The Virginia Bar Association has a new legislative counsel and team to assist with government relations and state law changes. The lobbying team at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP will be led by VBA member Eric Link. By means of introduction, here is a message from Link about him, the team and the upcoming General Assembly session.

To my fellow VBA members:

I am proud to lead the team of attorneys and government relations professionals from Hunton Andrews Kurth that will serve as The Virginia Bar Association’s legislative counsel. Our entire firm welcomes the opportunity to work with the VBA leadership and membership to promote access to justice and sensible reforms to the law.

The VBA will have, as its legislative counsel, the benefit of Hunton’s entire lobbying and government relations team which, in addition to me, includes:

• Whitt Clement, former VBA president, Virginia delegate and secretary of Transportation;
• Myles Louria, senior director of government relations;
• Additional lobbyists, including Heidi Abbott, Robb Bohannon, Adisa Muse, Evans Poston and Elizabeth Rafferty; and
• Michael Kelly, former chief of staff and communications director in the Office of Attorney General, who will assist the VBA with strategic communications in support of our legislative initiatives and other VBA priorities.

This will be my 21st legislative session working with the Virginia General Assembly in various capacities including as a lobbyist, staff attorney for the General Assembly and in senior leadership roles in state agencies. The session begins Jan. 11 and is expected to last approximately 45 days. This means schedules will be compressed, deadlines will be short and the legislature will have to prioritize the bills it considers. With this in mind, the VBA has crafted a lean but substantive legislative package that we look forward to shepherding through the legislative process.

Please be on the lookout for more information about the VBA’s legislative agenda and advocacy efforts in the weeks ahead. We are proud to be your voice and advocate at the General Assembly and look forward to the good work I know we will do together.

Eric Link can be reached by email at ELink@HuntonAK.com or by phone at 804-788-8203.

If VBA members hear of proposed legislation that the VBA should monitor or act on, please contact VBA Executive Director Paul Fletcher with the details. Email him at pfletcher@vba.org or call 804-644-5434.