Anita O. Poston

Anita's practice is concentrated in business law with a focus on transportation, healthcare, estate planning and administration, and fiduciary defense. She serves as general counsel for the Norfolk Airport Authority and the Chesapeake Airport Authority. Other clients include insurance and bonding companies, a multi-specialty physician practice, several ambulatory surgery centers, and a college real estate foundation, as well as numerous businesses and business owners.

Anita's legal experience is extensive. She has successfully guided clients through litigation, sophisticated business transactions, and planning for their futures.

As general counsel for the Norfolk Airport Authority and the Chesapeake Airport Authority, Anita has negotiated and drafted a multitude of contracts including concessions agreements; real estate contracts, easements and deeds; leases; architect, engineer and construction contracts; fixed base operation agreements; and employment agreements. She has also represented the airport in litigation involving wildlife, off-airport parking fees, accidents and First Amendment issues.

Anita is widely known and respected by judges, clients and her colleagues at the bar as a leader in the legal profession and the community. She frequently utilizes her experiences with these organizations to benefit clients. She is past president of the Virginia Bar Association as well as the Norfolk and Portsmouth Bar Association. She is also a member of the Virginia State Bar, the American Bar Association, and the Virginia Women Attorneys Association. She is the president of the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners; to which she was appointed by the Virginia Supreme Court in 1990. Anita was appointed by the United States District Court of the Eastern District of Virginia as a chair and member of several federal magistrate selection commissions. She also served as a Substitute Judge in the Norfolk General District Courts for five years.

In addition to these law-related activities, Anita is involved with many civic and business-related organizations. She is currently the chair of the board of TowneBank-Norfolk. She also serves on the boards of the Norfolk Hospital Authority, the Lake Taylor Transitional Care Hospital Foundation, the E3 School, and both the Real Estate Foundation and Law School Foundation of the College of William & Mary.

Anita is a past member of the Board of Directors of the YWCA, the Virginia Capitol Foundation, Greater Norfolk Corporation, Forward Hampton Roads, the Old Dominion University Community Development Corporation, Governor’s School for the Arts, Starbase Atlantis, Learning Bridge Academy, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Tidewater, Tidewater Legal Aid Society, Virginia Symphony Orchestra, ACCESS Scholarship Foundation, United Way of South Hampton Roads Foundation (Board Chairman 2009-2010), Hampton Roads Educational Telecommunications Association, also known as WHRO (Board Chairman 2002-2004), and Lutheran Family Services of Virginia.

Anita is known for her leadership of local and state educational institutions. She was appointed by Governor Charles Robb to the Virginia State Board for Community Colleges which she chaired in 1989. She was appointed by Governor Mark Warner to the Board of Visitors of the College of William & Mary in 2003 and reappointed in 2007 by Governor Tim Kaine. She served as a member of the Norfolk School Board for twelve years and as chair for four years.

Anita has been recognized by a number of organizations for her legal abilities, community service, and leadership. She was awarded the Eggleston-l’Anson Professionalism Award, its highest honor, by the Norfolk and Portsmouth Bar Association. She was the 1992 recipient of the Professional Woman of Hampton Roads Award and the 2001 recipient of the Citizen Lawyer Award from the William and Mary School of Law. She was recognized in 2008 with the Humanitarian Award by the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities and by the William and Mary Law School with the Order of the Coif. She received the Influential Women of Virginia Award, the Outstanding Woman of Hampton Roads Award by the YWCA, and the Community Builder Award from the Hampton Roads Community Foundation. She has been recognized by selection to the Virginia Law Fellows and the ABA Law Foundation Fellows. Anita has also been recognized among The Best Lawyers in America and Virginia Business magazine's "Legal Elite."

Anita received her undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland and her law degree from the College of William and Mary where she was a member of the William & Mary Law Review. She is the mother of three children and is married to the Honorable Charles E. Poston, Retired Judge of the Norfolk Circuit Court.

• Representation of individual physicians & other healthcare providers and physician groups in business, personnel, and reimbursement issues.
• Preparation, negotiation, and termination of physician employment contracts.
• Representation of physicians and other providers in administrative licensure issues and medical staff proceedings.
• Preparation, review, and negotiation of contracts with vendors, consultants, third-party payors, including insurers.
• Serving as issuer and borrower counsel on multi-million dollar tax-exempt bond transactions.
• Providing guidance about the Freedom of Information Act and public procurement laws.
• Planning and administering moderate and large estates; serving as trustee on several large trusts and executor of numerous estates.
• Establishment of various business entities including retail, manufacturing and professional organizations.
• Negotiation and preparation of governance documents for business entities, including shareholder agreements, buy-sell agreements, by-laws, operating agreements and charters.
• Representing businesses and individuals in a broad civil practice.

Recognition

Education

William & Mary School of Law, J.D.

University of Maryland, B.A., with honors

Admissions

Virginia

• Norfolk Portsmouth Bar Association, Member, President (1999)
• TowneBank, Norfolk Division, Chair and Board of Directors
• Virginia Bar Association, Member, President (2000)
• Virginia Board of Bar Examiners, President since 2019
• Virginia State Bar