Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys upcoming events

POSTPONED: Tidewater Regional Networking Reception (30 Sep 2026)

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 21:30:00 GMT

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we regret that we must cancel this event. We are working to reschedule the event and hope to announce a new date soon.

Potomac Regional Networking Reception (08 Oct 2026)

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 21:30:00 GMT

We are excited to announce another networking reception in the Potomac Region!

Fall is finally here, and we look forward to bringing everyone together for another opportunity to connect, catch up, and enjoy time with colleagues — whether you joined us in May or are attending for the first time —you are invited to join us for an evening of networking at Circa at the Boro in Tysons.

Drinks, snacks, and exciting raffle prizes provided by our sponsor, Planet Depos. For an extra raffle ticket, bring a colleague who is not yet a VADA member.

The event is free for members and potential members, but registration is requested.

Polo at King Family Vineyards Networking Event (11 Oct 2026)

Sun, 11 Oct 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Polo at King Family Vineyards
October 11

2026 Annual Meeting (21 Oct 2026)

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 22:00:00 GMT

AGENDA

Requesting 9.0 CLE HRS (3.0 HRS Ethics)

Wednesday, October 21

6:00 PM – President's Welcome Reception
7:30 PM – Dine Arounds
9:30–11:00 PM – Late Night

Thursday, October 22

6:30 AM - Wellness Committee Walk/Run 5K
8:00 AM – Registration and Buffet Breakfast
8:00 AM – Past Presidents' Breakfast
8:55 AM – Welcome and General Session
9:00–10:00 AM – General Assembly Briefing
10:00–11:00 AM – The New Rule 3:8: Eliminating the Slow Drip of Serial Pleadings-Stage Motions
11:00–11:15 AM – Break
11:15 AM–12:15 PM – Frequent Flyers: Handling Recurring Expert Witnesses and Objections to IMEs
12:15–2:15 PM – Awards Luncheon
2:30–4:30 PM – Litigation Section Breakouts
4:30–6:00 PM – Break
5:00–6:00 PM – Young Lawyers Meet Up
6:00–7:30 PM – Bench-Bar Reception
7:30–9:30 PM – Dinner on Your Own
7:30–9:30 PM – Women's Section Dinner
9:30–11:00 PM – Late Night

Friday, October 23

8:00–8:55 AM – Breakfast Buffet Available
8:55 AM – Morning Announcements & General Session
9:15–10:15 AM – Preparing for the Worst and Unexpected at Deposition and Trial
10:15–10:30 AM – Break
10:30–11:30 AM – What's it Worth? Tips for Evaluating and Discussing Case Value
11:30 AM–12:30 PM – Pitfalls in the Appellate Courts
12:30–12:45 PM – Box Lunches Available
12:45–1:45 PM – Understanding the Attorney Disciplinary System (Ethics)
1:45 PM – Adjourn

HOTEL

THE HOTEL ROANOKE

Our room block has closed.
You might still find availability by booking directly with the hotel, outside our room block, or at nearby properties.

Hotel	Approx. Walk
Hampton Inn & Suites Roanoke-Downtown	8–10 min
The Liberty Trust	5–7 min
The Promissory Hotel	8–10 min
Fire Station One Boutique Hotel	7–9 min

Surrounded by the scenic beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the hotel combines classic elegance with modern amenities. There are charming downtown restaurants, shops, and attractions just steps away. Whether this is your first visit or a return to a VADA favorite, the Hotel Roanoke offers the perfect setting for a memorable Annual Meeting.

REGISTRATION

The registration fee includes all CLEs, meals and receptions. New members joining VADA will have their first-year membership fee waived for 2027. First membership bill will be sent January 2028. For further details, contact Sherma Mather at smather@vada.org.

Guest registration fee includes Wednesday and Thursday receptions. For guest ticket information for Thursday's Awards lunch, please contact Amy Gilbody at agilbody@vada.org.

Cancellations accepted until October 8, 2025. No refunds after October 8, but substitutions welcome anytime. Email Amy Gilbody at agilbody@vada.org for further information.

