Fincastle Lawyers

Married, mother, Roanoke resident and Northern Virginia native.

Since 2015, the workers' compensation lawyers in Roanoke, Virginia, of Lugar Injury Law have been representing injured people and their families. We believe our clients always come first. As personal injury professionals, we abide by our duty to protect the rights of victims of personal injury, car accidents, truck accidents, traumatic brain injury, defective products, slip and fall, wrongful death, workers' compensation claims. We do not represent the insurance industry or big business. We represent people like you.

Andrew P. Connors is the managing partner of Darkhorse Attorneys. He focuses his law practice on business law, intellectual property law, contracts, civil litigation, and mediation. He also serves as an adjunct law professor and heads the intellectual property program at Liberty University School of Law, where he teaches intellectual property, trademarks, and the school's USPTO certified Intellectual Property Clinic. Super Lawyers Magazine named him a Rising Star for Appeals, Business Litigation, and Intellectual Property from 2012-2023. He was also named as part of the "Legal Elite" for Intellectual Property law by Virginia Business Magazine. He has previously served as the...

I help those who have been hurt by others. When individuals and families suffer from medical malpractice, dangerous premises, defective products, negligent driving, or other instances of carelessness, it's my job to guide my clients from the case’s initial evaluation in the office to its closing argument at trial.

Michelle Derrico is a Roanoke criminal defense lawyer with years of experience defending clients against the Commonwealth. She has successfully represented clients accused of serious criminal charges such as murder and rape. At Copenhaver, Ellett & Derrico, you will work directly with Michelle to ensure that your questions are answered and you know exactly how the criminal process works in southwest Virginia.

I was born and grew up in the area - my family has served the legal needs of the area since 1892, over 120 years. My goal is to explain the legal process in plain English and to avoid the 'technical lawyer words' which only confuse many people. The primary focus of my firm is now "Elder Law" which broadly includes estate planning, Nursing Home admissions and Medicaid applications and adult guardianship. After a family member dies, we advise and assist in the estate administration process. In short, we help families plan and deal with aging...

My practice area focus is primarily criminal defense, traffic defense, and civil litigation in Southwest Virginia. I am also admitted to practice in Washington, D.C., the United States Eastern District of Virginia and the United States Western District Court of Virginia. When I'm not in the courtroom, I enjoy horseback riding and am often found trail riding on the weekends. If you have any questions and would like to speak with me, feel free to call the office at 540-339-7775.

I am a seasoned trial attorney who has been providing legal advice throughout Roanoke County, Roanoke City, the City of Salem, Franklin County, Bedford County, Botetourt County and courts throughout Southwest Virginia for more than a decade. But, I have been protecting citizen’s rights for even longer. Prior to becoming a criminal defense attorney, I served in the U.S. Marine Corps and earned the rank of Sergeant with the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington D.C. Then, I worked as a prosecutor in Roanoke City before finally becoming a criminal defense attorney in the greater Roanoke area, where I tried cases in...

Roanoke, Virginia, Personal Injury Lawyer: Ms. Bettina C. Altizer (Partner) was born in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. At the ripe age of three, she decided that she wanted to be a lawyer and that desire never wavered. Bettina moved to the Roanoke Valley with her family in 1973 and graduated with high distinction from the University of Virginia in 1985 with a B.A. in American Government. Bettina graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1988. began practicing with her father, Jack Altizer, in 1991 and they formed the Roanoke injury firm of Altizer & Altizer in Roanoke, VA....

I am a tenacious Roanoke lawyer who puts my clients' interests first. As a general practice attorney, I have extensive experience in many different areas of the law, including: business formation and corporate governance, general civil litigation, family law (divorce, support and custody), plaintiff's personal injury, GAO protests and federal procurement law, bankruptcy (Chapters 7 and 13), construction litigation, civil rights and s. 1983 cases, protective orders, and alternative dispute resolution. This broad experience allows me to bring a different perspective to bear in my practice. I have won jury and bench trials in Virginia, and have been victorious...

