DISTRICT 3

David W. Anderson

Over the last three years, I was privileged to serve on the board of this incredible organization. In my time, I did my best to advance the mission of VACDL. The organization as a whole has done an incredible job advocating in the general assembly and the appellate courts as well as improving the quality of criminal defense in Virginia.  I hope that I contributed in at least a minor way to the success this organization has had.  For the last two years, I have served as the head of the Indigent Representation Committee as well as served on the Executive Committee. I will continue to work as best that I can to keep doing what I have been doing. It would be an honor if I could continue to serve and work with the amazing people of VACDL.

DISTRICT 4

Nathan T. Hurtz

Nathan Hurtz is the Senior Trial Attorney at the Chesterfield County Public Defender’s Office. He helped establish the office in 2021 and specializes in criminal defense of serious juvenile and domestic relations charges. Prior to this, Nathan practiced in Alexandria and Richmond.  Nathan earned his J.D. from the University of Richmond School of Law and his bachelor’s in biotechnology from the University of Kentucky. He is a member of the Chesterfield Bar Association and an AmeriCorps alumnus. Nathan lives in Midlothian with his wife and two daughters along with his elder rescue dog and cat. He continues to volunteer his time in the community

DISTRICT 6

Seth C. Weston

 I am a sole practitioner operating my own law firm, the Law Office of Seth C.  Weston, PLC, in Roanoke.  I am a past President of the VACDL and a past Chair of the Criminal Bar Section of the Virginia State Bar.  I have had a unique legal career that has seen me go from patrolling the streets around the U.S.  Supreme Court as a police officer to presenting a case to the U.S.  Supreme Court as a lawyer after it granted certiorari based upon my arguments during a criminal trial in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia.  I was a police officer with the Metropolitan Police Department, Washington, D.C., for approximately 12 years, serving as a patrol officer, an investigator in the First District Gun Recovery Unit (a vice unit investigating illegal firearms), a patrol Sergeant, an Agent in the Office of Internal Affairs, the assistant in charge of all testing at the Police Academy, and ending my career as a detective Sergeant in the Seventh District.  I received numerous honors and awards throughout his career, including being recognized as a “Top Cop” by the National Association of Police Organizations for investigative work in a pipe bombing case, which was featured on America’s Most Wanted.  I accomplished all this while attending the George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School at night and working full time as a law enforcement officer.  In 2003, I began my career as a lawyer as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Roanoke, after which I opened my own law practice in 2006.  I regularly try cases in all levels of federal and state courts throughout the greater Roanoke Valley and Southwest Virginia and have appeared before and argued cases at all levels of the Virginia and United States appellate courts.  Lastly, and most importantly, I am blessed with an incredible wife and three beautiful children and am thankful every day for them as they are a blessing far outweighing any right I have to expect such a blessing.

DISTRICT 10

Damon D. Colbert

Damon D. Colbert is a criminal trial lawyer who represents individuals charged with crimes in Virginia and the District of Columbia. He has been a member of the Virginia State Bar since 2001 and a member of the District of Columbia Bar since 2002. He has been a solo practitioner since January 2014. Before he started his own practice, Mr. Colbert was an assistant general counsel for a self-regulatory organization that protects investors, state and local governments, other municipal entities, and the public interest by promoting a fair and efficient municipal-securities market. In addition, Mr. Colbert was a Special Counsel and an Attorney-Advisor in the Division of Corporation Finance of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission from September 2007 to February 2013. Mr. Colbert began his career in 2001 as an associate in the corporate and securities group of Shaw Pittman LLP (now Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP) and ascended to senior associate, resident in both Washington, D.C., and Sydney, Australia, before becoming a lawyer in the federal government. Mr. Colbert graduated from the Georgetown University Law Center in May 2001. He graduated from Davidson College in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. Mr. Colbert is a native Washingtonian who now lives in Fairfax County, Virginia, with his wife and children.

