(Main Office)

Woods Rogers PLC is among the largest law firms in Virginia. As you will see from the biographical sketches, the lawyers come from diverse backgrounds and reflect a broad spectrum of expertise and experience.

The firm came into existence in 1985 via the merger of two former Roanoke law firms, Woods, Rogers, Muse, Walker & Thornton, founded in 1893, and Hazlegrove, Dickinson, Rea, Smeltzer & Brown, founded in 1912. A Danville, Virginia, office was established in January, 1990. The Richmond, Virginia office opened in November, 1996. A new River Valley office was opened in January, 2001 in the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center in Blacksburg, Virginia. In April, 2002 the Lynchburg office was opened. The firm operates with two major practice sections, Business and Litigation. Each section is further organized into a number of practice groups concentrating in specific law practice areas. In this manner, the firm brings to its clients the comprehensive range of legal services and expertise available from the large firm, within the framework of personalized attention through the practice groups.

Statement of Practice

General Civil Practice. Antitrust, Appellate Practice, Banking, Bankruptcy, Business and Corporate Law, Computer Law, Construction Law, Creditors' Rights, Environmental, Estates, Health Care, Family Law, Immigration, Information Technology, Insurance, Intellectual Property, International, Labor and Employment, Litigation, Local Government, Patents, Medical Malpractice, Products Liability, Professional Liability, Public Finance, Public Utilities, Real Estate, Real Property, Securities, Tax Law, Trademarks, Transportation, Trials, Wills, Workers' Compensation.

Clients

COUNSEL FOR: Adams Construction Co.
Aetna Life & Casualty Insurance Co.
Allstate Insurance Co.
American Electric Power Co.
Augusta Hospital Corp.
Bassett-Walker, Inc.
Bell South Communications
Carilion Health System
Carter Machinery Co.
Caterpillar, Inc.
CP Films
English Construction Co.
First Union National Bank
Ford Motor Company
General Electric Co.
GTE Corporation
Hayes, Seay, Mattern & Mattern
Hercules, Inc.
Hollins University
Ingersoll Rand Company
International Telephone & Telegraph
Kroger Company
Medical Facilities of America
Memorial Hospital of Martinsville & Henry County
Norfolk Southern Corp.
Optical Cable Corp.
Roanoke College
Roanoke Gas Co.
Roanoke Electric Steel Corp.
Royal Globe Insurance Co.
Sam Moore Furniture Industries, Inc.
Times-World Corporation
Travelers Insurance Co.
Virginia Insurance Reciprocal
W. W. Boxley Inc.
Wal-Mart Stores
WDBJ Telecommunications, Inc.
Westvaco Corp.
York International Corporation.

APPROVED ATTORNEYS FOR: Lawyers Title Insurance Corp.

Address

Wachovia Tower, Suite 1400
10 South Jefferson Street P.O. Box 14125
Roanoke, VA 24038-4125, ((Independent City))

Phone

Phone: 540-983-7600; 800-552-4529
Fax: 540-983-7711

Website

http://www.woodsrogers.com

Firm/Affiliate Offices

OF COUNSEL

Frank Talbott, III (Of Counsel) (Resident, Danville Office).

Frank K. Saunders (Of Counsel) born Lynchburg, Virginia, February 27, 1932; admitted to bar, 1955, Virginia. Education: College of William & Mary (B.A., 1952); University of Virginia (LL.B., 1955). Delta Theta Phi. Member: Roanoke, Virginia and American Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Business Law; Real Estate.Email: Frank K. Saunders

Peter E. Rosden (Of Counsel) born Washington, D.C., January 10, 1947; admitted to bar, 1971, District of Columbia (inactive); 1976, U.S. Supreme Court; 1988, Virginia; U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit; registered to practice before U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Education: University of Vienna; Dartmouth College (B.A., 1968); Columbia University (J.D., 1971). Author, "Law of Advertising", (4 Vols. treatise), Matthew Bender & Co., 1974. Adjunct Professor, Catholic University School of Law, Washington, D.C., 1979-1982. Member: The District of Columbia Bar; Virginia State Bar. Languages: German. Practice Areas: Patents; Trademarks; Advertising Law.Email: Peter E. Rosden

