Wachapreague Lawyers

Stephen P. Pfeiffer is known locally as the “Go-To-DUI and Criminal Defense Attorney.” Stephen is a partner at Wolcott Rivers Gates, one of the oldest and largest law firms in Virginia Beach. He has been published as a coauthor in the nationally recognized “Inside the Minds” series by Aspatore Books on ­The Legality of Search and Seizure in DUI Cases “A Practitioner’s Everyday Insight Into DWI/DUI Defense in Virginia”. Stephen has an AV® Preeminent Rating – the highest rating available from Martindale-Hubbell, the leading independent attorney rating entity. An AV® Rating signifies that the lawyer has reached the heights of...

Richard Neal (Rick) Shapiro takes great pride in his work as a trial attorney and has practiced Plaintiff’s personal injury law for over three decades in Virginia, North Carolina, and throughout the Southeastern United States. He has dedicated his career to standing up for the "little guy" against big corporations, insurance companies, and government entities that attempt to use their vast resources and trove of defense lawyers to deny or fight legitimate claims. Rick Shapiro has more than 38 years total experience, and only handles personal injury law. He was named a 2022 Leader in the Law by Virginia Lawyer’s...

John M. Cooper is one of the founding partners at Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers and a veteran of Virginia personal injury law practice. A native Virginian, he was raised in Norfolk and Virginia Beach by parents who practiced law. After graduating from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1988, John returned home to work for a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Norfolk Division, which launched his passion for and career in personal injury law. For over 30 years, John has worked closely with injured victims and their families and knows the...

A tireless advocate, Jason has built a distinguished career representing personal injury victims for more than 20 years. As a founding member of the firm's Medical Malpractice division, Jason has been instrumental in its success both in and out of the courtroom. Jason's keen interest in complex medical and technical issues and his natural instincts as a trial lawyer have enabled him to achieve numerous record-setting jury verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients.

In 2017, Jason was honored with induction to the exclusive International Academy of Trial Lawyers, a fellowship of elite trial lawyers representing both sides of the...

Brian M. Latuga specializes in Criminal Defense and Civil Litigation across State and Federal courts. As a seasoned trial attorney, his career is marked by relentless advocacy in the courtroom to safeguard the liberty, rights, and family unity of those under serious allegations by the government or individuals. Mr. Latuga's practice spans a comprehensive range of charges, including misdemeanors, felonies, white-collar crimes, sex offenses, drug trafficking, and violent crimes. His prowess is recognized across Federal, General District, Juvenile, Domestic Relations, and Circuit Courts in the Commonwealth, attesting to his reputation and expertise. Mr. Latuga's legal acumen is rooted in real-world experience,...

I went to law school because I wanted the opportunity to both help people and to work for myself. After graduating from the College of William and Mary School of Law in 1992, much of my practice was focused on personal injury litigation; however, I noticed I derived the greatest satisfaction from helping my Social Security disability clients through the frustrating and confusing Social Security disability application and appeals process. At the conclusion of a case, my clients would come in person to hug me, to thank me, and to tell me about the difference I had made...

Recognized by multiple legal organizations as a top 10 DUI and Criminal Defense Lawyer in Virginia, attorney Naumovski has been in practice for 15 years and handled 1,000s of criminal cases. This includes over 1,000 DUIs and over 1,000 Reckless Driving cases. Serving all of Hampton Roads area, Attorney Naumovski is in court on a daily basis aggressively defending those facing criminal or traffic accusations. Attorney Naumovski graduated First in his Class in College as well as First in his Class in Graduate School and attended a top 10 National Law School (University...

I am a former prosecutor who is a seasoned trial lawyer focused on achieving outstanding results for my clients. I am a born fighter and a high-profile problem solver. My firm handles personal injury and civil litigation, state and federal criminal law cases, divorce and custody, and education and Title IX law. Our firm stands out among the rest because of our experience in courtroom litigation. We fight for our clients!

Areas of Practice:
Business and Consumer Bankruptcy, Business Planning, Commercial Litigation, and Creditors’ Rights.

Education:
J.D., Washington & Lee University School of Law, 2005
B.A., University of Michigan, Honors College, Double Major in Political Science and History, 1999

Honors:
Selected by Super Lawyers in 2012 – 2016 as a Virginia Rising Star in the Practice Area of Bankruptcy
Rated 10 out of 10 by Avvo.com, 2015 – 2018 Avvo Clients’ Choice Award

Professional Affiliations:
Virginia State Bar
District of Columbia Bar
Board of Governors, Virginia State Bar General Practice Section (2013 – Present) (Chair 2018 – Present)
Richmond Bar Association, Bankruptcy Section
American Bankruptcy Institute
Virginia State Bar Young Lawyers Conference, Chair First Day...

