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Message from the Editor

Brooke Anne C. Hunter

Mental Health & Wellness Preface

Elyse H. Stiner, Guest Editor

When I agreed to serve as guest editor for this edition of the newsletter, I anticipated that writing this preface would be easy. I was wrong. Very wrong. I kept wondering why I was having such difficulty. Then, I read the Chairman’s Message and realized the origination of my writer’s block. The transparency, sincerity, and wisdom of the message struck a chord with me. Wellness and mental health are underdiscussed in the legal profession. This was not a new revelation to me. However, I had not fully grasped the magnitude of our avoidance until I read the Commission’s message. I realized how significant and meaningful it was to have that acknowledgment that these issues are real.

So, how does one introduce a topic that has such gravitas? My answer: with honesty and vulnerability. I concluded that if I was uncomfortable with the topic, others reading this newsletter likely are as well. As I write this, it occurs to me that I should be better at embracing these issues by now, as I had my own collision course with mental health and wellness. I simply avoided it until I could not ignore it anymore. After all, I didn’t have time. I had other priorities. Fires to put out. I would get to it later. It could wait. Until it couldn’t wait.

To avoid garnering “pot meet kettle,” “those in glass houses,” references, I have a disclaimer. I am certainly not qualified to preach to anyone about mental health. Nor am I the exemplification of balance. Quite the opposite. Nevertheless, I did not pay attention to my mental health and wellness, and it affected me. I still have to work on it. I don’t have a secret solution. However, sharing my vulnerability is what I can offer all of you.

People say, “It is ok to not be ok.” I agree in theory, but in practice – is it actually, ok? Can I let my guard down with clients, opposing counsel, judges, others in the legal community? Won’t I look weak if I do this? If I ask for help, will people think “she just can’t handle the pressure of our profession?” Maybe people will think that. Maybe others won’t. But, as Dr. Suess said best, “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”

Perhaps more importantly, I’ve discovered that if I can be proud of my actions and behaviors, that is what counts. Because at the end of the day, I cannot control anyone’s actions but my own. It is a futile exercise to try. In that acceptance, I find peace. I’ve also found that as I care for others, it becomes incredibly easy to avoid caring for myself. It takes honesty and awareness to focus on myself. It does not come naturally to me. I’ve learned that it is critical to “put your own oxygen mask on first.” Because if you don’t – you cannot help anyone else with theirs.

I did not reach these resolutions on my own. In fact, I could not. I needed a village. I was lucky enough that I had a community built. One that I did not build, but it was one that I could lean on in the darkest and brightest of times. Many of you reading this are part of that community. This mental health wellness journey was not/is not easy. In fact, it was/is incredibly difficult, but it ultimately changed my life for the better. By practicing gratitude for that truth, I am able to discuss this topic. Because of this community, I can honestly say that I did not let my clients down. I was honest. I communicated. I also knew when to call uncle, when to let it go, and when to say no. I discovered that saying “no” does not require permission.

I have learned that I am allowed to give myself the same grace I would give to others. So, how is my wellness journey going? It’s going. Some days, weeks, months are bad. Some are great. So, it’s going. To me, “going” is an accomplishment. As the saying goes, “it is about progress, and not perfection.”

Lastly, I’d be remiss if I failed to mention our bar. It truly is something special. I am forever impressed by the respect, kindness, and integrity of those around us. Yet, there are times when the earth feels scorched, and the case is doused in acrimony. It is in those moments where I try to pause before I react. I consider the source. I ask myself how important is it? I remind myself that I never know what something is going through behind the scenes. I’ve learned that empathy is extremely powerful. In conclusion, I can only hope that by sharing my experience and message, it encourages all of you to continue the discussion about mental health and wellness in the legal community.

Message From The President

Lisa M. Frisina

Let us know how you would like to get involved and we will make that happen.

Message from the VWC Chairman

Robert A. Rapaport

To be a good lawyer, one has to be a healthy lawyer.  Sadly, our profession is falling short when it comes to well-being. – The 2017 National Task Force on Lawyer Well-being

The best answer I can give to address the stress of our profession is that you take a critical look at yourself. Self-examination and evaluation will enable you to manage your expectations. Don’t try to be an expert in every field of law. Choose an area or two that you enjoy and feel comfortable with. Know when to say no and when to ask for help. By selecting an area of law you enjoy you will, by nature, want to excel in that area. Handling cases that you have no desire to handle will only lead to a poor result and a loss of focus that is required to see the entire case. It is not enough to know your case; you must also know the defenses you will face and what evidence you will need to prevail. The greatest compliments I ever received from my clients, or my witnesses, was that every question that they were asked they had heard before and felt comfortable in answering. Also, don’t take on more than you can handle. There must be a work/life balance. While more work generally means more money, not having any time to enjoy the fruits of your labor will lead to burnout and a lack of mental health.

The last bit of advice can offer is don’t bother to be better than your contemporaries or your predecessors. Be better than yourself. If you offer the best version of yourself no one, including yourself, can ask more.  

“Don’t bring your personal problems to work!”  But what do you do when work is your personal problem?  When I started working for lawyers more than 20 years ago, the profession seemed resigned to the work/life status quo. “This is just the way it is.”  You either practiced at a lifestyle firm (whatever that means?) or not, and I’m not sure that made much of a difference.  Lawyer mental and physical wellness wasn’t discussed. There were those that could hack it and those that couldn’t. 

The 2017 Report from the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being provided the data to support what most in the profession already knew; the culture is toxic and its lawyers are suffering. The profession has long taken a toll on lawyers and their mental and physical health, not to mention their personal lives. It seems the support mechanisms needed to cope with the daily professional challenges and demands are the very things that get disregarded first.  Severe, chronic and cumulative stress and overwhelm can invite unhealthy coping behaviors that damage the life of the lawyer and those they care about. It's heartening to see lawyers opening up and talking about it and the profession making an effort to change. Thank goodness shame and silence are becoming a thing of the past. Legal culture is overdue for healthy change, and I hope that culture shift starts with you.

You’re relentless in achieving a result and utterly devoted to protecting your client’s interests.  So what about your own?  On a regular day where you tirelessly (and perhaps tiredly) advocate for your clients for hours on end, how many six minute increments do you advocate for yourself so you can show up at your best?  Your clients hire you to creatively solve their complex problems. I encourage you to solve one of your own: what do you need to do each day to take care of yourself so that you can effectively care for those you care about?  How can you benefit from your own good counsel in creating a healthy support system to cope with and respond to the pressures of your practice?

“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” - Albert Einstein

Of course, there is no magic formula for mental and physical wellness.  It’s not a one size fits all type of solution. There are no “How To’s” that can deliver a predictable, reliable result.  Circumstances are constantly changing, and we are constantly responding to those circumstances. You are the expert on you. Only you know your personal and professional situation and what it is that you need at any given moment to replenish and restore your mental and physical health.  Running on empty, depleted and pushing harder can make you less efficient, less focused, burned out, isolated and perhaps even a little resentful. As the airlines remind us each flight, “you need to put your own oxygen mask on first before helping others.” Are you giving yourself what you need so you can show up the way you want for your family, friends, clients and colleagues?  

So, where to begin?  Mental and physical well-being needs are specific to each person, and there are many individual pain points that lead to chronic stress. However, among the many assessments and benchmarks there seem to be a few recurring foundational concepts to consider before exploring other stress management techniques.  Are you giving yourself what you need in these areas?

1. Sleep - You already know sleep experts recommend seven to eight hours of quality sleep per night. Sleep is essential to our physical and mental functioning the next day.  Inadequate sleep can affect memory, mood, concentration, immunity, and health.  Not getting enough quality sleep on a regular basis raises the risks of many diseases and disorders including heart disease, stroke, obesity and dementia according to the National Institute of Health.  It is a bidirectional problem. Stress and depression can affect sleep which impacts our ability to cope with stress and depression.  If you are not getting enough sleep, can you pinpoint the reason why?  What can you do to improve your sleep quality?

   
   

2. Sunlight/outdoor activity - A number of recent studies suggest that outdoor exercise can be more effective at treating mild-to-moderate depression than Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) like Lexapro, Paxil, Prozac, and Zoloft. Serotonin, a neurotransmitter, which acts like a hormone and helps us feel calm and focused, can be boosted by being in bright daylight.  In addition to mood, serotonin helps with sleep, digestion, memory, libido, and appetite among other functions. How can you add more sunlight/outdoor activity to your day?  What does a walk do for you?

   
   

3. Movement - The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and two or more days of muscle strengthening activities. Physical activity reduces feelings of anxiety, helps promote quality sleep, and releases endorphins, the body’s natural painkiller hormones.  It also supports brain and heart health as well as the prevention of certain cancers among other benefits.  What kind of physical activities do you like to do and how can you do them more often?

