first Ghanaian-American to be nominated for the U.S. Congress, though he did not win the seat in this year's elections. He is also the first-ever first-generation American, first-ever Black person to win nomination, first-ever resident of North Tulsa, and the youngest ever Democratic nominee to run for U.S. Congress.

Nicole Benincasa J.D. ’12 has been named general counsel for Kickstarter. She previously worked for Uber Technologies, Inc.

Gregory Proseus J.D. ’12 is now working at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for Chair Janet Dhillon.

Colleen M. Nichols J.D. ’13 has joined Capital Square as Associate General Counsel. During her career, she has worked in real estate and securities practice groups with Peake Law Group, Moran Reeves & Conn PC and Kaplan Voekler Cunningham & Frank PLC.

Jeanne E. Noonan J.D. ’14 is now an associate in the Maritime Practice Group at Willcox Savage.

Alison M. Rabe '14 ran for election to the Idaho State Senate to represent District 17. She assumed office on December 1, 2020.

Kevin G. Bender J.D. ’16 has joined Williams Mullen as an associate in the Estate Planning: Private Client & Fiduciary Services Practice.

Matthew L. Hubbard J.D. ’16 was selected for inclusion in the 2021 Best Lawyers in America inaugural edition of “Ones to Watch” in the practice areas of Professional Malpractice Law and Personal Injury Defendants Litigation.

Eduardo L. Lopez J.D. ’16 has been appointed to the Virginia African American Advisory Board by Governor Ralph Northam.

Kevin M. MacWhorter ’12, J.D. ’16 was named Associate to Watch alongside 171 of the DLA Piper colleagues in the 2020 Chambers USA Guide.

Spencer D. Anderson J.D. ’17 married Emily Sinkule.

Simon F. Zagata J.D. ’18 ran for East Lansing City Council. Simon is a staff attorney at Michigan Protection & Advocacy Service in Lansing and has a law degree from William & Mary Law School, as well as a bachelor’s degree in professional writing from MSU. He also previously served as a law clerk at Michigan’s 49th Circuit Court.

Tara Oladimeji ’14, J.D. ’19 interned as an ICF law clerk in the summer of 2017 through the ACC NCR Corporate Scholars Program, which seeks to increase diversity in the legal profession by placing law students in internships at legal departments. ICF is a consulting and technology services company with U.S. and international public sector and commercial clients, founded in 1969 to support investment in minority-owned businesses in the nation’s capital. She “did such an outstanding job,” James E. Daniels (executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary) said, that ICF hired her back as a law clerk in subsequent years as Oladimeji completed her law degree. “She is now an important member of our team, and the experience she gained — and ICF gained from her work as a law clerk — encouraged us to create a new position to recruit and hire Tara.”

I hope everyone has been doing as well as can be this year. Here’s a good way to take your mind off of things: read about your fellow classmates. Help your classmates do the same by sending your news!!

Kevin Antoine J.D. ’90 has been appointed as the chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer for Bucks County Community College in Newtown, Pennsylvania.

Mary Kay Bernosky J.D. ’92 is now the vice president of development at the York County Community Foundation in York, Pennsylvania.

Brandon S. Harter J.D. ’09 has been named a partner with Russell, Krafft & Gruber, LLP. 

Abigail Norris J.D. ’14 has joined LeChase Construction Services, LLC as associate general counsel.

Nathan M. Schenker J.D. ’77 has been named chief public defender for the Chester County (PA) Public Defender’s Office.

Horace Larry Wise J.D. ’61 passed away this past December. Among his achievements, Horace opened the first law office in Chesapeake, Virginia. He is survived by his wife, children, step-children, grand-children and step-grandchildren.

Edward L. Chambers Jr. J.D. ’74 passed away on Christmas Day 2019. He was active with the Virginia State Bar, was inducted as a member of the Virginia Law Foundation in 2010, and was a substitute judge for the 9th Judicial Circuit. He is survived by his wife, children, step-children, sister and many friends. 