While Shelly has had great success with her own law firm, the opportunity to become the Manager Partner of a Chesapeake office for Parks Zeigler was enticing. The merging of the two firms allows Shelly to offer a wide variety of services to her clients while maintaining her Chesapeake roots. She is looking forward to many more years of successful practice with Parks Zeigler.

Shelly attended Regent University School of Law and graduated in 2001. In law school, she competed on the mock trial team and served as an officer for the American Bar Association. In her third year, Shelly...

Taite has devoted his entire legal career to the practice of criminal defense. Prior to co-founding Westendorf & Khalaf, Taite worked as a supervising attorney in the largest Public Defender's office in the state (Virginia Beach). His career has been defined by taking on a variety of tough high stakes cases. In a state where a fraction of felony cases go to trial (and less than 1% go to jury trial), Taite has taken over one hundred felony cases to trial and has won not guilty verdicts following jury trials for murder, rape, robbery, abduction, use of a...

Amy has been practicing law exclusively in the area of Domestic Relations since 2003. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Dickinson College, graduating cum laude, with a double major in Sociology and Spanish. While at Dickinson, Amy was a Member of the Spanish Honor's Society, and also served as a Teaching Assistant and tutor.

Continuing her education at the Dickinson School of Law of Pennsylvania State University, Amy received her Juris Doctorate. At Pennsylvania State, Amy was selected to Appellate Moot Court Board, and also served on the ACLU's "Know Your Rights Campaign." Amy also met her husband Noah...

Bailey Gifford joined Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers in late 2020. Born in Nebraska and raised in Kentucky, she graduated with honors from Central Hardin High School.

After high school, Bailey graduated magna cum laude from Morehead State University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with an emphasis in Business in 2016.

Bailey went on to the Appalachian School of Law, in Grundy, VA, where she obtained her J.D. in 2020. During her time there, she served as president of the Student Bar Association. Bailey also served as a Student Ambassador and participated as a member of both the Mock Trial and...

As founder of Lawrence & Associates, Ms. Lawrence has practiced employment law exclusively throughout her career, and is well-known for her work in the employment law field. She graduated with a B.A. from the University of Virginia with honors and earned her law degree from the Marshall Wythe School of Law at the College of William and Mary. Admitted to practice in 1992, she has represented employees and employers in the public and private sectors. Clients are “impressed” by Ms. Lawrence’s “poise and command of the law,” adding that she is also “very helpful, detailed and patient.”

For 17 consecutive years during 2007-2023, Mr. Waterman has been honored by his legal colleagues in The Best Lawyers of America for 2 separate categories - "Personal Injury" and "Medical Malpractice" - for Southeast Virginia. Indeed, he has been voted its "Lawyer of the Year" for 6 of the last 10 years and for 3 of the past 4 years. For 2021, 2022, and 2023, Waterman Law Centers received the coveted "Metropolitan Tier 1" Best Law Firms ranking by U.S. News & World Report. It has 3 Peninsula law offices: Williamsburg, Newport News, and Hampton. Also, for 16 consecutive years during...

Ed has practiced law since 2004, when he graduated from the University of Richmond School of Law. Ed spent the early part of his career practicing criminal law, including service as a Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in Virginia Beach, where he handled serious criminal prosecutions, including homicide. After leaving prosecution, Ed began practicing plaintiff’s personal injury and medical malpractice law. He believes that, while it is impossible to alter what happened to cause an injury, it is possible to improve a client’s life by obtaining the maximum settlement or verdict. Ed now dedicates his practice exclusively...

Van’s practice is dedicated to criminal traffic defense. He has been an outspoken critic of Reckless Driving by Speed laws as applied in Virginia, and he stridently opposes the imposition of any “mandatory minimum” prison time for alcohol-related and other substance offenses. With his experience as a JAG officer, professor of law at VMI, and federal prosecutor who has tried numerous speeding and DUI cases, Van Hardenbergh brings a sharp set of skills and a history of tenacious defense to the table.

Andrew H. “Andy” Hook is the president of Hook Law Center, where he practices in the areas of elder law, estate and trust administration, estate, tax, retirement and financial planning, long-term care planning, asset protection planning, special needs planning, business succession planning and personal injury settlement consulting. A 1975 graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law, Mr. Hook is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), and a Fellow of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). Mr. Hook is certified as an Elder Law Attorney (CELA) by the National Elder Law...

Derrick Walker has built an outstanding track record with nearly 20 years in practice in a wide array of personal injury matters, including multi-million dollar awards in cases involving wrongful death, tractor trailer accidents, traumatic brain injury, nursing homes, and medical malpractice. He dedicates his skills and services to helping to provide a level legal playing field for those injured and to protect them throughout the legal process. Derrick is incredibly passionate about representing the injured, and he makes it his mission to tip the scales in favor of his clients when faced with the “David vs. Goliath” struggle between...

