For Immediate Release
December 2020
ALL of McCandlish Lillard’s Lawyers Named to Virginia Business’s “Legal Elite” for 2020
Fairfax and Leesburg, VA –McCandlish Lillard is pleased to announce that all of its 20 attorneys, a record number and, certainly, an unsurpassable percentage for the firm, have been recognized by Virginia Business magazine as being among Virginia’s “Legal Elite.” Virginia Business magazine awards the “Legal Elite” designation from a survey of thousands of Virginia lawyers conducted in conjunction with the Virginia Bar Association. This year’s list appears in the magazine’s December edition, which was just released. Here are the names and categories, with hyperlinks to each attorney’s biography at the firm’s web site:
Eric J. Berghold, a Principal and member of the firm’s Executive Committee, was named among the best in the category of Civil Litigation. Mr. Berghold’s practice focuses primarily on workers’ compensation and commercial litigation, and includes tort liability, health care malpractice, mechanic’s liens, and landlord/tenant law.
Alan B. Croft, a Senior Counsel of the firm, resident in the Leesburg office, was named as one of the best in the category of Civil Litigation. Mr. Croft has actimccandlaw.com/…/eric-j-bergholdvely litigated for over 40 years, having first begun his legal career as a criminal prosecutor for the Commonwealth of Virginia.
John W. Farrell, a Principal of the firm, was named among the best in the field of Real Estate/Land Use Law. Mr. Farrell has over 40 years of experience before governing bodies, planning commissions, boards of zoning appeals and circuit courts, representing landowners, developers, local governments, and environmental organizations in land use and environmental controversies.
Elizabeth L. Gray, a Principal of the firm, was named among the best in the field of Estates/Trusts/Elder Law. Ms. Gray focuses her practice in the areas of estate planning, elder law, special needs planning, guardianships, and the administration of estates. She is a Certified Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation (NELF).
Virginia C. Haizlip, a Principal of the firm, was named among the best in the field of Family Law/Domestic Relations. Ms. Haizlip focuses her practice in the areas of family law and wills and trusts.
Jenny T. Irwin, an associate attorney resident in both the firm’s Fairfax and Leesburg offices, was named in the area of Domestic Relations/Family Law.
Sotia M. Kyriacou, an associate attorney who is resident in the firm’s Fairfax office, was named among the best in the area of Corporate Counsel. Ms. Kyriacou practices on the firm’s commercial real estate, corporate, and business law teams, and serves as Secretary to the Fairfax Bar Association’s Real Estate Section.
Robert H. J. Loftus, a Principal of the firm, was named among the best in the field of Civil Litigation. His practice has focused on business and construction litigation, and he has successfully litigated numerous complex business and liability issues for nationally recognized companies.
Daniel P. Lyon, a Counsel to the firm, was named to the Legal Elite in the field of Corporate Counsel.
R. Peyton Mahaffey is the President and a Principal of the firm, and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. He was selected to the Legal Elite for the field of Civil Litigation for the twenty-first consecutive year, and previously to the Virginia Lawyers Hall of Fame. Mr. Mahaffey has actively litigated business, corporate, commercial, and fiduciary matters on a continuing basis since 1980.
Melinda Merk, a Principal and member of the firm’s Wills, Trusts and Estates and Taxation groups, was selected in the category of Taxes/Estates/Trusts. Ms. Merk provides holistic multi-generational income and wealth transfer tax planning advice and estate and trust services to individuals, families, and business owners.
Lawrence J. McClafferty, a Principal and member of the firm’s Executive Committee, was selected in the category of Civil Litigation. He works out of the firm’s Fairfax and Loudoun offices. Mr. McClafferty devotes much of his practice to litigation involving business torts and fiduciary litigation, which includes will contests, breach of fiduciary duty claims, and guardianship/conservatorship matters.
Stephen C. Price, a Principal with the firm, was selected in the category of Real Estate/Land Use. Primarily from the Leesburg office of the firm, Mr. Price’s practice focuses on business litigation and transactions, with an emphasis on real property, condemnation, unfair competition, business tort, contractual and conservation easement matters.
Douglas J. Sanderson, a Principal with the firm, was recognized among the Legal Elite in the area of Family Law/Domestic Relations. Mr. Sanderson counsels and represents people who need legal assistance with family law matters, business transactions and commercial real estate.
Kathryn C. Swain, an associate attorney resident in the Fairfax office, was named among the best in the category of Civil Litigation. She practices in the areas of civil litigation, family law, and estate planning.
Ralph M. Tener, a Senior Counsel of the firm, was recognized among the Legal Elite in the area of Intellectual Property/Information Technology. A business lawyer who heads the firm’s Information Technology Group, he works with software and Internet companies from start-up through venture capital investment to sale or merger.
Benjamin J. Trichilo, a Senior Counsel of the firm, was recognized among the best in the area of Civil Litigation. Mr. Trichilo has more than 40 years of experience handling personal injury and workers’ compensation cases.
William J. Walsh, a Principal and member of the Executive Committee of the firm, was recognized among the Legal Elite in the area of Corporate Counsel. Mr. Walsh advises clients with regard to business and commercial matters, including corporate law, information technology, and intellectual property, and also dedicates a significant portion of his practice to clients in the hospitality industry.
Mark E. S. Abrajano, an associate attorney resident in the Fairfax office, was named among the best in the category of Civil Litigation. (However, we note with regret that Mr. Abrajano has planned his departure from our firm in order to pursue his passion of doing trial work in criminal law, and by mid-December may already have become a prosecutor with the Fairfax Commonwealth’s Attorney. The firm congratulates Mark on his move.)
Peter A. Arntson, who recently retired from his position as a Senior Counsel of the firm after more than 50 years of practicing law, was named among the best in the category of Trusts and Estates, in which he has been selected frequently over the past two decades.
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McCandlish Lillard has 20 attorneys, with offices in Fairfax and Leesburg. The law firm has been providing creative legal advice and advocacy to meet the legal needs of businesses and individuals in Northern Virginia and throughout the Commonwealth for more than a century. For more information regarding McCandlish Lillard call the firm at 703-273-2288 or visit our website at www.mccandlaw.com/.
