Emporia Lawyers

MARY G. COMMANDER has been engaged in the practice of law in Norfolk, Virginia and surrounding areas since 1981. She is well-known and respected in the Hampton Roads area for her proficiency in all matters of Family Law and her diligent and no-nonsense approach in court. Ms. Commander is a certified Norfolk Master Gardener Volunteer and actively involved in the rescue of former racing greyhounds (with two of her own at home).

Mary Commander’s Education & Experience:

She is a magna cum laude graduate of Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, where she served for three years as an elected member of...

Joe Miller has been representing the injured for over 30 years. He is admitted to practice law in both Virginia and North Carolina. If you have been injured at work, in a car accident, or otherwise due to the negligence of another, you need to call Joe Miller Law and experience what Strong Justice is all about. Joe grew up in the Tidewater area of Virginia and attended Western Branch High School in Chesapeake. He received his law degree at William and Mary, Marshall-Wythe School of Law in 1987. He is admitted to practice law in both Virginia and North...

Attorney Jason Swango, founder of The Firm For Men, is a leader in the law arena, representing men exclusively in all family law matters including divorce, custody, support, post-divorce, and more. As a former military servicemember, Attorney Swango understands the intricacies of military family law, earning a reputation in Hampton Roads as the go-to attorney for active duty and former military.

As a current firm shareholder for Pender and Coward, P.C., the scope of James T. Lang's practice is in environmental law with an emphasis on counseling residential and commercial waterfront property owners. Additionally Mr. Lang has extensive experience representing business clients in a variety of corporate matters that have become long time clients entrusting him with all of their legal needs. Before joining the firm in 2005, Mr Lang enjoyed a 25-year career in the navy starting as an E-1 Fireman Recruit and finishing as an O-5 Commander, including 16 years as a U.S. Navy JAG Attorney.

After completing law school at the University of Virgina and then a one year appointment as a law clerk in the United States Federal Court, I began practicing with a large law firm in Norfolk, Virginia. I was fortunate to train under several extremely talented trial lawyers. Hard work, persistence and being prepared for anything were the core values of our practice, and I have practiced with these same qualities since founding Pierce Thornton with my partner in 1997.

I represent individuals and families in cases ranging from medical negligence injuries or wrongful death to traumatic brain injury caused by a...

James Garret is the founding member of Garrett Law Group, PLC in Virginia Beach. The firm focuses on criminal defense, including all traffic matters, and divorce and child custody cases.

Mr. Garrett has been in private practice since graduating from the Boyd School of Law at UNLV in 2005.

"I Care. I Fight. I help my clients put their lives back together."

Charlottesville attorney André Hakes is a partner at the law firm of Tucker Griffin Barnes P.C. handling criminal defense, sex crimes and DUI cases.

To the art and science of criminal defense, Ms. Hakes brings prosecutorial and police educator experience, and a long, successful track record defending clients on murder, sex crimes, drug charges, DUI, embezzlement, assault, and many other criminal allegations. Ms. Hakes has a reputation for “out-working” her opponent when preparing for trial.

Sample results from Andre's criminal defense cases:
[The results obtained under one set of circumstances cannot...

I provide diligent, passionate and personalized representation to clients in courts across the Commonwealth of Virginia, including Henrico, Chesterfield, Richmond, Hanover, Powhatan, Louisa, Petersburg and Caroline Counties. I practice in a variety of areas, with a emphasis on Criminal Defense and Family Law. I pride myself on being a dedicated, prepared and successful attorney. I am committed to maintaining close contact with clients, and pursuing the best possible outcomes.

I received my B.A. from Rollins College, and my J.D. from the University of Richmond School of Law. My jurisdictions include the State of Virginia and Federal District Court, Eastern District of...

Elisha N. Hawk became a partner with Jenner Law, P.C. in 2023, focusing her practice on advocating for people and families who have been injured by the abuse and neglect of others. Her practice focuses on cases involving personal injury, mass torts, therapy abuse, clergy abuse, and nursing home abuse and neglect. Elisha started her career as an associate working under Jenner Law, P.C.’s founding partner, Rob Jenner, where she represented people who had been harmed by dangerous drugs and devices. She gained significant experience handling pharmaceutical and defective medical device cases under Rob’s mentorship. Following her work on the mass...