WEDNESDAY DINE AROUND DINNERS

Enjoy dinner, while networking with new or long-time VADA friends. It is Dutch treat, with each participant paying for their own meal.

Click here to reserve your slot.

WOMEN'S SECTION DINNER

Join the Women’s Section for an evening of creativity in a flower arranging workshop. Enjoy dinner, wine, and other beverages while learning the art of floral design in a relaxed setting. Each participant will create a fall-themed floral arrangement with guidance from experienced Roanoke florist Mary Jo Thompson (Flowers by Gloriosa). At the end of the evening, you’ll have the choice to take your arrangement home or donate it to a local organization that supports survivors of domestic violence. You can join by adding this to your registration.

WELLNESS COMMITTEE 5K

Start your Thursday with a 5K (3.1 mile) run or walk along the scenic Mill Mountain Greenway. Meet in the lobby at 6:30 AM and we'll head out together, crossing the skywalk to pick up the greenway. All paces welcome, this is a run or walk event. We'll turn around at the Walnut Avenue bridge and retrace our steps back. Afterward, grab a 5K t-shirt and some breakfast sponsored by SEA Limited to refuel before the day's sessions kick off. Join the fun by adding it to your registration.

AWARDS

Award for Excellence in Civil Litigation

C. J. Steuart Thomas, III
TimberlakeSmith

The Board of Directors of the VADA is honored to announce C. J. Steuart Thomas, III, of TimberlakeSmith as this year’s recipient of VADA’s Award for Excellence in Civil Litigation! A graduate of the University of Virginia and the Washington and Lee University School of Law, Steuart has made an indelible impact over his 40-year career on the practice of law and the legal profession. Among his many professional honors, Steuart is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and a Fellow of the Virginia Law Foundation. He is a Fellow, too, of the Litigation Counsel of America and has been recognized as one of America’s Top 100 Civil Defense Litigators. Steuart has been a Virginia Super Lawyer since 2006, has been named among the Best Lawyers in America since 2009, and is rated AV-Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell. Widely regarded as a leader in his profession and his community, he served as President of the Virginia Bar Association in 2018. He is a member of Virginia’s Boyd-Graves Conference, a past Treasurer of the Augusta Bar Association, and is a past Chair of the Board of Governors of the Young Lawyers Conference of the Virginia State Bar.

He has served, too, as a member of VADA’s Board of Directors and is an adjunct professor at Washington and Lee University School of Law, where he teaches Trial Practice. In addition, Steuart serves his community as Chair of the Board of the Shenandoah Valley Conservancy and has served for many years on the Board of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation. A proud husband and father, Steuart rightly has earned the trust and respect of the courts, his clients, and his peers. He exemplifies in no small measure the ideals upon which this Award is based.

We will present the Award for Excellence in Civil Litigation to Steuart at the Thursday Awards Luncheon at the Meeting.

VADA-VTLA Civility and
Professionalism Award

Bryan Slaughter
MichieHamlett

The VADA Board of Directors is pleased to announce Bryan Slaughter of MichieHamlett as the recipient of the 2026 VADA-VTLA Civility and Professionalism Award! Now in its 11th year, this Award, which is given each year by the VADA to a member of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association and by the VTLA to a member of the VADA, honors an attorney who exhibits the highest degree of civility and professionalism in the practice of law and, through his or her interaction with others, promotes the highest levels of competence, integrity, and ethical conduct in the legal profession.

We will present Bryan with this Award during the Thursday Awards Luncheon at the Meeting.

VADA VTLA Ethics of Artificial Intelligence Lunch & Learn (28 Oct 2026)

Wed, 28 Oct 2026 16:00:00 GMT

The Ethics of
Artificial Intelligence
Lunch & Learn Webinar
Presented by VADA and VTLA

Brielle Hunt
Phelan Petty, Richmond

Ashley Davoli
Sands Anderson, Richmond

1 Hour CLE Ethics pending

Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming part of everyday legal practice—but the ethical rules governing its use continue to evolve. For Virginia litigators, the questions are no longer simply whether AI can be used, but how, when, and under what circumstances its use creates professional responsibility concerns.

