The Red Velvet Lawyer

Distinguished Alumni  of the  Appalachian School of Law:  David J. Robinson David J. Robinson is the Senior Legal Advisor at the Illinois State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor's Office in Springfield, Illinois.  Effective January 1, 2014, he will become its Deputy Director. Thus, in only seven years following graduation from the Appalachian School of Law in 2007, his career has taken him to this high level of responsibility and leadership in state government. As a Senior Legal Advisor, David prepares special prosecutions and the defense of criminal appeals.  Thus, his experience on ASL's Moot Court team prepared him for this career path. As a member of the Director's office, David helps to "promulgate[] and implement[] the rules and regulations governing the administrative and legal functions of the District Offices. The Director's Office is responsible for all Agency administrative and managerial functions, legal policy and

Distinguished Alumni  of the  Appalachian School of Law:  Judge Daniel T. Boyd Daniel T. Boyd became a Juvenile Court Judge in August 2011, less than a decade after graduating from the Appalachian School of Law in 2002. Judge Boyd is lifelong citizen of Rogersville and Hawkins County, Tennessee.  He graduated in 1994 from the Cherokee Comprehensive High School and in 1998 from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Prior to ascending to the bench, Judge Boyd practiced law in Rogersville with his father. Daniel is married to Melissa Cupp Boyd and has two children, Eli and Anna Mae. Tennessee Juvenile Courts Tennessee offers the public 98 juvenile courts with 109 juvenile court judges and 45 Magistrates serving parties appearing before them. Of these 98 courts, 17 are designated "Private Act" juvenile courts while the remaining 81 are general sessions courts with juvenile jurisdiction. At least one juvenile court exists in each of the state's 95 coun

Distinguished Alumni  of the  Appalachian School of Law: Chris Fortier As the press release describes:  In less than a decade, ASL alumnus Chris Fortier earned one of the highest honors bestowed on a young lawyer by the Virginia State Bar . The Bar's Young Lawyers Conference awarded Chris its 2013 R. Edwin Burnette Jr. Young Lawyer of the Year Award. The award recognizes young lawyers who demonstrate dedicated service to the conference, the legal profession, and the community. It is named in honor of Lynchburg Judge R. Edwin Burnette Jr., past president of the VSB (1993-1994) and the YLC (1985-1986), with whom Fortier is pictured. Fortier served as chair of the Young Lawyers Conference (YLC) annual Professional Development Conference for two years and then expanded that program from Richmond to a second location in Northern Virginia. The Professional Development Conference provides courses in basic substantive legal skill training to Virginia lawyers.

Appalachian School of Law Distinguished Alumni: General Sessions Court Judge  J. Todd Ross J. Todd Ross graduated from the Appalachian School of Law in 2002, and like many of his ASL colleagues, rose quickly to a position of service, responsibility, and power.  A decade after graduation, Hawkins County, Tennessee voters elected him to the position of General Sessions Court Judge .  Ross, a Republican, handily defeated Democrat Terry Risner by 2,819 votes, 4,064 to 1,245.   Ross will serve the remainder of an eight-year term that began in 2006.   Ross intends to run for re-election in 2014. "I hope to be Hawkins County's General Sessions judge for a long time."   The jurisdiction of  General Sessions Court s varies from county to county based on state laws and private acts. This court of limited jurisdiction hears both civil and criminal cases and one serves every county. Legal requirements limit the court's civil jurisdiction to specific monetar

Distinguished Alumni of the Appalachian School of Law: District Court Judge  W. David McFayden III W. David (Dave) McFayden III provides another example of the quick rise to leadership, power, and responsibility many of the alumni of the Appalachian School of Law experience.  A 2005 graduate of the law school, in 2012, Dave ran against an incumbent judge to win the position of District Court Judge in the North Carolina 3B Judicial District.  He serves the people of Craven, Caeteret, and Pamlico counties. North Carolina District Court Judges serve for four years and must reside in the district in which they are elected.   The District Court Judge hears both civil and criminal cases, most typically cases involving amounts in controversy of $10,000 or less. The District Court also hears domestic relations cases involving alimony, child support, child custody, divorce, and equitable distribution. Juvenile matters also fall within the jurisdiction of these busy courts.

Distinguished Alumni of the  Appalachian School of Law:   Commonwealth's Attorney  Gerald Arrington Gerald D. Arrington serves as the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Buchanan County, Virginia. As Commonwealth’s Attorney, he is the county’s top prosecutor and prosecutes its most important and highest profile cases, including murder, robberies, multi-count drug indictments, and crimes against children. Gerald grew up and lives in the small community of Breaks, Virginia, near The Breaks Interstate Park , about 35 minutes from the law school campus. He lives with his wife and two sons. He graduated from the University of Virginia’s College at Wise in 2001, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Government. During his college career, he worked two jobs to help pay for his education and served as a co-captain for the college’s mock trial team. In 2004, he graduated magna cum laude from the Appalachian School of Law in Grundy, Virginia.

Distinguished Alumni of the Appalachian School of Law:  Kathryn "Katie" Emily Mooney,  Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Kathryn "Katie" Emily Mooney began working as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in the Tazewell County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office immediately after graduating from law school. As an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney, Katie carries a large caseload of a variety of criminal matters. She serves as co-lead counsel over prosecutions in Tazewell County General District Court; Tazewell County Circuit Court, and the Tazewell County Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court. Katie also serves as a TRIAD representative for the Tazewell County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office. As a TRIAD member she facilitates the cooperation between law enforcement agencies, hospitals, senior citizens, senior organizations and the community with the goal of reducing crimes against vulnerable senior citizens.  Along with her c

Distinguished Alumni of the Appalachian School of Law:   Justin J. Marcum, W.V. House of Delegates In January 2012, West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin appointed Justin J. Marcum to the 20th District of the West Virginia House of Delegates , comprising Mingo and Wayne Counties, for the remainder of the term of resigning Delegate K. Steve Kominar. He ran as a Democrat in the last successful run for the office in 2012.  He ran against ASL law student, Nathan Brown.   At the time of the appointment, the Governor remarked: “Justin is a young man who has displayed a passion for public service,” Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin said. “As an Assistant County Prosecutor as well as an elected member of the West Virginia Democratic State Executive Committee, 6th district, Justin has shown he values the ability and the rewards of working for the benefit of others. Such a trait will serve the people of the 20th Delegate District well.” He serves on the following committees

Distinguished Alumni of the Appalachian School of Law:  Assistant  U.S. Attorney M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen is an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee in the Greeneville branch office. Suzanne represents the United States in a variety of criminal cases in the Greeneville Division of district, which covers the ten northeastern-most counties in Tennessee. The photo captures her swearing-in ceremony as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia on November 9, 2011.  This ceremony occurred on the 100th Anniversary of the dedication of the Federal Courthouse  in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. Her great-grandfather helped build this courthouse, so she chose that date and location for her swearing-in ceremony. Suzanne graduated magna cum laude from King University in Bristol, Tennessee, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music. In 2003, she graduated cum laude from Appalachian Schoo

Distinguished Alumni  of the Appalachian School of Law I am launching a series of profiles of our graduates who have distinguished careers as public servants. Accordingly, I will profile alumni serving as legislators, judges, judicial clerks, magistrates, administrative law judges, Commonwealth Attorneys, Deputy and Assistant Commonwealth Attorneys, public defenders, members of the Judge Advocates General Corps, and graduates holding other positions in state and federal government.   Hold on!  We have so many grads holding these distinguished positions, it will take me a while to complete this series.  I hope they help current and prospective students map legal careers that best serve the students and the people they are eager to serve.  And, on the horizon?  I've planned profiles of distinguished alumni in private practice. So, here is my first profile.  Enjoy! CAPTAIN M. ARTHUR “ARTIE” VAUGHN II Captain M. Arthur “Artie