Robert Ulrich Johnsen Jr. J.D. ’75 passed away in Sarasota, Florida on May 16, 2020.  After moving to Wilmington, North Carolina in 1984, Bob opened his own law practice. He loved his new home and spent as much time as possible on the ocean -- boating, scuba diving, and spending days searching for oysters and clams to grill for his family.

Mark J. Horoschak J.D. ’76 joined the Bradley Arant health care practice group in the firm’s Charlotte office and will be advising clients on mergers and federal antitrust issues. Mark was previously the assistant director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Competition.

Charles (Charlie) A. Stampelos J.D. ’77 has retired as a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of Florida, Tallahassee Division.

Edwin Burnette Jr. ’75, J.D. ’78 joined Liberty University School of Law as the first Jurist in Residence this February. He practiced law at Edmund & Williams for 23 years, served the Virginia State Bar in many ways, including President, and was a general district court judge before being elevated to the Lynchburg Circuit Court. His new role at Liberty University allows him to contribute to educating the next generation of lawyers, drawing from his decades of experience.

Robert A. Rapaport J.D. ’79 was reappointed as commissioner of the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission for a six-year term. Robert was appointed to the role in 2017, following more than 30 years of practicing with a focus on workers’ compensation. 

Ray W. King J.D. ’82 is now the president of the Board of Directors for Vandeventer Black. Ray’s specialties include commercial real estate, corporate, and business law.

Barbara L. Johnson J.D. ’84 was selected as secretary for the William & Mary Board of Visitors. Appointed to the Board of Visitors in 2017, she is also vice chair of the Richard Bland College Committee, co-chair of the Committee on Organizational Sustainability and Innovation, and a member of the Committee on Administration, Buildings and Grounds.  

The Hon. Junius P. Fulton III J.D. ’85 of the Norfolk Circuit Court was awarded the 2020 Harry L. Carrico Professionalism Award, given by the Virginia State Bar's Criminal Law section to "an individual who has made a singular and unique contribution to the improvement of the criminal justice system in the Commonwealth of Virginia."

Cynthia E. Hudson J.D. ’87 has joined Sands Anderson after serving as Chief Deputy Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Virginia. She will join the firm’s Government Group and work in the its Richmond and Williamsburg offices.

Brian J. Gillette J.D. ’92 has been listed in Virginia Super Lawyers 2019-2020 as a top-rated Social Security disability attorney in Williamsburg, Virginia. Brian founded the Gillette Law Group, PLLC and focuses his practice on Social Security disability and Virginia Retirement System disability retirement claims.

Margaret F. Hardy J.D. ’95 was named one of Virginia Lawyers Weekly’s 2020 Influential Women of Law.

Anita Hunter J.D. ’95 passed away in May 2019. Anita served as Washington Federation of State Employee’s in-house general counsel for 11 years. Her advocacy and her passion for languages and horses were some of the many qualities her friends, family and coworkers cherish.   

Rhonda Rivens Bolton J.D. ’96 was appointed by the Huntington Beach California City Council to the city's Human Rights Task Force. She also leads a consulting practice focused on diversity and inclusion, corporate policy, and external relations.

The Hon. Lorrie A. Sinclair Taylor J.D. ’96 was approved by the Virginia General Assembly to serve as a General District Court Judge in Loudon County.

Anne Graham Bibeau ’94, J.D. ’97 was named one of Virginia Lawyers Weekly’s 2020 Influential Women of Law.

Jeannette C. Koonce J.D. ’98 was named chief compliance officer at CoStar Group, Inc. Previously, Jeannette worked as the deputy general counsel for the company.

Helena S. Mock J.D. ’00 was named one of Virginia’s 2020 Super Lawyers. Helena is a founding member of The Peninsula Center for Estate and Lifelong Planning.

Kara M. Kraman J.D. ’01 joined the Blank Rome LLP Tax, Benefits, and Private Client group in their New York Office.

Brian G. Muse J.D. ’01 was elected shareholder for Sands Anderson, joining the Litigation and Business groups and focusing on labor and employment law.

