Governance
At its meeting on October 29, 2021, the Virginia State Bar Council heard the following significant reports and took the following actions.

We need YOU to be a part of your self-governing profession:
The Standing Committee on Lawyer Discipline seeks active, in-good-standing lawyers and non-lawyers to apply for disciplinary district committee vacancies. 

Stephanie E. Grana, president-elect of the VSB, seeks active and in-good-standing Virginia lawyers willing to serve on special and standing committees in 2022. 

The Supreme Court of Virginia issued its Thirtieth COVID-19 Order, in effect through November 24, 2021.
Discipline
Disciplinary hearings are public meetings and may be viewed as they occur by following the disciplinary docket and then checking the VSB calendar for the livestream details for a particular date. 

Matthew James Erausquin, license revoked, effective October 25, 2021.
Matthew James Hunzeker, license suspended, effective October 17, 2021.
Britney Hope Maddux, license suspended, effective October 18, 2021.
OlaDipo Akinwunmi AkinDeko, license suspended, effective October 27, 2021.
Jesse Burkhardt Beale, public reprimand, effective October 12, 2021.
Denis Charles Englisby, public reprimand, effective October 29, 2021.

Private Discipline: 1 private reprimand, 2 private admonitions
Compliance
Have you finished your 2021 CLE requirement? All CLE hours, whether used for compliance or carryover, must be reported to our office no later than 4:45 pm EST December 15, 2021. You may report your CLE hours online by logging into your account on the Virginia State Bar website by 4:45 pm EST December 15, 2021. Our office is closed to visitors, please plan accordingly. 

The Bar is aware of an MCLE login outage on October 30, 2021. Please note that MCLE hours completion date was October 31, however the reporting deadline is on December 15, 2021. Bar members can view the full compliance calendar in detail here. We apologize for any stress or confusion the outage may have caused.
Pro Bono / Access to Justice
National Pro Bono Month is over, but it's never too late to get involved. Consider taking one case from your local legal aid or other Qualified Legal Services Provider.

Or, help prevent evictions by volunteering with the Eviction Legal Helpline. Commit to taking one shift in the next six months. Learn more here.
The Virginia Lawyer Referral Service needs lawyers in all practice areas, but especially consumer, family, labor, and real estate law statewide.

Call (804) 775-0591 to learn more about getting prescreened referrals today. Read more, or contact Toni Dunson at dunson@vsb.org.
Opportunities and Events
The Supreme Court of Virginia will conduct a virtual Admission Ceremony for applicants passing the July 2021 bar exam on December 8, 2021, at 2:00 pm via an audio-visual platform. The ceremony will be live streamed (one-way audio and visual) and may be publicly accessed via a hyperlink titled “December 2021 Admission Ceremony” on the the Court’s website: www.vacourts.gov.
 
If you seek to be admitted to the Bar of the Supreme Court of Virginia at the December 2021 Admission Ceremony, please register here before 9:00 am on December 8.
Call for Entries: Nominate a Deserving Lawyer
  • The Criminal Law Section is seeking nominations for the Harry L. Carrico Professionalism Award, recognizing a judge, lawyer, clerk, or other citizen who has improved the justice system in the Commonwealth. 
  • The Section on the Education of Lawyers seeks nominations for the William R. Rakes Award, honoring an individual from the bench, the practicing bar, or the academy who has, through exceptional leadership, made a significant impact on the education of lawyers in Virginia.
  • Please nominate a friend or colleague for the Edward L. Chambers Lifetime Bar Service Award, given to those who serve the profession by working on the VSB’s boards, committees, conferences, or sections.

Please contact Maureen Stengel with questions on nominations for these awards.
The Special Committee on the Resolution of Fee Disputes would like to remind all lawyers of its low-cost solution for resolving fee disputes with clients. The program is voluntary and not connected with the VSB discipline system, which generally does not address complaints about a lawyer’s fees.

Read more about the program and its many benefits here.
The Virginia Law School Issue: Coming in December!
Only one magazine reaches 50,000 lawyers, judges, and law schools in Virginia and across the country – special thanks to our authors and to our advertisers.
Our advertising rates are the best in years. Contact Dee Norman for more information or if you would like to place a classifed ad (free for full time legal positions). To opt out of the paper magazine, log into your lawyer portal.
Stay connected to your Bar:
The VSB continues to provide essential services to Virginia’s lawyers and the public.
The VSB office at 1111 E. Main Street is closed to visitors. If you need to reach a staff person, please send an email or call the appropriate contact person.

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