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Roberts Moore, Senior Counsel at Gentry Locke Rakes & Moore

S.D. Roberts Moore

Retired Partner

Roberts Moore practiced law for over 50 years with Gentry Locke, retiring after a remarkable and distinguished career as a trial lawyer.  During that time, Roberts exemplified the best of what it means to be a Virginia lawyer, adhering to the highest levels of professionalism, ethics, and courtesy. Driven by a strong work ethic, Roberts handled over 200 jury trials, earning a reputation as a fearless and compassionate advocate who would not back down from an unpopular cause. He was recognized as one of the leading trial lawyers in the Commonwealth of Virginia by Benchmark Litigation, Best Lawyers in America, and Virginia Super Lawyers.  Rabbit’s career is marked by his commitment to equal justice and access to justice, as well as his role as a wise mentor to countless young lawyers at Gentry Locke.  Among his many accolades, he has received the Roanoke Bar Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award, is a member of the Virginia Lawyers’ Weekly Hall of Fame, and has been a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers.

  • Years with GL
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  • Trials
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  • 5 children, 13 grandchildren
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  • Books read yearly
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  • Had you not chosen law, what career might you have pursued?

    Professional baseball player. I love sports. Growing up, I played football, basketball and baseball.

  • You take great pride in the work you do. Tell us what this career means to you.

    It’s always seemed a credit to me when someone asked me to be his or her lawyer. It demands that I be available, that I look out for the interest of the client, that I do everything I can to perform my job perfectly and that I conduct myself with honor. Inside the firm, I have tried to set an example of hard work and respect. I believe that we’ve earned a reputation as a firm with truly great lawyers, and I am very proud of that.

  • What do you enjoy doing to relax?

    I play competitive bridge and attend sporting events. I like to spend time with my family and love listening to good music ranging from bluegrass to the Roanoke Symphony.

Education

  • University of Richmond School of Law, LL.B
  • Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Experience

  • Represented plaintiffs in products liability cases ending in settlements or verdicts ranging from $13 million to $750,000
  • Represented plaintiffs in tractor-trailer and automobile accident cases ending in settlements or verdicts ranging from $7,500,000 to $250,000
  • Represented plaintiffs and defendants in medical malpractice cases with settlements or verdicts in favor of his clients in excess of $1.5 million
  • Represented university coaches, professors, athletic directors in breach of contract claims
  • Represented individuals in various white collar criminal matters at trial and before grand juries in federal and state proceedings
  • Negotiated separation and termination of employment matters
  • Represented plaintiffs and defendants in slip and fall cases ending in settlements or verdicts in favor of his clients for $700,000-$800,000
  • Represented plaintiffs and defendants in sexual abuse civil cases
  • Represented plaintiffs in nursing home litigation ending in settlements ranging from $350,000 to $400,000
  • Represented defendants in intellectual property matters, including patent infringement cases
  • Represented defendants in RICO litigation

Affiliations

  • Member, Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference
  • Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
  • Member, Roanoke Bar Association
  • Fellow, The Virginia Bar Foundation
  • Fellow, American Bar Foundation
  • Member, Board of Trustees, University of Richmond (2013-Present)
  • Chairman, Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Board, Virginia State Bar, 1986
  • Member, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association

Awards

  • Inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® for more than 25 years in the areas of Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants (1987-2018) and Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs (1987-2018), also listed in Best Lawyers in America – Business Edition (2016); named “Roanoke Personal Injury Litigator of the Year” by The Best Lawyers in America (2010)
  • Awarded the Frank W. “Bo” Rogers, Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award by the Roanoke Bar Association (2016)
  • Elected a Top Attorney: Personal Injury by Roanoke-area attorneys surveyed by the Roanoker Magazine (2009, 2012)
  • Named a Top Rated Lawyer for Litigation, Professional Liability, and Medical Malpractice law by American Lawyer Media (2013)
  • Listed in Benchmark Litigation as a Local Litigation Star for Personal Injury, Product Liability, and Employment (2012-2015), and Benchmark Plaintiffs for Product Liability (2012-2014), Personal Injury, and Product Liability (2014)
  • Named to Virginia Super Lawyers in the area of Professional Liability: Plaintiff (2007-2017, 2019)
  • Inducted into the Virginia Lawyers Weekly “Hall of Fame” – Class of 2019
  • Named a “Legal Eagle” for Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants and Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs by Virginia Living magazine (2012)
  • Designated as one of the Legal Elite by Virginia Business magazine in the Alternative Dispute Resolution category (2006) and Civil Litigation (2007)
  • Designated as a Fellow of the Virginia Law Foundation (1989)
S.D. Roberts Moore Virginia attorney
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