   
   

4. Nutrition - The importance of eating healthy food for our bodies is well documented.  Research also shows a link between food and mood.  Studies comparing the typical “western” diet, high in processed foods, to the traditional Mediterranean/Japanese diet show the risk of depression is 25-35% lower in the traditional diets. Dehydration is linked to impaired cognitive function and memory.  Missing meals can lower blood sugar levels leaving us irritable, confused and fatigued.  How can you provide healthy nutrition to sustain you throughout the day?

   
   

5. Healthy Relationships  -  Loved ones can buoy you in times of struggle and overwhelm like nothing else.  You know the value of your time, and investing your time with family, friends and non-professional pursuits can pay in more fulfilling ways than money.  Maintaining a strong support system is essential to mental health and can easily be neglected without intentional effort.  Similarly, fostering healthy relationships with your colleagues and staff can provide essential professional and moral support when meeting deadlines, client demands and unpredictable challenges.  Professional relationships understand in a way perhaps friends and family cannot.  Who is in your corner both personally and professionally?  What are the supportive, trustworthy and respectful relationships you can lean on?  How can you allow yourself to ask for and receive their support?  How do you show up for them and reciprocate the support they give you?

The unfortunate truth is that many of you, if not all, can and have performed quite well with limited sleep, sunlight, movement, nutrition and supportive connections. You can deliver wonderful results for clients, but at what expense to your own well-being? At what cost to your life and relationships? Is this a sustainable way to practice? 

The last thing lawyers need is more professional obligations and ethical responsibilities!  I hope you find greater motivation to protect your mental and physical well-being by what you, your clients, colleagues, family and friends will gain.  Healthy lawyers make healthy firms. Use the same dedication, tenacity and intellect that serves your clients so well to serve yourself in making small, incremental changes over time.  Be the change you’d like to see in the profession. Lead by example and others will follow.    

If I am not for myself, who is for me?  And If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when? - Hillel the Elder

How Do Wellness and Vicarious Trauma Go Hand In Hand?

Barbara Mardigian, LPC

Clinical Director,

Virginia Judges & Lawyers Assistance Programs

One of the lesser-talked about occupational risks of practicing law is vicarious trauma. It is defined as “Emotional residue of exposure to traumatic stories through others; witness fear, pain, and terror.” The prolonged exposure to clients’ legal cases, stories, interactions and professional environment can be mentally and physically stressful, exhausting and debilitating; ultimately impact lawyers’ mental health and wellbeing.

With lawyering and other helping professions can be impacted the most by vicarious trauma. the challenges and sacrifices that one makes to practice law, the impact on the family system, and the nature of your practice, combined with the clients you serve can add up to vicarious trauma. This is an indirect exposure to atraumatic event, it will affect a person’s world view, mental health and wellbeing. Trauma is an ugly word and often many recoil from using this word to describe their experiences or practice. Those in the helping profession can be impacted the most by vicarious trauma. Vicarious trauma is something that did not happen to you, but something you heard. Imagine an attorney who is working in family law and learns of abuse of a child) or something that you saw/heard (a video/audio of a murder, violent crime or accident).  This is a work related exposure and sometimes we can get so numb to these events, depending on the type of law practiced, it becomes like breathing and you do not realize the toll it has taken on your body and mind until years later. Each of you reading this can think of a case, a client, and outcome of a trial that will never leave you. Just retelling a story about a client or a case to another attorney can trigger a memory that is painful and we often try to shove down the pain and sadness that can be associated with this type of work.

While I was in graduate school, we studied Vicarious Trauma, PTSD, burnout, etc, among other topics, but this is not discussed in law school. We also learned how to process these events, our responses and how we can prevent these feelings we carry around from bleeding onto our clients and others we come in contact with. Lawyering does not provide that, law school does not teach that, and sometimes discussing “feelings” is a no no. But there are solutions and ways to become more introspective if you so choose that can help you identify and manage those feelings that are trauma related. This processing can free up more space in your mind and body to practice law more effectively, ultimately helping and being of service to your clients, firm, family, and self.

Some common symptoms of vicarious trauma include: irritability, over working, over eating, or not eating, nightmares, mood swings, sadness (seemingly happening out of the blue) and apathy. Depersonalization; feeling disconnected emotionally and physically, socially withdrawing from family, friends and work, cynicism, feeling hopeless and disrupted sleep. Diminished self-efficacy; not being able to trust your own gut or judgement, hypervigilance and wanting to isolate and be alone.