W. McIlwaine Thompson, Jr. (Of Counsel) born New Haven, Connecticut, 1947; admitted to bar, 1972, Virginia; 1977, Texas. Education: Yale University (B.A., cum laude, 1969); University of Virginia (J.D., 1972). Member: Virginia State Bar; State Bar of Texas; American Bar Association. Practice Areas: Corporate; Oil and Gas; Contract Law; Tax Law; Securities.Email: W. McIlwaine Thompson, Jr.

Bayard Harris (Of Counsel) born Washington, D.C., July 22, 1944; admitted to bar, 1974, Virginia; 1982, U.S. District Court, Western and Eastern Districts of Virginia, U.S. District Court, Southern District of West Virginia, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Tennessee, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth and Fifth Circuits and U.S. Supreme Court. Education: University of North Carolina (A.B., 1966); University of South Carolina (J.D., cum laude, 1973). Member, Order of Wig & Robe. Comments and Research Editor, University of South Carolina Law Review, 1972-1973. Named in: "Virginia Business" Legal Elite (Management Labor) 2000-2001; "Best Lawyers in America," 1983—; "Who's Who In America," and "Who's Who in American Law,". Founder and President, The Center for Employment Law, 1990-1998. Former Chairman, Roanoke Valley Chapter and Eastern Operations Headquarters, American Red Cross. Past President, Salem/Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce. Former Member: Virginia Board of Transportation Safety; Governor's Alliance for a Drug Free Virginia Foundation. Member: Virginia and American (Member, Labor and Employment Sections) Bar Associations; Virginia State Bar. [Lt. USNR-SC (1966-1970)]. (Former Partner). Special Agencies: National Labor Relations Board; Virginia Employment Commission; Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Reported Cases: Wright v. City of Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority, 479 U.S. 418 (1987); Bowen v. U.S. Postal Service, 459 U.S. 212 (1983); Recchia v. Ericsson, Inc., 17 Fed.Appx. 137 (4th Cir. 2001); Barrett v. Applied Radiant Energy Corp., 240 F.3d 262 (4th Cir. 2001); HCMF Corp. v. District 28, 117 F.3d 1413 (4th Cir. 1997); Rhymer v. Yokohama Tire Corp., 106 F.3d 391 (4th Cir. 1997); Terry v. Norfolk Southern Corp., 50 F.3d 8 (4th Cir. 1995); Local Union No. 637, Intern. Broth. of Elec. Workers, AFL-CIO v. Davis H. Elliot Co., Inc., 13 F.3d 129 (4th Cir. 1993); Swengler v. ITT Corp. Electro-Optical Products Div., 993 F.2d 1063 (4th Cir. 1993); Chauffeurs, Teamsters and Helpers Local Union No. 171 v. Blue Ridge Transfer Co., Inc., 952 F.2d 395 (4th Cir. 1991); Fluker v. Kenney's Franchise Corp., 908 F.2d 966 (4th Cir. 1990); Felty v. Graves-Humphreys Co., 818 F.2d 1126 (4th Cir. 1987); Employees Protective Ass'n v. Norfolk & W. Ry. Co., 571 F.2d 185 (4th Cir. 1977); Employees Protective Ass'n v. Norfolk & W. Ry. Co., 511 F.2d 1040 (4th Cir. 1975); E.E.O.C. v. Optical Cable Corp., 169 F.Supp.2d 539 (W.D.Va. 2001); United Transp. Union v. Norfolk and Western Ry. Co., 605 F.Supp. 169 (W.D.Va. 1985); Bukovac v. Daniel Const. Co., 469 F.Supp. 176(W.D.Va. 1979). Practice Areas: Labor and Employment; Management Labor Law; Collective Bargaining; Employment.Email: Bayard Harris

Michael A. Cole (Of Counsel) (Resident, Danville Office).