REGION A

Kim Stover

 "The mission of VACDL to empower and educate lawyers around the Commonwealth and create a community of people who care deeply about fighting for our clients really resonates with me. It helps my practice to connect with lawyers from all over. I have devoted most of my energy as a Public Defender and private lawyer to trying serious cases to juries, and I think I have a lot to offer other lawyers about motions practice and winning theories.  There is no statewide group like VACDL and I would like to contribute. I also hope to bring more lawyers from NOVA into the fold."

Kim Stover discovered her passion for criminal defense in her 3L year when she participated in the Juvenile Justice Clinic at Georgetown University Law Center.  In the clinic, she tried her very first case, securing "not guilty" verdicts on all seven charges facing her client.

After law school, she joined the Alexandria Office of the Public Defender where she remained for eleven years.  During her tenure at the Public Defender's Office, Kim developed a reputation for successfully taking numerous cases to jury trials and securing "not guilty" verdicts. She is known for her rigorous approach to motions practice, consistently advocating for her clients through strategic and thorough legal challenges.  She was also an instructor and trainer within the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission (VIDC).  She has taught certification courses to court-appointed attorneys, has taught introductory and advanced litigation topics to VIDC attorneys and has presented at the VIDC annual conference.

After leaving the Alexandria Office of the Public Defender, Kim joined King, Campbell, Poretz and Mitchell, PLLC as "Of Counsel" to the firm for approximately two years before establishing her own criminal defense firm, The Law Office of Kimberly Stover, PLLC, in March of 2024. 

REGION B

A. Gene Hart, Jr.

I have been a small firm practitioner (with an almost-exclusive focus on criminal defense) with my firm (A. Gene Hart, Jr., P.C.) since 1996. I practice in both state and federal courts. I have 30 years of trial experience in state General District Courts, Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts, and Circuit Courts; and, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia. My representation has encompassed both indigent and privately retained clients in the defense and trial of charges ranging from simple speeding tickets to death penalty cases. I have been a VACDL member since the VCCDA days and an NACDL member for at least as long.

Bruce R. Williamson, Jr.

 A graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law, I have been in private practice since 1978, with my work concentrated on criminal defense since 1996. I served as a substitute Judge in the 16th Judicial District from 1988-2000, and also was an adjunct faculty member at the University of Virginia School of Law from 1986-2002. I have been a member since the VCCDA days and previously served on the VACDL Board, including a stint as President in the early 2000’s. I also served as President of the Charlottesville-Albemarle Bar Association and the Charlottesville-Albemarle Criminal Bar Association.  I would like to serve another term as a VACDL Board member from Region B and think that I can contribute to VACDL’s ongoing efforts to improve the law and the state of criminal defense in Virginia.

REGION C

Mark D'Antonio

I am a native Virginian and have spent my entire career to this date working in criminal law.  I began employment with the Fredericksburg Office of the Public Defender in January 2015 and defended indigent clients in all levels of Virginia courts in Stafford County, Spotsylvania County, and King George County eventually serving our office as Senior Trial Attorney.  Ultimately, I left public defense in August 2022 for the Office of the Chief Staff Attorney at the Virginia Court of Appeals, where I reviewed criminal appeals and writs of actual innocence.  After approximately a year, my time away from criminal defense re-ignited a flame for advocacy and I returned to the Office of the Public Defender in December 2023.  I now serve the population of Fredericksburg--my home--where I now advocate for my neighbors under the Commonwealth's thumb, and for reforms that alleviate their plight.  I am an active member of our legal community here in the Fredericksburg area, with a reputation as a zealous advocate and a heart for our clients.  As a board member, I would hope to advocate for attention to our area's specific needs and to assist the bar at-large in providing outreach and support to attorneys all across the Commonwealth.  

Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to a more active role within the organization.  