Ken Gibson is passionate about helping clients get through tough times and fighting for them inside and outside the courtroom. An experienced trial attorney, Ken earned a commendation from the director of the FBI for his work in prosecuting violent criminals. He is a former Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in Norfolk and Federal Prosecutor at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. He has the legal experience to get the best possible results for you.

A graduate of the University of Virginia and the University of South Carolina Law School, Ken gives clients outstanding representation every step of the way. Ken...

Aaron Pomeranz is a Virginia criminal defense attorney at Parks Zeigler, PLLC who formerly served with the Norfolk Police Department for almost 25 years. He brings unique knowledge and insight into how law enforcement and prosecutors build a case against his clients.

Mike Mullin has an extensive legal background as a former prosecutor and seasoned trial lawyer. Mike Mullin graduated from Christopher Newport University in 2004 and Catholic University School of Law in 2007. Since then, he has worked for almost 15 years as a criminal prosecutor and trial lawyer in all levels of Virginia Courts. The majority of Mike's practice is traffic, criminal, and family law matters. Mike specializes in DUI defense and speeding cases. Being a member of the Virginia House of Delegates and serving on the House Courts of Justice Committee gives Mike a unique perspective he can share...

Rebecca began her business with the goal of helping families through a range of family issues from divorce and separation to creating cohesive estate plans. Through a strong focus on people - both clients and employees - the firm has grown and expanded into new markets. Our offices now serve northern Virginia, Richmond, Virginia Beach, and Charlotte, North Carolina.

As a lawyer, I am passionate about two things: solving problems and delivering results. I take pride in doing both with integrity, tenacity, and an unflagging commitment to my core guiding principles. My principles include always doing what I say I am going to do, upholding high ethical standards, and prioritizing personal communication with my clients so they are always informed. I know first hand what it's like to have your life turned upside-down by an accident. I lived through the same experience as my injury clients when my own wife was in a devastating car accident, resulting in back...

Malcolm "Mic" McConnell is the lead medical malpractice attorney at Allen, Allen, Allen & Allen. He has settled or tried cases in virtually every medical specialty since he began practicing law in 1987. He has been rated by other attorneys as Martindale-Hubbell AV, the highest rating available for competency and ethics. He has been listed in Virginia’s Super Lawyers every year since 2006, and in Best Lawyers in America every year since 2007. Best Lawyers in America named Mic Richmond’s Medical Malpractice Lawyer of the Year in 2013 and 2016.

He is one of the few attorneys...

Kirk T. Schroder is an experienced entertainment and arts law attorney. He has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® for the field of entertainment law and is currently rated an “AV Preeminent” lawyer by Martindale-Hubbell, its highest rating for lawyers. Kirk’s national peers in the entertainment and sports law profession elected him the chair of the American Bar Association’s Entertainment and Sports Law Section. Kirk is the Co-Editor and a contributing author to "The Essential Guide to Entertainment Law". He has taught entertainment law as Lecturer at the University of Virginia. His law practice draws entertainment and arts-related...

Jack Randall became acquainted with the need for good advocacy while working for the Virginia Beach Police Department. As a police officer, Jack would have to put on cases for the Commonwealth and recognized that he had an ability to present cases in such a way that judges and other attorneys recommended he attend law school. Having graduated from Christopher Newport University, Jack attended Regent University School of Law during their evening program, while working full-time for the Virginia Beach Police Department. Upon graduation, Jack joined the Southampton Commonwealth Attorney’s Office. As a member of Randall Page, Jack brings a...

My tenacity and meticulous trial preparation have earned me the respect of both my clients as well as my adversaries. I am a member of the third generation of the Allen family to have worked with the firm. Since joining the Allen Law Firm in 1983, I have had extensive experience handling various types of personal injury cases including car crashes, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, and premises liability.

Attorney Richard Serpe is a distinguished Virginia personal injury lawyer with a reputation for meticulous trial preparation and presentation, and has a track record of success in obtaining favorable jury verdicts and settlements for his clients. As a personal injury attorney, Richard Serpe advocates for those who have been injured due to the negligence of another person, dangerous product, or company. A substantial portion of his legal career has been devoted to the representation of injured children. Mr. Serpe is frequently associated with complex litigation, managing cases with difficult scientific and medical issues. He has experience managing large case cohorts, including the...

Robert Reed is a personal injury attorney in the Richmond, Virginia office of Allen & Allen. His practice is devoted exclusively to protecting the interests of seriously injured clients and their families in personal injury cases including car accidents, trucking accidents, product liability cases, and premises cases. He has a reputation for working hard for his clients, and fights for fair and just outcomes for them.

Prior to joining the Allen Law Firm, Robert was an attorney with an insurance defense firm. This experience gave him insight on how insurance companies and their lawyers evaluate claims and handle cases.

Robert has been...