The Hon. Kevin Duffan J.D. ’04 has been appointed to the Virginia Beach Circuit Court. He previously served as a Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court judge.

Jackie Gerlach ’03, J.D. ’06 has joined the Nottoway Commonwealth Attorney’s office as an assistant prosecutor.

Amy Blumenthal J.D. ’07 was chosen by Kutak Rock as a member of the 2020 Class of Fellows of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity.

William B. Hubbard J.D. ’07 has been reelected to a seat on the town council in White Stone, Virginia. He is an attorney with Hubbard, Terry, and Britt, P.C.

Lisa Purdy Lewis ’02, J.D. ’07 married Ira Lewis in 2019 and welcomed their first child, Fox Theodore Lewis, in 2020. Their book, "Canyoning in the Colorado San Juan Mountains," written by Ira and edited by Lisa, was published in August. 

Chara O’Neale J.D. ’07 received a National Diversity Leadership Award from Career Mastered. Chara currently serves as Parker Poe’s Director of Talent Management and Diversity & Inclusion.

Jeffrey S. Palmore ’00, J.D. ’09 was elected to partner in Reed Smith’s Global Regulatory Enforcement Practice in the firm’s Richmond office.

Laura Collins J.D. ’10 was appointed and confirmed as a veterans law judge at the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Board of Veterans’ Appeals.

Taylor Davidson J.D. ’11 joined Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh, PLLC in Memphis. She specializes in medical malpractice defense, health care and commercial law, as well as providing services in estate planning and trusts.

Eric Scalzo J.D. ’11 was elected partner at Waller Landsen Dortch & Davis in Nashville. Eric represents private equity clients and helps physicians and dentists in the formation, acquisition, growth and sale of group practices.

Jesse D. Pound J.D. ’13 joined the Williamsburg office of Gordon & Rees. He focuses on litigation for trusts and estates, community associations, general commercial matters and employment law.

Liz Smith Olcott J.D. ’14 and Christopher A. Olcott J.D. ’14 welcomed their first child, Alexander Ashworth Olcott, on October 30, 2019.

Elizabeth Larner J.D. ’16 married Bryan Leonard on May 18, 2019.

Eric J. Sutton J.D. ’16 joined Gross & Welch in Omaha, Nebraska, after clerking for Nebraska Court of Appeals Judge Riko Bishop.

Krishna A. Jani J.D. ’17 joined Flaster Greenberg in Philadelphia as an associate in their litigation department. She is also a member of the firm’s cybersecurity and privacy law practice groups.

Michael J. Alexander J.D. ’19 joined Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP as an associate this spring.

Stephanie B. Lauterbach-Diaz ’16, J.D. ’19 has joined Wilcox Savage as an associate in its Corporate, Securities & Finance practice group.

Elisha Teibel J.D. ’19 won the prestigious Burton Legal Writing award for a note she published in the William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review, titled “Waste Size: The Skinny on the Environmental Costs of the Fashion Industry.”

Marriages

Michael Benjamin Jordan J.D. ’20 to Marie Caroline Dunlap, 5/18/19.

Lauren Alise Williams ’09, J.D. ’12 to Pearson Gardner, 10/27/18.

Hello from Alaska, where the temperatures as I write this keep dipping into the negatives. While much of Alaska has the cold temperatures in winter you would expect, Anchorage usually averages in the teens.

I moved to Alaska after law school and haven’t left. After five years in the bush (a topic for another Class Note), I moved to Anchorage doing public defender work. I’ve since transitioned back to private practice and am an associate at Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot. Remember that the more news I get from you, the less room I have for my own. Keep those updates coming so everyone wins.

Now on to the more important stuff.

Thomas Norment J.D. ’73 has been reelected to the Virginia Senate, representing the 3rd Senate District. He also serves as the Minority Leader of the Virginia Senate.

Monica Lea Parry J.D. ’83 married Luis Ernesto Aparicio on October 21, 2017, in Tucson, Arizona. She is of counsel at Morgan Lewis.

The Honorable Junius P. Fulton III J.D. ’85 received the Harry L. Carrico Professionalism Award in February from the Criminal Law Section of the Virginia State Bar. Judge Fulton has served on the Norfolk Circuit Court for more than 20 years.

Ann B. Brogan J.D. ’85 has been elected president of the Board of Trustees of the Virginia Stage Company.

Lee Roberts Jr. J.D. ’86 has been inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Lee is a partner at Weinberg Wheeler Hudgins Gunn & Dial.

Steven P. Kramer J.D. ’86 is currently serving as Chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section of the Arizona State Bar and as Chair of the Arizona State Bar Civil Jury Instructions Committee.

Lawrence “Larry” Henry Gennari J.D. ’89 has been appointed as chair of the Board of Directors for American Student Assistance.

Rodney Willett ’85, J.D. ’90 has been elected to the Virginia House of Delegates, representing the 73rd House District.

Kevin L. Antoine J.D. ’91 has accepted a position with Bucks County Community College as their first Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer.

Steffi Garrett J.D. ’91 is now General Counsel for the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services.

Belinda A. Bacon J.D. ’93 has joined Weiss Serota Helfman Cole & Bierman as of counsel in the firm’s Coral Gable office.

The Hon. Clifton L. Corker J.D. ’93 has been sworn in as a U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee.

Amy Seneshen J.D. ’97 has been named to “Who’s Who in Energy” by the Denver Business Journal. She is the managing partner at Welborn Sullivan Meck & Tooley.

Gurbir Grewal J.D. ’99 is the 61^st Attorney General of New Jersey, and he is the first Sikh-American to hold the position of state Attorney General in the history of the United States.

Laura Rugless ’90, J.D. ’00 has been named Cornell’s new Associate Vice President for the Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX Coordinator.

Daniel J. Fortune J.D. ’02 has joined the Birmingham office of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP as a partner in the firm’s Government Enforcement and Investigations practice group, as well as the Cybersecurity and Privacy Team.

Jason Miyares J.D. ’05 has been reelected to the Virginia House of Delegate, representing the 82nd House District. 

Annie Lahren J.D. ’06 has been included in the 2019 class of Leaders in the Law selected by Virginia Layers Media. She focuses on labor and employment, family law, and immigration at Pender & Coward.

Svetlana Ivy J.D. ’07 has been named as an honoree in the Rochester Business Journal’s Forty under 40. She is a member at Harris Beach.

Chara O’Neale J.D. ’07 is the Director of Talent Management and Diversity & Inclusion at Parker Poe.

Alison Wickizer Toepp J.D. ’07 was recently named one of this year’s Legal Elite for Civil Litigation by Virginia Business. Alison is an associate at Reed Smith LLP in Richmond.

Diana Clarkson J.D. ’08 has been named as an honoree in the Rochester Business Journal’s Forty under 40. She has also been elected as a partner at Harter Secrest & Emery.

Brad Ridlehoover J.D. ’08 made partner at McGuire Woods. He works in the firm’s Tax & Employee Benefits office in Richmond.

Reneta L. Green-Streett ’03, J.D. ’09 was promoted to partner at Morris James in Delaware. She represents clients at trial in personal injury, premises liability and property damage claims.

Kristen D. O’Connor J.D. ’10 became a partner at Troutman Sanders in Virginia Beach.

Alicia Raines Barrs J.D. ’14 has been named to the National Black Lawyers 2019 Top 40 Under 40 list for Texas. Alicia is an antitrust compliance counseling and litigation/complex commercial litigation attorney at Barner & Thornburg LLP.

Mohammed Alkuwaity L.L.M. ’17 was featured in “The National Jurist”: “Who’s Who of Foreign Attorneys.” Mohammed is a Saudi legal counsel working in management consulting. He is currently the chief legal officer of SEA Ventures Co.

Mary V. Pickard J.D. ’18 has joined the Business and Corporate Group at Howard & Howard.

Krystal Gurnell J.D. ’19 graduated from the Air Force JAG School’s Judge Advocate Staff Officer Course in December.

For additional class notes, please visit law.wm.edu/alumni/classnotes.

Marriages

• Brian Joseph Focarino '11, J.D. '15 to Brian Jeremiah Shea J.D. '15, 10/25/19.
• Katherine Diane Shepherd '15, J.D. '18 to Christopher Michael Connolly '15, 3/23/19.
• Stephanie Blake Lauterbach '16, J.D. '19 to Jason Diaz, 9/21/19.
• Jonathan Warren Gonzalez J.D. '17 to Kaitlin Melissa Zimmer J.D. '19, 5/26/19.
• Dorothy Katherine Beck J.D. '19 to Thomas M. Johnson Jr., 5/31/19.
• Owen D. Morris J.D. '16 to Morgan Fancher Morris, 9/21/19.

Greetings Law School alumni! A big thank you to Ashleigh for spending the time and energy as our previous reporter. As she moves on from that role, it means a new reporter has to step up and fill those shoes, regaling you with updates from our fellow alumni. Unfortunately, you’ll have to settle for me.

Keep sending in those updates and announcements so that my job stays easy. With that said, here we go.

The Hon. Charles E. Poston J.D. ’74 has been appointed to William & Mary’s Board of Visitors. 

The Hon. Wilford Taylor, Jr. J.D. ’78 was awarded the 2018 Harry L. Carrico Outstanding Career Service Award by the Judicial Council of Virginia.

The Hon. Richard S. Blanton J.D. ’79 was awarded the Joel C. Cunningham Sr. Award by the Virginia Legal Aid Society.

The Hon. Eileen A. Olds J.D. ’82 has retired from the Chesapeake Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. 

James Holahan J.D. ’83 has been listed in New York Super Lawyers 2019. He focuses on employment & labor law with Bond, Schoeneck & King.

Michael J. Garvin J.D. ’84 has been included in the 2020 Best Lawyers in America list. He is a partner with Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP, focusing on intellectual property and technology litigation.

Albert J. “Trey” Resolute III ’85, J.D. ’88 has joined the law firm Oast & Taylor.

Deborah Mancoll Casey J.D. ’87 received the Influential Woman of Law for 2019 award from Virginia Lawyers Weekly.

Gregory S. Williams J.D. ’90 was selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2019 in the practice area of trusts and estates. He is a director with Carruthers & Roth, P.A.

Thomas P. Cody J.D. ’91 was named to the Best Lawyers in America 2020 list in the practice area of real estate law. He is a partner at Robinson+Cole in Hartford, Connecticut. 

Vivian Seay Giles J.D. ’91 has joined the law firm Sands Anderson PC.

Jane Sherman Chambers J.D. ’92 has accepted the role of President of the National Association of Prosecutor Coordinators.

Ann Randolph Rogers J.D. ’92 has been selected to serve as the next House Employment Counsel for the United States House of Representatives.

Marisa Gallehr Faunce J.D. ’94 was named by London-based Who’s Who Legal to the WWL international list for 2019. She is a partner with Plave Koch.

Richard L. Weber J.D. ’99 was selected to the 2019 Super Lawyers for Upstate New York. He practices environmental litigation with Bond, Schoeneck & King.

Elizabeth Martori Weldon J.D. ’01 was selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2020 in the practice area of franchise law. She is a partner at Snell & Wilmer in Orange County, California.

Heidi M. Brown J.D. ’05 has been reappointed as co-chair of the Medical Committee of the elder law section of the Florida Bar.

Kerry Eaton J.D. ’05 was announced as a Top 40 finalist for the 2019 Sierra Nevada Powerful Women award by the Northern Nevada Business View.

Jamie Watkins Bruno J.D. ’08 was selected by Leadership Metro Richmond for its 40th annual Leadership Quest program, a 10-month leadership training program. Jamie is a partner with Williams and Mullen.

William W. Sleeth III J.D. ’08 has been named the managing partner for the Williamsburg office of Gordon & Rees.

Omid Safa J.D. ’09 was named by the Washington Business Journal to its 2019 “40 Under 40.” He is a partner with Blank Rome LLP.

Dan Whitten J.D. ’09 has been appointed as the County Attorney for Prince George County.

Sean Marotta J.D. ’10 was featured as a “D.C. Rising Star” in The National Law Journal. Sean is a partner at Hogan Lovells.

Kevin Connell J.D. ’18 has joined Trevett Cristo as an associate.

Marriages

Rachel Marie Coyle LL.M. ’12 to Ben Fernandez, 5/19.

I wish each of you fair winds and following seas. It has been a true pleasure and honor serving as your law school class notes reporter for more than 12 years. Thank you again for this wonderful opportunity to serve William & Mary. Go Tribe!

Adam Casagrande J.D. ’01 is the general counsel and executive vice president of ADS, Inc. based in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He was named one of Virginia’s best lawyers.

Douglas Christman J.D. ’78 is the general counsel of specialty beverage retailer BevMo.

Audra A. Dial J.D. ’98 is a managing partner with Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton’s Atlanta, Georgia, office and was featured in the Atlanta 2019 “Atlanta 500” magazine.

Cheshire I’Anson EveleighJ.D. ’90 has practiced law in Virginia with the firm of Wolcott Rivers Gates for the past 28 years.

Samuel Franck J.D. ’02 practices in real estate law with the North Carolina firm of Ward and Smith P.A.

Carrie Harris Grundmann J.D. ’08 has joined Spilman Thomas & Battle in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and maintains a practice in its Roanoke location as well. 

Cynthia Hudson J.D. ’87 serves as chief deputy attorney general of Virginia and was selected as a keynote speaker earlier in the year for the Moton Community Banquet.

Robert “Bobby” W. Jones, Jr. J.D. ’89 was appointed attorney for the Isle of Wight County, Virginia.

Patrick C. Lee ’93, J.D. ’96 has served for almost 20 years as the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department.

Ashley Reynolds Marshall J.D. ’07 is the executive director of the YMCA in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Audra Miller J.D. ’93 is the community development director for Bryan County, Georgia.

Tim Newman J.D. ’09 is a partner with the Texas law firm of Haynes and Boone. He was the Texas Young Lawyers Association’s Outstanding First Year Director in 2017 and its Outstanding Director in 2018.

Craig Smith J.D. ’79 is a school volunteer and is an attorney with the Commissioner of Accounts for Lancaster County, Virginia.

Holly Smith J.D. ’99 was appointed as the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court judge in the 9th Judicial District in Virginia. Her term began July 1, 2019.

Joy Thompson J.D. ’08 has served as deputy commissioner of the public administrator for New York County since 2011.

Wyman R. Duggan J.D. ’14 serves as Florida District 15’s state representative. He is a shareholder and board member of Rogers Towers. 

James William “Bill” Watson Jr. J.D. ’80 has filled a vacancy in the 10th Judicial Circuit in Virginia.

Joan Ziglar J.D. ’92 was appointed to the 21st Judicial District in Virginia.

Thomas H. Cook Jr. J.D. ’87 has been elected as a Fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel. He is head of the tax practice group of Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Births

To Dr. E. Ashleigh Schuller Lee ’02, J.D. ’06, Ph.D. ’15 and Daniel Scott Lee,  a daughter, Lucía “Lucy” Ashleigh Lee, born on 6/17/19.

Marriages

Laura Elizabeth Householder J.D. ’13, M.B.A. ’13 to Joseph McFalls, 5/19/2018.

Brittany Blair Sadler J.D. ’14 to Bryan Winston Berky, 9/08/2018.

Alana Marie Biltucci J.D. ’15 to Henry Fitts, 6/16/2018.

Hope everyone is well! After more than 12 years of service, I have decided to pass along the torch to a new Law School class notes reporter. It has been an honor serving the William & Mary community in this way. I look forward to staying engaged. Please let Claire De Lisle know if you are interested in taking over for me at alumni.magazine@wm.edu. Your volunteer duties would begin with the Winter 2020 deadline of September 18, 2019. Thank you for your consideration of this wonderful opportunity. Go Tribe!

Cabell Clay J.D. ’08 was recognized by the Women Lawyers of Charlotte (North Carolina) as the WLC Woman of the Year.

Kenneth W. Abrams J.D. ’09 has been elected partner with McGuire Woods in Virginia.

Art C. Bredemeyer LL.M. ’94 recently opened up his own law firm in Suffolk, Virginia.

Lee Byrd J.D. ’88 was listed in Virginia Business magazine’s 2018 Virginia Legal Elite. 

Stephanie Spirer Crandall J.D. ’06 was chosen to participate in the inaugural class of Hoosier Women Forward, a political and civic leadership program. She is director of intergovernmental affairs for the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Ann Kiley Crenshaw J.D. ’80 is a partner with the law firm of Kaufman & Canoles in Norfolk, Virginia, and helped to save her alma mater, Sweet Briar College, in Virginia from shutting down.

Robert B. “Chip” Delano Jr. ’78, J.D. ’81 was listed in Virginia Business magazine’s 2018 Virginia Legal Elite.

Rosa Evergreen J.D. ’05, M.B.A. ’05 has been named to the American Bankruptcy Institute’s 2018 “40 under 40” Emerging Leaders in Insolvency Practice list.

Lizzie Pannill Fletcher J.D. ’06 now serves as the representative for Texas’s 7th Congressional District.

Michael J. Garvin J.D. ’84 was included in the 2018 Best Lawyers in America list.

Brian Golden J.D. ’92 is the director of the Boston Planning & Development Agency, which helps drive economic growth in the Boston area.

Gurbir Grewal J.D. ’99 is New Jersey’s attorney general and our country’s first Sikh attorney general.

Andrew H. Herrick ’90, J.D. ’94 has been promoted to serve Albemarle County, Virginia, as deputy county attorney.

Jim Hoffman J.D. ’86 is serving as the interim city attorney for the city of Greensboro, North Carolina.

Laura C. Hoey J.D. ’17 is a practice group associate with the Newport News, Virginia, office of Kaufman & Canoles.

James Holahan ’83 was selected for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2019.

Sally S. Hull ’75, J.D. ’84 of the law firm Clarke Dolph Hull & Brunick was included in the Best Lawyers in America 2019 for tax law.

Robert “Bobby” W. Jones Jr. J.D. ’89 was appointed the Isle of Wight County attorney in Virginia.

Robert Juelke J.D. ’93 recently concluded a three-year term as one of Drinker Biddle & Reath’s executive partners.

William Lamberth J.D. ’04 was elected to serve as majority leader by his House Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly.

Katherine M. Lennon J.D. ’17 has joined the law firm of Fraim & Fiorella in Norfolk, Virginia.

Jay Porter ’78 was included in the 2018 Best Lawyers in America list.

Kevin J. Rasch ’98 has joined Harvard Pilgrim Health Care as vice president of government affairs and programs.

Vania Ratliff J.D. ’18 is a new attorney with the law firm of Vandeventer Black in its Norfolk, Virginia, location.

Lee Roberts J.D. ’86 was named a 2019 Mountain State Super Lawyer by Super Lawyers Magazine.

William Sharp J.D. ’77 was recognized by his peers with the Harry L. Carrico Outstanding Career Service Award last year for his longstanding service in the 26th District juvenile and domestic relations courts.

Jay Speer ’83 is the executive director of the Virginia Poverty Law Center, a nonprofit organization housed in Richmond, Virginia.

William N. Watkins ’82 was listed in Virginia Business magazine’s 2018 Virginia Legal Elite.

Elizabeth L. White ’84, J.D. ’87 was listed in Virginia Business magazine’s 2018 Virginia Legal Elite.

Patrick Fennell J.D. ’96 has opened his own personal injury law firm, Patrick Fennell, Attorney at Law, P.C., in Roanoke, Virginia. Patrick works on all types of personal injury cases including auto/truck crashes, medical malpractice and product liability cases in state and federal courts. 

Steven P. Kramer J.D. ’86 serves as chairman of the Civil Jury Instructions Committee and as vice-chair of the Executive Counsel of the Alternative Dispute Resolution section of the Arizona State Bar.

Births

To Travis James Farris J.D. '96 and Rebecca Weingart Farris a son, William T., 5/29/18.

Marriages

Emile Maria Jones LL.M. '05 to Nicholas Ransley, 7/01/17.

Robert Paul Barrett J.D. '10 to Amy Buckmaster Barrett, 11/03/18.

Clay Marshall Bennett J.D. '17 to Lauren I. Pettengill M.Ed. '17, 10/27/18.

Christopher Michael Bettis J.D. '11 to Olive Stohlman Bettis, 11/17/18.

Tyler Floyd Chriscoe J.D. '16 to Brianna Nicole Scott, 9/29/18.

Travis James Farris J.D. '96 to Rebecca Weingart Farris, 6/10/17.

Julie Michelle Silverbrook J.D. '12 to Adam S. Footer, 10/27/18.

Lee Evan Tankle J.D. '13 to Vicki Morris Tankle, 9/29/18.

For more Law School class notes, go to law.wm.edu/alumni/classnotes.

Best wishes for a healthy and happy 2019! Please contact me with any updates. I look forward to hearing from you! 

Linda Bryant J.D. ’92 was appointed by Virginia Governor Ralph Northam to serve on the Virginia Parole Board.

James I. Dougherty J.D. ’12 was appointed to the board of directors for Greenwich Catholic School in Connecticut. 

William L. Fletcher Jr. J.D. ’17 has joined the Georgia law firm of Fletcher, Harley & Fletcher, LLP, as an associate.

Jon Freedman J.D. ’85 was appointed to serve on the board of directors for the WateReuse Association for General Electric. 

Shawan Gillians J.D. ’07 has been named treasurer at Santee Cooper.

Anne Hampton Andrews Haynes ’07, J.D. ’11 serves as Virginia Chief Justice Donald Lemons’s Career Law Clerk.

Leonard C. “Len” Heath Jr. ’82, J.D. ’86 now serves as the Virginia State Bar’s president.

Ute Heidenreich ’83, J.D. ’90 is TowneBank’s general counsel and executive vice president and has been named to the Virginia Business Legal Elite.

The Honorable Jerry Kilgore J.D. 86 was named chairman of the Appalachian School of Law Board of Trustees.

Ilryong Moon J.D. ’84 serves as vice chair for the Fairfax, Virginia, County School Board. 

Susan Satkowski J.D. ’81 is Pennsylvania’s new Norwegian Consul.

Kim Urbanchuk ’05 has joined Parsons as the company’s chief ethics and compliance counsel.

Jim Penny ’83 and his wife, Pamela Penny HON J.D. ’16, recently had an article about their 1770 house, Bel-Mede, in Williamsburg, published in the October 2018 issue of Early American Life. 

The Honorable David J. Whitted ’94 was sworn in as a judge in the juvenile and domestic relations branch on Friday, July 6, in Chesapeake, Virginia. 

Christopher Wesser ’99 was recently appointed president of Spindle, Inc. 

The Honorable R. Ferrell Newman ’83 has been named the chairman of the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission. His three-year term began on July 1, 2018.

Marriages

• Alexandra Ellinwood Brandon M.A. ’11 to John Jeffrey Brandon J.D. ’12, 9/26/15.

• Allison Cristine Davis J.D. ’16 to John Chatfield Tuck III, 6/17/17.

• Mark Thomas Rawls J.D. ’14 to Christina Carole Pinnell '07, 4/01/17.

• Allison Cristine Davis J.D. ’16 to John Chatfield Tuck III, 6/17/17.

• Andrew G. Barna J.D. ’18 to Morgan Elizabeth Tarrant, 9/22/18.