REGION D

David M. Lee

David M. Lee earned his B.A. from Colgate University in 1987, his JD from William and Mary in 1994, and went into practice as a criminal defense attorney shortly thereafter. Following his term as president of the Williamsburg Bar Association, David developed his teaching skills coaching the Jamestown High School Mock Trial Team, turning a group of (predominantly) young women into fearsome warriors. Over the course of four years his teams won the state championship on two occasions and his students earned Best Attorney awards on two others. He previously served on the VACDL Board of Directors from 2007-2013 and served as President in 2012. He joined the Indigent Defense Commission in 2013 and presently manages the Juvenile trial team in Newport News. David rejoined the VACDL Board in 2019 and has represented Region D for the organization since that time. 

AT-LARGE Seats #1 and #5

Sarah Gottlieb

I have spent my career in public defense and more recently, clinical education.  My goals and practice directly align with the mission of VACDL, as I am committed to providing the best lawyering possible for my clients, impacting legislative policy, and educating the next generation of defense attorneys.  I began my career at the public defender’s office in Springfield, Massachusetts.  I then practiced as a public defender in Baltimore for eight years before transitioning to clinical education as a teaching fellow at the Innocence Project Clinic at the University of Baltimore. I saw firsthand how important an organization of defense lawyers can be in providing legislative advocacy and education.  I witnessed moments where attorneys needed immediate assistance during trial and reached out to other members of our statewide organization, a service that is integral to raising the level of practice for every practitioner in a state and ensuring that those charged with crimes are provided with the best representation.  

I moved to Virginia to direct the criminal clinic at Washington & Lee School of Law.  I strive to inspire our students to embrace the challenges and rewards of working in criminal defense and believe involvement with VACDL aligns with those goals.  

As a defense practitioner new to Virginia, it would be a privilege to serve on the board of VACDL.  

Michael Hartley

VACDL, through the listserv and The Champion, has been an invaluable resource in my development as an attorney, and I hope for the opportunity to help repay that benefit through my service on the VACDL board. I have been practicing criminal defense for nearly 12 years, including two stints in private practice and as an assistant public defender in both the Roanoke and Halifax Offices. My career has included all manner of cases across 15 different jurisdictions. My experience also includes one summer interning at the Roanoke Federal Public Defender Office. I am passionate in both defending clients as well as the practice of criminal defense from the obstacles and challenges we constantly face. Those challenges require persistent creativity and collaboration as well as a need for persuasive communication not just in the courtroom but with colleagues, opponents, clients, experts, and others. If elected to serve on the VACDL board, our attorneys will have my commitment to be an advocate for the improved practice of criminal defense, access to resources, ease of collaboration amongst our bar, and I will stand up for the values of our shared profession.

Brad Lindsay

I am the Deputy Public Defender for the Lynchburg City Office of the Public Defender. I received my undergraduate degree from George Mason University, and received my Juris Doctor from Howard University School of Law. I first began working as a public defender with the Fairfax County office in 2012. In 2018, I transitioned to the Bedford County Office of the Public Defender where I was the Senior Trial Attorney with a specialization in training. I joined the Lynchburg office in January 2020. During my career, I have tried a wide variety of cases ranging from driving on a suspended license to a jury acquittal of not guilty by reason of insanity on first degree murder. I have also argued before the Virginia Court of Appeals and Supreme Court of Virginia. I am currently a faculty member for the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission’s Public Defender Boot Camp, and Advanced Trial Advocacy College. I have previously presented at the National Juvenile Defender Center’s Juvenile Defender Leadership Summit, the Virginia State Bar Leroy R. Hassell Sr. Indigent Criminal Defense Seminar, the VIDC’s Annual Public Defender Conference, as well as its Annual Investigator Conference.

Mike Nicholas

I graduated from William and Mary School of Law in 2010 and have practiced criminal defense for 14 years in private practice.  I have tried over 50 jury trials to verdict on offenses ranging from trespass to aggravated murder, rape, robbery, carjacking and everything in between.  I am a life member of the VACDL and actively involved in my community here in Danville.  I absolutely love criminal defense.  Beyond the thrill of the courtroom (which, for me, is exactly why I became an attorney), the passionate defense of constitutional rights makes criminal defense a labor of love.  I would be honored to serve on the board of VACDL.