News, Events, Seminars & Articles by Gentry Locke Attorneys

Gentry Locke Partner Alicha M. Grubb Installed as Chair of the Virginia Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division

News January 2026

ROANOKE, Va. (January 26, 2026) – The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that partner Alicha M. Grubb has been installed as Chair of the Virginia Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division (YLD), a leadership role within one of the Commonwealth’s most respected voluntary bar organizations. Grubb was installed during the Virginia Bar Association’s Annual Meeting, held January 22-24 in Williamsburg, Virginia. She will serve as Chair for the upcoming term, leading the YLD’s efforts to support professional development, leadership, and public service among Virginia’s emerging attorneys. The VBA Young Lawyers Division serves attorneys age forty and under […]

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Gentry Locke Partners D. Scott Foster, Jr., Paul D. Hawkins, and Michael V. Moro, II Named to Coastal Virginia Magazine’s 2026 Top Lawyers List

News January 2026

NORFOLK, Va. (January 22, 2026) – The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that partners D. Scott Foster, Jr., Paul D. Hawkins, and Michael V. Moro, II were named to Coastal Virginia Magazine’s 2026 Top Lawyers list. This award is determined through a peer-to-peer nomination process and recognizes attorneys in the Coastal Virginia legal community who are regarded by their peers as leaders in their respective practice areas. “Scott, Paul, and Mike exemplify the high level of skill, professionalism, and dedication to client service that defines Gentry Locke,” said Managing Partner, K. Brett Marston. “This recognition from their […]

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Gentry Locke Business Development Support Manager Kathleen M. Lordan Named a Virginia Lawyers Weekly 2025 Unsung Legal Hero

News January 2026

ROANOKE, Va. (January 16, 2026) – The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that Business Development Support Manager Kathleen M. Lordan has been selected as one of Virginia Lawyers Weekly’s 2025 Unsung Legal Heroes. This prestigious recognition honors law firm professionals whose dedication, leadership, and behind-the-scenes contributions play a vital role in their firms’ success. The full list can be viewed here. Lordan has been a cornerstone of Gentry Locke for over seven years, leading the firm’s Business Development Department and overseeing a team of creative and professional individuals who implement the firm’s business development initiatives across […]

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Gentry Locke Partners Robert E. Evans, Andrew O. Gay, Herschel V. Keller, and W. David Paxton Named to Lynchburg Business 2026 Top Lawyers

News January 2026

LYNCHBURG, Va. (January 13, 2026) – The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that partners Robert E. Evans, Andrew O. Gay, Herschel V. Keller, and W. David Paxton were named to Lynchburg Business magazine’s 2026 Top Lawyers of Greater Lynchburg list. The ranking recognizes the “best of the best” in the region’s legal community. The full list can be viewed here. “We are proud to celebrate these four outstanding attorneys for being named to Lynchburg Business magazine’s 2026 Top Lawyers list,” said Managing Partner, K. Brett Marston. “Their dedication showcases not only their legal excellence, but also […]

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DOJ Targets Corporate Diversity Programs Via the False Claims Act

Articles January 2026

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued policy memoranda in May and July of 2025 announcing a stated intent to investigate entities that accept federal dollars via contracts and grants while engaging in “race, ethnicity, or national-origin based preferences” in employment practices. These policies evidence the DOJ’s expanded use of the False Claims Act (FCA) to investigate and, in some cases, take action against companies whose DEI efforts are perceived to violate federal law. These policies are now beginning to take shape, as the DOJ has recently initiated multiple investigations into the DEI practices of several major companies that contract […]

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Publicly Available vs. Public Domain: When Are Copyrighted Works Free To Use?

Articles January 2026

While many may think of resolutions, family, friends, a Times Square countdown, or new beginnings on New Year’s Day, January 1 also quietly marks a significant annual event for copyright law. Each year, many previously copyrighted works enter the public domain, eliminating their copyright protection and rendering them available for use and reproduction by the public at large. Duke University publishes a list of works entering the public domain, and 2026 will see a number of iconic works and characters from 1930 become free for public use and distribution. For example, some works entering the public domain this year include […]

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Employers Win Round One: Virginia’s Wage Theft Statute Does Not Include Commissions – Will it Last?

Articles January 2026

Businesses with employees who work in Virginia and are paid by commission received an early New Year’s Eve present when a divided Supreme Court of Virginia overturned a 2024 ruling by the Virginia Court of Appeals that had extended the protections of the Virginia Wage Payment Act beyond wages and salaries to commissions and all other forms of compensation.[1] Groundworks Operations LLC v. Campbell, Record No. 241092 (Va. Dec. 30, 2025) Justice McCulloch writing for the majority concluded “the language of the [wage theft] statute and its context do not support an interpretation that extends its protections to commissions.”[2] In […]

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Gentry Locke Promotes Patrice L. Lewis to Partner

News January 2026

RICHMOND, Va. (January 5, 2026) – The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that Patrice L. Lewis has been promoted to the partnership, effective January 1, 2026. Serving as Government Affairs Director of Gentry Locke Consulting and partner with Gentry Locke, Lewis plays a key role in helping clients manage complex regulatory and legislative challenges, offering guidance on data privacy and cybersecurity while providing strategic advice on economic development, government relations, and administrative affairs. Her prior experience includes work as a strategic marketing and communications consultant, outreach representative for U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner, and legislative assistant […]

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Gentry Locke Welcomes Associate Makailah D. Lee

News December 2025

RICHMOND, Va. (December 22, 2025) – The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to announce the addition of Makailah D. Lee as an associate in its Commercial Litigation group. Lee joins the firm’s Richmond office, where she will focus her practice on business, employment, and appellate litigation. Prior to joining Gentry Locke, Lee was a litigation associate with a Washington D.C. based firm and prior to that served as a Judicial Intern for the Honorable Lisa M. Lorish of the Court of Appeals of Virginia. “Makailah brings strong experience in litigation and appellate work,” said Gentry Locke Managing Partner […]

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Executive Order Targeting State AI Regulation Shakes Up State Enforcement

Articles December 2025

On December 11, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14365, titled “Ensuring a National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence.” The order seeks to establish a unified federal approach to regulating artificial intelligence (AI), aiming to prevent what the administration calls a “patchwork” of state laws that could hinder innovation and impose excessive compliance costs. After rescinding the prior administration’s comprehensive 2023 executive order on AI governance, Executive Order 14110 (titled “Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence”), in January, President Trump’s executive order constitutes the current administration’s latest effort to supersede regulation of AI […]

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