Morgan E. Scott, Jr. (Of Counsel) born Birmingham, Alabama, November 16, 1946; admitted to bar, 1972, Virginia; 1975, U.S. District Court, Western District of Virginia; 1976, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit; 1980, U.S. Supreme Court. Education: University of Arizona (B.A., 1969); College of William & Mary (J.D., 1972). Assistant Commonwealth Attorney, 1972-1975. Assistant U.S. Attorney, 1975-1993 (Senior Litigation Counsel, 1986). U.S. Attorney 1993. Clerk, U.S. District Court, Western District of Virginia, 1994-2001. First Assistant U.S. Attorney, 2001-2006. Faculty Member, Criminal Justice, Department of Public Affairs, Roanoke College, 2005—. Member: Virginia State Bar (Member, Criminal Law Section). Practice Areas: Litigation.Email: Morgan E. Scott, Jr.

William B. Poff (Of Counsel) born Vicker, Virginia, August 23, 1932; admitted to bar, 1955, Virginia; 1959, U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. District Court, Western District of Virginia and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit. Education: Virginia Polytechnic Institute (B.S., 1952); Washington & Lee University (LL.B., summa cum laude, 1955). Phi Beta Kappa; Order of the Coif. Editor-in-Chief, Washington & Lee Law Review, 1955. Named since 1997 in "The Best Lawyers in America" (Business, Personal Injury Litigation). Named in "Virginia Business" (Litigation) Legal Elite, since December 2000. Member, State Board of Education, 1971-1977. President, Virginia State Bar, 1981-1982. Member: Roanoke, Virginia and American (Member, Board of Governors, 1987-1990) Bar Associations; Virginia Trial Lawyers Association (President, 1971); International Society of Barristers; International Association of Defense Counsel; Federation of Insurance and Corporate Counsel; American College of Trial Lawyers; International Academy of Trial Lawyers; American Board of Trial Advocates; Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys. Fellow: National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel (National Executive Committee, 1993-2007; Regional Vice President, 1999—). Practice Areas: Civil and Commercial Litigation; Intellectual Property Law Litigation; Insurance Law and Litigation; Products Liability; Tort Law Litigation.Email: William B. Poff

Michael K. Smeltzer (Of Counsel) born Abingdon, Virginia, May 19, 1936; admitted to bar, 1961, Virginia; 1962, U.S. Court of Military Appeals; 1963, Florida. Education: Virginia Military Institute (B.A., 1958); Washington & Lee University (LL.B., 1961). Phi Delta Phi. Member, Washington & Lee Law Review, 1960-1961. Named since 1997 in "The Best Lawyers in America" (Real Estate). Member: Roanoke, Virginia (Member; Chairman, 1998-1999, Board of Governors, Real Property Section) and American Bar Associations; The Florida Bar. [Judge Advocate, U.S. Army, active duty, 1961-1963]. Practice Areas: Commercial Law; Corporate Law; Real Estate (Property) Law.Email: Michael K. Smeltzer

Talfourd H. Kemper (Of Counsel) born Bluefield, West Virginia, 1935; admitted to bar, 1965, Virginia. Education: Princeton University (B.S.E., 1957); University of Virginia (LL.B., 1965). Order of the Coif; Omicron Delta Kappa. Raven Society. Member: Editorial Board, 1963-1965; Managing Board, 1964-1965, Virginia Law Review. Named in "The Best Lawyers in America" (Corporate Law, Real Estate Law), and in "Virginia Business" (Business) Legal Elite. Member: Roanoke, Virginia and American Bar Associations. Fellow: American Bar Foundation; Virginia Law Foundation. Practice Areas: Business Law; Corporate Law; Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures; Commercial Real Estate; Trusts and Estates.Email: Talfourd H. Kemper

