Friday, March 31st, 2023
NORFOLK, Va. (March 31, 2023) – The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that the firm has opened an office in Norfolk, Virginia. The new office is located in the World Trade Center building in downtown Norfolk. It is Gentry Locke’s fourth office in the Commonwealth.
“At Gentry Locke, we have always prided ourselves in the deep roots we have in Virginia. Our new Norfolk office allows us to continue to serve as Virginia’s leading law firm providing extraordinary legal service throughout Virginia,” said Gentry Locke Managing Partner Brett Marston. “We identified Hampton Roads as an area for development and in the past year we have added two exceptional attorneys who have strong ties to the community, and we look forward to their leadership in growing our presence in Norfolk for the benefit of our clients.”
The new office is anchored by John M. Scheib, who joined Gentry Locke as a partner in July 2022, and Melissa O’Boyle, who joined the firm as a partner in January 2023. Scheib is a member of the General Commercial Practice Group and former Chief Legal Officer and senior executive of Norfolk Southern Corporation, with extensive deal-making, legislative, regulatory and business experience and a nationwide reputation in the railroad industry. O’Boyle is a member of Gentry Locke’s Criminal & Government Investigations Group and is a former federal prosecutor, spending more than 15 years as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia, most recently serving as the chief of criminal prosecutions for Norfolk’s Criminal Division.
“We are excited that Gentry Locke has entered into our region, enhancing our capabilities to serve our clients from an expanded footprint within the Commonwealth,” noted Scheib. “This new office is an integral part of the firm’s strategic plan to provide quality legal service to support the needs of clients with interests and operations in the Hampton Roads business community.”
Gentry Locke traces its history back to 1923 in Roanoke, growing throughout the 1950s and 1960s and establishing an office during the downtown revitalization effort of the 1970s in what is now the Gentry Locke/Truist building. The firm continued to expand, opening a new office in downtown Lynchburg in 2015 and a new Richmond office in 2018. With more than 80 attorneys now in the firm’s 100th year, Gentry Locke has consistently adapted and expanded its areas of practice to focus on emerging industries to match client demand.
“The firm has such a rich history in Virginia and has built a reputation over the past century for placing a value on client relationships,” said O’Boyle. “I am proud to be a part of Gentry Locke’s expansion into Norfolk and look forward to helping further the objective of strategic growth as we help clients achieve their business goals.”
About Gentry Locke
With more than 80 lawyers practicing across a range of disciplines, Gentry Locke brings uncommon thinking and deep experience to the legal and business challenges of companies, institutions, organizations and individuals—a commitment the firm has met since 1923. Operating from offices in Roanoke, Lynchburg, Richmond, and Norfolk, Virginia, Gentry Locke serves clients in Virginia and across the United States. Meet the firm’s dynamic attorneys and learn more about its fierce drive to achieve success for its clients by exploring our website.
Monday, February 27th, 2023
RICHMOND, Va. (February 27, 2023) – The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that Emily S. Mordecai has joined the firm’s Richmond office as a member of its Commercial Litigation team. Mordecai previously worked as a litigation associate in the Richmond office of an AmLaw100 firm. Her subject-matter experience ranges from complex commercial disputes to products liability and personal injury cases to nationwide employment class actions. As a part of the Commercial Litigation team, Emily will work with Gentry Locke’s clients across the Commonwealth through all phases of business litigation and alternative dispute resolution.
“We are pleased to welcome Emily to the firm and know that her impressive litigation experience across a variety of practice areas and commitment to client service will be an asset to our team,” said Gentry Locke Managing Partner.
Emily’s litigation experience spans from pre-litigation counseling through trial and appeal. Prior to joining Gentry Locke, she successfully argued a prisoners’ rights case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and achieved a favorable outcome for her client. Mordecai received her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Virginia.
About Gentry Locke
With more than 80 lawyers practicing across a range of disciplines, Gentry Locke brings uncommon thinking and deep experience to the legal and business challenges of companies, institutions, organizations and individuals—a commitment the firm has met since 1923. Operating from offices in Roanoke, Lynchburg, Richmond, and Norfolk, Virginia, Gentry Locke serves clients in Virginia and across the United States. Meet the firm’s dynamic attorneys and learn more about its fierce drive to achieve success for its clients by exploring our website.
Thursday, January 19th, 2023
RICHMOND, Va. (January 19, 2023) – The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that former federal prosecutor Melissa E. O’Boyle has joined the firm’s Criminal & Government Investigations practice group as a partner.
