Edward L. Weiner

Rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubble

Edward “Ed” L. Weiner is the founding partner of Weiner, Spivey & Miller. For the last 40 years, Ed has passionately advocated for plaintiffs who were injured due to the negligence of someone else. His achievements include winning numerous multi-million-dollar verdicts, successful trials and appeals in both state and federal courts across the region, and achieving a reputation as a highly-effective pre-trial negotiator.

His cases include those with significant social and public policy impact:

• Representation of a member of the deaf community against an international retailer resulted in the implementation of a new training program in all stores across North America.
• Advocating for a survivor of repeated sexual abuse in a case against a Catholic Archdiocese and two priests who had been transferred overseas.
• Representation of a severely-injured survivor of the car attack during the 2017 Charlottesville Rally.

Ed served as the 77^th President of the Virginia State Bar (VSB) in 2015-16 and is a member of the National Conference of Bar Presidents.

To combat the “justice gap," Ed is passionate about raising funds for legal aid and pro bono services of local Bar Associations. Ed’s brainchild, Jazz4Justice (J4J), started in 2001 as an annual concert performed by students of George Mason University’s Jazz Program and organized in conjunction with the Fairfax Law Foundation. Today, the Jazz4Justice Foundation partners with local Bar Associations and college Jazz Programs at schools across Virginia to raise funds for pro bono legal services of Legal Aid, as well as music scholarships for the local universities. To date, J4J has raised close to $500,000 and has received awards from both the American Bar Association and the Virginia State Bar for its innovation in fundraising and partnership building. The Jazz4Justice™ Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

Since 2001, Weiner, Spivey & Miller has sponsored the Annual Law Day Weiner Roast to celebrate Law Day on May 1. Law Day, begun by President Eisenhower in 1957, honors the Rule of Law, a cornerstone of American democracy. Approximately 700 judges, attorneys, politicians, and community members attend each year. The funds raised support the pro bono programs of the Fairfax Law Foundation.

In 2020, Gov. Northam awarded Ed as Senior Citizen Volunteer of the Year for his work with Jazz4Justice and Law Day. While Ed disputes the “Senior” categorization, he was extremely proud to receive the award.

Ed and his wife, Maura Burke Weiner, a jury consultant, have two daughters, Maurissa and Brianna. Maurissa is working towards certification as an ASL interpreter; Brianna is in law school.

Education

University of Richmond
J.D., 1980

Georgetown University of Law Center
LL.M in International Law, 1993

State University of New York at Binghamton
B.A., 1977

Bar and Court Admissions

• Virginia
• Supreme Court of Virginia, including all inferior and superior courts of the Commonwealth of Virginia
• U.S. District Court
• Eastern District of Virginia
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
• U.S. Supreme Court

Professional Associations

• Virginia State Bar, 77^th President, 2015-16
• Virginia State Bar’s Diversity Conference, Past Chair
• Virginia State Bar’s Bar Council, Serving 3^rd Term
• Fairfax Bar Association, Past President
• Fairfax Law Foundation, Past President
• Virginia Law Foundation, Board Member and Chair of the VLF Fellows Committee
• Old Dominion Bar Association
• Northern Neck Bar Association
• Virginia Bar Association
• Virginia Trial Lawyers Association
• Southern Conference of Bar Presidents
• American Bar Association
• National Council for Bar Presidents

Awards and Recognition

• Fairfax Bar Association’s James Keith Award for Public Service
• Governor’s Senior Citizen Volunteer of the Year Award for his work with Jazz4Justice and Law Day
• Named a Leader in the Law by Virginia Lawyers Weekly
• Named a Fellow by the Virginia Law Foundation
• Appointed by the Supreme Court of Virginia to serve on the Faculty of Virginia’s mandatory Course on Lawyer Professionalism
• Named Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International in appreciation of tangible assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations among peoples of the world
• Repeated recognition by Virginia Super Lawyers
• Martindale-Hubbell’s A/V Preeminent Rating for legal ability and ethical standards
• Repeated Recognition by Best Lawyers, most recently for 2021

Reported Cases and Publications

• Wakole v. Barber, 283 Va. 488, 722 S.E.2d 238 (2012)
• Garlick v. Safeway, Inc., 2009 Va. LEXIS 95, 2009 WL (2009)
  • http://e-discoveryissues.blogspot.com/2012/05/judge-rejects-entire-defense-after.html
• Fisher v. Salute, 51 Va. App. 293, 657 S.E.2d. 169 (2008)
• Russ v. Destival, 267 Va. 458 (2004)
• Roshan v. Fard, 705-F.2d 102 (1983)
• United States v. Gooding, 695 F.2d 78 (1982)

Civic Involvement

• Board of Directors, George Mason University (GMU) Center for the Performing Arts