PWCBA Manassas, Virginia

75th Anniversary Special Celebration and Recognition

By Alissa N. Hudson, Executive Director

The PWC Bar Association celebrated its 75th Anniversary at the Dinner Dance this year with great fanfare.  The Association was founded on July 25, 1941 by the seven attorneys who comprised the entire legal community at the time, all having offices in Old Towne Manassas.  They were:  Robb A. Hutchison, C.A. Sinclair, T.E. Didlake, W. Hill Brown, Jr., Stanley A. Owens, C. Lacey Compton, Sr., and Arthur W. Sinclair.  Those attorneys and the ones who followed had a profound impact on the legal community and the community at large. 

The original objectives of the Association continue to this day and are reflected in our mission statement:  to maintain the honor and dignity of the practice of law, promote the administration of justice, encourage the professionalism and collegiality of its members, and contribute to the quality of life in the community. 

PWCBA HIstory Displays

Efforts to capture the history of the PWC Bar have been multifaceted.  Initially, the living history of the Bar was captured through personal interviews of our most senior members over the course of the past 17 years.  Thirty-two such interviews were conducted and provide a clear picture of the earliest days of the Bar as told by those who knew and admired our founding fathers.  All the interviews were, or will be, published as the cover story in an issue of Hear Ye! Hear Ye!, and were compiled in a commemorative program that was distributed to those who attended the dance, and made available to every member of the Bar following the event.  A number of historical displays were also developed that depict the Associations Founding Fathers; Judiciary; and the Impact of Lawyers in the Community.  These displays will travel to Manassas City Hall and beyond on the weeks to come to share the history of the Bar with the community at large. 

During the dinner dance, Delegate Jackson Miller presented the PWC Bar with House Resolution 64, commending the Bar for 75 years of “service to the legal community and the people of Prince William County.”  President Jeani Wiethop invited every past president in attendance to join her in accepting the award, which made for quite a photo. 

The dinner dance was also a time to celebrate our judges and the best in our profession.  We honored Judge Potter on his retirement from PWC Circuit Court, and Judge O’Brien on her elevation to the Court of Appeals of Virginia with portraits commissioned to express our gratitude to them for their service to the bench.  Following are the recipients of our annual awards for 2015:

  • Past President:  Jennifer B. Zary
  • Pro bono Attorney of the Year:  Phillip J. Menke
  • J&DR Guardian Ad Litem of the Year:  Nicholas D. Williams
  • J&DR Trial Attorney of the Year:  Kimberly Hackbarth
  • GDC Trial Attorney of the Year:  Anne T. Godson
  • Circuit Trial Attorney of the Year:  James A.Willett
  • Arthur W. Sinclair Professionalism Award:  Tracey A. Lenox
  • VWAA Justicia Award:  Charlyn Hasson-Brown

Congratulations to all the award recipients and thank you for the example you set for others!

 

PWCBA Past Presidentts

Past Presidents, left to right, front row: Jim Willett, Judge Tracy Hudson, Amy Tobias, Amy Ashworth, Judge Elect Petula Metzler, Jeani Wiethop, Judge Rossie Alston, Tom Palmer, Jenn Zary, Mark Crossland, Barry Zweig and Delegate Jackson Miller. Back row: Paul Ebert, Bob Zelnick, Judge Frank Hoss, Judge Alan Becker, Judge Scott Bailer, John Foote, Judge Angela Horan, Bill Stephens, Judge Will Jarvis, Judge Craig Johnston, Judge Richard Potter and Giff Hampshire.

 

Photos of PWCBA Members and activities around Manassas, Virginia 2021 and 2022