Longtime Hampton Roads law firm makes first move into Richmond

Dylan Bishop recently joined Willcox Savage to launch the firm’s first presence in the Richmond market. (Photo courtesy Willcox Savage)

Willcox Savage, the Hampton Roads-based law firm that’s been around since 1895, had never in its 129-year history had a physical presence in the Richmond market, nor had it jumped into the legal industry trend of launching an in-house lobbying arm.

It just checked both of those off its to-do list.

The 65-attorney firm last month established its first-ever Richmond office with the hiring of Dylan Bishop, in a move that coincided with the founding of Willcox Savage Consulting, a government affairs subsidiary.

Bishop comes over from a similar role at Eckert Seamans and will head the new consulting practice while looking to grow the firm’s ranks in Richmond.

Tom Inglima, Willcox Savage’s managing partner and CEO, said Richmond had been on the firm’s radar for some time, as it’s been in expansion mode in the commonwealth after opening a Northern Virginia outpost two years ago. He said the chance to recruit Bishop spurred the move.

Tom Inglima

“We have been looking at Richmond,” Inglima said. “It was really more around having an opportunity to bring somebody on board that had a profile in that line of work that was extremely attractive to us.”

Inglima said the expansion gives the firm a foothold in the three biggest markets in Virginia: Northern Virginia, Richmond and Hampton Roads. The government affairs work in Richmond will add to the business transactional and litigation practices that are run out of the firm’s Norfolk headquarters, as well as the corporate law, trademark and litigation focus of its Tyson’s Corner office.

“We see the talent in the legal market really being a little more fragmented right now. Being able to hire talent in all three of those markets we think just makes us stronger,” Inglima said.

Bishop, 33, attended Hampden-Sydney for undergrad and got his law degree from University of Richmond. He said he got his first taste of what a lawyer-lobbyist could do while working for the DMV during law school.

“I had an epiphany right then and there and said this is what I want to do with my legal education,” he said.

He also previously worked for McGuireWoods Consulting, for a state senator for two years, followed by KVCF Consulting and then Eckert Seamans.

He said he heard from Willcox in recent months and decided to make the move.

“I just turned 33 and to have that opportunity was really an honor,” he said. “The opportunity in starting an entirely new government affairs practice group and starting a Richmond office for a longstanding Virginia firm was too good to pass up.”

He started with the firm on Nov. 1 and is joined in the Richmond office by lobbyist and assistant Casey Marrin. They work from an office downtown in One James Center.

Bishop said his book of business includes nine main clients: Columbia Gas of Virginia; the Virginia Oil and Gas Association; Gainwell Technologies; the Heavy Construction Contractors Association; MetLife Insurance; Modivcare; the Virginia Government Employees Association; the Virginia Sheriffs Association; and the Virginia Smoke Free Association.

He helps those clients with government affairs as well as on the legal side with regulatory compliance and administrative law.

Looking ahead, Bishop said he aims to grow the firm’s Richmond office on both the legal and lobbying front.

“I’ve got big things in mind,” he said.