The Library

RICHMOND, Va. (January 23, 2020) – The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that Richmond Partner Chip (John G.) Dicks has been inducted into the Virginia Law Foundation Fellows Class of 2020. Inductees were formally honored at the Virginia Law Foundation’s annual dinner on January 23. The Virginia Law Foundation is the charitable arm of the Virginia Bar Association. Fellows are recognized as leaders in the profession, both in their practices and their communities. They comprise a group of nearly 500 of the best and brightest legal practitioners who are committed to the highest ideals of the law […]

ROANOKE, Va. (January 21, 2019) – The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke is pleased to announce the appointment of following individuals to serve on the firm’s Management Committee for 2020: Managing Partner Monica T. Monday (Roanoke) Partner Matthew W. Broughton (Roanoke) Partner William Gust (Roanoke) Partner Gregory D. Habeeb (Richmond) Partner Guy M. Harbert (Roanoke) Partner Brett Marston (Roanoke) The Management Committee, led by Monica T. Monday, oversees all firm operations and strategies, including decisions involving organizational structure, budget, business development, recruiting and more. Monday has served as the firm’s Managing Partner since 2013. About Gentry Locke With more than […]

Gentry Locke has launched a crucial web page to help people who have suffered a traumatic brain injury. The page is a great resource for victims of traumatic brain injury and their families. On this web page, you’ll find: Video describing how injuries like these are diagnosed, treated, and managed Definitions of common medical terms Types and causes of traumatic brain injuries Symptoms complicating traumatic brain injuries Resources to help family members Traumatic brain injuries are one of the leading causes of disability in the United States, and can be caused by blows or jolts to the head during collisions […]

ROANOKE, Va. (January 9, 2020) – The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that Partner K. Brett Marston has been selected by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) to serve as an arbitrator on its Construction Panel. In addition to his role at the firm, Marston will handle AAA arbitration on construction-industry disputes. “Brett has deep experience in construction law and he will be a thoughtful and efficient arbitrator,” said Gentry Locke Managing Partner Monica Taylor Monday. The not-for-profit American Arbitration Association® (AAA®)-International Centre for Dispute Resolution® (ICDR®) is the largest private global provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services […]

ROANOKE, Va. (January 7, 2020) – The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke is pleased to announce the promotions of Andrew M. Bowman, Jennifer S. DeGraw, Evans G. Edwards, Andrew D. Finnicum and Amanda M. Morgan to the partnership, effective January 1, 2020. “Each of them has unique talents that make us stronger as a firm,” said Gentry Locke Managing Partner Monica Monday. “We congratulate them on this important achievement.” Bowman is a member of the firm’s litigation practice. He focuses on complex cases, including whistleblower and qui tam litigation, commercial disputes, catastrophic injury cases, and medical malpractice. In 2019, […]

ROANOKE, Va. (January 3, 2020) — As the rest of the country rang in the new year, Landowners in Virginia who own property on the route of the Mountain Valley Pipeline were hard at work, quietly filing a constitutional case in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The lawsuit was filed against the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP). The case centers around three constitutional principles involving delegations of Congressional power:  A broad delegation of power is unconstitutional Delegating delegated power is unconstitutional Delegating legislative power to a private entity is unconstitutional “When it […]

As 2019 comes to a close and the promise of a brand new year is before us, so are the U.S. Department of Labor’s (“DOL”) newest rules on overtime.  As we recently addressed here, the DOL released its final rule addressing the new salary thresholds employers are required to pay in order to satisfy the “salaried basis” requirement for the “white collar” overtime exemptions.  These thresholds become effective January 1, 2020.  This article focuses on another overtime rule the DOL recently finalized clarifying which benefits should be included in workers’ “regular rate of pay” used to calculate overtime premiums. Under […]

ROANOKE, Va. (December 16, 2019) – The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that Human Resources Manager Kelly Stimart has been selected as one of Virginia Lawyers Weekly’s 2019 Unsung Legal Heroes. The award recognizes talented and dedicated legal support professionals who consistently go above and beyond the call of duty, often behind the scenes. Stimart was named a “Hero” in the firm administrator category. Other categories included: IT/operations, legal secretary, paralegal and receptionist. Honorees will be formally recognized in a special section of Virginia Lawyers Weekly on December 23. “Kelly brings the highest level of […]