Robert Flax represents drivers with speeding and, reckless driving charges. He appears in the Richmond, Virginia area courts of the City of Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield, Hanover, Petersburg and Colonial Heights. Richmond Virginia area traffic courts hear thousands of cases a year. Interstates 64 and 95 run through it. Out of state drivers may receive higher fines and other punishment if they do not have a lawyer to show that the driver deserves leniency or is innocent. Reckless driving is a misdemeanor. A conviction of reckless driving or speeding might affect the driver’s employment and security...

Gilbert Carey is an attorney and certified public accountant with Wolcott Rivers Gates. He practices in the areas of Taxation, Tax Resolution and Controversy and Estate Planning, solving tax, business, and legal challenges for individuals, privately held businesses and their owners. He has an Avvo rating of 10 (Superb) and has been recognized as a Top Lawyer of Coastal Virginia by Coastal Virginia Magazine. Mr. Carey regularly advises clients on tax matters and represents clients in tax disputes with the IRS, state tax agencies and in U.S. Tax Court. He provides income tax planning and compliance advice to individuals, trusts, estates...

I am a highly experienced attorney who practices Education Law and Employment Law throughout all of Virginia. I am committed to and passionate about protecting your legal rights as a student and an employee. There is nothing I am more passionate about professionally, and I make your rights my mission. Do not suffer an injury in silence. Call today for an initial consultation.

Traffic and Criminal Defense. If you have a date to appear before a judge in southeastern Virginia, get help before you go! The Commonwealth is represented by an attorney, and you should be, too. David C. Johnson honorably retired as a lieutenant colonel from the U.S. Marine Corps after 25 years of service, and takes special pride in caring for clients presently serving on active duty.

Virginia Beach Law Group: Practicing law with passion for our profession and compassion for our clients. We offer representation in the general practice of law. If you...

I provide diligent, passionate and personalized representation to clients in courts across the Commonwealth of Virginia, including Henrico, Chesterfield, Richmond, Hanover, Powhatan, Louisa, Petersburg and Caroline Counties. I practice in a variety of areas, with a emphasis on Criminal Defense and Family Law. I pride myself on being a dedicated, prepared and successful attorney. I am committed to maintaining close contact with clients, and pursuing the best possible outcomes.

I received my B.A. from Rollins College, and my J.D. from the University of Richmond School of Law. My jurisdictions include the State of Virginia and Federal District Court, Eastern District of...

Ashley Davis is an Attorney in the Richmond, VA office of Allen & Allen. Ashley plays an integral role in the large and complex personal injury cases of the firm by identifying, analyzing and addressing legal issues that affect our clients' cases. Before joining Allen & Allen, Ashley spent ten years representing defendants and insurance companies in cases involving personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice, products liability, automobile and trucking accidents, brain injury, premises liability and toxic exposures. Her background as a defense lawyer gives her valuable insight into how insurance companies and their litigators handle personal injury claims. This...

David J. Pierce is a partner with the law firm of Pierce & Thornton, PLC. David has 26 years of trial experience in medical malpractice and general personal injury litigation including motor vehicle accidents. Prior to co-founding Pierce & Thornton in 1997, Mr. Pierce was a partner in the largest law firm in eastern Virginia where he defended physicians, nurses and hospitals in malpractice litigation. He also conducted a general insurance defense practice including auto accident claims. This defense experience gives David a unique and distinct advantage in his plaintiff's practice.

David has obtained numerous substantial verdicts and settlements in a...

As a current firm shareholder for Pender and Coward, P.C., the scope of James T. Lang's practice is in environmental law with an emphasis on counseling residential and commercial waterfront property owners. Additionally Mr. Lang has extensive experience representing business clients in a variety of corporate matters that have become long time clients entrusting him with all of their legal needs. Before joining the firm in 2005, Mr Lang enjoyed a 25-year career in the navy starting as an E-1 Fireman Recruit and finishing as an O-5 Commander, including 16 years as a U.S. Navy JAG Attorney.

Attorney Shemeka Hankins is an experienced prior prosectuor with years of criminal litigation experience. A seasoned trial attorney, she is well-versed in a number of criminal areas such as drugs/narcotics/marijuana, driving under the influence (DUI/DWI), theft crimes, and juvenile justice. She also has experience with mental health programs, license restoration, restoration of gun rights, and expungements.

Shemeka Hankins is a committed servant of the community and puts the rights of clients at the forefront of the defense. She is dedicated to helping her clients protect their freedoms and defend their rights in legal situations. Attorney Shemeka Hankins is a...

Kelly Martin is a founding partner of Latham & Martin, where he dedicates his practice to personal injury litigation including automobile accidents, medical malpractice, products liability, and premises liability in Richmond and surrounding communities, including Henrico, Hanover, Chesterfield, Petersburg, Hopewell, and Colonial Heights.