Wednesday, December 2nd, 2020
ROANOKE, Va. (December 2, 2020) – The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that Imani Elizabeth Sowell has joined the firm’s Roanoke office as an associate with the Employment & Labor team.
In her practice, Sowell will assist with internal investigations and the defense of federal and state court cases on a broad range of matters, as well as defending employers on administrative charges of discrimination, harassment and retaliation brought under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Title VII, Fair Labor Standards Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, and claims arising under new employment laws that became effective in Virginia on July 1, 2020. She will also provide advice to business owners and management on employment issues. Sowell joins Gentry Locke following her time as a summer associate and as a law clerk with The Poppe Law Firm in Louisville.
Sowell earned her J.D. from the Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville, where she was active in the National Appellate Advocacy Moot Court team. She earned her B.A. in political science from Virginia Tech.
About Gentry Locke
With more than 60 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 www.gentrylocke.com.
Tuesday, December 1st, 2020
ROANOKE, Va. (December 1, 2020) – The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that 20 attorneys have been named to Virginia Business magazine’s 2020 Legal Elite. The list is determined by peer votes and is divided into 18 specialties. The Gentry Locke attorneys listed as “Legal Elite” for 2020 are:
Thomas J. Bondurant, Jr., Criminal Law
William E. Callahan, Jr., Bankruptcy/Creditors Rights
Christen Church, Health Law
Chip (John G.) Dicks, Administrative Government
Michael Finney, Civil Litigation
Alicha Grubb, Young Lawyer
William Gust, Taxes Estates Trusts
Gregory Habeeb, Administrative Government
Paul Klockenbrink, Labor Employment
Christopher Kozlowski, Taxes Estates Trusts
Todd Leeson, Labor Employment
Brett Marston, Construction
Monica T. Monday, Appellate Law
David Paxton, Labor Employment
Scott Sexton, Civil Litigation
Bruce Stockburger, Taxes Estates Trusts
Maxwell Wiegard, Environmental Law
Spencer Wiegard, Construction
Kathleen Wright, Legal Services Pro Bono
Clark Worthy, Real Estate Land Use
Virginia Business polls more than 14,000 attorneys in the Commonwealth, asking them to select from their peers the best lawyers in each practice category. The 2020 list can be seen in its entirety here.
About Gentry Locke
With more than 60 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 www.gentrylocke.com.
Wednesday, November 11th, 2020
Gentry Locke Consulting will be a full-service public affairs, communications, and marketing firm
RICHMOND, VA – The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke announced on Tuesday the opening of Gentry Locke Consulting and the expansion of its Richmond office with the hiring of Patrice Lewis, an experienced public affairs and communications professional.
Gentry Locke Consulting will be a full-service public affairs, communications and marketing firm that will bring together talented professionals to serve clients. Gentry Locke Consulting will take a ‘mission-driven approach’ that emphasizes the organization’s core commitment to public service, uplifting voices, and helping clients make meaningful change.
Gentry Locke Attorneys partner Greg Habeeb will serve as President of Gentry Locke Consulting while remaining with the law firm. Gentry Locke’s Government Affairs Director Matt Moran will serve as the Director of Gentry Locke Consulting.
“We are excited about the opportunity to expand the ways in which we serve our clients through Gentry Locke Consulting,” said Gentry Locke Managing Partner Monica Monday. “Through Gentry Locke Consulting we will be able to expand our service offerings and partner with clients in innovative ways to help them achieve and succeed. Our Gentry Locke Consulting team is ready to break the mold when it comes to providing public affairs, communications and marketing services, bringing passion and purpose to their work each and every day, while continuing to be fully-supported by our law firm and team of experienced attorneys.”
Gentry Locke Attorneys also announced the expansion of its Richmond office with the hiring of Patrice Lewis. Lewis, a licensed attorney in the state of Maryland, will serve as a Government Affairs Specialist at Gentry Locke Attorneys and will serve clients through Gentry Locke Consulting. Patrice brings to Gentry Locke an extensive background in law, legislation, and market research. On top of being a Maryland licensed attorney, she has held various positions such as senior strategic advisor for SIR, Inc., outreach representative for Senator Mark R. Warner and legislative aide former Delegate Onzlee Ware. “It’s good to be a part of the Gentry Locke team,” said Lewis. “I’m excited to be a part of the growth happening at both Gentry Locke and Gentry Locke Consulting.”