This one-hour, interactive program examines the ethical implications of AI in Virginia legal practice through a plaintiff/defense point-counterpoint format. Presenters will cover Virginia LEO 1901 concerning reasonable fees and AI-assisted work, proposed LEO 1902 addressing an attorney's obligations when opposing counsel's filings contain suspected AI-generated hallucinations, and the increasingly complex patchwork of Virginia state and federal court requirements concerning AI disclosure, certification, and verification.

The session includes interactive hypotheticals addressing real ethical dilemmas litigators face when integrating AI into billing, research, and court filings. Presenters will consider where the ethical lines may fall differently depending on whether you represent the plaintiff or the defense— and where the obligations are the same for every Virginia lawyer.

Free for VADA members.

2026 Young Lawyers Boot Camp (04 Dec 2026)

Fri, 04 Dec 2026 14:00:00 GMT

SPONSORED BY THE YOUNG LAWYERS DIVISION
This is a must-attend event for newer attorneys, who will learn the practical information needed to practice civil defense law. Sessions are taught by experienced members of the civil defense bar and the judiciary. We are offering a different agenda than 2024, so you should attend again.

Agenda

REQUESTING 6.5 HRS (1.0 HR ETHICS)

9:30-10:30 Navigating Your Way through Virginia General District and Circuit Courts and other Practical Tips in Civil Litigation

10:30-11:30 The Survivor's Guide to Expert Witnesses

11:45-12:45 Ethical Issues in Civil Defense Practice (1.0 HR Ethics)

12:45-1:15 Box Lunch

1:15-2:15 Effective Advocacy in Mediation

2:30-3:15 Written Discovery

3:15-4:00 Insurance Coverage in Automobile Cases

4:15-5:15 Judicial Advice for New Lawyers Panel Discussion

5:15 Optional Virginia Museum of History and Culture First Fridays Event

Enjoy free admission to the galleries, specials in the Café, Holiday Makers Market, access to food trucks, and live music. Each participant will receive two drink tickets.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL AGENDA

To learn about meeting sponsorship, contact Amy Gilbody at agilbody@vada.org.

2027 Spring Sections Seminar (05 May 2027)

Wed, 05 May 2027 22:00:00 GMT

Agenda

Coming Soon

Registration

Coming Soon

Hotel

Hotel 24 South
Staunton

2027 Annual Meeting (06 Oct 2027)

Wed, 06 Oct 2027 22:00:00 GMT

2027 Annual Meeting
Marriott Resort Virginia Beach Oceanfront

Further information will be posted in 2027.

2028 Annual Meeting (11 Oct 2028)

Wed, 11 Oct 2028 22:00:00 GMT

2028 Annual Meeting

Further information will be posted in 2028

Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys upcoming events

POSTPONED: Tidewater Regional Networking Reception (30 Sep 2026)

Potomac Regional Networking Reception (08 Oct 2026)

Polo at King Family Vineyards Networking Event (11 Oct 2026)

2026 Annual Meeting (21 Oct 2026)

AGENDA

HOTEL

REGISTRATION

WEDNESDAY DINE AROUND DINNERS

WOMEN'S SECTION DINNER

WELLNESS COMMITTEE 5K

AWARDS

SPONSORS

VADA VTLA Ethics of Artificial Intelligence Lunch & Learn (28 Oct 2026)

2026 Young Lawyers Boot Camp (04 Dec 2026)

Agenda

11:45-12:45 Ethical Issues in Civil Defense Practice (1.0 HR Ethics)

3:15-4:00 Insurance Coverage in Automobile Cases

4:15-5:15 Judicial Advice for New Lawyers Panel Discussion

Sponsors

To learn about meeting sponsorship, contact Amy Gilbody at agilbody@vada.org.

2027 Spring Sections Seminar (05 May 2027)

Agenda

Registration

Hotel

Sponsors

2027 Annual Meeting (06 Oct 2027)

2028 Annual Meeting (11 Oct 2028)