Three University of Mary Washington alumni, Declan Leonard ’91, Cullen Seltzer ’90 and Melissa VanZile ’01, have been named “Leaders in the Law” by Virginia Lawyers Media, the publisher of Virginia Lawyers Weekly.
Now in its 11th year, the award recognizes lawyers who are setting the standard for law in the commonwealth. Leonard, Seltzer and VanZile were among 26 recipients of the 2016 award who will be recognized at a reception on Thursday, Oct. 27 at the John Marshall Hotel in Richmond. The “Leader of the Year” award, voted on by the recipients, will be announced at the reception.
For the past decade, Leonard has served as the managing partner of Berenzweig Leonard in McLean, Va. He works with companies and executives in the Washington metropolitan area and throughout the United States to navigate the maze of employment and business laws with an eye towards minimizing legal risks in order for his clients to maximize revenue. Leonard has consistently been named one of Virginia’s “Legal Elite” by Virginia Business Magazine, and has been selected a “Superlawyer” in the areas of employment and business law by Law & Politics Magazine. Declan was selected by Smart CEO magazine as one of its 2012 Legal Elite based on client nominations. Most recently, he was named to the ranks of Virginia’s Top-Rated Lawyers as featured in The Wall Street Journal. In addition, he has been frequently quoted as an authority on business legal issues in such major publications as The Washington Post, Washington Business Journal, SHRM HR Magazine and Lawyer’s Weekly. Leonard received his bachelor’s degree from UMW in 1991 and his juris doctorate from George Mason University’s School of Law in 1996.
Seltzer, an attorney with Sands Anderson PC in Richmond, Va., is a member of the Business and Professional Litigation and the Government Groups. His practice focuses on litigation matters, including commercial disputes, defense of government officials and agencies in civil rights and related matters, business torts, including defamation and tortious interference with business affairs. He has been named one of Virginia’s “Legal Elite” by Virginia Business Magazine, and a “Rising Star” in Super Lawyers, and among the Best Lawyers in America for Mass Tort Litigation from 2012-2014. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Richmond School of Law where he has taught appellate advocacy and courses on ethics in civil and criminal litigation. He received his bachelor’s degree from UMW in 1990, where he was the recipient of the Anne E. Fitschen Award for the Outstanding Student in Political Science. He received his juris doctorate in 1993 from the T.C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond.
Vanzile is an attorney at Barnes & Diehl, P.C. in Richmond, Va., where she has practiced family law since 2013. Most recently, she was named a Virginia Super Lawyer in Family Law by Richmond Magazine. She also has been named Reader’s Choice for Lawyer’s by the Richmond Times-Dispatch and was named a Virginia Legal Elite Lawyer for 2014-15. She received her bachelor’s degree in 2001 from UMW and her juris doctorate in 2004 from the T.C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond.