The LGA Board of Directors is excited to host the 2025 LGA Regional Seminar at the Inn at Virginia Tech in Blacksbur, Virginia June 27, 2025.
Registration:
Online registration opens May 22, 2025. You may also register by completing the printable registration form (available HERE) and mailing with payment or emailing it to staff.
Room Block:
LGA has negotiated a room block with rates starting at $122++. The room block will close June 5 at 5 pm, or once the block is full. REMEMBER – register then reserve! The room reservation link will be distributed in the registration confirmation email.
Exhibit Opportunities:
There are a limited number of tabletop exhibit spaces available. To inquire about available exhibit space contact Christy Jenkins at christy.jenkins@easterassociates.com.
Sponsorship Opportunities:
LGA appreciates our conference sponsors for their generous support. For more information on opportunities, contact Christy Jenkins at christy.jenkins@easterassociates.com.
Law Fellow and Student Scholarships:
Law student and law fellow scholarship applications are available for LGA programs. Applications are due three weeks before the program start (June 27). Please encourage your office’s law student interns, externs, and post-graduate law fellows to apply. Please contact Tara Mooney, Law School Liaison and Scholarship Committee chair at tmooney@pwcgov.org, with any questions, or contact staff.
Important Documents:
- Online Registration opens May 22.
- Printable Registration Form
- Law student and law fellow application forms
- Hotel Room Reservation Link will be distributed in registration confirmation email.
- Cancellation Policy
- Registrant List: A registrant list will be made available at the start of the conference.
- Presentation Download: Presentations will be made available the week of the conference.
Help LGA Save Thousands of Dollars Per Year!
REMEMBER – register then reserve! MORE INFO HERE
PROGRAM
2025 LGA Regional Seminar | 6 MCLE (including 2.0 Ethics MCLE) (Pending MCLE Approval)
8:30 a.m. | Check In & Continental Breakfast
9 to 10:00 a.m. | Duty to Be Well: Managing Occupational Risks & Prioritizing Well-Being to Thrive (1.0 MCLE, including one hour of wellness and ethics)
Moderator: Sheree Konstantinou, Assistant County Attorney, County of York
Speaker: Oneida Huntington, Southwest Region Manager, Virginia Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program
The practice of law is inherently demanding and stressful. Many of these pressures arise from occupational challenges such as adversarial work environments, constant deadlines, ethical dilemmas, and a lack of diversity. When combined with certain behavioral and personality traits common among lawyers—such as perfectionism—these factors can severely impact well-being, impair work performance, and even lead to disciplinary violations or malpractice claims if not properly managed. These issues affect not only the attorney but also their colleagues, employers, and the public. This one-hour course explores the importance of prioritizing well-being to meet ethical standards and provide competent representation. Presenters will briefly review the historical context of well-being initiatives within the legal profession, define the dimensions of lawyer well-being, and examine specific occupational risks identified by the Virginia State Bar’s Special Committee on Lawyer Well-Being. Additionally, the course will discuss relevant Virginia Rules of Professional Conduct that emphasize the necessity of mental health prioritization and the consequences of neglecting it.
Participants will gain practical strategies to manage occupational risks and enhance well-being, explore changes that can be implemented at both institutional and individual levels, and develop a personal self-care plan. The session is designed to be interactive, encouraging dialogue and audience participation. It aims to equip participants with the tools necessary to foster a culture of well-being within the legal profession, ultimately improving the profession for lawyers, colleagues, and clients.
10:00 to 11:30 a.m. | Government Collections: Like Herding Cats, But Less Cute OR Government Collections: The Art of Asking Nicely (Again and Again) (1.5 MCLE)
Moderator: Andrew McRoberts, Sands Anderson PC
Speakers:
John A. Rife, Partner, TACS
Andrew Neville, Partner, TACS
Reid Broughton, Attorney, Sands Anderson PC
A primer on Virginia local government collections focusing on the why and how to collect various types of local government accounts. The successful collection of government delinquencies vary based upon the type of account. Much rests on the secured nature of the debt and the authority a locality has to collect the delinquency. This session will focus how a local government attorney can provide “best practice” advice to various departments so that their accounts are in the most advantageous position to be collected.
11:30 to 11:45 a.m. | Break
11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. | Navigating FOIA and COIA: Practical Guidance and Current Issues (1.5 MCLE)
Moderator: Kelley M. Kemp, Attorney, Sands Anderson PC
Speakers:
Rebecca Randolph, Deputy County Attorney, County of Hanover
Tara McGee, County Attorney, County of Goochland
Max Hlavin, Counsel, Sands Anderson PC
This FOIA/COIA presentation will discuss current issues that local government attorneys and staff encounter on a daily basis. Rebecca Randolph, Hanover County Deputy County Attorney, will focus on the public records aspect of FOIA. Her presentation will include fundamentals of responding to records requests as well as ways new technology can assist local governments in more efficiently complying with FOIA statutory requirements. She will also cover best practices and lessons learned in the implementation of FOIA response software. Tara McGee, Goochland County Attorney, will discuss the public meetings aspect of FOIA as well as recent FOIA cases and current, hot topics that affect local government attorneys. Max Hlavin will provide a brief synopsis of COIA laws, followed by real world applications of said laws and recent examples to illustrate how important it is for local government attorneys to advise boards about their COIA requirements.
1:15 to 2:15 p.m. | Lunch
2:15 to 3:15p.m. | AI for Lawyers: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence in Legal Practice Part 1 (1.0 MCLE)
Moderator: Lawrence Spencer, Town Attorney, Town of Blacksburg
Speaker:
David M. Husar, Senior Associate, Vanderpool, Frostick & Nishanian, P.C.
This course provides an overview of how AI—particularly LLMs like ChatGPT—can assist lawyers in legal research, document drafting, and case preparation. The session explores the mechanics behind LLMs, including data sources, architecture, and training methods, helping legal professionals understand how AI generates responses and why it sometimes hallucinates or introduces bias. The presentation will feature a live demonstration showcasing how AI can assist with drafting legal opinions for governing bodies, supporting litigation preparation, developing ordinances, and generating various legal documents, including demand letters.
3:15 to 3:30 p.m. | Break
3:30 to 4:30 p.m. | AI for Lawyers: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence in Legal Practice Part 2 (1.0 Ethics MCLE)
Moderator: Lawrence Spencer, Town Attorney, Town of Blacksburg
Speakers:
David M. Husar, Senior Associate, Vanderpool, Frostick & Nishanian, P.C.
Kristina Keech Spitler, Managing Partner, Vanderpool, Frostick & Nishanian, P.C.
The ethics segment of the presentation will highlight the Virginia Rules of Professional Conduct that guide the ethical use of AI in legal practice. Specific attention will be given to Rule 1.1 (Competence), Rule 1.3 (Diligence), Rule 1.6 (Confidentiality), Rule 3.3 (Candor Toward the Tribunal), and Rule 5.1 (Responsibilities of Supervisory Lawyers), with a focus on how each rule applies to the integration of AI tools in the legal setting.
4:30 p.m. | Adjourn