The solution for these symptoms are to acknowledge your emotions and that you have been impacted personally by a situation/event. Talking with a trusted person can help you walk thru your feelings and increase your awareness into areas that you might have been neglecting. (Think about the 6 Dimensions of Wellness.) Not stacking challenging clients or difficult cases back to back if possible, or at the end of the day. This can lead to dreading the day, the end of the day and not giving you the space you need to recover from seeing particular clients. Paying attention to nutrition and eating is key. It is easy to grab junk, but mindless eating can lead to other health problems, including poor sleep, hypertension and mental health issues. It feels great in the moment, but there is always a price to pay. Avoiding drinking and using other substances to “drown” or dully our feelings/senses is temporary. Ultimately the uncomfortable feelings do not go anywhere, kind of like changing seats on the titanic.

We are all aware of the ABA studies as well as the remarkable work of Patrick Krill (if not, take a read!) and the statistics that discuss the negative effects of lawyers, but you do not have to be a statistic. This is an area in which you can have a choice in addressing these experiences and emotions that are uncomfortable. I heard an attorney once say, during a wellness CLE, “You gotta just push through it.” This is part of the problem, from the studies that have been done, beginning in 2016, this push through thinking is how suicide, substance use and mental health issues have been stigmatized. Resilience is the outcome of processing vicarious trauma. Resilience allows us to show up for our family, friends and work. Resilience teaches us that we can manage feelings and situations which impact our daily lives and practice. Self-care actually helps to become more productive and resilient and improves the ability to manage stressful situations or cases (easier than just “grinding through”). The ABA Hazeldon study outlines the effects of practicing, 28% of males reported depression, 11.5% reported suicidal thoughts early in their career, 61% reported anxiety.

Vicarious trauma also impacts our ability to have healthy boundaries with clients, firm partners and our families. Parallel process happens when we emotionally connect with a client because they have experienced some of the same situations we have in our lives. When we connect with someone in a work setting on an emotional level, the boundaries can get loose, and often doing things, or having allowances forth is particular client that one would not do for another in the same situation. This is connected to ethics, which is connected to practicing. The connection is not bad, in fact it is human. The way to manage this is to share with someone you trust, understand where the feelings are coming from to help buildup the needed boundaries to practice effectively and do the best for your client.

Virginia Judges and Lawyers, formerly Lawyers Helping Lawyers began in 1985 as a volunteer Organization, helping lawyers mainly who suffered from alcoholism. Our mission has expanded to encompass support for anyone in the legal profession, moving forward 40 years, we are a staff of 5, covering the Commonwealth of Virginia, helping anyone in the legal profession from lawyers and Judges to law students to paralegal’s to firm administrators, as well as their family members. Our team is committed to helping the legal profession navigate challenges and achieving wellness. This is a complimentary service, and there is never a charge for anyone seeking VJLAP services. VJLAP remains confidential, non-disciplinary and 501c3 organization. VJLAP can provide assessments and make appropriate referrals to therapists, psychiatrists and treatment centers when needed; VJLAP does not provide treatment, but we refer to excellent treatment providers around the state that are skilled in working with professionals. We offer 12 step and wellness support groups and peer support. Our support meetings are virtual and these can be found on our website under the events tab.

MEMBER NEWS

Congratulations to Michele Lewane on being named to the 2024 class of Influential Women of Law by Virginia Lawyers Weekly!  Sarah Busch, Michele’s daughter and her firm’s Marketing Coordinator, provided the following statement and photographs of her mom and herself:

Michele Lewane's journey as a workers’ compensation lawyer spans over three decades, marked by a dedication to defending the rights of injured workers. From Richmond, Virginia, Michele attended UVA undergrad and UofR for law school. She founded Injured Workers Law Firm in 2008, located off Shrader Road in Henrico, VA. The law firm has been a huge success. Her goal by 2033 is to help 50,000 injured workers in Virginia. Beyond the courtroom, Michele actively engages with the community, speaking on workers’ compensation issues and co-founding Kids Chance of Virginia. Her commitment to staying updated on Virginia's workers’ compensation law is evident through her participation in Continuing Legal Education courses and conventions. Michele's influence extends through her writing, with three informative books on Virginia workers’ compensation.

On February 27 at The John Marshall Ballroom in downtown Richmond, Virginia Lawyers Weekly celebrated the Class of 2024 “Influential Women of Law” and introduced the inaugural “Circle of Excellence” honorees. The event honored women attorneys and judges for their outstanding work, community service, and leadership.