Born and raised in Roanoke, Patrice is a 1999 graduate of William Fleming High School and a 2003 graduate of the University of Virginia. She received her J.D. from Regent University School of Law in Virginia Beach, VA. Her parents are Rev. Dr. L.A. Lewis, Pastor, Morning Star Baptist Church, and Mrs. Annette Lewis, President and CEO of Total Action for Progress (TAP).
“As we’ve continued to look for the right people to grow our team and Richmond office, we could not have found a more perfect fit than Patrice,” said Greg Habeeb, who leads Gentry Locke’s Government and Regulatory Affairs. “She brings a wealth of experience in public affairs and communications and a bold personality to our team. We are grateful to have her perspective and talents, and we know our clients will be too.”
Gentry Locke is also acquiring an additional 2,000 square feet of office space on the 11th floor of the SunTrust building, bringing its total presence to nearly 5,500 square feet. Gentry Locke’s Richmond office now boasts 14 full-time employees, up from two just two years ago.
“Our continued growth is based on our strategic plan to expand the ways and areas in which we can serve our loyal and dedicated clients,” said Monday. “We continue to be more than pleased by the success of the Richmond team.”
About Gentry Locke Attorneys
With more than 65 lawyers practicing across a range of disciplines, Gentry Locke Attorneys 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 www.gentrylocke.com.
About Gentry Locke Consulting
Gentry Locke Consulting is a full-service public affairs, strategic communications, and marketing firm affiliated with Gentry Locke Attorneys. Gentry Locke Consultants believes in a mission-driven approach, and partners with clients to serve the public, uplift voices, and make meaningful change throughout our community and across the Commonwealth. Learn more at www.gentrylocke.consulting.
Thursday, November 5th, 2020
ROANOKE, Va. (November 5, 2020) – The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke is pleased to announce its inclusion in the 2021 Best Law Firms rankings published by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers®. The firm secured rankings in 31 practice areas, including 17 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
Metropolitan Tier 2 – Roanoke
Metropolitan Tier 3 – Roanoke
The “Best Law Firms” rankings are based on results of an evaluation process that includes the collection of client and lawyer evaluations, peer review from leading attorneys, and review of additional information provided by law firms as part of the formal submission process. All of the quantitative and qualitative data is combined into an overall “Best Law Firms” score for each firm. This data is then compared to other firms within the same metropolitan area and at the national level.
About Gentry Locke
With more than 60 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 www.gentrylocke.com
Thursday, October 15th, 2020
Much like the I-81 construction in the western part of Virginia, the HRBT expansion project promises to have major implications for the southeastern part of the Commonwealth and beyond. In the immediate term, the massive construction project will be an undertaking like few other projects have ever seen. In the longer term, the economic benefits for the Commonwealth should prove real and significant.
Our construction team continues to monitor these major projects, and has established this page to provide a resource for information about the on-going construction and any major issues related to it. We are available to assist with construction claims, payment disputes, surety and bonding claims, environmental issues, intellectual property, and many other issues that may arise during the course of the HRBT work.
Resources
Recent Articles
Monday, October 5th, 2020
ROANOKE, Va. (Oct. 5, 2020) – The Virginia law firm, Gentry Locke is pleased to announce the arrival of Jean D. Mumm as a partner in the firm’s commercial real estate practice.
With more than 30 years of experience, Mumm brings a deep understanding of commercial real estate, business and finance transactions.
“Jean is going to be a tremendous asset to the firm and our clients,” said Gentry Locke Managing Partner Monica T. Monday. “She has worked in the law firm setting and as in-house counsel, which provides her with the ability to really see challenges from the client side.”
Most recently, Mumm served as corporate counsel for a leading global real estate investment and management firm, where she managed complex corporate real estate transactions across the U.S. In this role she prepared documents related to closings, financings, acquisitions and dispositions.
She has spent much of her legal career in private practice, assisting clients with financings, acquisitions and dispositions, loan workouts and forbearance, mergers and acquisitions, defeasance, land use and development, as well as contract and leasing matters.
Mumm earned her J.D. from the University of Richmond T.C. Williams School of Law where she served on the University of Richmond Law Review and the University of Richmond Moot Court Board. She earned her B.A., cum laude, in mathematics and economics from Bucknell University.
About Gentry Locke
With more than 60 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 www.gentrylocke.com.
Thursday, August 20th, 2020
Harbert, Gust, and Paxton Selected for “Lawyer of the Year” Awards
ROANOKE, Va. (August 20, 2020 ) – The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that 22 of the firm’s attorneys were recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© 2021, 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, Guy M. Harbert III (Insurance Law), W. William Gust (Benefits (ERISA) Law), and W. David Paxton (Employment Law – Individuals) were recognized with Best Lawyers 2021 “Lawyer of the Year” awards in Roanoke.
In its inaugural year, Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch recognized D. Scott Foster, Jr. (Corporate Law, Land Use and Zoning Law), Jeffrey P. Miller (Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, Transportation Law), Kirk M. Sosebee (Commercial Litigation), and Scott A. Stephenson (Commercial Litigation).
Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation in which tens of thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers. If the votes for an attorney are positive enough for recognition in Best Lawyers, that attorney must maintain those votes in subsequent polls to remain in each edition. Lawyers are not permitted to pay any fee to participate in or be recognized by Best Lawyers®.
Gentry Locke attorneys listed for 2021 include:
- Thomas J. Bondurant, Jr.(Corporate Compliance Law, Criminal Defense: White-Collar)
- Matthew W. Broughton(Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs)
- William E. Callahan, Jr. (Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy)
- Michael J. Finney (Commercial Litigation)
- Franklin Flippin(Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law, Financial Services Regulation Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
- William Gust(Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Tax Law)
- Gregory J. Haley(Commercial Litigation, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, Government Relations Practice, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, Litigation – Municipal)
- Guy M. Harbert, III(Insurance Law)
- Kevin Walker Holt(Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Intellectual Property)
- Paul G. Klockenbrink(Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment)
- Todd A. Leeson(Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment)
- Powell M. (Nick) Leitch, III(Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants)
- Brett Marston(Construction Law, Litigation – Construction)
- Monica Taylor Monday(Appellate Practice)
- David Paxton(Employment Law – Individuals, Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment)
- Glenn W. Pulley(Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants)
- William R. Rakes(Antitrust Law, Appellate Practice, Banking and Finance Law, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law, Financial Services Regulation Law, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions)
- Scott Sexton(Commercial Litigation, Oil and Gas Law)
- Bruce C. Stockburger(Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates)
- Charles L. Williams(Environmental Law)
- Clark H. Worthy(Real Estate Law)
- Kathleen L. Wright(Litigation – Municipal)
About Gentry Locke
With more than 60 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 www.gentrylocke.com.
Sunday, June 21st, 2020
Effective July 1, 2020, Virginia employers with 5 or more employees must be prepared to address and provide pregnancy-related accommodations to its employees. Similar to the Americans with Disabilities Act, the new law requires Virginia employers to engage in a timely, good faith interactive process to determine if a reasonable accommodation can be provided to an employee with limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, specifically including lactation. This process starts once an employee requests an accommodation related to pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition and/or notifies the employer that the employee is pregnant. Additionally, as further discussed below, employers are required to provide an employee with a summary of the non-discrimination and accommodation aspects of the law within 10 days of the employee providing notice of the pregnancy.
The new law provides a non-exhaustive list of reasonable accommodations, including:
- more frequent or longer bathroom breaks,
- breaks to express breast milk,
- access to a private location other than a bathroom for the expression of breast milk,
- acquisition or modification of equipment or access to or modification of employee seating,
- a temporary transfer to a less strenuous or hazardous position,
- assistance with manual labor,
- job restructuring,
- a modified work schedule,
- light duty assignments, and
- leave to recover from childbirth.
Employers must only provide an accommodation if it is reasonable. If an employee requests an accommodation that the employer considers unreasonable, the process does not stop there – the employer must discuss alternative accommodations. The accommodation must also not cause undue hardship on the business. Factors considered in determining whether an undue hardship exists includes the hardship on the conduct of the employer’s business, the size of the facility where the employee works, and the nature and cost of the accommodation. If Virginia courts adopt a similar undue hardship analysis applied in federal ADA cases, undue hardship will likely to be difficult for employers to prove.
