2020-11-21 10:13:15
In Response to “Legal Deserts in Rural Virginia”
I believe that the October 2020 issue has some serious flaws in its representation of the number of lawyers in the Northern Neck of Virginia. You have shown Northumberland County as having 21 lawyers and Lancaster County as having 43 lawyers. While it may be true that there are a number of lawyers living in those counties who are members of the Bar, the actual number of practicing lawyers is dramatically less. I would suggest that the statistics be directed more to the number of lawyers in active practice.
Matson C. Terry II Hubbard, Terry & Britt Irvington
Editor’s Note: Our legal desert data was compiled by the American Bar Association using information provided to them by the VSB. Determining whether an active lawyer is still practicing is an inexact science, and Herb Sebren of Tappahannock seconded Mr. Terry’s conclusion that there are fewer lawyers practicing in rural Virginia than our map suggests. We hope that those lawyers in high density areas, including Northern Virginia, Virginia Beach, and the Richmond area will consider providing virtual pro bono assistance to rural Virginians via the JusticeServer (justiceserver.org) or by volunteering online with Virginia Free Legal Answers.
In Response to “What are You Afraid Of?”
Practice, practice, practice is what it takes to become a truly competent speaker. The October 2020 article, What are You Afraid Of? serves as an excellent first step for all who might want to improve communication effectiveness. The well-presented article by Jim Lofton did not mention the Toastmasters club. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has been recognized as the leading organization dedicated to communication and leadership skill development. Might your local Bar want to sponsor or host a noon or evening club? There is precedent for law schools and justice centers to do likewise. For example, Georgetown Law, the District of Columbia Courts, and the ABAPro- BAR all offer bi-weekly club meetings. Virginia lawyers may find www.toastmasters.org to be an enjoyable resource.
Eric Assur, M.A. Certified Mediator – Mentor Fairfax
December 2020 corrections:
In our October issue, in the article on capital punishment, we referred to “the Virginia House of Representatives” which should properly have been called the “House of Delegates.”
In that same article, we said that the Hon. Joseph Migliozzi was “appointed” to the Circuit Court bench when we should have said, “elected by the legislature” to the bench.
We regret the errors.
About the cover:
The Conference of Local and Specialty Bar Associations sponsored this issue of Virginia Lawyer. As social distancing continues in response to the ongoing pandemic, a cover design was created to illustrate the multiple parts that make up the whole of the CLSBA while protecting the board members. Thank you to CLSBA staff liaison Paulette Davidson (above) for assisting with the issue. Cover art montage by Kaylin Bowen.
Letters
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