The Geoff McDonald & Associates office at 3315 W. Broad St. (Photo by Brandy Brubaker)
All but two of a law firm’s nine Richmond attorneys jumped ship this week.
Personal injury firm Geoff McDonald & Associates lost seven of its associate attorneys, six of whom are banding together to start their own practice.
Geoff McDonald spokesperson Jim Maxwell confirmed that Jamie Karek, Dana Charback, Lauren Carroll, Seth Carroll, Elyse Stiner, Matthew Lastrapes and Benjamin Andrews left the firm.
All but Andrews plan to launch Commonwealth Law Group PLLC. Andrews has accepted a position at Halperin Law Center.
Geoff McDonald
The departures left McDonald with two attorneys for the time being – Geoff McDonald himself and recent hire Michael Beste – but McDonald said he has no hard feelings.
“We’ve been in business for a long time. We’ve been an incubator for other law firms,” he said. “We wish them the best, and we look forward to working with them in the future, as we have with other attorneys who have worked here.”
Brian Dunn, who had worked as director of operations at Geoff McDonald & Associates, also left to become chief operating officer of the new firm.
“This was a great opportunity to strike out on our own,” Dunn said.
The new firm just got approval from the state bar and expects to open its office next week at 1506 Staples Mill Road. It will specialize in personal injury and workers’ compensation but will accept other cases, Dunn said.
Karek and Lauren Carroll attended law school at the University of Richmond, Charback attended Florida Coastal’s law school, Seth Carroll attended the College of William & Mary’s law school, Andrews attended American University’s Washington College of Law, Stiner attended the University of Miami’s law school and Lastrapes went to Louisiana State Paul M. Hebert Law Center.
Maxwell, the spokesperson for McDonald who works for the marketing firm Hawley Martin, said the departing attorneys had been planning to start their own firm for a few months . He added that although McDonald didn’t know about their plans, the longtime personal injury lawyer wasn’t surprised because their careers were advancing.
Maxwell said McDonald loves to take young attorneys under his wing and is proud of them when they move on.
“We’re happy for them,” Maxwell said.
McDonald has two offices in the Richmond area, one at 3315 W. Broad St. and another in Henrico County at 8905 Fargo Road. He also has a new office in Waynesboro.
Maxwell said the firm plans to grow statewide.
The Geoff McDonald & Associates office at 3315 W. Broad St. (Photo by Brandy Brubaker)
All but two of a law firm’s nine Richmond attorneys jumped ship this week.
Personal injury firm Geoff McDonald & Associates lost seven of its associate attorneys, six of whom are banding together to start their own practice.
Geoff McDonald spokesperson Jim Maxwell confirmed that Jamie Karek, Dana Charback, Lauren Carroll, Seth Carroll, Elyse Stiner, Matthew Lastrapes and Benjamin Andrews left the firm.
All but Andrews plan to launch Commonwealth Law Group PLLC. Andrews has accepted a position at Halperin Law Center.
Geoff McDonald
The departures left McDonald with two attorneys for the time being – Geoff McDonald himself and recent hire Michael Beste – but McDonald said he has no hard feelings.
“We’ve been in business for a long time. We’ve been an incubator for other law firms,” he said. “We wish them the best, and we look forward to working with them in the future, as we have with other attorneys who have worked here.”
Brian Dunn, who had worked as director of operations at Geoff McDonald & Associates, also left to become chief operating officer of the new firm.
“This was a great opportunity to strike out on our own,” Dunn said.
The new firm just got approval from the state bar and expects to open its office next week at 1506 Staples Mill Road. It will specialize in personal injury and workers’ compensation but will accept other cases, Dunn said.
Karek and Lauren Carroll attended law school at the University of Richmond, Charback attended Florida Coastal’s law school, Seth Carroll attended the College of William & Mary’s law school, Andrews attended American University’s Washington College of Law, Stiner attended the University of Miami’s law school and Lastrapes went to Louisiana State Paul M. Hebert Law Center.
Maxwell, the spokesperson for McDonald who works for the marketing firm Hawley Martin, said the departing attorneys had been planning to start their own firm for a few months . He added that although McDonald didn’t know about their plans, the longtime personal injury lawyer wasn’t surprised because their careers were advancing.
Maxwell said McDonald loves to take young attorneys under his wing and is proud of them when they move on.
“We’re happy for them,” Maxwell said.
McDonald has two offices in the Richmond area, one at 3315 W. Broad St. and another in Henrico County at 8905 Fargo Road. He also has a new office in Waynesboro.
Maxwell said the firm plans to grow statewide.