The Red Velvet Lawyer

"Think Before You Speak; Think Before You React" Appalachian School of Law alumnus, Jessica Taylor, gave a podcast interview about her relationship with ASL alumnus JR Cook , who is appearing on the SyFy reality show, Opposite Worlds .  She is quite charming ans smart! She gives her perspective on the show and some of his possible strategies in this 40 minute podcast.  Follow Jessica on Facebook here .  Fan page for Opposite Worlds here . Fan page for JR Cook here . If you tweet to support him, be sure to include #AppalachainSchoolOfLaw.     Twitter handle is @TeamJRsyfy Thanks!

Syfy Reality Show Will Feature ASL Alumnus JR Cook An alumnus of the Appalachian School of Law, JR Cook, will play the role of "Johnnie Rocket" on the new Syfy reality show Opposite Worlds .  See his introductory i nterview .  Episodes here .  Fan page here . He mentions his recent engagement to Jessica Taylor, also an ASL alumnus.   Follow him on Facebook here . But, he may not be making any postings until he can earn his way into "the future." For an interview with fiance, Jessica, see here .  Fan page for JR Cook  here . If you tweet to support him, be sure to include #AppalachainSchoolOfLaw. Twitter handle is @TeamJRsyfy Thanks!

Distinguished Alumni  of the  Appalachian School of Law: Magistrate Nicole Lawson Legal Career Nicole A. Lawson is another ASL graduate serving as a Magistrate for the Supreme Court of Virginia, along with Elisabeth Griffith and Zack Stoots .    She works in the Norfolk Magistrate's Office. (Lis Griffith, fellow ASL alum works in the same office.)    Lawson and her husband, Robert Wnukowski, moved from Stafford, Virginia to Virginia Beach, Virginia the week after they returned from their honeymoon in August 2012.   She was hired the following month as a Magistrate.  After the two-month certification school process, she began holding bond hearings and issuing arrest warrants, search warrants, temporary detention orders for mental health crises, and emergency protective orders. Robert works as an 8th grade Civics and Economics teacher at Kempsville Middle School located in Virginia Beach.    The  ...

Distinguished Alumni  of the  Appalachian School of Law  Profiled in 2013 We have plenty to brag about!  I am very impressed by how quickly our graduates assume senior positions with great responsibility.  Our alumni show a strong dedication to public and community service, just as we intended when the founders created the Appalachian School of Law with a focus on ADR, professional ethics, leadership, and community service.  Beginning in October 2013, I profiled fifteen alumni of ASL who serve in public service jobs.  I want to capture those profiles in one place before moving into 2014.   So, below you will find the alumni I profiled in 2013, with links to each profile.  I am listing them in the order profiled, and I include the year they graduated from ASL.   Captain Artie Vaughn , Area Defense Counsel, Judge Advocates General Corp (2007). M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen , Assistant U.S. Attorney (2003). Justi...

Distinguished Alumni  of the  Appalachian School of Law: Magistrate Zachary (Zack) A. Stoots Magistrate Zachary (Zack) A. Stoots, a life-long resident of Southwest Virginia, has served his community in many capacities.  Like many of our graduates, he is the first generation of his family to graduate from college and the only member in his family to attend graduate school. In December 2011, he joined the Magistrate's Office in Tazewell County, Virginia. Interestingly, he served as a Magistrate immediately after law school in July 2010. After six months in that position, he moved to the Russell County Commonwealth Attorney's Office as an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney.   Zack left the part-time position at the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office for full time employment back with the Magistrate's office . The Magistrate Manual describes the position this way: The office of magistrate is probably more important today than it has been at any ot...

Distinguished Alumni  of the  Appalachian School of Law:   Assistant Attorney General  R ebekah Baker Legal Career Mrs. Rebekah Ann Baker serves as an Assistant Attorney General in the Tobacco Enforcement Division of the Attorney General’s Office for the State of Tennessee .  The Tobacco Enforcement Division, one of five consumer/crime protection divisions, enforces the provisions of the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement and handles other tobacco–related matters.  In that position, Mrs. Baker not only represents the State in civil litigation matters involving tobacco, but she also helps track and review all tobacco-related legislation introduced in the General Assembly each year.  She also drafts legislation and legislative amendments when necessary.  In addition, she works on regulatory matters involving tobacco companies doing business in Tennessee.  Mrs. Baker serves on several working groups within...

Distinguished Alumni  of the  Appalachian School of Law: Commonwealth's Attorney  Andrew Nester Andrew Nester graduated from the Appalachian School of Law in 2005,  suma cum laude , and, in a mere eight years, assumed leadership of the Commonwealth's Attorney Office for Henry County, Virginia.  The county is located on the southern border in the middle of the state.  He works out of an office in Henry County, where he supervises a staff of eleven, including four Assistant Commonwealth's Attorneys, an office administrator, three support staff, and three members of the victim-witness program. As the Commonwealth's Attorney, he prosecutes felonies and misdemeanors in the Circuit and District Courts.  The cases include complex financial crimes, arson, robberies, vehicular manslaughters, and larcenies.  He also serves on the Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Voters elected him to...

Distinguished Alumni of the  Appalachian School of Law:  Magistrate Elisabeth (Lis) Griffith Lis Griffith is remembered by her ASL family for her brains, exuberant spirit, bawdy wit, kindness, big heart, and service to the school and fellow students. Law School Career Griffith graduated in 2012 in the top 15 percent of her class, having earned Book Awards for receiving the highest grade in two courses: Disability Law and Secured Transactions.  (Yes, Secured Transactions!)   She made the Dean’s list during two of four graded semesters.    While on campus, she served in many capacities: Student Bar Association: Secretary  (2011-2012).  Student Bar Association  Property Management  Standing Committee: Chair (2010-2011). Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity : Vice Justice (2011-2012). Moot Court Board : Vice Chair of Technology (2011-2012). Moot Court team member on Constitutional Law ...

Distinguished Alumni  of the Appalachian School of Law:  Bethany Long Local Resident Makes Good Bethany Long, a 2012 graduate of the Appalachian School of Law, currently serves as the Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney (ACA) in Tazewell County. In this job, she handles the Juvenile and Domestic Relations (JDR) docket, assists with prosecutions in General District Court, and carries a caseload of felony cases in the Circuit Court.  She recently sat third chair in her first jury trial, which resulted in a conviction for malicious wounding. She also represents the Commonwealth Attorney in the weekly meeting of the Tazewell County Drug Court team.   In Fall 2013, Bethany was one of 15 invited ACAs from across the state to attend a week long CLE offered by the Virginia Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Services Council entitled: Trauma to Trial: Investigating and Prosecuting Adult Non-Stranger Sexual Assaults .   Consis...