Attorneys
J. T. (Tom) Tokarz, County Attorney
Board of Supervisors; County Manager’s Office; Department Heads
Marissa D. Mitchell, Deputy County Attorney
Social Services; Libraries; Fire; Mental Health
Lee Ann Anderson, Deputy County Attorney
Police; Human Resources
Andrew R. Newby, Deputy County Attorney
Registrar; Finance; Police; Planning
John D. Gilbody, Senior Assistant County Attorney
Recreation and Parks; Community Revitalization; Risk Management
John D. McChesney, Senior Assistant County Attorney
Sheriff
Mary Kathryn Hart, Senior Assistant County Attorney
Henrico County Public Schools
Denise M. Letendre, Assistant County Attorney
Public Utilities; Public Works; Building Inspections; Social Services; Human Resources
Karen E. Dottore, Assistant County Attorney
Social Services; Court Services; Community Corrections
Megan Lisa Watkins, Assistant County Attorney
Henrico County Public Schools
Rachel Hart Jewell, Assistant County Attorney
Henrico County Public Schools
Alyssa D. Brown, Assistant County Attorney
Real Property; Purchasing
Support Staff
Karen W. Grizzard, Business Supervisor
Edward G. (Garry) Soles, Paralegal
Shawnique N. Wilkerson-Smith, Paralegal
Donna L. Moyer, Administrative Assistant
Leonora A. Gray, Administrative Assistant
J. T. (Tom) Tokarz
County Attorney
Date Joined County: July, 1980
Education: B. B. A., College of William and Mary (1973); J.D., University of Virginia (1976)
Previous Experience: Staff Accountant, Price Waterhouse & Co. (1978-80); Executive Director, Legal Services Corporation of Virginia (1976-78); President, Managing Board, Virginia Legal Research Group (1975-76)
Outside activities and positions: Board of Governors, Virginia State Bar Senior Lawyers Conference (2017- ); Cherin Award – Local Government Attorneys of Virginia, Inc. (2014); Vice President (2014-2015),Treasurer (2012-2014), Henrico County Bar Association; Virginia State Bar Special Committee on Law and Technology (2003-06); President, Virginia School Boards Association Council of School Attorneys (1991); Lecturer, U. S. Department of Justice Division of Continuing Education, Washington D.C. (1984-90); Technology Columnist, Virginia Bar News (1982-86).
National and state presentations: Presenter, National School Boards Association School Law Conferences (Miami 2015, Seattle 2009, Austin 2007, Chicago 2006); Presenter, National School Boards Association Council of School Attorneys national webinar (2015); Local Government Attorneys of Virginia, Inc. (Leesburg 2018); Virginia State Bar Continuing Legal Education Committee (Williamsburg 2008)
Licensed to practice in: Supreme Court of the United States; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit; U. S. District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia; Supreme Court of Virginia.
Marissa D. Mitchell
Deputy County Attorney
Date Joined County: August, 2003
Education: B. S. W. (cum laude), University of Mississippi (1996); J.D., University of Mississippi (1999)
Previous Experience: Associate, Wright, Robinson, Osthimer & Tatum (2001-03); Administrative Law Judge for the Mississippi Department of Human Services (1999-2000)
Professional Associations and Positions Held: Supreme Court of Virginia Professionalism Course Faculty (2018-21); Virginia Law Foundation Fellow Class of 2019; Member, Virginia State Bar Council (2017- ); Local Government Attorneys of Virginia: Vice Chair, Pro Bono Committee (2007-08); Member, Pro Bono Committee (2006-07); Chair, Publications Committee (2015); Member, Publications Committee (2012-2014); Henrico Bar Association: President (2012-2013); Vice President (2011-2012); Secretary (2010-11); Treasurer (2009-10); Board Member (2008-09)
Licensed to practice in: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit; Supreme Court of Virginia; U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia; Supreme Court of Mississippi
Lee Ann Anderson
Deputy County Attorney
Date Joined County: June, 2009
Education: B. A., College of William & Mary (1991); M.I.A., Columbia University (1993); J.D., New York University School of Law (1999)
Previous Experience: Associate General Counsel, Circuit City Stores, Inc. (2007-09); Senior Associate, ReedSmith LLP (2006-07); Associate, Patterson, Belknap, Webb & Tyler, LLP (1999-2006).
Licensed to practice in: Virginia and New York; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit; U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia; U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York.
Andrew R. Newby
Deputy County Attorney
Date Joined County: June, 2010
Education: B. A., University of Virginia (2005); J.D. (summa cum laude), University of Richmond School of Law (2009)
Previous Experience: Law Clerk, Chesterfield County Circuit Court (2009-10).
Licensed to practice in: Supreme Court of Virginia; U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia; U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
John D. Gilbody
Senior Assistant County Attorney
Date Joined County: October, 2015
Education: B.A., Pennsylvania State University (1990); J.D., George Mason University School of Law (1998)
Previous Experience: Assistant Attorney General, Virginia Attorney General’s Office (2010-2015); Of Counsel, Geoff McDonald & Associates (2007-2010); Associate, LeClair Ryan (2000-2007)
Professional Associations and Positions Held: Member, Richmond Bar Association
Licensed to practice in: U. S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit; U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia; U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia; Supreme Court of Virginia.
John D. McChesney
Senior Assistant County Attorney
Date Joined County: October, 2015
Education: B.S.F.S., Georgetown University (1994); J.D., Washington and Lee University (1999)
Previous Experience: Assistant Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General (Virginia) (2012-2015); Attorney, Rawls, McNelis, & Mitchell, P.C. (2002-2012); Law Clerk, Court of Appeals of Virginia (2000-2001); Law Clerk, Supreme Court of Virginia (1999-2000).
