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Lawyers in the News

Jeanne E. Floyd has joined the law firm of Troutman Sanders LLP as an associate in its compensation and employee benefits practice group in Richmond. Floyd was previously an associate with Williams Mullen.
Her practice focuses on all aspects of employee benefits law relating to tax-qualified retirement plans, non-qualified deferred compensation plans and welfare plans.

Floyd received her undergraduate degree in 1996 from Mary Washington College and her law degree in 2005 from the University of Richmond.

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Kelly B. LaPar, an attorney in the business and commercial litigation practice group at the law firm of Sands Anderson Marks & Miller, won the Arabian Hunter Pleasure Adult Amateur Owner to Ride category for her age group at the July 4th, 2008 Arabian Horse Association Region 15 Championships held in Lexington.

LaPar, a construction lawyer who is also developing a Virginia practice in equine law, and her horse, Shameless Knight, were unanimous champions of the division. Horse and rider are now qualified to compete in 2008 Arabian Horse Association U.S. Nationals in Tulsa, Okla. in October.

LaPar completed her undergraduate degree at Flagler College and earned her law degree from the University of Denver.

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The U.S. Secretary of Commerce recently appointed John B. Farmer to a three-year term as chairman of the Trademark Public Advisory Committee of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. TPAC is a nine-member committee that reviews the USPTO’s policies, goals, performance, budget and user fees concerning trademarks. Farmer is a member of the Leading-Edge Law Group PLC, a law firm in Richmond that specializes in intellectual property matters.

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Robert H. Jackson has joined the law firm General Counsel PC as a partner. Jackson, who is president of the McLean Citizens Association, focuses his practice on communications, technology, transactions and government relations.

Jackson was previously a sole practitioner in Washington, D.C. Prior to opening his firm, he was executive director for US West and also engaged in private practice with two D.C. firms.

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Charles E. James Jr. has joined the Richmond office of Williams Mullen as a partner. James focuses his practice on complex civil litigation, white collar criminal defense, government investigations, corporate compliance and internal investigations.

James was previously a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Department of Justice’s criminal division in Washington, D.C.

James received his law degree from Washington and Lee University in 1999 and his undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia in 1996.

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S. Gregory Cope, a partner in the Richmond office of Hunton & Williams, has been named chair of the American Bar Association’s real estate investment trusts committee in the section of real property, trust and estate law. Cope’s one-year term as chair began Aug. 12, following the ABA’s annual meeting in New York.

Cope focuses his practice on securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and general securities and corporate law matters. Cope has served as vice chairman of the committee since 2007 and served as the vice chairman of the young lawyers division business law committee of the American Bar Association from 2006 until 2007.

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Two attorneys have joined the Richmond office of Bowman and Brooke LLP as associates.
Christina A. MacIsaac focuses her practice on product liability, commercial litigation, construction litigation and warranty. She earned her law degree from the University of Richmond in 2005 and her undergraduate degree from Old Dominion University in 2002.
Michelle B. Scarponi focuses her practice on the defense of automobile and other manufacturers in product liability litigation. Her work also includes commercial litigation. She earned her law degree from Howard University in 1995 and her undergraduate degree from the University of New Mexico in 1991.

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Donna Miller Rostant was elected chair of the American Association of Justice professional negligence section at its annual convention in Philadelphia last month. A former nurse practitioner, Rostant obtained a master’s degree in nursing from the University of Pennsylvania and a law degree from Wake Forest University. Rostant is a partner with Jones & Rostant PC and focuses her practice on medical malpractice, dangerous and defective products and serious personal injury.

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The law firm of Patton Boggs has opened an office in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Practice will focus on private capital and investment funds; banking and financial institutions; international business transactions; construction, infrastructure and real estate; Islamic finance; and litigation and dispute resolution. The firm currently has offices in nine locations, including Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C.

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