The following five Pender & Coward attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2016 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® for outstanding work in their individual practice areas.


Jo Ann Blair-Davis – Trusts and Estates

Listed in “The Best Lawyers in America” for over 20 years, Blair-Davis focuses her practice in the areas of Estate and Gift Tax Planning, Estate Administration and Probate and Succession Planning for Small Businesses. In addition to her involvement in legal organizations, Blair-Davis served as an active member of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) for over 17 years.

Richard E. Garriott, Jr. – Family Law

A Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Garriott focuses his practice on Family Law, Domestic Relations and Litigation. He is AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated and has been recognized as a Virginia Super Lawyer, as well as one of Virginia’s Top 100 in 2015. Virginia Business has named him one of Virginia’s Legal Elite in the Family/Domestic Relations category, and he received the Lawyer of the Year designation from Best Lawyers in 2015.

Robert L. Samuel, Jr. – Personal Injury Litigation, Defendants

Samuel is chairman of Pender & Coward’s Workers’ Compensation practice group, focusing on Civil Personal Injury Litigation. He is AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated and also recognized as a Virginia Super Lawyer for his work in Personal Injury Defense (2015). He is a past president of the Virginia Beach Bar Association, as well as a recipient of its Professionalism Award in 2011.

Daniel M. Schieble – Personal Injury Litigation, Defendants and Personal Injury Litigation, Plaintiffs

A Pender & Coward shareholder, Schieble focuses his practice on Personal Injury Litigation. He is an author and lecturer of various professional and continuing legal education programs, including Successful Defense of Traumatic Brain Injury Claims and Trying Cases in Virginia – Exhibits, Experts and Visual Aids.

Diane Thompson – Trusts and Estates

A firm shareholder, Thompson focuses on the areas of Estate Planning, Trust and Estate Administration, Fiduciary Income Taxation, Federal Estate and Gift Taxation and Post-mortem Tax and Disclaimer Planning. She has been listed as a Virginia Super Lawyer every year since 2006 and has been recognized among the Legal Elite by Virginia Business. This is Thompson’s 23rd year as a Best Lawyer in Trusts and Estates, and in 2015, she received the Lawyer of the Year designation.\


Best Lawyers is the oldest peer review guide to the legal profession worldwide. The international program represents over 70 countries and is known for its relationships with the most prestigious lawyers from all over the world. The selection for Best Lawyers is based on a rigorous survey comprised of nearly 6.7 million confidential evaluations by the top attorneys in the country.
 

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About Pender & Coward

Since 1889, Pender & Coward has built a strong reputation for providing quality legal services to individuals, governmental entities and businesses of all sizes. With more than 30 attorneys, the firm represents clients throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia from offices in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Suffolk and remains dedicated to success through proven experience, diligent research and prompt correspondence. For more information, visit www.PenderCoward.com.