R. Neal Keesee, Jr. (Of Counsel) born Lynchburg, Virginia, March 5, 1963; admitted to bar, 1988, Virginia. Education: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (B.S., magna cum laude, 1985); College of William & Mary (J.D., 1988). Order of the Coif. Member, William & Mary Law Review, 1987-1988. Named in "Virginia Business (Intellectual Property Information Technology) Legal Elite," December 2000. Adjunct Professor of Law, Washington & Lee University, Lexington, Virginia. Frequent speaker on topics of interest to business owners. Member: Roanoke, Virginia and American Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Corporate Finance; Corporate Formation; Corporate Tax Planning; Company Acquisitions and Sales; Computer Law; Commercial Law; Licensing; Intellectual Property Protection; Software Licensing; Corporate Reorganization; Corporate Governance; Small Business Corporations; Estate Planning; Wealth Preservation; Trademark Registration; Technology Law; Private Equity; Business Acquisitions; Spin-Offs; Mergers and Acquisitions.Email: R. Neal Keesee, Jr.

Brian M. Brown (Of Counsel) (Resident, Richmond Office).

Talfourd H. (Fourd) Kemper, Jr. (Of Counsel) born Roanoke, Virginia, April 26, 1968; admitted to bar, 1995, Virginia; 1996, District of Columbia (inactive). Education: Duke University (A.B., 1990); University of Virginia (J.D., 1995). Member, Editorial Board, Virginia Law Review, 1994-1995. Member: Virginia State Bar; Virginia Bar Association; American Bar Association (Member: Business Law Section; Private Equity and Venture Capital Committee; Negotiated Acquisitions Committee). Practice Areas: Mergers and Acquisitions; Venture Capital Financing; Corporate Law; Securities Law; Commercial Law; Trademarks; Intellectual Property; Licensing.Email: Talfourd H. (Fourd) Kemper, Jr.

Claude D. Carter (Of Counsel) born Roanoke, Virginia, October 18, 1932; admitted to bar, 1959, Virginia. Education: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (B.S., 1953); Washington & Lee University (LL.B., 1959). Chairman, 1982 and Member, 1980-1983, Board of Supervisors, Botetourt County. Member: Roanoke and Virginia Bar Associations; Virginia State Bar. [Lieut., U.S. Army, 1954-1956]. Practice Areas: Real Estate; Estate Planning; Estate Administration.Email: Claude D. Carter

Christopher R. Rhodes (Of Counsel) admitted to bar, 2004, Massachusetts; registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. (Not admitted in Virginia). Education: Roanoke College (B.S., cum laude, 1994); University of Virginia (Ph.D., 1999); Suffolk University (J.D., cum laude, 2004). Practice Areas: Patents.

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Elizabeth H. Cothran (Associate) born Falls Church, Virginia, October 14, 1975; admitted to bar, 2004, Virginia and U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia; 2007, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit. Education: Emory University (B.A., 1997); University of Richmond (J.D., 2003). Member: American, Virginia (Pre-Law Counseling Co-Chair) and Roanoke Bar Associations; Virginia State Bar; Virginia Women Attorneys Association. Practice Areas: Labor and Employment.Email: Elizabeth H. Cothran

Joshua Treece (Associate) born Pensacola, Florida, 1980; admitted to bar, 2009, Virginia. Education: Appalachian State University (B.S., with honors, 2002); College of William & Mary (J.D., 2009). Law Clerk to Hon. F. Bradford Stillman, Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia, 2007-2008. Practice Areas: Labor and Employment.Email: Joshua Treece

Caroline Frances Weeks (Associate) born Durham, North Carolina; admitted to bar, 2009, North Carolina. (Not admitted in Virginia). Education: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (B.A., 2006); Campbell University (J.D., 2009). Order of Barristers (National Member); Phi Alpha Delta. Captain: Moot Court Team, 2007; Trial Team, 2007-2009. Member, National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel. Practice Areas: Litigation.Email: Caroline Frances Weeks

