Tuesday, January 2nd, 2024
LYNCHBURG, Va. (January 2, 2024) – The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that Robert E. Evans has joined the firm’s Lynchburg office as of counsel in the Plaintiff’s Practice Group.
“Bob is highly regarded throughout the Commonwealth and we are pleased to welcome him to our team and know that the high level of client service that he provides, and his wealth of experience will benefit our team and our clients,” said Gentry Locke Managing Partner Brett Marston.
Prior to joining Gentry Locke, Evans worked as a sole practitioner for more than 40 years, serving clients in Lynchburg and throughout Virginia. He focuses his practice on general civil litigation, workers compensation and personal injury matters. Evans has additional experience in real estate litigation and real estate, land use and zoning law.
Evans earned his J.D. from the University of Richmond School of Law and his undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University. He is a member of the Virginia State Bar and an active member of the Lynchburg Bar Association where he served as president.
About Gentry Locke
With 81 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, 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 7th, 2023
ROANOKE, Va. (December 7, 2023) – The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that it has been named among the 2023 “Best Places to Work: Law Firms” list, published by the Business of Law Digest in conjunction with Best Companies Group. The inaugural list recognizes 28 law firms from across the country that have prioritized their employees’ well-being and created a positive work environment for their teams.
The Best Places to Work program entails a two-part research process which includes anonymous employee surveys as well as independent research comparing firms against hundreds of industry benchmarks. The combined scores determine the top firms and final rankings of those achieving high marks in categories including confidence in leadership, strong communication, corporate culture, ongoing training options, fair pay and benefits, as well as overall satisfaction. The full list of honorees is available here.
“We are proud to be included on this prestigious list which evaluates law firms of all sizes from throughout the country based on employee feedback,” said Gentry Locke Managing Partner Brett Marston. “Our firm has always believed that our people set us apart by creating a welcoming and inclusive culture while providing top-tier client service. It is incredibly rewarding to know that our employees feel valued as we continue to grow in size and scope.”
The “Best Places to Work: Law Firms” recognition is the culmination of a benchmark year for Gentry Locke, who has been celebrating its centennial throughout 2023. In January, the firm restructured its leadership team by forming an executive board to oversee its rapid growth and continue to modernize the firm’s operations. In March, Gentry Locke expanded into Norfolk, deepening the firm’s Virginia roots with its fourth office in the Commonwealth. The firm was also named to Vault’s 2024 “Top 150 Under 150” for the sixth consecutive year, recognizing the firm’s reputation for providing superior service and delivering successful results to clients. Gentry Locke was also ranked in the 2024 edition of Best Law Firms, receiving 17 Tier 1 metropolitan rankings in Virginia.
Gentry Locke’s also enjoyed continued growth throughout the firm’s footprint in its 100th year, increasing the number of attorneys by ten percent across a variety of practices areas to better serve clients and add depth to the firm’s key areas of focus.
Read About What Our Employees Are Saying
- “Gentry Locke cares about people as individuals and provides a good work platform for professional success.”
- “Employees are constantly challenged to do their best work and are treated and compensated fairly.”
- “Gentry Locke is supportive both personally and professionally. The people are great, and the work is interesting.”
- “I feel this firm is very inclusive and everyone treats each other with mutual respect. It is a fun place to work and I feel like I laugh with and enjoy my co-workers every day.”
- “It is very collegial and friendly. People care about you and want to get to know you. There is great entry level training and support from the top down.”
- “People are treated with respect and valued for what they bring to the table.”
- “Gentry Locke supports charitable causes.”
- “There are opportunities for continued learning, good benefits and employment participation in firm events.”
About Best Companies Group
Since 2004, Best Companies Group has specialized in identifying and recognizing great employers to work for. They are an independent research firm that ranks companies based on an established research methodology, with surveys providing actionable data that allows companies to benchmark their initiatives and improve employee recruitment and retention.
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, 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 7th, 2023
ROANOKE, Va. (December 7, 2023) – The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that Phoebe M. Brannock, Jessica Otiono and Kate Pollard have joined the firm as associates.