“Melissa has established herself as a leading federal prosecutor in Virginia and is well-known in the Eastern District for her exceptional work on matters involving public corruption and financial fraud,” said Gentry Locke Managing Partner Brett Marston. “We are thrilled to welcome her to the firm and know that her experience in handling complex criminal cases and in leading investigations will make her an asset to our team and our clients.”
Prior to joining Gentry Locke, O’Boyle worked for more than 15 years as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia, investigating and prosecuting a broad array of criminal matters and coordinating relationships with law enforcement and regulatory partners. Most recently, she served as the chief of criminal prosecutions for Norfolk’s Criminal Division, where she oversaw 19 federal prosecutors and managed the white-collar unit responsible for authorizing and managing fraud, public corruption, securities, national security, and civil rights investigations and prosecutions. As an AUSA, O’Boyle successfully litigated some of the district’s highest-profile public corruption trials, including cases against former Norfolk Sheriff Robert McCabe, former Norfolk Vice Mayor Anthony Burfoot, former Norfolk Police Detective Robert Glenn Ford, and the case against community activist and congressional candidate Shaun Brown. She also led the investigation and prosecution of numerous complex criminal fraud cases, such as the case against executives responsible for the financial collapse of the Bank of the Commonwealth, a $25 million securities fraud case against the Chief Executive Officer of an investment firm, and a $7 million real estate Ponzi scheme involving former Virginia attorney Troy Titus.
As a member of the firm’s Criminal & Government Investigations practice, O’Boyle will work with clients to ensure compliance with increased regulatory oversight across a variety of industries including insurance, healthcare, government contracting, natural resources, banking, securities and financial institutions. She will draw on her vast experience as a federal white-collar prosecutor to advise individual and corporate clients facing criminal and civil enforcement actions and conduct internal investigations to provide strategic counsel to businesses to minimize legal risk.
O’Boyle received her J.D. from the Washington and Lee University School of Law and her B.A. from Capital University in Ohio. In 2022, she was recognized with a Top Prosecutor Award by the Women in Federal Law Enforcement (WIFLE) for exemplary achievements in prosecutions of federal crimes. O’Boyle also was recognized with the EOUSA Director’s Award for Superior Performance as an Assistant United States Attorney in 2011 and 2016 and was a recipient of the FBI Director’s Citation for Excellence in Prosecution in 2014.
About Gentry Locke
With more than 80 lawyers practicing across a range of disciplines, Gentry Locke brings uncommon thinking and deep experience to the legal and business challenges of companies, institutions, organizations and individuals—a commitment the firm has met since 1923. Operating from offices in Roanoke, Lynchburg, and Richmond, Virginia, Gentry Locke serves clients in Virginia and across the United States. Meet the firm’s dynamic attorneys and learn more about its fierce drive to achieve success for its clients by exploring our website.
Monday, January 9th, 2023
ROANOKE, Va. (January 9, 2023) – The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that Harrison E. Richards has joined the firm’s Roanoke office as an associate.
“Harrison is an exceptional attorney with experience at the intersection of employment law and litigation, making him a tremendous addition to our team,” said Gentry Locke Managing Partner Brett Marston. “We are pleased to welcome him to the firm and know that his practice will enhance our capabilities in serving our clients.”
Richards is a member of the firm’s Employment & Labor Practice Group. In this role, he will handle a wide variety of employment disputes and litigation, and will provide important depth and skills to the firm’s growing employment law practice.
Prior to joining Gentry Locke, Richards was an associate with a boutique litigation firm in Washington, D.C. He has experience in state and federal courts as well as with arbitrations and administrative evidentiary hearings before the American Arbitration Association. Richards earned his J.D. from The Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law and received his B.A. from Roanoke College. He is licensed to practice in Virginia and in the District of Columbia. He is a native of Roanoke, Virginia.
About Gentry Locke
With more than 80 lawyers practicing across a range of disciplines, Gentry Locke brings uncommon thinking and deep experience to the legal and business challenges of companies, institutions, organizations and individuals—a commitment the firm has met since 1923. Operating from offices in Roanoke, Lynchburg, and Richmond, Virginia, Gentry Locke serves clients in Virginia and across the United States. Meet the firm’s dynamic attorneys and learn more about its fierce drive to achieve success for its clients by exploring our website.
Thursday, January 5th, 2023
ROANOKE, Va. (January 5, 2023) – The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that attorneys David R. Berry, Charles L. Calton, D. Scott Foster Jr. and Alicha M. Grubb have been promoted to the partnership, effective January 1, 2023.
“It is a testament to our firm culture to have such an exceptional group of young attorneys with a diverse set of skills that allow us to serve a wide range of clients,” said Gentry Locke Managing Partner Brett Marston. “We congratulate them on this accomplishment and look forward to their continued contributions to the firm and to the legal profession as a whole.”
