Former Magistrate Judge Crigler Awarded For Leadership By Virginia State Bar

Retired Magistrate Judge Waugh Crigler will receive a Leadership in Education award from the Virginia State Bar.  The award recognizes individuals for leadership in improving and enhancing legal education and professionalism among the academy, bench and bar. 

The Virginia State Bar's announcement explains:

"Crigler has a long and distinguished career as a lawyer, judge, and teacher. He has served as a faculty member for the VSB’s Harry L. Carrico Professionalism Course since 1995. In 1998, he was appointed to the bar’s Standing Committee on Professionalism, and later became its vice chair. He helped to develop a curriculum for a professionalism program that was instituted in all law schools in the commonwealth in 2000. He served as chair or co-chair of the Law School Professionalism program until 2003, and remains an active faculty member for the program.

Crigler has served on the board of governors of the State Bar’s Litigation Section since 2009.  In 2006, he was elected to the board of governors of the State Bar’s Section on the Education of Lawyers in Virginia, and has served as vice chair since 2010. While serving on these boards, Judge Crigler has written numerous articles advancing trial skills and professional and ethical practice."

 Judge Crigler is currently an alternative dispute resolution facilitator at the McCammon Group.

"Happiness Is The Truth"

Charlottesville, Virginia has been named the happiest city in the United States.  It also will be home to the newest (unofficial) office of Womble Carlyle.  Coincidence?  Yes, probably.

A recent study from a Harvard professor ranked Charlottesville as the happiest city in the US.  Just down the road, Richmond was rated the "most contented" metropolitan area with over one million people.  Norfolk/Virginia Beach, hometown of the "Happy" songwriter Pharrell, came in second.  There must be something about Virginia!

The study suggested that people are willing to sacrifice happiness if the price is right. "Indeed, the residents of unhappier metropolitan areas today do receive higher real wages -- presumably as compensation for their misery."  Which explains Northern Virginia.  Just kidding!

In unrelated news, I'm happy to announce that Womble Caryle will soon be opening a new office space in Charlottesville to serve as a staging area for Virginia-based litigation outside of the Washington beltway.  Charlottesville is one of the headquarters of the Western District of Virginia.  Additionally, from this central location, an attorney can travel to just about any courthouse in the Commonwealth in under two hours.  The location and opening date for the "Charlottesville office" have not been finalized.  I will announce more after the details are worked out.