A telecom company had its $2.35 million verdict overturned by the Supreme Court of Virginia because the company was not properly registered with the State Corporation Commission (SCC) prior to the entry of the final judgment. Virginia law requires that foreign companies may file lawsuits in the Commonwealth but only after filing a certificate with the SCC […]
Can you disinherit a spouse? Virginia law was changed this year to adjust a spouse’s “elective share” rights in Virginia under Code § 64.2-308.4. Prior to the passage of this law, a surviving spouse could claim up to one-third of their deceased spouse’s “augmented estate” (a calculation that takes into account all of the various […]
Compton & Duling’s Litigation Associate, Lauren Lucian, is featured this week in Prince William Living Magazine online! Not only does Lauren work hard for her clients at the firm, she also works hard teaching her early-morning BodyPump classes and her evening law classes at George Mason University School of Law! Click below to read the […]
As a the named executor of a person who has recently passed away, there is more on your mind than simply administering the decedent’s estate. But before you rush to make an appointment with the probate clerk, it is wise to step back and consider what powers you have before you are officially sworn in […]
Typically in Virginia, a pre-negligence waiver is ineffective. In layman’s terms, that means if you go to a trampoline park and sign a waiver before jumping on the trampolines, the waiver does not serve to release the trampoline park from liability for its negligence if you later get injured. However, according to a recent case […]
The Virginia Court of Appeals has recently opined in a multi-million dollar equitable distribution case that it would be unfair to require a wife to draw down on her share of marital investments while the husband’s investment accounts could continue to grow. The court in Gordon v. Gordon affirmed the lower court’s ruling in favor of the […]
By Thomas D. Duling Have you ever wondered what will happen to your property after your death? This property, which is generally known as your estate, is distributed pursuant to certain statutes that have been enacted by our legislature. A common myth is that your estate that is not disposed of by a Will is […]
By Maryse C. Allen The adage “hire slow, fire fast” seems like sound practice. Yet I have never had either the luxury of time to do the first or the ruthlessness to do the last. When I have needed to hire a new lawyer, I typically needed to fill a position with speed. And, when […]
Three of C&D’s partners, Maryse Allen (Family Law), Geary Rogers (Real Estate), and Heather Steele (Litigation) were featured in Northern Virginia Magazine’s “Top Lawyers” issue, which hit newsstands in December 2016. The firm is honored to have its partners selected for this spotlight, and we look forward to continuing to serve our clients in the […]
By Krista N. Yancey We are all familiar with the recurring discussions over whether law school really prepares its students for practice. Luckily, I have had the pleasure of working with dozens of excellent professors and mentors throughout law school, during internships, and in the beginning of practice. Every single one, it seems, has shared […]