Berry focuses his practice on helping clients with business disputes across a variety of areas, including construction and transportation, and also handles appellate matters. He also advises clients with matters related to billboard and outdoor advertising. Prior to joining Gentry Locke, he served for two years as a law clerk to The Honorable Donald W. Lemons, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia. Berry also held roles in the United States Attorney’s Office and the Office of the Attorney General of Virginia. He earned his J.D. from the University of Richmond School of Law and his B.A. from George Mason University.
Calton is a member of Gentry Locke’s Plaintiff’s group and represents clients in medical malpractice, wrongful death, and personal injury cases throughout Virginia. Prior to joining the firm, he spent more than 10 years as a claims representative in the civil litigation section at the Virginia Office of the Attorney General. Calton has been listed in Virginia Rising Stars since 2019 and is a member of the Ted Dalton American Inn of Court, the Virginia Trial Lawyers’ Association, the Virginia Bar Association and the Virginia State Bar. He received his J.D. from the University of Richmond School of Law and his B.S. from the University of Virginia’s College at Wise.
Foster helps businesses with their land use, real estate and corporate law needs. As a member of Gentry Locke’s Legislative Affairs and Solar and Renewable Energy teams, he handles solar and battery storage land use matters across the Commonwealth. Foster is a former member of Williamsburg City Council and former Vice-Mayor of the city. He is a member of the William and Mary Real Estate Foundation Board of Directors and the Tourism Development Grant Fund Review Committee in Williamsburg. Foster has been recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch since 2021 and received his J.D. and B.A. from The College of William and Mary.
Grubb is a member of Gentry Locke’s Commercial Litigation and Construction groups. She handles matters related to contract negotiations, payment disputes, mechanic’s liens, construction defects, and delay claims for owners, general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and design professionals. Grubb also handles real estate and contract litigation and landlord/tenant issues. Prior to joining the firm, she worked as a law clerk for the judges of the Twenty-third Judicial Circuit of Virginia. Grubb serves as secretary for the Virginia Bar Association’s (VBA) Transportation Section and is a member of the VBA Young Lawyers Division Executive Committee. She received her J.D. from the Wake Forest University School of Law and her B.A. from Bob Jones University.
About Gentry Locke
With more than 80 lawyers practicing across a range of disciplines, Gentry Locke brings uncommon thinking and deep experience to the legal and business challenges of companies, institutions, organizations and individuals—a commitment the firm has met since 1923. Operating from offices in Roanoke, Lynchburg, and Richmond, Virginia, Gentry Locke serves clients in Virginia and across the United States. Meet the firm’s dynamic attorneys and learn more about its fierce drive to achieve success for its clients by exploring our website.
Wednesday, January 4th, 2023
ROANOKE, Va. (January 4, 2023) – The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to announce updates to its leadership in 2023. As part of its strategic plan for sustained growth and success, the firm has formed an executive board, effective January 1, 2023. Former Managing Partner Monica T. Monday will serve as chair of the executive board. K. Brett Marston has been named the new managing partner and will also serve on the executive board. Additional members of the executive board are Matthew W. Broughton, William Gust, and Gregory H. Habeeb. Monday served as managing partner from 2013-2022, and led the growth of the firm, including the addition of offices and attorneys in the Lynchburg and Richmond markets.
“We are thankful for Monica’s decade of service as the firm’s managing partner. Under her leadership, Gentry Locke has achieved great results for our clients and has grown to be one of the leading law firms in the Commonwealth. It remains our goal to build on the momentum and improve on the success that Gentry Locke has experienced during her tenure. That success is based upon how we value and prioritize the relationships we have with our clients, our communities, and our Gentry Locke team,” said Brett Marston.
Monday will continue to lead the firm’s Appellate practice, representing clients statewide in Virginia’s state and federal appellate courts in a wide variety of matters. As chair of Gentry Locke’s executive board, Monday will lead the board’s work and focus on efforts to recruit, develop, and retain top legal and staff talent.
As to her successor as Managing Partner, Monday said that “Brett has demonstrated tremendous leadership within and outside of Gentry Locke for many years. Within the firm, he has served on the firm’s management committee, as head of the firm’s Business Development Committee, and as commercial litigation and construction practice leader. Outside of the firm, Brett has served and continues to serve in leadership with the Virginia State Bar and in numerous civic organizations in the Roanoke Valley,” said Monday. “Brett’s commitment to this firm, its clients, and to upholding high standards of Gentry Locke is remarkable. We are confident that the firm will continue on its trajectory of success under Brett’s leadership.”
As managing partner, Marston will handle day-to-day responsibilities on behalf of the firm and will lead the firm’s continued implementation of its strategic plan, including its focus on smart growth and practice development. Marston will also continue to serve clients through Gentry Locke’s Construction Contracting and Litigation practice group, handling significant construction-industry matters for clients throughout Virginia. He is an active member of the Virginia State Bar and currently serves on the Virginia State Bar’s Budget & Finance Committee, Professionalism Committee, and Standing Committee for Legal Ethics.
Gentry Locke will be celebrating its 100th year in 2023. Since Monday was named the firm’s managing partner in 2013, the firm has added offices in Lynchburg and Richmond, grown to more than 80 attorneys, and expanded its areas of practice to focus on emerging industries to match client demand and on complex litigation.
About Gentry Locke
With more than 80 lawyers practicing across a range of disciplines, Gentry Locke brings uncommon thinking and deep experience to the legal and business challenges of companies, institutions, organizations and individuals—a commitment the firm has met since 1923. Operating from offices in Roanoke, Lynchburg, and Richmond, Virginia, Gentry Locke serves clients in Virginia and across the United States. Meet the firm’s dynamic attorneys and learn more about its fierce drive to achieve success for its clients by exploring our website.
Monday, January 2nd, 2023
ROANOKE, Va. (January 2, 2023) – The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to welcome Jeffrey C. Southard to the firm’s statewide Construction Industry Contracting and Litigation group. Southard is a licensed Virginia attorney, who will also work with clients through Gentry Locke Consulting. He most recently served as the Executive Vice President of the Virginia Transportation Construction Alliance.
“This is exciting news. Jeff is an excellent addition to Gentry Locke and to its growing construction contracting and litigation team across the Commonwealth. Jeff brings more than 20 years of experience in the transportation and construction industries. He has led management teams and collaborated with business stakeholders to build consensus, all while taking an innovative approach to developing business,” said Gentry Locke Managing Partner Brett Marston. “We are thrilled to welcome Jeff to the firm and know that our clients and attorneys will benefit from his experience in contractual, legal, policy, regulatory and legislative matters important to businesses in the construction industry.”
Prior to joining Gentry Locke, Southard spent 15 years with the Virginia Transportation Construction Alliance where he managed all of the alliance’s business, advocacy, and government regulatory affairs programs. This included developing and implementing a new strategic plan for the alliance as well as a new legislative plan that resulted in billions of dollars in new transportation funding in Virginia. Southard also spent five years with the Virginia Department of Transportation where he gained valuable insight into the intersection of transportation, construction and environmental affairs and was instrumental in developing new programs on environmental compliance, construction claims, and employee safety performance.
Southard is a graduate of the University of Richmond School of Law and earned his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Education from the University of Virginia.
About Gentry Locke
With more than 80 lawyers practicing across a range of disciplines, Gentry Locke brings uncommon thinking and deep experience to the legal and business challenges of companies, institutions, organizations and individuals—a commitment the firm has met since 1923. Operating from offices in Roanoke, Lynchburg, and Richmond, Virginia, Gentry Locke serves clients in Virginia and across the United States. Meet the firm’s dynamic attorneys and learn more about its fierce drive to achieve success for its clients by exploring our website.
Thursday, December 8th, 2022
ROANOKE, Va. (December 8, 2022) – The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that Jared A. Tuck and Aidan C. Williams have joined the firm’s Roanoke office as associates.
“We are pleased to welcome Jared and Aidan to the firm and are confident that they will provide valuable support to our team in continuing to provide exceptional service to our clients,” said Gentry Locke Managing Partner Monica T. Monday.
Tuck is a member of the firm’s Plaintiff Practice Group and previously served as a summer associate with Gentry Locke. Tuck earned his J.D. from William & Mary Law School and received his B.A. from Emory & Henry College. Prior to attending law school, he served as a legal intern for the Wythe County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.
Williams is a member of Gentry Locke’s Commercial Litigation Practice Group where he assists businesses and commercial clients as they navigate litigation across a variety of industries. He earned his J.D. from the Wake Forest University School of Law and received his B.A. and MPA from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. While earning his MPA, Williams has served as a General Assembly Fellow of the Virginia Tech Office of Government Relations and also interned with the Office of Congressman H. Morgan Griffith in Washington, D.C.
