2026 VSB Annual Meeting—June 3-6

2026 VSB Annual Meeting

 

Advance registration for the Annual Meeting closed Friday, May 22. Questions about registration? Please contact [email protected]. On-site registration is available with an additional $10 fee. Refunds on meal tickets will be made on cancellations received by 5 pm on Thursday, May 28.

Annual Meeting registrants gain access to a maximum of 12.5 hours CLE, including 4.5 ethics (through a combination of live and on-demand programming)

Connect with hundreds of Virginia attorneys, judges, law school faculty, and law students at the Virginia State Bar's premier annual conference. The VSB Annual Meeting offers a combination of showcase CLE sessions on dynamic, high-profile topics of interest to the bar along with targeted, practice-oriented programs designed to enhance professional growth. Join your colleagues for engaging events, soak up the sun with your family, and celebrate as VSB President-elect Susan B. Tarley is sworn in as the 88th president. Thanks to our event sponsors and the hard work of the VSB’s sections and committees, this is an event you will want to attend. We can’t wait to see you there!

View Digital Annual Meeting Mailer to get a sneak peek at what's in store.

VSB Annual Meeting Sponsorships

Check out our Annual Meeting sponsors below! This meeting is made possible because of their support! Interested in being a sponsor for the 2027 VSB Annual Meeting? Email [email protected] to receive information.


Visit the following links for event info and to download the conference app.

 

Conference Agenda

           

Hotel Rooms

         

Annual Meeting Sponsors

 

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Follow the directions below to successfully register for the Annual Meeting:

  1. Sign in to your VSB Member Portal.
  2. Click Register Myself.
  3. Select the appropriate registration option.
  4. Add each event you'll attend to your itinerary (click the carrot to the right of each day to expand the menu and see all the activities offered).
  5. Add a guest (if applicable).
  6. Check out.
  7. Registration Instructions

    Registration FAQs


Early bird pricing for returning attendees ends on April 24.

An administrative processing fee of $35 will be deducted from all registration fee refunds. Cancellation requests should be sent to [email protected]Cancellation deadline: 5 pm on Friday, May 22.

Refunds on meal tickets will be made on cancellations received by 5 pm on Thursday, May 28.

When
6/3/2026 - 6/6/2026
Where
Virginia Beach, VA

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Program

Thursday, 04 June 2026

Description
Hilton Garden Inn.
Track
Hilton Garden Inn
Time
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
12:30 PM
This dynamic CLE dives into the rapidly changing legal landscape across the Commonwealth, shaped by demographic shifts, economic pressures, and critical attorney shortages—especially in rural and underserved communities. Leveraging insights from the groundbreaking Entry, Growth, and Distribution of Virginia Attorneys (EGAD) Report, participants will uncover the realities of attorney distribution, explore the rise of legal deserts, and examine the forces influencing where and how lawyers choose to practice. The program goes beyond the numbers to tackle the economic and licensure challenges impacting access to justice, while spotlighting technology’s transformative role—from digitized courts and remote practice to the promise and perils of AI. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies, innovative practice models, and forward-thinking solutions to strengthen legal services statewide.
Track
Hilton Garden Inn
Time
1:45 PM - 3:45 PM
1:45 PM
Explore the intersection of estate planning and intellectual property and learn how to plan for the transfer of intangible assets, including how to identify and value intellectual property assets, draft transfer provisions, identify tax and regulatory considerations, address royalties, assignments, and disputes among beneficiaries, and learn what went wrong with a few celebrity estates.
Category
CLE
Track
Hilton Garden Inn
Time
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
4:00 PM
Join us for a fireside chat and an experienced group of panelists ranging from both sides of the legal relationship to learn what in-house counsel wishes its outside counsel knew. Learn to see the grass from the other side of the fence and deliver better results for your clients.
Category
CLE
Track
Neptune Park
Time
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
4:00 PM
Hilton Oceanfront Hotel
Track
Hilton Oceanfront
Time
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
4:30 PM
Hilton Garden Inn
Track
Hilton Garden Inn
Time
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
5:00 PM
Neptune Park
Track
Neptune Park
Time
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
6:00 PM
Hilton Oceanfront Hotel
Track
Hilton Oceanfront
Time
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
7:00 PM