“We are excited to welcome this exceptional group of young attorneys who have already been a part of the Gentry Locke team as summer associates during their law school tenures,” said Gentry Locke Managing Partner Brett Marston. “These women each bring a high level of legal skill and commitment to client service, and we are pleased to officially welcome them aboard.”
Brannock joins the firm’s Roanoke office where she is a member of the General Commercial Practice Group. She concentrates her practice on commercial transactions, real estate and land use, and mergers and acquisitions. Brannock served as a 2022 summer associate with Gentry Locke. She earned her J.D. from Washington and Lee University School of Law and received her B.A., summa cum laude, from The College of William & Mary. While attending law school, Brannock served as a judicial intern for the Texas Second Court of Appeals and as a research assistant for the Appalachian Law Center.
Otiono has also joined Gentry Locke’s Roanoke office and is a member of the firm’s Commercial Litigation, Civil Defense Litigation and Employment Practice Groups. She focuses on providing strategic counsel to clients and handling the complexities of commercial litigation. Otiono worked as a 2022 summer associate for Gentry Locke and received her J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Richmond School of Law. A Nigerian immigrant, she is also licensed in Nigeria having earned her B.L. from Nigerian Law School and her L.L.B. from Lagos State University in Lagos, Nigeria.
Pollard joins the firm’s Richmond office as a member of the Commercial Litigation and Civil Defense Practice Groups. She worked as a summer associate for Gentry Locke in 2022 before earning her J.D. from William & Mary Law School. Pollard also received her B.A. from the University of Virginia. While attending law school, she served as a judicial intern for the Arlington County Circuit Court and as an intern at the Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia. Pollard also worked as a research assistant for the Virginia Coastal Policy Center and as a legislative aide at a boutique lobbying firm in Washington, D.C.
About Gentry Locke
With over 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, 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, November 30th, 2023
ROANOKE, Va. (November 30, 2023) – The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that 23 attorneys have been named to Virginia Business magazine’s 2023 Legal Elite list.
The list is determined by peer votes and is divided into 21 specialties. The Gentry Locke attorneys recognized in the 2023 Legal Elite list and the areas in which they are recognized include:
Virginia Business magazine polls attorneys each year, contacting more than 14,000 attorneys in 2023, asking them to select which of their peers are the top attorneys in each practice category. The full list of 2023 Legal Elite honorees is available here.
About Gentry Locke
With 79 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.
Wednesday, November 15th, 2023
NORFOLK, Va. (November 15, 2023) – The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that Joshua E. Lepchitz has joined the firm’s Norfolk office as an associate in the Civil Defense Litigation Group.
“Josh has tremendous experience with the rules and procedures of the criminal courts in Virginia and has demonstrated his commitment to providing exceptional client service and we are pleased to welcome him to our team while continuing to grow our presence in Norfolk,” said Gentry Locke Managing Partner Brett Marston.
Gentry Locke announced the opening of its Norfolk office in March 2023, marking the firm’s fourth office in the Commonwealth and identifying Hampton Roads as an area for development.
Prior to joining Gentry Locke, Lepchitz worked as an associate at a boutique criminal defense firm in Norfolk after spending three years as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney for the city of Norfolk. While in the prosecutor’s office, he prosecuted misdemeanor and felony offenses ranging from traffic infraction appeals to murder and managed a high volume of cases to prepare for trial, maintaining an understanding of current criminal code to make complex decisions and negotiate plea deals to advance justice.
Lepchitz earned his J.D. from the University of Richmond School of Law and his B.A. from The College of William & Mary. He is a member of the Norfolk Portsmouth Bar Association. Lepchitz is a supporter of the fine arts in his local community and is a member of the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art and of the PRISM Society, which is for Young Professionals in Support of the Virginia Opera.
About Gentry Locke
With 79 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, 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, November 13th, 2023
RICHMOND, Va. (November 13, 2023) – The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to announce Nia E. White has joined the firm’s Richmond office as an associate in the Civil Defense Litigation Group.
“Nia has demonstrated her capabilities as a litigator early in her career, and we are pleased to welcome her to the firm and know her arrival will add depth to our litigation group,” said Gentry Locke Managing Partner Brett Marston.