I focus my practice on intellectual property law, immigration, and business. I graduated from the University of Richmond School of Law and was accepted to the Virginia Bar in 2019. I earned the Intellectual Property Certificate as well as the Auzville Jackson Jr. award for excellence in intellectual property. I am excited to assist artists, business owners, and content creators with their contract, trademark, and copyright concerns. Since I began work with Tingen Law, PLLC, I have taken on more immigration matters. Here are some of the services I offer: asylum and removal proceedings, permanent residency petitions, fiance/spousal petitions, employment-based visas (H visas,...

KEITH J. LEONARD IS A PARTNER AT HUFFMAN & HUFFMAN AND IS THE SENIOR LITIGATION ATTORNEY Keith concentrates his practice on the litigation of the plaintiff’s personal injury cases, including serious and permanent injuries, wrongful death, and tractor-trailer collisions. Prior to joining Huffman & Huffman, Keith practiced law for several years in the Hampton Roads area. Keith is passionate about fighting for justice for his clients and leveling the playing field for injured victims in Virginia. He has continually practiced in all of the courtrooms in Hampton Roads since he became an attorney and has obtained numerous successful verdicts in front of...

I am a member of the GreeneHurlocker firm, where my practice is centered around business law, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, and investment banking. In my role, I provide counsel to business clients and entrepreneurs on a variety of matters. These include buy and sell-side mergers and acquisitions, strategic financing and capital investments, joint ventures, credit facilities, commercial real estate investments, and contract matters.

Armed with a passion for trial work, Paul joined Allen, Allen, Allen & Allen in 1999 bringing with him a broad range of experience in personal injury cases and jury trials. Since that time, Paul has obtained impressive trial results and is willing to go to trial rather than take an offer he does not believe is fair to his client. In 2014, Paul obtained a $22 million settlement on behalf of a boy who suffered paralysis and brain injuries in a crash with a dump truck. This record setting settlement appears to be the largest personal injury settlement...

Prior to practicing law, I spent a considerable amount of time oversea in my former career as a CIA Operations Officer. After law school I practiced bankruptcy law in the Central District of California, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Riverside Divisions. In 2003, I returned to my native state of Virginia and established the Merna Law Group. Since the founding of the firm we have won over 35 awards for customer service, good work, and other accolades. Over my more than 25 years of bankruptcy practice, myself and my attorneys have filed over 10,000 successful cases. PHONE CONSULT AVAILABLE. We...

Mr. "Sris," CEO of the Law Offices of Sris, P.C., established his firm in 1997, now with locations in Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Colombia, and India. Based in Fairfax, Virginia, he holds law licenses across multiple states. With a background as a prosecutor, Mr. Sris brings strong negotiation and litigation skills to his practice, focusing on complex family law cases and defense against serious criminal charges. He holds IT certifications and boasts international business knowledge, enhancing his legal knowledge. Committed to justice, Mr. Sris actively engages in legislative initiatives and community outreach, offering consultations to Indian nationals in need. With...

I graduated from the University of Richmond School of Law and was accepted to the Virginia Bar in 2012. Less than 30 days after being admitted to the bar, I launched my own legal practice. What began in my home office has quickly grown to a practice with multiple attorneys and staff serving literally thousands of clients both in the Commonwealth of Virginia and throughout the world.

Immigration is the largest area of practice at my firm, and I have personally handled more than one thousand immigration matters ranging from family-based green cards, DACA, and deportation defense to business immigration matters...

Barbara Queen, a Partner at LawrenceQueen, is a dedicated and dynamic attorney with 16 years of experience in employment law. Known for her compassionate yet assertive approach, she brings invaluable knowledge and experience to every case, prioritizing meticulous preparation and personalized attention to guide clients through complex employment law challenges. Barbara earned her bachelor’s degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University before graduating cum laude from Syracuse University College of Law. Early in her career, she secured prestigious internships with the New York Attorney General’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York. Since joining Lisa...

Exclusively practice criminal and traffic defense. Experienced solo practitioner, handle every aspect of case. I know the stress and uncertainty that comes with facing criminal charges. I believe that every client deserves an attorney who they can pick up the phone and call anytime they have questions or concerns throughout the case, as well as an attorney who will fight hard to get them the best possible outcome. That is what I am here to do.

Kelly Martin is a founding partner of Latham & Martin, where he dedicates his practice to personal injury litigation including automobile accidents, medical malpractice, products liability, and premises liability in Richmond and surrounding communities, including Henrico, Hanover, Chesterfield, Petersburg, Hopewell, and Colonial Heights.

Geoff earned his B.A. from the University of Virginia in ’86 in Foreign Affairs and his J.D. from the University of Richmond, T.C. Williams School of Law in ’89. Geoff attended the University of Hawaii on a football scholarship before transferring to the University of Virginia, where he played for George Welsh and was a member of the ’84 Peach Bowl championship team – the first UVA team to make a bowl appearance.

As a lawyer Geoff has obtained more than $400 million in settlements and awards for his clients. He has successfully tried cases resulting in over 200 written opinions,...

Robert Flax represents drivers with speeding and, reckless driving charges. He appears in the Richmond, Virginia area courts of the City of Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield, Hanover, Petersburg and Colonial Heights. Richmond Virginia area traffic courts hear thousands of cases a year. Interstates 64 and 95 run through it. Out of state drivers may receive higher fines and other punishment if they do not have a lawyer to show that the driver deserves leniency or is innocent. Reckless driving is a misdemeanor. A conviction of reckless driving or speeding might affect the driver’s employment and security...

Andrew H. “Andy” Hook is the president of Hook Law Center, where he practices in the areas of elder law, estate and trust administration, estate, tax, retirement and financial planning, long-term care planning, asset protection planning, special needs planning, business succession planning and personal injury settlement consulting. A 1975 graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law, Mr. Hook is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), and a Fellow of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). Mr. Hook is certified as an Elder Law Attorney (CELA) by the National Elder Law...

Bryn Swartz is the owner and attorney at Pathfinder Injury Law, leading many injured workers to get the benefits and compensation they’re due. As the founder of Pathfinder Injury Law, he uses his experience with insurance companies to help them and their families recover. Attorney Bryn Swartz graduated in the top 7 percent of his class at Randolph-Macon College. During his time as an undergraduate, he was also part of Phi Beta Kappa honor society. After graduating, he attended law school at the University of Richmond and graduated magna cum laude. He was in the top 11 percent of his...

James Mick "Jamie" Kessel has dedicated his career to fighting for the rights of Virginians who have been seriously injured or killed because of the negligence of others. He enjoys being in court and believes each and every case should be handled from the beginning as if it were going to be tried before a jury. Jamie is an experienced trial attorney and has handled cases in State and Federal Courts throughout Virginia. His practice focuses on representing accident victims and their families in cases involving: car wrecks; tractor trailer accidents; wrongful deaths; distracted driving; dog bites; and dangerous premises.

Jamie...

Mr. Maslyn has extensive experience working with all of the laws and regulations affecting franchising in the United States. He has helped countless start-up franchisors and several Fortune 20 companies structure their franchise systems and manage their franchisee networks. In many cases, Mr. Maslyn has effectively served as his franchisor clients' outside general counsel, providing advice and counseling in areas like antitrust, intellectual property, sourcing and advertising issues in addition to drafting Franchise Agreements, Development Agreements, and Franchise Disclsoure Documents, filing state franchise registration and exemption applications, and providing counseling on compliance with complicated patchwork of state franchise...

John Whitbeck is the founder and partner of WhitbeckBennett. His practice focuses on family law, more specifically divorce, child custody, child and spousal support, domestic violence and protective orders, adoption, special education law, and mental health law.

He is a professor of law at George Mason University Law School, and the former Director of the George Mason University Law and Mental Illness Clinic.

John uses his expert knowledge of the law to advocate for his clients and their families.

My tenacity and meticulous trial preparation have earned me the respect of both my clients as well as my adversaries. I am a member of the third generation of the Allen family to have worked with the firm. Since joining the Allen Law Firm in 1983, I have had extensive experience handling various types of personal injury cases including car crashes, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, and premises liability.

One of Dave's primary areas of practice is car accident litigation. He appears in the courtroom frequently, trying cases before both judges and juries and winning substantial verdicts for his clients. When it serves a client's best interests, he explores ways to resolve cases through arbitration and mediation. He works in the firm's Richmond, VA office and represents clients across the state of Virginia.

Before he joined the Allen Law Firm, Dave worked as in house legal counsel for a major automobile liability insurance company. He represented insurance company policyholders who had been sued by plaintiffs injured in...

