The New Trial Lawyers section is running an election for our next position in leadership. This position of secretary will join Chair Dan Savage, Chair-Elect Elaine Singerman (and Immediate Past Chair Brad Kent) in the section leadership and will move to chair-elect in the next VTLA year.
Here are your three candidates:
Ben Gushue
MichieHamlett
I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many of you at conferences and seminars over the past couple of years. For those of you who don’t know me, I grew up in Baltimore before heading to UVA for undergrad. I fell in love with Charlottesville, worked there for a bit after graduation, and ultimately returned after my time at W&L Law. I’ve been practicing personal injury law (and some occasional commercial law for the fun of it) at MichieHamlett ever since.
As we hear constantly, we are part of a small club of Virginia lawyers, and an even smaller group of Virginia lawyers who have been practicing for fewer than 10 years. It’s important that we stick together and keep building the bonds that will carry our practices for years to come. NTL isn’t about networking for the sake of networking: it’s about spending real time together, building friendships and trust so that we can refer a case knowing the client is in good hands, pick up the phone with a question and get a straight answer, and vent about the tough ones to someone who gets it. This is where we lay that foundation, and if you elect me as Secretary, I promise to carry on the great work of those before me and to help Brad, Dan, and Elaine make sure this section remains a place to build those relationships.
Whit Long
Emroch & Kilduff
My involvement with VTLA has been an important part of my professional development, providing education, mentorship, and connection with colleagues across the Commonwealth.
This role represents a meaningful opportunity to give back. If elected, I would be honored to support the Section’s efforts to strengthen programming and engagement for newer trial lawyers through CLEs, meaningful networking events, and mentorship opportunities.
Thank you for your consideration.
Damon Miller
Ben Glass Law
I’m interested in serving as NTL Secretary because VTLA has been an important part of my development as a young trial lawyer, and I’d like to give back by helping strengthen and grow the NTL community. My practice focuses on representing individuals in long-term disability and life insurance cases, but one of the things I value most about VTLA is the opportunity to connect across practice areas and learn from attorneys with different experiences and perspectives. As Secretary, I would focus on helping create a space where NTLs from all practice areas feel welcomed, supported, and engaged—whether through meaningful CLE programming, accessible events, or consistent communication. I’d bring organization, responsiveness, and a genuine interest in building connections within the group, and I’d be honored to contribute to the continued growth of this committee.
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