David was born and raised in the Roanoke Valley; the son of a Registered Nurse and a Roanoke City Police Officer, he spent his childhood in Salem and attended Glenvar High School. After graduating, he went on to attend Virginia Tech where he received degrees in both Finance and Accounting. After graduation, David worked as an accountant in both the public and private sectors, but decided the law was his true calling. He went on to attend Washington & Lee University School of Law, where he graduated with honors at the top of his class in 2010. David began his...

Admitted to practice law in Virginia in 1998, Mel brings a wealth of litigation experience to clients that includes practice as a prosecutor and working for insurance companies defending lawsuits, to include defending government officials charged with misconduct and violations of civil rights. Now he represents persons and small businesses in litigation arising out of serious personal injury, employment disputes, and employment and administrative/governmental grievances, such as professional discipline. Mel received his Bachelor of Science degree, magna cum laude, from Bridgewater College of Virginia in 1995, majoring in Political Science and minoring in Philosophy/Religion. In 1998,...

Chris is very competitive and loves jury trials. As a former teacher and prosecutor, he is very comfortable speaking with judges and jurors in the courtroom. During law school, he won several awards competing in moot court and negotiations competitions, placing 2nd at the national ABA Negotiation Tournament in San Diego and 3rd at the National Moot Court Championship Tournament in Houston - the highest results his law school has ever achieved in either event. No lawyer can guarantee victory, but you always get Chris's best effort, and his proven record of success demonstrates that.

The Higgs Law Firm provides legal assistance to businesses and individuals throughout Virginia and nationwide in: Administrative Law; Alternative Dispute Resolution; Banking; Mortgages and Equity Financing; Bankruptcy (Creditors only); Business & Commercial Law; Civil Litigation; Corporations, Partnerships, L.C.C.s and other Entities; Creditors' Rights and Commercial Collections; Foreclosures; Lease Enforcement; Litigation; Real Estate; and Wills, Trusts and Estates. Bankruptcy practice limited to representing creditors. *The American Board of Certification is accredited by the American Bar Association to certify lawyers in the areas of bankruptcy law and creditors' right law. There is no procedure in the Commonwealth of Virginia for approving certifying...

Greg represents individuals and families facing challenges from automobile accidents and tractor-trailer crashes, construction accidents, heavy equipment accidents, automobile defects, wrongful death, consumer product defects, traumatic brain injury, and asbestos illnesses. After graduating from the University of Virginia in 1986 with a degree in Economics, Greg commissioned in the United States Army for four years active duty with the 10th Mountain Division. Greg entered law school in 1992 and graduated from the University of Richmond School of Law in 1995 where he was admitted to the Virginia State Bar and Federal Courts of Virginia. Greg obtained one of the largest...

Mr. Frankl is a litigator whose practice concentrates on general insurance defense litigation with a specialty on defending individuals and commercial motor carriers in catastrophic injury claims. He has handled complex litigation on behalf of primary and excess insurers in the areas of products liability, wrongful death, premises liability andpersonal injury. Mr. Frankl has tried numerous cases in both state and federal courts throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. Prior to forming Frankl Miller & Webb in 2004, Mr. Frankl was the head of both the insurance defense and trucking andtransportation practice groups as a partner in the...

I have over 35 years of experience representing Virginia clients in medical malpractice, long-term care litigation, serious personal injury litigation, and complex commercial litigation. In my practice I have represented individuals and businesses throughout Virginia, including in state and federal court.

John E. Lichtenstein is a founding member of Lichtenstein Law Group PLC. Over 28 years of practice, he has tried to verdict and successfully resolved through negotiation hundreds of cases involving severe, life-altering injury and wrongful death. Among Mr. Lichtenstein’s trials and settlements are multiple individual results exceeding one million dollars. He and the firm, along with co-counsel, have secured some of the largest jury verdicts and settlements in Virginia. Mr. Lichtenstein’s injury and wrongful death cases involve defective products, medical malpractice, automobile and tractor- trailer crashes, traumatic brain injury and other settings. Often, his cases concern complex liability and...

Daniel L. Crandall is the founding partner of The Law Offices of Daniel L. Crandall & Associates. He has been engaged in the practice of law since 1979. The focus of his practice is exclusively plaintiff personal injury law . He has become known in Southwest Virginia as the caring personal injury professional. He was privileged to be named twice as the Best Local Lawyer by the readers of The Roanoker Magazine and the Firm has won multiple awards for Best Law Firm by the same publication. He graduated from the University of South Florida in 1973 and from the...