White concentrates her practice on advising national corporations in civil litigation matters with an emphasis on premises liability and insurance defense in Virginia state and federal courts. She regularly drafts pleadings, motions and briefs, and manages discovery requests. White has also negotiated numerous settlements, including through federal judicial settlement conferences and private mediations.
While earning her J.D. from William & Mary Law School, White worked as a student attorney with the William & Mary Law School Family Clinic, representing clients of the Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia on family law matters. She also served as a student research assistant working on a report proposing new solutions to Richmond’s eviction crisis. White earned her B.A., summa cum laude, from Virginia Commonwealth University and served as a volunteer with the Central Virginia Legal Aid Society. She is a member of the Virginia Bar Association and the Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys.
About Gentry Locke
With 79 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, November 2nd, 2023
ROANOKE, Va. (November 2, 2023) – The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to announce its inclusion in the 2024 edition of Best Law Firms®. The firm received 27 metropolitan rankings, including 17 Tier 1 rankings.
The firm’s full list of metropolitan rankings can be found below.
Metropolitan Tier 1 – Roanoke
- Appellate Practice
- Banking and Finance Law
- Commercial Litigation
- Construction Law
- Corporate Law
- Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
- Employment Law – Management
- Financial Services Regulation Law
- Labor Law – Management
- Litigation – Construction
- Litigation – Intellectual Property
- Litigation – Labor & Employment
- Litigation – Municipal
- Real Estate Law
- Tax Law
- Trusts & Estates Law
Metropolitan Tier 2 – Roanoke
- Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Bet-the-Company Litigation
- Employment Law – Individuals
- Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
- Mergers & Acquisitions Law
- Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
- Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs
Metropolitan Tier 3 – Roanoke
- Insurance Law
- Litigation – Bankruptcy
- Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
The Best Law Firms rankings are based on an evaluation process that includes the collection of clients and professional reference evaluations, peer review from leading attorneys, industry leader interviews and review of additional highlights provided by law firms as part of the formal research submission process. Practice area rankings are produced both nationally and within 188 metropolitan areas across the United States, with the 14th edition of Best Law Firms covering 75 national practice areas and 127 practice areas on the metropolitan lists.
The full methodology is available on the Best Law Firms website.
About Gentry Locke
With 79 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.
Wednesday, October 25th, 2023
ROANOKE, Va. (October 25, 2023) – The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that John M. Scheib has been named to the Virginia Lawyers Weekly 2023 “Leaders in the Law” list and Alicha M. Grubb has been named to the publication’s “Up & Coming Lawyers” Class of 2023. Honorees were recognized at the Virginia Lawyers Weekly celebration on October 24 in downtown Richmond.
“We are very proud of John and Alicha for these statewide recognitions, which stand as a testament to the exceptional work being done for Gentry Locke’s clients as well as their standing as esteemed practitioners and valued community leaders,” said Gentry Locke Managing Partner Brett Marston.
“Leaders in the Law” is an annual award that celebrates lawyers who are setting the standard for other lawyers by making outstanding contributions to the practice of law through significant achievements, leading improvements to the justice system, serving as role models and mentors, and serving Virginia’s legal and local communities.
The “Up & Coming Lawyers” award recognizes attorneys in their first 10 years of practice who have excelled in the profession and are standouts among their peers, making a name for themselves through significant accomplishments that establish them as leaders of the future.
The full list of attorneys recognized in the Virginia Lawyers Weekly lists is available here.
Scheib is a partner in Gentry Locke’s General Commercial Practice Group and the former Chief Legal Officer and a former senior executive of Norfolk Southern Corporation. He regularly provides clients with strategic counsel on general deal-making, legislative, regulatory and business matters and also provides advice on the legal aspects of the transportation and railroad industries. Scheib is an active member of the Virginia Bar Association’s Transportation section and serves as chair of the Corporate Counsel Section of the Virginia State Bar and is on the advisory boards of Attorney Live and Telegraph. He received his J.D. from Villanova University School of Law and earned his B.A. from the University of Virginia.
Grubb is a partner in the firm’s Commercial Litigation and Construction groups and handles construction matters related to contract negotiations, payment disputes, mechanic’s liens, construction defects, and delay claims for owners, general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and design professionals. She is one of the only attorneys in Virginia who represents heavy-duty towing and recovery companies related to highway cleanup in connection with VDOT programs. Grubb serves on the executive board of the Virginia Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division and is secretary of the Virginia Bar Association’s Transportation Section. She received her J.D. from Wake Forest University School of Law and her B.A. from Bob Jones University.
About Gentry Locke
With 79 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.
Wednesday, October 18th, 2023
ROANOKE, Va. (October 18, 2023) – The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that Monica T. Monday, head of Gentry Locke’s Appeals and Critical Issues team, has received the 2023 Edmund Randolph Award for Excellence in Oral Advocacy (the “Silver Tongue Award”) by the William & Mary Law School’s Student Division of the Institute of Bill of Rights Law.
The annual award is presented to an appellate advocate who has not only demonstrated excellence in his or her craft, but who has dedicated his or her career to improving the standards of appellate practice, the administration of justice, and ethics in the profession. Monday received the award on October 10, 2023 at William & Mary Law School in conjunction with the final round of the law school’s Bushrod Moot Court Tournament, over which she presided as chief justice as part of her recognition. Monday is an alumna of the William & Mary Law School, as well as the College of William & Mary, and was a participant in the final round of the moot court competition in 1989.
“Monica’s exceptional track record of success and leadership in the appellate field throughout Virginia is truly admirable,” said K. Brett Marston, Managing Partner of Gentry Locke. “We are immensely proud to see her join the distinguished list of recipients of this prestigious award.” Past award recipients include Walter Dellinger and Carter Phillips.
For 30 years, Monday has represented her clients in Virginia’s state and federal appellate courts across a variety of cases, including commercial and business disputes, healthcare, property, personal injury, local government matters, domestic relations, and more. Monday has devoted hundreds of hours to the improvement of appellate practice in Virginia. She has lectured and written on appellate topics, helped to draft new rules for the expanded jurisdiction of the Court of Appeals of Virginia, and testified before the General Assembly on statutory changes to Virginia appellate laws.
An active member of the Virginia Bar Association, Monday serves on the Appellate Practice Section Council and was its chair from 2019-2021. She also served as chair of the Appellate Committee of the Virginia State Bar Litigation Section from 2009-2019, where she organized and led educational programming on Virginia appellate practice and chaired the Fourth Circuit Rules Advisory Committee from 2017-2018. Since 2019, she has been a speaker at the annual Judicial Conference of Virginia, discussing recent Supreme Court of Virginia civil decisions. She is also a member and Secretary of the Boyd-Graves Conference, a group of Virginia attorneys and judges devoted to improving the quality of civil justice in Virginia. Monday served as Managing Partner of Gentry Locke from 2013-2022 and now leads the firm’s recruiting, diversity, and pro bono efforts as chair of the firm’s Executive Board.
Monday is a Fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers and was named a “Go To Lawyer for Appellate” by Virginia Lawyers Weekly. She is recognized in Chambers USA in Band 1 of the Virginia Litigation: Appellate section, and has been listed in the Best Lawyers in America® since 2009, and in Virginia Super Lawyers since 2010. In 2023, she was named to the Virginia Power 500 List by Virginia Business Magazine.
About Gentry Locke
With 79 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, August 31st, 2023
Excerpt from Virginia Business Magazine, Virginia 500 – The 2023 Power List, Vol. 4, September 2023.
On Jan. 1, Monday became chair of the Gentry Locke Executive Board, which the firm formed this year. She previously served as the firm’s managing partner for 10 years, and K. Brett Marston succeeded her as the firm’s managing partner.
The William & Mary undergraduate and law school alumna also heads the firm’s appellate practice. Before joining Gentry Locke, Monday clerked for Virginia Supreme Court Senior Justice Lawrence L. Koontz Jr. when he was chief judge of the Court of Appeals of Virginia.
Monday is a member of the Virginia Poverty Law Center’s advisory council and secretary of the Virginia Bar Association’s Boyd-Graves Conference.
As of March, Gentry Locke had 81 attorneys in Virginia. The firm opened an office in Norfolk this year, its fourth in the commonwealth.