Christine F. Underwood (Associate) born Washington, D.C., March 5, 1974; admitted to bar, 2004, Virginia. Education: Roanoke College (B.A., cum laude, 1996); University of Richmond (J.D., cum laude, 2004). Member: Virginia State Bar. Practice Areas: Health Law; Trusts and Estates; Business Law; Corporate Law.Email: Christine F. Underwood

Michael J. Hertz (Associate) born Seattle, Washington, December 22, 1979; admitted to bar, 2005, Virginia; 2008, District of Columbia. Education: University of Virginia (B.A., 2002), Wake Forest University (J.D., 2005). Law Clerk to the Hon. Jackson L. Kiser, Senior Judge, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia, 2005-2006. Member: Virginia State Bar; Roanoke, Virginia and American Bar Associations; The District of Columbia Bar. Practice Areas: Business Transactions; Business Law; Corporate Law; Criminal Law.Email: Michael J. Hertz

Elizabeth Burgin (Associate) born Starkville, Mississippi, December 13, 1981; admitted to bar, 2007, Virginia; 2008, U.S. District Court, Western and Eastern Districts of Virginia and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit; 2009, U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Education: Hollins University (B.A., magna cum laude, 2004); College of William & Mary (J.D., 2007). Associate, The Ted Dalton American Inn of Court, 2009. Co-Chair, Roanoke Legal Aid Pro Bono Hotline. Member: Roanoke and American Bar Associations; Virginia State Bar. Practice Areas: Litigation.

Joshua C. Wykle (Associate) born Lynchburg, Virginia, 1980; admitted to bar, 2006, Virginia. Education: Hampden-Sydney College (B.A., Political Science, 2002); Cumberland School of Law of Samford University (J.D., 2005); University of Florida (LL.M., Taxation, 2006). Member: Roanoke Bar Association; Virginia State Bar. Practice Areas: Corporate Taxation; Taxation; Corporate Law.Email: Joshua C. Wykle

Patice Holland (Associate) born Roanoke, Virginia, 1982; admitted to bar, 2007, Florida; 2008, Virginia. Education: George Mason University (B.A., cum laude, 2004); Stetson University College of Law (J.D., 2007). Member: The Florida Bar; Virginia State Bar; Virginia and American Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Civil Litigation.

Isak J. Howell (Associate) born Birmingham, Alabama, September 23, 1974; admitted to bar, 2007, Virginia and U.S. District Court, Western District of Virginia; 2008, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit. Education: University of New Mexico (B.A., 1997); University of Virginia (J.D., 2007). Order of the Coif. Chief Executive Editor, Virginia Environmental Law Review, 2006-2007. Law Clerk to the Hon. Samuel G. Wilson, U.S. District Court, Western District of Virginia, 2007-2008. Practice Areas: Construction Law; Construction Litigation; Commercial Litigation.

Daniel Sarrell (Associate) born Santa Rosa County, Florida, 1980; admitted to bar, 2009, Virginia and U.S. District Court, Western and Eastern Districts of Virginia. Education: North Carolina State University (B.A., summa cum laude, 2004); University of Richmond (J.D., cum laude, 2008). Phi Beta Kappa; Member, Client Counseling and Negotiation Board, 2006; Moot Court Board, 2006. Member: Virginia State Bar. Practice Areas: Civil Practice; Medical Malpractice Defense; Commercial Litigation.

Nicholas V. Albu (Associate) admitted to bar, 2009, Virginia, U.S. District Court, Western District of Virginia. Education: Appalachian State University (B.A., Economics, 2005); Washington & Lee University (J.D., 2009). Member: American Bar Association; Virginia Bar Association; Roanoke Bar Association. Practice Areas: Regulatory Law; Regulated Industries; Corporate Law.Email: Nicholas V. Albu

C. Carter Lee (Associate) born 1979; admitted to bar, 2009, Virginia. Education: Washington & Lee University (B.S., Business, Management & Accounting, 2001); University of Richmond (J.D., 2009). [U.S. Army, 2001-2006; U.S. Army National Guard, 2006—]. Practice Areas: Litigation.Email: C. Carter Lee