Scott Fitzgerald is the great grandson of the Firm’s founder, George E. Allen, Sr., and is the first member of the fourth generation of the Allen family to join the Allen Law Firm. He currently works in the Richmond, VA office and focuses his practice exclusively on personal injury cases including motorcycle accidents, car accidents, and truck accidents. Having grown up with a family tradition of advocacy and service, Scott is passionate about protecting the interests of his clients and defending their rights against insurance companies.

Scott grew up in Chesterfield, Virginia and attended L.C. Bird High School, where he won...

Abbigale Fredrick is an attorney who works from Allen & Allen’s Richmond, VA office. In addition to being an experienced lawyer, Abby is a strategic business manager. She supervises the new case department and works with clients at the earliest stages of their cases. Abby meets with potential new clients and helps determine how the attorneys at Allen & Allen are best able to meet their needs. Abby’s background in insurance defense gives her valuable insight into how insurance companies handle and evaluate personal injury and medical malpractice claims. This experience is an advantage to the firm’s clients as she...

As a take-charge lawyer, my forceful personality compliments my formidable litigation and negotiating skills. I bring to every case my strong intellect, innate sense of practicality, and my burning desire to win. My legal achievements for clients include many courtroom victories, but I am as able to search creatively for ways to settle cases as I am to prepare and try cases that cannot be settled. I was named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers in America for 2014 and 2015 in the Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs category in Richmond, Va. My ability to master complex...

Avery Adcock has dedicated her career to representing victims of abuse and neglect in nursing homes, hospitals and assisted living facilities across the country. Ms. Adcock also handles cases involving catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death.

Before joining Senior Justice Law Firm, Ms. Adcock was a trial attorney in the nursing home litigation department of a prominent plaintiff’s personal injury law firm, litigating cases against nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C.

Avery currently serves on the board of the DC Trial Lawyers Association and Virginia Trial Lawyers Association. Avery is also involved in the Maryland Association...

Mrs. Hough graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology and Law. Upon her graduation, Mrs. Hough worked for the National Legal Aid and Defender Association prior to her entering the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. While in law school, Mrs. Hough was awarded the “Eleanor & James Clanton Haynes Memorial Law and Public Policy” fellowship, was a Senior Editor for a Law Journal, and volunteered for the Innocence Project investigating a case of wrongful conviction. During law school, Mrs. Hough also worked full-time as...

Jonathan Halperin is a seasoned attorney with over three decades of experience in both state and federal courtrooms. Not only does he possess an extensive list of successful case outcomes by trial and settlement, but he has been named by Super Lawyers® as one of the Top 50 Attorneys in Richmond and Top 100 Attorneys in Virginia – an honor bestowed only upon the top 1% of lawyers in the state. His laudable list of accolades includes recognition in the Best Lawyers in America, 2015-2023 Editions from Best Lawyers® and an AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review for more than...

Jim Hurley has been practicing injury law throughout Virginia for over two decades. He has tried more than 100 cases and handled hundreds more that were settled out of court. He is guided by the principle that the client is in charge of his or her case and should be kept fully aware of the litigation process.

Jim Hurley and John Cooper set up Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers in 2011. In recent years the firm appointed a third partner Bill O’Mara and fourth partner Griff O'Hanlon. The firm retains its family friendly focus and does not represent criminal defendants like...

Shea spent 12 years on active duty in the Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps, transitioning into the reserve component as an O-5 to continue pursuing his passion: representing servicemembers. During his time on Active Duty, he litigated well over one hundred courts-martial, in addition to numerous other hearings and boards, as a prosecutor, defense counsel, legal advisor, and hearing officer. During his time as a defense counsel he represented clients in every rank from E-1 to O-8 worldwide, tackling the most complex and highest visibility cases.. He has cross examined hundreds of accusers, law enforcement officers, and commanders, including...

John Baker joined Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers in early 2018. He was born and raised in Norfolk and graduated from Norfolk Collegiate School. After high school, John attended Hampden-Sydney College, where he was a Venable Scholar and graduated cum laude in 2006. John represented his class in the Student Senate each year at Hampden-Sydney, and he served as its chairman during his senior year. John also received the James Madison Public Service Certificate and was a member of the Society of 1791, Hampden-Sydney’s leadership organization. John attended the University of Mississippi School of Law, where he was a member of Phi Delta...

Randy practiced personal injury law for nearly 30 years and represented thousands of clients who were badly hurt in various types of accidents. Randy is now a retired partner of the firm.