In Roanoke, the Law Office of James Steele, PLLC, with the highest donation per employee, is the 2024 winner of the Attorney General's Cup, the top honor for participants in the Legal Food Frenzy. Appalachian School of Law in Grundy captured the Law School Cup. Both winners' donations benefited the food bank Feeding Southwest Virginia.

The nearly 100 participants in the friendly competition, a project of the VBA Young Lawyers Division, raised nearly $300,000. They donated over 13,000 pounds of food. This aid goes to regional food banks to support their mission of helping Virginians who face food insecurity. In addition, 29 law firms volunteered at one of the seven member food banks.

In the contest, additional honors go to the legal offices with the highest giving per employee and most total giving.

Government and public service

Among government and public service participants, the Smyth County Commonwealth's Attorney's Office in Marion was the per capita winner. The Office of the Attorney General in Richmond won for total giving.

Corporate legal departments

Corporate legal departments also participated in the contest. The First Bank and Trust Company in Abingdon won in the per capita category and Dominion Energy in Richmond took total giving honors.

Large law firms

Among law firms with 100 or more employees, Hirschler in Richmond took home per capita honors and Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP in Richmond won in total giving.

Regional winners

Each of the regional food banks recognized its largest donors. The winners are:

• McGuireWoods LLP, Charlottesville - Blue Ridge Area Food Bank
• MercerTrigiani, Arlington - Capital Area Food Bank
• Lantz & Robins PC, Richmond - Feed More
• Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith, Roanoke - Feeding Southwest Virginia
• McGuireWoods LLP, Norfolk - Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore
• Hirschler, Fredericksburg - Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank
• Kaufman & Canoles, P.C., Newport News - Virginia Peninsula Foodbank

The annual statewide contest - this was the 18th - is presented in partnership with the Virginia Attorney General, the Federation of Virginia Food Banks and the Young Lawyers Division of The Virginia Bar Association. Over its history, more than 20 million pounds of food have been donated to hungry families through Virginia's regional food banks and their 1,100 partner agencies.

This year's winners will be invited to a reception hosted by Attorney General Jason Miyares in Richmond this summer.