The Library

The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke Rakes & Moore, LLP is pleased to announce that attorney Chris Kozlowski has joined the firm’s Business Law group, which handles a wide range of general corporate matters, including tax matters, securities and banking regulation and compliance, and commercial transactions. Chris recently moved to Roanoke and is licensed in both Virginia and Connecticut. Prior to joining Gentry Locke, he practiced with a firm in Stamford, Connecticut. His experience includes representing corporate and individual clients in asset and real property purchases and transfers of entity ownership. He has also represented placement agents in exempt […]

Gentry Locke employment law partner Todd Leeson recently spoke to three different human resource associations. On September 19, 2013, Todd presented an ADA and FMLA update at the New River Valley SHRM’s Fourth Annual Legal Update.  On September 25, 2013, Todd provided a talk entitled “Legal Issues Arising Out of Social Media Use By Employees” to the Shenandoah Valley SHRM for its Virginia Legal Forum. On October 1, 2013, Todd spoke about “Recent Employment Law Trends and Advice for HR Professionals” to the Franklin County Human Resource Association. In late October, Todd also served as a moderator for a panel on “Retaliation […]

RVLSA…the association for legal professionals held their 48th Annual Bosses’ Night at Metamorphosis, where Benjamin Byrd, an Associate at Gentry Locke Rakes & Moore, was named the 2013 Boss of the Year, and Melinda C. Childress-Dearing, PP, PLS, a legal assistant at Gentry Locke Rakes & Moore, was named 2013 Member of the Year.  Congratulations to Ben and Melinda!

The 7th Annual Legal Food Frenzy competition, which challenges law firms, law schools, and government offices to donate food and raise money to stock Virginia’s food banks, resulted in almost 1.5 million pounds of food. The statewide, two-week drive in April of 2013 was a great success. In Southwest Virginia, 47,000 pounds of food was raised, through donations of nonperishable goods and monetary donations. Together, the donations of Gentry Locke attorneys and staff added up to more than one third of all donations for our region – leading all other area participants. The 2013 food drive was spearheaded at the firm by attorneys Cate Huff, Abigail Murchison, and Spencer […]

As a result of the fungal meningitis outbreak that was caused by tainted injections of medicine compounded by NECC, a Massachusetts compounding facility, the industry that compounds medicines is still in the news. Channel 10 News reporter Aaron Martin interviewed Gentry Locke partner Scott Sexton for a news report that seeks to better understand how such problems can occur. According to the article online at the WSLS Channel 10 website, “Compound pharmacies like the NECC tend to fall between the cracks when it comes to regulations. Pharmacies are regulated by the state and drug manufacturers are regulated by the FDA. But […]

Twenty-two attorneys at Gentry Locke Rakes & Moore, LLP are named “2014 Best Lawyers in America” by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers. The firm itself received metropolitan tier one rankings in more than 20 practice areas, including antitrust; banking and finance; commercial; construction; corporate; employment & labor; land use; litigation; medical malpractice; personal injury; real estate; tax; and trusts and estates. Attorneys who were top-rated by their peers: J. Rudy Austin

On July 25, 2013, The Roanoke Times reported on a case where the family of a Gentry Locke Rakes & Moore client prevailed in a wrongful death trial. The article reports that Roanoke Orthopaedic Center was found liable in the death of an 89-year-old woman in a wheelchair when she fell while standing for an X-Ray at the Roanoke, Virginia facility. The jury awarded a total of $660,000, which included $10,000 for her funeral expenses, $50,000 for her medical bills, and $200,000 each to her three family members. According to the article, “Although officials at the center had medical records indicating […]

On July 13, 2013, The Roanoke Times has reported on the confidential settlement of a case where a woman was sexually attacked by a co-worker who had a prior conviction as a sex offender. Gentry Locke attorney Les Bowers was co-counsel on the case, in which the United States District Court noted that all of the parties had “resolved and settled the claims.”

Sixteen Gentry Locke Rakes & Moore attorneys have been named Virginia Super Lawyers for 2013, and nine have been named Virginia Super Lawyers Rising Stars. Managing Partner Monica Monday earned a spot on the “Top 50 Women” list, and Partner Brett Marston was listed on “Virginia’s Top 100”. J. Rudy Austin