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Bar groups set procedures for Supreme Court endorsement

Several statewide bar groups have set their procedures for reviewing candidates interested in replacing Justice G. Steven Agee on the Supreme Court of Virginia.

The U.S. Senate confirmed Agee last month for a seat on the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The Virginia State Bar, the Virginia Bar Association, the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association and the Virginia Women Attorneys Association have asked candidates to submit a résumé, a brief writing sample and responses to the Supreme Court selection questionnaire.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine has asked the bar groups to assist in the process and has requested that candidates submit the same information and a statement of economic interest to him at the Patrick Henry Building, 1111 East Broad St., 3rd Floor, Richmond, VA, 23219, or preferably by e-mail at Mark.Rubin@governor.virginia.gov. The forms are available at the governor’s Web site, www.governor.virginia.gov.

Kaine and the bar groups have said that candidates who participated in the selection process last year that led to the appointment of Justice S. Bernard Goodwyn need only express their continued interest in a Supreme Court seat.
For the bar groups, information should be sent, preferably in electronic format, to:

• Virginia State Bar: Valerie Breeden, breeden@vsb.org, (804) 775-05512.

• Virginia Bar Association: Guy B. Tower, guytower@vba.org, (804) 644-0041.

• Virginia Trial Lawyers Association: Jack Harris, jharris@vtla.com, (804) 343-1143.

• Virginia Women Attorneys Associ-ation: Elizabeth K. Dillon, e.dillon@
g-mpc.com (540) 387-2320, or Mary Catherine Gibbs, mcg.hcgk@verizon.net, (703) 836-5757. The VWAA has its own application form and asks that candidates obtain it from Dillon or Gibbs.

• Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys: Leigh Farmer, lfarmer@ vada.org, (804) 649-1002.

S. Howard Woodson, the outgoing president of the Old Dominion Bar Association, said his organization planned to finalize its procedures at its annual this past weekend.

The VSB, VWAA and ODBA typically interview candidates, although they probably will not re-interview candidates who went through the process last year. The VSB and VWAA interviews will be June 27 in Richmond. The VBA and VTLA typically do not interview candidates.

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