ROANOKE, Va. (December 10, 2019) – The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that Abby Broughton and Christina Hubbard have joined the firm’s Roanoke office as associates. They will join the plaintiff’s and business litigation practices respectfully. Prior to joining the firm full-time, both were summer associates at Gentry Locke. In addition to Broughton’s work as a summer associate at Gentry Locke, she also gained valuable experience working at another Virginia law firm throughout law school. Broughton has experience conducting research and drafting memoranda on legal issues related to medical malpractice, personal injuries, product liability claims, […]

ROANOKE, Va. (December 1, 2019) – The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that 24 attorneys have been named to the 20th annual report, “2019 Legal Elite” by Virginia Business magazine. The list is determined by peer votes and is divided into 18 specialties. The Gentry Locke attorneys listed as “Legal Elite” for 2019 are: Thomas Bondurant: Criminal Law Matthew Broughton: Civil Litigation Christen Church: Health Law Chip (John G.) Dicks: Administrative Government Michael Finney: Civil Litigation Alicha Grubb: Young Lawyer W. William Gust: Taxes Estates Trusts Gregory Habeeb: Administrative Government Gregory Haley: Administrative Government Kevin […]

RICHMOND, Va. (November 7, 2019) – The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke is marking the first anniversary of its Richmond office with continued growth, including additional physical space, the expansion of its Government and Regulatory Affairs practice with the addition of Government Affairs Director Matthew S. Moran, and the hiring of litigation Associate Jeffrey P. Miller, and former Williamsburg Vice-Mayor and commercial Associate Daniel Scott Foster, Jr. Gentry Locke’s Richmond office now includes a dozen full-time employees and the firm recently doubled its physical space and occupies nearly half of the 11th floor in the SunTrust building. The firm […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ROANOKE, Va. (November 1, 2019) – The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke is pleased to announce its inclusion in the 2020 “Best Law Firms” rankings published by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers®. The firm secured rankings in 27 practice areas, including 18 rankings as Metropolitan Tier 1, which is the highest tier for regional recognition. The firm’s list of rankings can be found below and also here. Metropolitan Tier 1 – Roanoke • Antitrust Law • Appellate Practice • Banking and Finance Law • Commercial Litigation • Construction Law • Corporate Law • […]

The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that Partners John G. “Chip” Dicks and Catherine J. Huff were recognized at Virginia Lawyers Weekly’s “Leaders in the Law” program in Richmond on October 22, 2019. Several Gentry Locke Attorneys attended the event in support. At the program, lawyers and law-related professionals from across the state were honored for their significant accomplishments and achievements. John G. “Chip” Dicks was announced as an honoree in the Class of 2019 “Leaders in Law” and Catherine J. Huff was announced as a member of the “Up & Coming Lawyers” Class of […]

Congratulations to Gentry Locke Partner Kathy Wright, President of the Board of the Virginia Poverty Law Center, who played a leading role in last week’s 2019 Annual Statewide Legal Aid Conference.  The VPLC is a non-profit that leads and coordinates efforts to seek justice in civil legal matters for lower income Virginians. The event was attended by over 350 lawyers, bar leaders, and individuals whose work is associated with the legal aid community.  Thank you Kathy for your work at Gentry Locke and across the state on access to justice and pro bono issues! About Gentry Locke With more than […]

The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that Partner Nick Leitch was voted into the American Board of Trial Advocates on October 12, 2019. ABOTA is a national association of experienced trial lawyers and judges dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the civil jury trial right. The association’s mission is “to foster improvement in the ethical and technical standards of practice in the field of advocacy to the end that individual litigants may receive more effective representation and the general public be benefited by more efficient administration of justice consistent with time-tested and traditional principles […]

A beautiful, new ADA-compliant cabin now stands at Fulfillment Farms, a Wildlife Foundation of Virginia (WFV) property located near Charlottesville. This cabin allows handicapped veterans the ability to stay overnight for extended hunting and fishing trips. The construction was made possible in part by Gentry Locke’s fundraising of over $55,000. The WFV built the Cool Springs Cabin with particular attention to accessibility and comfort. At the dedication ceremony on the 1900-acre farm, Gentry Locke was given special recognition as the largest cash contributor to the construction project. Hunters, hikers, and outdoor enthusiasts of all abilities will now be able to […]