Jennifer devotes herself to the practice of U.S. immigration and nationality law. As an immigration lawyer, she represents clients in a variety of immigration matters - including providing guidance on applying for work authorization, permanent residency, and U.S. citizenship. She also defends individuals in deportation and removal proceedings before the federal immigration courts. As the daughter of an immigrant, her family’s diverse, multicultural heritage inspired her to pursue a profession where she could help others pursue their livelihood in the United States. Jennifer's law firm is based in Roanoke, Virginia where she lives with her husband Rob and...

Cheryl Watson Smith JD, has been in the private practice of law in Roanoke, Virginia since 1988 and practices in the area of family law, including complex property matters. Through the Collaborative Divorce Process, mediation, and negotiated settlements, she assists families in resolving disputes without going to court.

Ms. Smith is passionate about the Collaborative Divorce Process as an alternative to court battles for families in conflict. She is committed to expanding the use of the Collaborative Divorce Process by developing her own Collaborative Practice skills and training other professionals in the Collaborative Process. Ms. Smith is on the faculty...

I have been practicing criminal and traffic law in Virginia for over 16 years, including 6 years as a prosecutor and 10 years in private practice. I am fluent in Spanish and can interpret or translate to assist clients.

Matt recently returned to the Roanoke Valley after spending 9 years in New Mexico, where he served as an officer in the Air Force and obtained his two graduate degrees.

Vicki L. Francois (née Wiese), Esq.

Vicki obtained a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh. She then obtained a Juris Doctor degree from Oklahoma City School of Law, where she was awarded Order of the Barristers in recognition of excellence of courtroom advocacy. She also served as a law clerk for the Honorable James F. Lane of the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals during law school.  Vicki has continued to further her education by attending the University of Pennsylvania and completing Leadership Strategy for Violence and Abuse Prevention, Executive Program.

She is licensed to practice law...

Paul is a former senior claims adjuster for a major insurance company. Since 1995 Paul exclusively represents injured persons and the families of injured persons in cases involving automobile, truck and motorcycle crashes; defective products; premises liability; medical malpractice and wrongful death. Paul accepts cases throughout Virginia and West Virginia, including Roanoke; Salem; Botetourt; Franklin County; Blacksburg; Lexington; Richmond; Abingdon; Wytheville; Wise; Bristol; Christiansburg; Martinsville; Lynchburg and Charleston, West Virginia; and Mingo and McDowell Counties in West Virginia.

Neal Johnson has over 30 years of trial experience in both state and federal courts. In recent years, he has devoted his professional career to the representation of victims of devastating personal injury as a result of negligence, as well as individuals needing representation in complex commercial litigation, family law proceedings or serious criminal cases.

I provide business counsel and commercial litigation services with an emphasis on trademark applications throughout the industrialized world, trademark licensing, franchising, trademark litigation, copyright applications and litigation, trade secrets, unfair competition, business and corporate law, and private equity transactions.

Thomas "Bo" Frith is an Associate at Frith Ellerman & Davis. Bo's practice is focused on medical malpractice, non-compete litigation, and nursing home abuse and neglect. Bo began his career serving as the law clerk to the Honorable Louise M. DiMatteo in Arlington County Circuit Court. Prior to joining Frith Ellerman & Davis Law Firm, P.C., Bo worked at a top international law firm where he maintained an extensive and highly active caseload defending medical malpractice, personal injury, and professional liability claims.

Prior to law school, Bo worked in the Washington office of Senator Mark R. Warner. ...

A Roanoke, Virginia native, John Fishwick has spent his professional career helping individuals who have faced serious civil and criminal legal challenges. John is not afraid of a tough case and has won significant civil verdicts and obtained acquittals for clients facing criminal charges. No stone is left unturned as John looks for ways to win your case. John is fortunate to work with a talented group of attorneys and staff at his firm, many of whom he has worked with for years. Many of his cases are referred to him from other Virginia attorneys. In fact, many other lawyers refer...