The Virginia State Bar Negin Farahmand Wood has been awarded the Virginia State Bar’s Military Law Section Pro Bono Award. The award recognizes lawyers who actively practice in support of veterans and/or active duty servicemembers. Special consideration is given to lawyers who practice before Virginia’s Veteran’s Docket.

Farahmand Wood has served in the public defender/defense attorney role for the three Fairfax County Veterans Treatment Dockets since 2017. This specialty court program has three court programs within one, including at the General District, Circuit Court, and Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court levels.

In her defense attorney role, she dedicates many hours of her week to serving the veterans in the specialty court programs, including helping veterans understand the contract/entry process into a specialty docket program, serving as the advocate for the veterans in court for any noncompliance issues/termination hearings, and helping to resolve the numerous legal challenges veterans face when they are involved in the criminal justice system and reintegrating into society.

Farahmand Wood started in the Public Defender's Office as an assistant public defender in March 2013. She graduated from the University of Virginia in 2009 and from Washington and Lee University School of Law in 2012.

Farahmand Wood was nominated by the Hon. Penney Azcarate of Fairfax Circuit Court, who enrolled in the ROTC program while in college at Old Dominion University and served four years active duty with the United States Marine Corps and several more in the reserves while attending law school. Judge Azcarate was instrumental in creating the first Veterans Treatment Docket in the Commonwealth.