Attendees gathered to celebrate the remarkable achievements of the honorees. The reception highlighted their contributions to justice and community service. An evening dedicated to honoring the impactful work of these inspiring women. Their stories serve as inspiration, shaping the future of the legal profession and beyond.

Congratulations also goes to two members of our workers’ compensation community who took top spots in 2023’s million-dollar settlements as reported to Virginia Lawyers Weekly:

Matthew W. Broughton (along with Michael J. Finney and Jared A. Tuck), Roanoke – $7.75 million

Craig B. Davis, Richmond – $7 million

All of the honorees will be recognized on May 23rd at The John Marshall Ballrooms, Richmond, Virginia.

We welcome the following new IOC members:

• Joseph Stepp, Two Rivers Law Group, PC, Christiansburg.

• Horace Hunter, Hunter & Everage, Richmond.

• Sydney Gieb, Philip J. Geib, PC, Virginia Beach.

• Julio C. Munoz, Jr., Franklin & Prokopik, Herndon.

• Noah Lowe, PennStuart, Richmond.

• Andrew Dye, PennStuart, Bristol Office.

• C. Michelle Buelow, Parthemos, Curran, Buelow and Polizzi, PLLC, Winchester.

• Amber Russo, Midkiff, Muncie & Ross, PC.

• Bryan Kirchner, Midkiff, Muncie & Ross, PC.

Member Spotlight

Elyse H. Stiner, Richmond

What is one of your favorite books?

Little Women – my mom read it to my sister and I growing up and I am looking forward to reading it to my daughter someday. My mom actually goes by “Marmee” (after Marmee March from Little Women) to all of her grandchildren.

If you weren’t an attorney, what would you do as a profession?

I’ve never wanted to be anything besides an attorney (see picture above). If I was going to do anything else, it would be to teach law students. I would love to teach constitutional law, or workers’ compensation, or any area from a practice standpoint as I do not think we get enough of that in law school.

What is your favorite sport to watch and why?

I’m from Philly, so all Philadelphia sports are my favorite to watch!

What is your favorite sports team?

If I had to pick from all Philly teams, I’d say Fly Eagles Fly! Go birds. P.S. To clear the record – yes, we did throw snowballs at Santa Claus. We also boo our own team (louder than any opposing team) and have a jail/courthouse at our stadium.  

What was your first job?

I was an intern in the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office (Westchester, PA) when I was 15 years old.

What talent would you like most to have?

This is a tough one. I’d say it’s a toss-up between being able to read everyone’s minds (though I’m hesitant to actually know....) or getting my almost 5-year-old to listen the first time I ask her to do something.

Where would you most like to travel to where you have not yet visited?

The Western United States. I’ve travelled to tons of other countries, but I haven’t spent enough time in the Midwest/Western USA.

What do you do in your spare time?

What’s that? All kidding aside, I love to spend as much time with my family as possible (none of us reside in the same state), see live music (specifically Phish, bluegrass/Billy Strings, WSP, Grateful Dead cover bands, the list goes on).

What was the last television show you watched and why did you choose it? What is your favorite television show?

If the kiddo is around, we are watching Taylor Swift Eras Tour on repeat. If I actually have a choice (and I’m caught up on my Bravo trash), I am probably watching a documentary on big wave surfing, free climbing, or another extreme sport that I would never do!

On a scale of 1-10, how good of a driver are you?

I’m 15+. Once you drive in the northeast cities, you achieve professional driver status. Just ask my daughter. She now says, “It’s ok mama, don’t worry about that car, you’re the only one that knows how to drive!”

How many cups of coffee (or tea) do you drink a day?

An amount that my doctor would be horrified about if I told her the full truth. I think I gave a 50-60% honest answer last time and she was unhappy. So, the answer is - too many ....but I’m working on cutting down (at least on weekends)!

Have you ever filed a document with the Commission through WebFile only to find it has magically disappeared the next time you look at the file?  You are not hallucinating!  But do not panic; your filing is there and will reappear shortly. 

The problem of mysteriously missing documents typically occurs when a document is submitted with an incorrect filing type, requiring recategorization of the document by the Commission to correct the filing type. Using the correct filing type is critical for initiating the appropriate automated processes in the Commission’s electronic system and for directing the document to the appropriate person for review and handling.  For example, an appeal that is submitted incorrectly as a “Letter from Attorney” instead of “Request for Review” automatically will be sent to the Claims Services Department instead of to the Clerk’s Office. In order to kick off the automated Review processes (e.g. issuing the Notice of Receipt of Request for Review, etc.) the document will have to be recategorized from the initial incorrect designation as Letter from Attorney to the correct designation of Request for Review.