Friday, 05 June 2026

Description
Boardwalk at 38th St.
Track
Hilton Garden Inn
Time
7:00 AM - 8:30 AM
7:00 AM
Meet on the beach in front of the Hilton Garden Inn. Each participant must register.
Track
Hilton Garden Inn
Time
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
7:00 AM
Hilton Garden Inn
Track
Hilton Garden Inn
Time
7:30 AM - 9:00 AM
7:30 AM
What Does It Mean to Be a Practice-Ready Lawyer? Insights from Virginia Law School Deans and the Law School Accreditation Council. We look forward to a robust discussion with Melissa Hart, Chair-Elect of the Accreditation Council, and Virginia law school deans.  Panelists will delve into the current state of legal education and recent trends, with a focus on how well law schools prepare students to practice law.  Other topics will include whether the bar exam effectively measures lawyer readiness, and how the legal community can contribute to the professional growth and development of new lawyers.
Track
Hilton Oceanfront
Time
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
9:00 AM
Legal Education, Bar Admission, Access to Justice and Maximizing Performance: How Do These Fit Together and How Can Practitioners Get Involved? An interactive panel will discuss we are and where we’re heading in Virginia regarding: (1) the way we educate and admit new lawyers to the VSB; (2) the provision of legal services in "legal deserts" and how technology can play a key role, (3) changes to MCLE approval processes and requirements and (4) mental health and wellness initiatives focused on “maximizing performance" as judges, lawyers, law students and legal staff. The discussion will include information on how practicing and retired lawyers can get involved.
Track
Hilton Oceanfront
Time
10:40 AM - 11:40 AM
10:40 AM
There is a tension between senior living and bankruptcy when someone is faced with significant health issues, including total disability. This program will focus on how to plan for a significant medical condition/event and preserve the assets of a debtor or disabled person. Speakers will touch on Medicaid “spend down” planning and bankruptcy, and their respective “look back” periods, “exempt assets” and potentially “fraudulent conveyances”. The panelists will also discuss relevant benefits for veterans and their survivors through the Department of Veterans affairs which can further aid in preserving assets and increasing access to care and monetary benefits for disabled veterans and survivors.
Track
Hilton Garden Inn
Time
10:40 AM - 11:40 AM
10:40 AM
Track
Hilton Oceanfront
Time
11:45 AM - 1:00 PM
11:45 AM
Track
Hilton Oceanfront
Time
11:45 AM - 1:00 PM
11:45 AM
The Atlantic
Time
11:45 AM - 1:00 PM
11:45 AM
Track
Hilton Oceanfront
Time
11:45 AM - 1:00 PM
11:45 AM
Construction Law, Family Law, General Practice
Track
Hilton Oceanfront
Time
11:45 AM - 1:00 PM
11:45 AM
Track
Hilton Oceanfront
Time
11:45 AM - 1:00 PM
11:45 AM
Hilton Oceanfront Hotel, Peacock Ballroom B&C
Time
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
1:00 PM
Virginia is home to approximately 800,000 veterans, which ranks eighth in the nation. The conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan caused the deployment of more than 2 Million troops, and approximately twenty percent of those returning veterans have been diagnosed with a substance abuse disorder, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder. Veterans experiencing such disorders frequently are at risk for justice-system involvement. In November 2019, the Center for Court Innovation located in New York City, NY, in conjunction with the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia, adopted the Virginia Veterans Treatment Court Statewide Strategic Plan. The panel will consist of Veterans Treatment Court Judges and personnel who describe their experiences with Veterans in their courts, and what is needed to make these courts of even greater service to Veterans who have served our country and all of us in recent armed conflicts.
Track
Hilton Garden Inn
Time
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
2:00 PM
Be a Goldfish. Be Curious, Not Judgmental. Ted Lasso conveys many lessons that we can incorporate into our practices.  These lessons remind us they can be zealous advocates while still performing their work with civility and professionalism. If you find yourself in an ethical dilemma, just ask, “What Would Ted Lasso Do?”
Track
Hilton Oceanfront
Time
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
2:30 PM
Track
Hilton Oceanfront
Time
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
2:30 PM
Judges and attorneys will discuss the ethics of informal and social communications between the bench and the bar, addressing the Judicial Canons and Rules of Professional Conduct regarding relationships between judges and lawyers.  The panelists will address how recent changes to the canons were meant to encourage better bench-bar relations and why those relations are so important to our profession.  The presentation will discuss examples of positive bench-bar relations, how attorneys and judges successfully foster good relationships, and how such relationships could be improved.
Track
Hilton Garden Inn
Time
3:15 PM - 4:15 PM
3:15 PM
Hilton Oceanfront Hotel
Track
Hilton Oceanfront
Time
3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
3:30 PM
Hilton Oceanfront Hotel
Track
Hilton Oceanfront
Time
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
5:00 PM
Hilton Oceanfront Hotel
Track
Hilton Oceanfront
Time
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
6:00 PM
Ticketed Event.
Track
Hilton Oceanfront
Time
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
7:00 PM
Hilton Oceanfront Hotel
Track
Hilton Oceanfront
Time
9:00 PM
9:00 PM

Saturday, 06 June 2026

Description
Meet on the beach in front of the Hilton Garden Inn. Each participant must register.
Track
Hilton Garden Inn
Time
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
7:00 AM
Hilton Oceanfront Hotel: Peacock Ballroom A
Track
Hilton Oceanfront
Time
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
8:00 AM
Hilton Oceanfront, Peacock Ballroom A
Time
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
8:00 AM
Hilton Oceanfront Hotel. Peacock Ballroom A
Track
Hilton Oceanfront
Time
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
8:00 AM
Hilton Oceanfront Hotel, Peacock Ballroom A
Track
Hilton Oceanfront
Time
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
8:00 AM
Hilton Oceanfront Hotel. Peacock Ballroom A
Track
Hilton Oceanfront
Time
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
8:00 AM
Hilton Oceanfront, Peacock Ballroom A
Track
Hilton Oceanfront
Time
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
8:00 AM
Hilton Oceanfront Hotel
Track
Hilton Oceanfront
Time
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
8:30 AM
Get ready to ride the wave with Judicial Squares, the CLE game show making a splash for another year at the Annual Meeting! Attorneys will dive back into familiar waters as they revisit Bar Exam style questions but this time with some of Virginia’s favorite judges making waves from the bench. Contestants will be thrown a series of questions related to Virginia civil and criminal law, with the judges offering answers that may feel steady… or may pull you straight into a riptide. When the last wave breaks, only one side will be left standing on the shore. Will it be the attorneys, or will the judges own the beach?
Track
Hilton Oceanfront
Time
9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
9:30 AM
Hilton Oceanfront Hotel
Track
Hilton Oceanfront
Time
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
10:00 AM
Hilton Garden Inn Beachfront
Track
Hilton Garden Inn
Time
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
10:00 AM
Must be present to win! Hilton Oceanfront Hotel.
Track
Hilton Oceanfront
Time
11:45 AM - 12:00 PM
11:45 AM