HARRISONBURG - Nineteen Harrisonburg attorneys made the 2009 list of Virginia Super Lawyers, while 11 others were named Virginia Rising Stars, a designation reserved for those younger than 40 or who have been practicing for less than 10 years.
Super Lawyers and Rising Stars are nominated by their peers before undergoing "rigorous" evaluations in a number of areas of "peer recognition and professional achievement," according to Law & Politics magazine's selection process.
The objective, the magazine says, is to "create a credible, comprehensive and diverse listing of outstanding attorneys."
Each year, only 5 percent of all state attorneys are named Super Lawyers, and just 2.5 percent become Rising Stars.
The following list of Harrisonburg-based Super Lawyers and Rising Stars includes the attorney's name, firm, law school attended and areas of practice.
Super Lawyers
Franklin R. Blatt, Law Offices of Franklin R. Blatt; University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law; family law, personal injury plaintiff.
Dale A. Davenport, Hoover Penrod PLC; University of Virginia School of Law; bankruptcy and creditor/debtor rights, business/corporate.
Daniel L. Fitch, Wharton Aldhizer & Weaver PLC; University of Virginia School of Law; civil litigation defense, construction litigation, intellectual property.
John W. Flora, Lenhart Obenshain PC; William & Mary Marshall-Wythe School of Law; tax, business/corporate, estate planning and probate.
William W. Helsley, Law Office of William W. Helsley; University of Richmond School of Law; personal injury plaintiff, general/criminal defense.
Charles F. Hilton, Wharton Aldhizer & Weaver PLC; Wake Forest University School of Law; personal injury defense, medical malpractice, business litigation, health care.
Glenn M. Hodge, Wharton Aldhizer & Weaver PLC; University of Virginia School of Law; health care.
Robert F. Keefer, Keefer Law Firm PLC; William & Mary Marshall-Wythe School of Law; criminal defense (DUI/DWI), personal injury plaintiff.
Jeffrey G. Lenhart, Lenhart Obenshain PC; William & Mary Marshall-Wythe School of Law; business/corporate, tax, health care.
Mark D. Obenshain, Lenhart Obenshain PC; Washington and Lee University School of Law; business litigation, business/corporate, estate and trust litigation.
David A. Penrod, Hoover Penrod PLC; The Ohio State University School of Law; general litigation, family law, business/corporate.
Roger A. Ritchie Sr., Ritchie Law Firm; University of Maryland School of Law; personal injury plaintiff: general, personal injury plaintiff products, workers' compensation.
Marshall H. Ross, Wharton Aldhizer & Weaver PLC; University of Virginia School of Law; professional liability: defense, employment and labor, civil litigation defense.
Donald E. Showalter, Wharton Aldhizer & Weaver PLC; University of Virginia School of Law; business/corporate, estate planning and probate.
Gregory T. St. Ours, Wharton Aldhizer & Weaver PLC; University of Virginia School of Law; antitrust litigation, construction litigation, professional liability: defense.
Matthew C. Sunderlin, Clark & Bradshaw PC; Regent University School of Law; elder law, estate planning and probate.
Thomas E. Ullrich, Wharton Aldhizer & Weaver PLC; St. John's University School of Law; business litigation, employment litigation: defense, civil litigation defense.
M. Bruce Wallinger, Hoover Penrod PLC; University of Virginia School of Law; alternative dispute resolution, business litigation, employment and labor.
Cathleen P. Welsh, Lenhart Obenshain PC; University of Virginia School of Law; employment and labor.
Rising Stars
Jason A. Botkins, Litten & Sipe LLP; University of Richmond School of Law; general litigation.
Aaron L. Cook, Aaron L. Cook PC; University of Virginia School of Law; criminal defense, immigration.
Humes J. Franklin III, Wharton Aldhizer & Weaver PLC; William & Mary Marshall-Wythe School of Law; general litigation.
Jason J. Ham, Litten & Sipe LLP; Washington and Lee University School of Law; general litigation, government/cities/municipalities, bonds/government finance.
Matthew W. Light, Wharton Aldhizer & Weaver PLC; Washington and Lee University School of Law; business/corporate, estate planning and probate, government/cities/municipalities.
Bradley J. Moyers, Clark & Bradshaw PC; University of Virginia School of Law; general litigation, construction litigation, personal injury plaintiff; general.
Jacob Penrod, Hoover Penrod, PLC; Washington and Lee University School of Law; general litigation, personal injury plaintiff: general, personal injury defense: general.
Michael L. Ritchie, Ritchie Law Firm; University of Virginia School of Law; personal injury plaintiff: general, social security disability, workers' compensation.
Roger A. "Skip" Ritchie Jr., Ritchie Law Firm; personal injury plaintiff: general, social security disability, personal injury plaintiff: products.
Jennifer E. Shirkey, Lenhart Obenshain PC; Washington and Lee University School of Law; tax, business/corporate.
Ryan P. Waid, BotkinRose PLC; Case Western Reserve University School of Law; employee benefits/ERISA, estate planning and probate, business/corporate.
