Steuart Thomas installed by Virginia Bar Association as 130th president

The Virginia Bar Association installed C.J. Steuart Thomas III as its 2018 president Saturday, Jan. 20, in Williamsburg. Thomas is a partner at TimberlakeSmith in Staunton, where he focuses his practice on medical malpractice defense and civil litigation. He succeeds David S. Mercer of MercerTrigiani in Alexandria, who assumed the office of immediate past president.

Thomas is the first VBA president from Staunton in 52 years and the fourth since the VBA was organized in 1888. His oath of office was administered by his father, Colin J. Thomas Jr., also an attorney with TimberlakeSmith. The elder Thomas is a Life Member of the VBA, denoting a continuous association with the VBA for at least 40 years. Colin Thomas Jr. joined the association in 1962.

“It is quite an honor to be speaking to you as the 130th president of The Virginia Bar Association,” the bar’s newest leader told members – including past presidents – attendees and guests at the 128th Annual Meeting of the association in Williamsburg. “Standing up here truly feels like I am standing on the shoulders of giants.”

The Virginia Bar Association (www.vba.org), the first statewide organization for lawyers in Virginia, is the largest voluntary bar association in the Commonwealth, with about 5,000 members. Its mission is to be the independent voice of the Virginia lawyer, advancing the highest ideals of the profession through advocacy and volunteer service. Its members seek to improve the law, serve the people of Virginia and engage with like-minded lawyers. One way of doing so are the traditional first-in-the-state debates involving candidates for statewide office. The next debate will be in July featuring candidates for U.S. Senate from Virginia. The association actively proposes and promotes legislative changes that are in the public interest before the Virginia General Assembly.