During the recategorization process, the document will not appear in WebFile. Once recategorized, the document will reappear with the original filing date and the correct filing type.  When a document appears to be missing, please do not resubmit it, as this will result induplicate filings and additional recategorizations and delays.

Visit the following link for tips on how to choose the correct filing type in WebFile to prevent missing documents and processing delays: https://mailchi.mp/workcomp/notice1-1665128

NEWS FROM THE COMMISSION

The Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission was recognized in April as a 2024 Top Workplace in the Richmond Region.  This is the fourth consecutive year in which the Commission has been recognized with this honor.

Congratulations to Jason Cording who will succeed Debbie Blevins, upon her retirement, as Managing Deputy Commissioner of the VWC’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Department.

Congratulations to Lauren M. Hill on becoming a Deputy Commissioner in the VWC’s Harrisonburg Regional Office.  Lauren has been with the Commission for sixteen years, working as a staff attorney and mediator.  She is also a member of the Inn of Court.

The VWC’s Judicial Department is hosting Jodi Barder, a rising 2L from Regent Law School, for a summer internship.  Deputy Commissioner Lynne M. Ferris will manage the intern with the help of DCs John Cornett, Andrea Lee, Linda Gillen, and Brooke Anne Hunter.

The following 2024 rates have been adopted by the Commission:

1. Compensation rates effective July 1, 2024:

• maximum compensation rate is $1410.00.

• minimum compensation rate is $352.50.

2. Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) effective October 1, 2024

• COLA rate is 3.35%.

The new fax number for the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission's Manassas Regional Office is 703-334-2616.

Inn Happenings And Other Events

Upcoming Events

June 14 -  Washington Nationals Baseball Game (playing against the Marlins)

• SPONSORED, in part, by Richard B. Ryan, CSSC of Ringler Associates.

• RSVP to Linda Willis no later than May 20th.

• Members’ tickets are free; guest tickets cost $31. Payment for guest tickets should be mailed to Virginia Workers’ Compensation American Inn of Court, P.O. Box 28, Salem, Virginia 24153.  Tickets will be emailed to you.

• Game begins at 6:45 p.m.

June 20 -   Summer Social at Hardywood – West Creek – Richmond – 6-8 p.m.

• RSVP to Linda Willis no later than May 31st.

June 28 -  Norfolk Tides Baseball Game (playing against Charlotte)

• SPONSORED, in part, by Shall Ortho, PLLC.

• RSVP to Linda Willis no later than May 31st.

• Members’ tickets are free; guest tickets cost $15. Payment for guest tickets should be mailed to Virginia Workers’ Compensation American Inn of Court, P.O. Box 28, Salem, Virginia 24153.

• Game begins at 6:35 p.m.

July 24  -   Summer Social – Rick Lucas’ Cabin

August 7 – Medical Fee Services Webinar – 4 p.m.

• Presented by Dr. Drema Thompson, MFS Manager, Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission.

• Approved for 1 hour of CLE.

October 8-9, 2024 – The2024 VWC Educational Conference and Exhibition will be held in-person, at the Greater Richmond Convention Center.

Past Events

SW Virginia Bar Meeting

April 11, 2024

Sponsored, in part, by the IOC

Case Law Update presented by Deputy Commissioner Bob Himmel

April 18, 2024

2024 Band Series

April 18, 2024

Faded Suns - Tidewater

Advisory Conference

May 8, 2024

Charlottesville

2024 Annual Conference - Celebrating our 10th Anniversary

May 9, 2024

Charlottesville

Kids’ Chance of Virginia

Kids' Chance of Virginia, which provides post-secondary and trade school scholarships to the children of Virginia workers who have been severely or fatally injured in a workplace accident, is now accepting scholarship applications for 2024 – 2025 academic year.  Interested and eligible students can now submit an application online via the Kids’ Chance of Virginia website HERE.  The deadline is June 1, 2024.  If you know of any eligible prospective or current post-secondary or trade school students, please forward this on.

June 19, 2024 - 12th Annual Charity Golf Classic – Hunting Hawk Golf Club, Glen Allen, Virginia.

Register at kidschanceva.org/events or make checks payable to Kids’ Chance of Virginia, Inc. c/o BerkleyNet, 9301 Innovation Drive, Suite 200, Manassas, VA 20110.

For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Dennis Durkin, ddurkin@berkleynet.com, 703-586-6337.  There are numerous sponsorship levels available.