Skip to main content

Alumna Update: Farnaz Farkish '07 Argues Before Supreme Court of Virginia

Farnaz Farkish ‘07, an attorney in the Civil Litigation Division Trial Section at the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, recently argued her first case before the Supreme Court of Virginia. Farkish represented the Virginia State Bar (VSB) on an appeal concerning the VSB’s disciplinary proceedings against a Prince George County prosecutor.

An attorney disciplined by the VSB has the right to challenge the VSB Disciplinary Board’s decision, resulting in an appeal as of right before the Supreme Court of Virginia, which is where Farkish picked up the case.

“It was eye opening to have to review the record because I did not litigate the case in the proceedings below—another attorney represented the Virginia State Bar before the District Committee and Disciplinary Board,” says Farkish. “I reviewed the appendix, which was over 500 pages and committed the proceedings below to memory.”

Her opportunity to argue before the Supreme Court of Virginia is rare. In 2012, the Court granted 123 petitions for appeal out of the 1,721 it received.

As an attorney in the Civil Litigation Division Trial Section, Farkish handles civil litigation for the state of Virginia, representing public officials, colleges and universities and agencies, including the Virginia State Bar. Before joining the Attorney General’s Office, Farkish was a judicial clerk for two judges: Senior Judge Eric G. Bruggink of the United States Court of Federal Claims, and the late Chief Justice Leroy Rountree Hassell, Sr., of the Supreme Court of Virginia. She was also a judicial clerk for the Office of the Chief Staff Attorney of the Supreme Court of Virginia.

Popular posts from this blog

Regent University Ranked #1 Best Online Christian College in America

Regent University has been named the #1 Best Online Christian College in America, according to a     new report by BibleCollegeOnline.com . The report measured academics, affordability, and return on  investment among 100 Christian colleges in the United States.“We are honored and thankful for this  incredible recognition as the top online Christian college in the nation,” said Dr. Bill Hathaway,  executive vice president for Academic Affairs at Regent University. “As the preeminent destination for  Christian college students, Regent is deeply dedicated to providing world-class, Christ-centered  education that equips Christian leaders to change the world.” In addition to this accolade, Regent University is ranked the #1 Best Accredited Online College  in the United States (Study.com, 2020), the #1 Safest College Campus in Virginia (YourLocalSecurity, 2021),  and the #1 Best Online Bachelor’s Program in Virginia for nine years in a row  (U.S. News & World Report, 2021). Regent Univ

After Success at Regional Level, Negotiation Team Prepares for National Competition

Regent University School of Law’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Board (ADR) made a strong showing at the ABA Regional Negotiation Competition held Nov. 13-14 at William and Mary School of Law. The 2L team of Mary Katherine Bratton and David Crossett finished second overall from a roster of over 20 teams representing American University, Georgetown, Washington & Lee and other law schools throughout Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. While all three of Regent’s competition teams placed in the top ten, Bratton and Crossett look forward to an official invitation from the ABA to compete in the national competition, February 5-6 in Orlando, FL. Team coach Prof. Eric DeGroff commented on Bratton and Crossett’s exemplary performance. “Our team was able to zealously represent their clients within the bounds of the law and with integrity,” he said. “They balanced making a strong case and presenting their client in the best possible light

Regent Law Hires Two New Faculty Members—Both Yale Law Graduates—for Fall 2022

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (July 5, 2022) – Today, Regent University School of Law announced the appointment of two new members of its faculty, Erin Morrow Hawley and David D. Velloney.  Both Hawley and Velloney are graduates of Yale Law School.  Professor Hawley will teach constitutional law and serve as a senior fellow at the Robertson Center for Constitutional Law.  Professor Velloney will focus on criminal law, military law, and constitutional criminal procedure.   Professors Hawley and Velloney are the third and fourth professors added to the Regent Law faculty in the past year.  “We are incredibly fortunate to attract such exceptional teachers, mentors, and scholars to our faculty,” said Brad Lingo, dean of Regent University School of Law.  “Our students will love learning from professors Hawley and Velloney and benefit from the depth of experience and Christian perspectives they bring.” New Faculty Appointments: Erin Morrow Hawley: Associate Professor of Constitutional Law J