Yugo Collins, PLLC

One of the best things about practicing law is that we get to visit historic courthouses across the country. Yesterday we were in Halifax, VA. Halifax has one of the most beautiful courthouses in the Commonwealth! The old courthouse is a Classic Revival structure built in 1839 and constructed by one of Thomas Jefferson’s master builders. The new courthouse, right next to it, is modern and sleek. It was a very long trip for a very long and contentious hearing. Many law firms are involved and folks were flying in from all over the place to testify. Suffice it to say, few people would want to be cross-examined by Christopher Collins - the former state Supreme Court clerk and prosecutor is a force to be reckoned with, and knows his way around a courtroom. Looking forward to our next trip to Halifax for Part II! #lawyerlife #lawyertravel #triallawyer

Another fine Fall day prepping cases at the office in Roanoke today. Christopher Collins Dylan Craig. #lawyerlife

Do you offer candid advice? Providing “candid” and “realistic” advice to clients was emphasized in this morning’s CLE session hosted by the VSB Legal Aid Conference. We agree. And we don’t have a problem doing that. But some lawyers do. We occasionally get calls from people who are looking for a new lawyer (bad sign) because the case didn’t go the way they expected. And, when we assess the facts, we usually see the case was never going to go the way they expected because the facts never supported those unrealistic expectations. (We don’t take those cases.) Lawyers need to provide honest assessments. If you’re defending and it’s obvious there’s liability, tell them that. If there’s significant financial exposure, tell them that too. As the VSB presenter said today, don’t cater to unrealistic expectations. If the answer is no, say no. If you bill hourly and filing for summary judgment is a waste of your client’s money, tell them that before you draft it (and bill them for it). Your lawyer isn’t there to tell you what you want to hear. Bad news might mean they’re being candid and just doing their job. Candid and realistic advice matters. Thank you, VSB. Looking forward to this afternoon’s sessions! #resultsmatter

Congratulations to our new Associate Attorney Dylan Craig for passing the Virginia Bar Exam! Shoutout to the rest of the Class of 2024 at Liberty University School of Law for leading the state this year with the highest first time and overall bar passage rates (90.63%) topping every other law school in the Commonwealth! Hard work pays off. There are no shortcuts. Keep that in mind as you start practicing! Happy Friday, everyone! (Special shoutout Jordan Jalil Chavioleyette Fenelus, JD, M.A - congrats!🎉🎊 ) #resultsmatter #virginialawyers

First time trying Slim Chickens… The milkshakes were great. The food was good. But is it worth a 45-minute wait? The jury’s out on that. We’ll give them another chance and see if the “fast” food comes out faster next time. #lawyerlife #fastfood #friedchicken

Chicago 2019. Nicholas Andrews, Esq. and Sarah Green are with Mia Yugo at the ABA Headquarters! Freezing temperatures. Deep dish pizza?! Today, Nick and Sarah are fiercely competent lawyers. But they were fierce competitors before they were lawyers. They made the ABA National Negotiation Championships that year, beating 200 teams nationwide to become National Quarterfinalists, tying for fifth place in the nation. That’s hard, by the way. It takes a lot of work. And they did it. (Is it any wonder they’re scary attorneys today?! We like to brag on them a little.) In the past 8 years, the Negotiations Competition Team has made ABA Nationals a whopping 3 times, and represented the United States of America on the World stage twice during that time period! (2016 and 2024) Christopher Collins Mia Yugo Katerina Holland Gregory McCarthy, Esq. Hannah Noeske Brooke Santoyo One thing’s for sure - the ADR Negotiations Program at Liberty University School of Law produces quick thinking, successful attorneys who go on to do extraordinary things. Matthew Hughes won Best American Oralist at the Syracuse International Tournament the same year that Luca Di Nunzio Victoria Belk Brooks won the tournament. And there are countless others, too, all of whom performed at very high levels. Jordan Jalil Chavioleyette Fenelus, JD, M.A From leading innovation to practicing at high levels, with top firms, to winning big cases or appearing and arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court, the students coming out of that law skills program have gone on to excel in their unique fields. They get the job done. They get #results. We look forward to this year’s new talent! (Shoutout to the 2Ls and 3Ls who tried out this weekend!) This year’s ABA Negotiations team will be the defending champs! And we’re hoping to see them in Chicago, in February, in freezing temperatures, waiting for a chance to eat that famous deep dish pizza. 🍕 #ironsharpensiron

Our Lynchburg office is open for business! We’re excited for this new chapter of the firm. While the Yugo Collins, PLLC headquarters will remain in Roanoke, our secondary Lynchburg location will help our team better service new and existing clients east of Roanoke, in both Lynchburg and Richmond. We handle complex litigation, namely Labor & Employment law, Whistleblower & Qui Tam Fraud claims, Federal Regulatory issues and Agency disputes, Constitutional law, and Appeals. Reach out to our team Mia Yugo Christopher Collins or Dylan Craig if you need our litigation services. #resultsmatter #newera #yugocollins

Happy #NationalCoffeeDay! Jack’s got us covered… But is anyone surprised Mia would find a way to make coffee in a #blackout? (Talk about lawyers planning ahead!) A few hours in, she takes out a generator. “What’s that?” “This is Jack.” Winding down our third full day now without power. #poweroutage With restoration nowhere in sight, Jack’s running our law office this week. (And Mia’s coffee machines!) #makeitwork #stormplan #lawlife

Tornado warnings tend to disrupt plans… Roanoke is taking heavy rain right now, and widespread power outages. We should have been in Lynchburg all day. We had grand plans. When work was done, we were ending the night with a big party for 25+ people this evening. Instead, we’re at our office in Roanoke. We lost power early this morning. It’s not back yet. Flash flood warnings are coming in every hour. Closed laptops is what happens when you forget to charge your devices the night before a storm. Now, you could say this is a “bad day.” But some perspective will correct that. Sure, it’s not the day we planned. But life - and the practice of law - is full of unplanned events. Unexpected facts coming to light. Unplanned witnesses testifying. Unpredictable rulings. So, when a storm hits, make new plans. Don’t look at it as a bad day. It’s just a different day. Happy Friday, everyone! #rainday #poweroutage #lawlife

If you’re in Roanoke, come get an authentic Mediterranean dinner at the Greek Festival! Tonight is your last chance and the food is amazing as always! And going fast. Who knows… you might even bump into a few attorneys in disguise. It’s a great family event hosted by the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Northeast Roanoke. Spanakopita, moussaka, tiropita, souvlaki, pastichio, and Greek coffee and donuts await (baklava is sold out, unfortunately). #roanokegreekfestival #greekfood #localbusiness #mediterraneancuisine Christopher Collins Robert Ziogas Mia Yugo