The new law also provides a few nuances that even the most well-intentioned employers could fall victim to if not careful. Importantly, especially as employees are returning to the workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic, employers are prohibited from requiring an employee to take leave if another reasonable accommodation can be provided to the employee’s known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, including lactation. Employers must also be cognizant of accommodations provided to employees with medical conditions other than pregnancy as the new law presumes that the accommodation would not cause an undue hardship if already provided to a different employee.
If an employee believes that that the employer failed to reasonably accommodate the employee’s pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, the employee can file suit against the employer. A successful employee can recover up to one year of back pay, interest, compensatory damages (which are uncapped), injunctive relief, and attorney’s fees.
Employers also have an affirmative duty to notify employees of their rights and requirements under the new law. Specifically, employers must:
- include in their employee handbook notice of the law’s provisions banning unlawful discrimination based on pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions and the employee’s rights to reasonable accommodation;
- post a summary of the law where other legally-required postings are located;
- provide a summary of the law to new employees; and
- provide a summary of the law to pregnant employees within 10 days of the employee providing notice that the employee is pregnant.
The Virginia Department of Labor is expected to release a form employers can use for this purpose. Employers have until October 29, 2020 to comply with the notice requirements.
Virginia employers must be prepared to comply with this new law as of July 1. Please contact our Employment Team if you have any questions.
Wednesday, May 20th, 2020
Until further notice, we request visitors to our offices cooperate with our efforts to reduce the health risks associated with the current COVID-19 crisis:
- Please call ahead and schedule all visits to our office.
- Prior to your appointment, please let us know if you, your client, or a member of your party: (1) have become ill with symptoms associated with COVID-19 (e.g. fever, shortness of breath, coughing, upset stomach, body aches), or (2) have been exposed to or have come into close contact with someone who has become ill with symptoms associated with COVID-19 or who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 within the past 14 days.
- During your visit to the office, please use good health hygiene, including no handshakes, hugs, covering coughs and sneezes, hand washing or sanitizing, and wearing a mask if you use the restroom facilities.
- We encourage the liberal use of hand sanitizer. Containers of hand sanitizer are located throughout the office. If you cannot find one, please ask.
- Social distancing will be used throughout your visit as much as possible. Please sit only in designated seating areas to help maintain social distancing.
- Face Coverings and Masks
- Face coverings are recommended if you have not been fully vaccinated.
- If you do not have a mask, we will gladly provide one for you.
We look forward to a time when we can resume more traditional means of in-person greetings and interactions, but the infectious nature of this virus requires all of us to be more reserved. Gentry Locke is doing its part to reduce the risk of transmission. We ask your indulgence and cooperation. If for any reason you find any of these guidelines objectionable, we will be glad to discuss them with you. Unfortunately, until federal and state guidelines change, we believe these ground rules are needed to protect our workforce and to provide a healthy and safe work environment for you.
Thursday, April 23rd, 2020
RICHMOND, Va. (April 23, 2020) – The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that Erin Harrigan has joined as a partner in the Criminal & Government Investigations practice.
Harrigan served as Assistant United States Attorney in the Western District of Virginia, based in Charlottesville, where she was the Lead Prosecuting Attorney for the Organized Crime & Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) and was nationally recognized for her work with the OCDETF National Director’s Award. As a federal prosecutor, Harrigan also prosecuted and investigated public corruption, regulatory offenses, human trafficking and fraud cases of local origin and involving multi-national corporations. She previously worked for the Virginia Attorney General’s office handling criminal matters in the trial and appellate courts, and focused on human trafficking and gang/organized crime.
As both a federal and state prosecutor, Harrigan is well known for her work in human trafficking. In addition to involvement in active litigation, she has been a sought after speaker and advisor in the field of human trafficking. Among many events, Harrigan spoke at American Bar Association events advising corporations how to protect themselves from being caught up in human trafficking investigations. She was invited by the Dutch government to consult at the Hague and in Amsterdam with five other countries on strategies to combat sex trafficking of children globally.
About Gentry Locke
With more than 60 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 www.gentrylocke.com.