Licensed to practice in: Virginia, Florida, and West Virginia (Inactive); United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit; United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit; United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia; United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia.
Mary Kathryn Hart
Senior Assistant County Attorney
Date Joined County: March, 2018
Education: B.S.Ed University of Virginia (1986); JD., University of Richmond, T.C. Williams School of Law (1994)
Previous Experience: Partner, Thorsen Hart & Allen, LLP (2016 TO 2018); Associate, with James B. Thorsen, Esq. (2007 to 2016); Sole Practitioner (2003 to 2007); Associate, Barnes & Batzil, P.C. (2001 to 2003); Managing Attorney, Department for Rights of Virginians with Disabilities (1998-2000); Sole Practitioner (1995 to 1998).
Professional Associations and Positions Held: Member, Henrico Bar Association; Former Board Member & Chair of Special Projects, Metropolitan Richmond Women’s Bar Association; Former Member, Metropolitan Richmond Family Law Bar Association; Former Board Member, Virginia Coalition for Students with Disabilities
Licensed to practice in: Supreme Court of Virginia; U.S. District for the Eastern District of Virginia; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Denise M. Letendre
Assistant County Attorney
Date Joined County: April, 2014
Education: B.A. (valedictorian) Rutgers; The State University of New Jersey-New Brunswick (2010); J.D., University of Virginia School of Law (2013)
Previous Experience: Robert F. Kennedy ’51 Public Service Fellow, University of Virginia School of Law (2013-14)
Professional Associations and Positions Held: Member, Henrico Bar Association; member, Law School Liaison Committee, Local Government Attorneys of Virginia, Inc.
Licensed to practice in: Supreme Court of Virginia; U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
Karen E. Dottore
Assistant County Attorney
Date Joined County: February, 2015
Education: B.A. The Catholic University of America (2009) (Phi Beta Kappa); J.D., University of Virginia School of Law (2012)
Previous Experience: Assistant County Attorney, Prince William County Attorney’s Office (2013-2015); Law Clerk, Alexandria Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court (2012-2013).
Professional Associations and Positions Held: Member, Henrico Bar Association
Licensed to practice in: Supreme Court of Virginia
Megan Lisa Watkins
Assistant County Attorney
Date Joined County: May, 2018
Education: B. A., Davidson College (2010); J.D., University of Virginia School of Law (2016)
Previous Experience: Lewis F. Powell Fellow, Legal Aid Justice Center (2016-2018)
Professional Associations and Positions Held: Member, Metro Richmond Women’s Bar Association
Licensed to practice in: Supreme Court of Virginia
Rachel Hart Jewell
Assistant County Attorney
Date Joined County: July, 2020
Education: Liberty University – B.A. (summa cum laude) (2011); University of Richmond, School of Law (magna cum laude) (2019)
Previous Experience: Judicial Law Clerk, Richmond Circuit Court (2019-2020), English Teacher, Amherst County High School (2012-2016)
Licensed to practice in: Virginia
Alyssa D. Brown
Assistant County Attorney
Date Joined County: October, 2020
Education: B.A. (with distinction), University of Virginia (2015); J.D., William & Mary Law School (2018)
Previous Experience: Associate, Penn Stuart (2018-2020); Claims Counsel, Kinsale Insurance Company (2020)
Professional Associations and Positions Held: Executive Editor, William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal (2017-2018); Treasurer/Secretary, Washington County Bar Association (2019-2020)
Licensed to practice in: Supreme Court of Virginia; U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia
Karen W. Grizzard
Business Supervisor
Date Joined County: September, 1978
Education: B. A., James Madison University (1976)
Professional Associations and Positions Held: Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services Board (2018- )
Edward G. (Garry) Soles
Paralegal: Litigation
Date Joined County: February, 1999
Education: Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base (Alabama)
Previous Experience: Paralegal, Mays & Valentine, L.L.P.; (1998-99); Paralegal, Hutchens & Hutchens (1994-98); Paralegal, U. S. Air Force, JAG Corps (1982-94)
Professional Associations and Positions Held: Local Government Paralegal Association of Virginia Inc. Board of Directors (2009 to present)
Pamela J. Miller
Paralegal: Litigation
Date Joined County: April, 2002
Education: B.S. in Governmental Administration, Concentration in Legal Studies (ABA approved, Pre-Law Program), Christopher Newport University (1998)
Previous Experience: Paralegal/Office Manager, Saunders Law Office (1998-2000); Paralegal, Brenner, Evans & Yoffy, P.C. (2000-2002).
Professional Associations and Positions Held: Member, Local Government Paralegal Association of Virginia, Inc. (2002 to present).
Shawnique N. Wilkerson-Smith
Paralegal
Date Joined County: August, 2013
Education: B.A. in Criminal Justice, Minor: Legal Studies (Valedictorian), Virginia Union University (2008); Master’s In Public Administration, Concentration in Administration of Justice, George Mason University (2010)
Previous Experience: Legal Secretary, Henrico Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office (2013-2018); Courtroom Clerk, Richmond Circuit Court (2011-2013)
Peter Mugamba
Paralegal
Date Joined County: October, 2020
Education: Bachelor of Laws (LL. B), Uganda Christian University (2014); Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice (BAR Course), Law Development Center – Kampala (2016); MSc. International Defense and Security, Cranfield University at the Defense Academy of the United Kingdom – Oxfordshire, United Kingdom (2018); Paralegal Studies, A.A.S, Northern Virginia Community College – Alexandria
Previous Experience: Legal Assistant/Paralegal, Mughal Law Firm (2019-2020); Clerk, Zeija, Mukasa & Co. Advocates-Kampala