About Gentry Locke
With 80 lawyers practicing across a range of disciplines, Gentry Locke brings uncommon thinking and deep experience to the legal and business challenges of companies, institutions, organizations and individuals—a commitment the firm has met since 1923. Operating from offices in Roanoke, Lynchburg, and Richmond, Virginia, Gentry Locke serves clients in Virginia and across the United States. Meet the firm’s dynamic attorneys and learn more about its fierce drive to achieve success for its clients by exploring our website.
Thursday, December 1st, 2022
ROANOKE, Va. (December 1, 2022) – The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that 20 attorneys have been named to Virginia Business magazine’s 2022 Legal Elite list.
The list is determined by peer votes and is divided into 20 specialties. The Gentry Locke attorneys recognized in the 2022 Legal Elite list and the areas in which they are recognized include:
Virginia Business magazine polls attorneys each year, asking them to select which of their peers are the top attorneys in each practice category. The full list of 2022 Legal Elite honorees is available here.
About Gentry Locke
With 80 lawyers practicing across a range of disciplines, Gentry Locke brings uncommon thinking and deep experience to the legal and business challenges of companies, institutions, organizations and individuals—a commitment the firm has met since 1923. Operating from offices in Roanoke, Lynchburg, and Richmond, Virginia, Gentry Locke serves clients in Virginia and across the United States. Meet the firm’s dynamic attorneys and learn more about its fierce drive to achieve success for its clients by exploring this website.
Wednesday, October 12th, 2022
ROANOKE, Va. (October 12, 2022) – The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that eight of the firm’s attorneys have been elected to serve in leadership roles in the Virginia State Bar and local bar associations.
“We are proud of the dedication each of these attorneys has shown to serving the legal profession and upholding the highest standards of professionalism and know that their leadership capabilities will be a benefit to each of these organizations,” said Gentry Locke Managing Partner Monica T. Monday.
Christen C. Church has been elected by the Roanoke Bar Association as president-elect for the 2022-2023 term. Church, a partner in the firm’s Roanoke office, has a transactional and advisory practice focusing on intellectual property, health care regulation and compliance, data privacy and security, mergers and acquisitions, and commercial financings.
Kevin Walker Holt has been elected to a three-year term as a representative for the 23rd Judicial Circuit, on Bar Council, the governing body of the Virginia State Bar. Holt is a partner in the firm’s Roanoke office with a diverse practice encompassing commercial, real estate, ERISA, and intellectual property litigation. He regularly works with companies and individuals in business and contract disputes, including complex financial and real estate matters.
Brett Marston has been elected to serve on the Virginia State Bar’s Budget and Finance Committee, Professionalism Committee, and the Standing Committee for Legal Ethics. Marston is a partner in Gentry Locke’s Roanoke office and and Chair of the firm’s Construction Law practice group. He has experience in construction contract negotiations and preparation and handles significant construction matters in federal and state courts.
Jeffrey P. Miller has been elected as president-elect of the Henrico County Bar Association for the 2022-2023 term. Miller is an associate in the firm’s Commercial Litigation group in the Richmond office where he represents clients in Virginia’s state and federal courts across a variety of areas, including transportation, hospitality, defamation, and business disputes, both at the trial and appellate levels.
John M. Scheib has been elected as chair of the Corporate Counsel Section of the Virginia State Bar. He is a partner in Gentry Locke’s Commercial Litigation Practice Group and the former Chief Legal Officer and a former senior executive of Norfolk Southern Corporation. Scheib has extensive experience in general deal-making, legislative, regulatory, and business matters as well as in the legal aspects of the transportation and railroad industries. He is also an active member of the Virginia Bar Association’s Transportation Section.
Kirk M. Sosebee has been elected as president-elect of the Western District of Virginia Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. Sosebee is a partner in the firm’s Construction Litigation and Business Litigation sections. He regularly represents owners, general contractors, subcontractors, and design professionals with issues relating to both road building and vertical construction projects. Sosebee also represents clients in government contractor debarment proceedings and False Claims Act/whistleblower actions.
Karen L. Cohen has been elected as chair of the Real Property Section of the Virginia State Bar and co-chair of the Land Use and Enviromental Committee for the Real Property Section.
Spencer M. Wiegard has been elected as Secretary of the Virginia State Bar’s Construction and Public Contracts Section.
About Gentry Locke
With 80 lawyers practicing across a range of disciplines, Gentry Locke brings uncommon thinking and deep experience to the legal and business challenges of companies, institutions, organizations and individuals—a commitment the firm has met since 1923. Operating from offices in Roanoke, Lynchburg, and Richmond, Virginia, Gentry Locke serves clients in Virginia and across the United States. Meet the firm’s dynamic attorneys and learn more about its fierce drive to achieve success for its clients by exploring this website.