The long-anticipated “Final Rule” setting the salary thresholds employers are required to pay in order to satisfy the “salaried basis” requirement for the “white collar” exemptions was released by the US Department of Labor (“DOL”) on September 24, 2019. It will become effective on January 1, 2020. After receiving more than 116,000 comments, the DOL set the new minimum salary requirement at $684/week (or $35,568 annually).  No changes were made in the “duties” tests that a salaried employee must meet to be exempt. Significantly, the DOL declined to adopt the automatic adjustment in the base salary requirement originally proposed during […]

Roanoke is a community that values and supports a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. It is a Blue Ridge Mountain city with a wide variety of people and institutions working together collaboratively to foster opportunity in a multitude of fields. Roanoke Innovates is a partnership highlighting this collaborative effort, bringing together the academics, entrepreneurs, researchers, investors and developers that power the Roanoke Innovation Corridor. “Virginia Tech is doing amazing things, VTC, the Fralin Biomedical Institute, there’s so much incredible work going on and this is a way to sort of harness all of that and show to the larger world, […]

ROANOKE, Va. (September 4, 2019) – The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that William “Bill” Edward Callahan, Jr. has joined the Roanoke office as a partner in the Business Litigation group.“We are very happy to welcome Bill to our Roanoke office,” said Gentry Locke Managing Partner Monica Monday. “Bill is a distinguished and talented litigator. His experience with complex bankruptcy and creditors’ rights’ matters adds bench strength and depth to the services we provide to our business clients. Bill’s practice primarily involves bankruptcy and creditors’ rights work for clients in various industries, including the financial services sector. […]

ROANOKE, Va. (August 15, 2019) – The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that 21 of the firm’s attorneys were recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2020, a national legal ranking. Attorneys were nominated by their peers and recognized for their outstanding professional achievement in numerous legal practice areas, including appellate, banking and finance law, bet-the-company litigation, commercial litigation, criminal defense, employment law, insurance law, medical malpractice law, real estate law, tax law, trusts and estates, and others. In addition, Monica T. Monday (Appellate Practice), W. William Gust (Benefits (ERISA) Law), and W. David Paxton (Employment […]

An April, 2019 deal reached in the Virginia General Assembly means that Interstate 81 will be receiving an ongoing infusion of cash to fund major improvements to the congested roadway, with projects beginning as soon as next year. This is tremendous news for the entire I-81 corridor in Virginia — and especially for Roanoke, the largest Virginia city along the interstate. These improvements will reduce the congestion that has plagued the corridor and will expedite the flow of commerce. Here at Gentry Locke, headquartered in Roanoke, we are excited about the growth and new development these improvements will spur over […]

ROANOKE, Va. (July 5, 2019) – The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that Partner Jonathan Puvak has been elected to serve a three-year term on the Roanoke Bar Association’s Board of Directors.  Jon assists businesses, business owners, lenders, and governmental entities with corporate matters, commercial transactions, employee benefits, tax, and real estate matters. Before attending law school, Jon gained corporate and real estate development experience by working with NVR Inc., one of the nation’s largest homebuilders. He earned his B.A. from Bridgewater College and his J.D. from the College of William and Mary, Marshall-Wythe School […]

ROANOKE, Va. (July 2, 2019) – The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that Partner Charles (Trey) H. Smith, III has been named president of the Ted Dalton American Inn of Court. The Inn of Court serves to improve the skills, professionalism and ethics of the bar, and to foster greater interaction between the bench and bar. The Ted Dalton American Inn of Court consists of members from the cities of Roanoke and Salem, the counties of Bedford, Botetourt, Franklin and Montgomery, and the Washington & Lee University Law School. Trey focuses his practice on the representation of plaintiffs in personal injury and […]

ROANOKE, Va. (May 22, 2019) – The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that retired Senior Counsel S.D. Roberts Moore has been selected as a member of the Class of 2019 Virginia Lawyers Hall of Fame, a Virginia Lawyers Weekly award designed to recognize Virginia’s most significant senior lawyers. Roberts was formally recognized at the Hall of Fame event on May 21. “This recognition is the capstone of a remarkable legal career,” said Gentry Locke Managing Partner Monica Taylor Monday. “Roberts exemplifies the best of what it means to be a Virginia lawyer, adhering to the highest levels of professionalism, ethics, […]

ROANOKE, Va. (May 10, 2019) – The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that it has been awarded “Best Law Firm – Platinum” in The Roanoker magazine’s 2019 “Best of Roanoke” reader poll. The platinum award is the highest honor bestowed in a category. Gentry Locke was also named “Best Law Firm – Platinum” in the 2017 and 2018 editions of “Best of Roanoke.” The Roanoker’s “Best of Roanoke” poll tabulates reader votes in the designated categories to determine a silver, gold and platinum winner. The 2019 “Best of” issue, which marks the 33rd annual poll, […]

ROANOKE, Va. (May 9, 2019) – The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke is pleased to announce its recognition as a leading Virginia firm for commercial litigation by Chambers USA 2019: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, a prestigious annual ranking of law firms and attorneys. The complete 2019 Chambers USA guide is available here. Chambers USA recognized Gentry Locke Managing Partner Monica Monday as a notable Virginia litigator. Her peers described Monday as the “top appellate lawyer in Virginia.” Chambers further noted that Monday is a “go-to lawyer with extensive experience in appellate court cases, her practice covers business, healthcare and personal injury disputes.” […]

Feeding America Southwest Virginia recently wrapped up its participation in the 13th annual statewide “Legal Food Frenzy.” Fifteen local law offices and organizations joined in the friendly competition, hosting a variety of creative activities designed to raise food and funds for the local food bank. Gentry Locke won the Large Office (25+ employees) category, raising the equivalent of 253 lbs. of food per employee. Attorneys Charlie Calton, Kirk Sosebee, Lauren Coleman, Alicha Grubb, Court Shipman, Dave Berry, and Ben Law worked to ensure the competition between Gentry Locke floors and office locations was lively and engaging. They were ably assisted by some […]

ROANOKE, Va. (May 8, 2019) – The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that Partner Travis J. Graham has been named the recipient of the firm’s 2018 Pro Bono Promise Award. The award recognizes pro bono work that exceeds the 2% yearly aspirational goal set by the Supreme Court of Virginia, either quantitatively or qualitatively. Travis logged more than 200 hours of pro bono time in 2018. “This is important work, and we thank Travis for his time and unwavering commitment to serving those within our community,” said Gentry Locke Managing Partner Monica Taylor Monday. In addition […]

ROANOKE, Va. (May 3, 2019) – The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that it has been named to the 2019 list of “Virginia’s Largest Law Firms” by Virginia Lawyers Weekly. With 58 lawyers, Gentry Locke remained 15th on the list. The full list can be found here.  The largest law firm list is an annual survey based on the number of Virginia-licensed lawyers practicing from an office in Virginia. Law firms were contacted throughout the winter to update their information from the 2018 survey. About Gentry Locke With more than 55 lawyers practicing across a range […]

ROANOKE, Va. (April 29, 2019) – The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that Partner K. Brett Marston will serve a second three-year term on the Virginia State Bar Council. “We congratulate Brett on his second term on the Council and commend him for his ongoing leadership of the Virginia State Bar,” said Gentry Locke Managing Partner Monica Taylor Monday. The Council is an 81-person body consisting of 65 lawyers elected throughout the Commonwealth, as well as nine at-large members appointed by the Supreme Court of Virginia, four conference chairs, and three officers. Lawyers elect their Council […]

ROANOKE, Va. (April 25, 2019) – The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that the following individuals have been selected to serve on the firm’s Management Committee for 2019: Managing Partner Monica T. Monday Partner Matthew W. Broughton Partner William Gust Partner Guy M. Harbert Partner Brett Marston Partner Maxwell H. Wiegard Gentry Locke’s Management Committee is led by Monica Taylor Monday. The Committee oversees all firm operations and strategies, including decisions involving organizational structure, budget, business development, recruiting and more. About Gentry Locke With more than 55 lawyers practicing across a range of disciplines, Gentry Locke […]