Judge Richard AtLee Jr. — who until recently served as York County and the city of Poquoson’s Circuit Court Judge — is still learning the ropes in his new position in the state appellate level.
As one of 11 judges for the Court of Appeals of Virginia, many of his responsibilities lie outside the courtroom in documents and paperwork relating to cases that have been appealed from Virginia’s circuit courts and the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission.
AtLee travels several times a month to one of the four appellate courts in Salem, Norfolk, Alexandria or Richmond to preside on cases and is currently operating out of his old office in the courthouse as he works to obtain his own office space in Archer Cottage along the York River.
Three weeks into his new position, AtLee said he is one of the “three new kids on the block” in the appellate court and is still “trying to get a handle on the best way to go about creating a work flow.” Judges in the court serve eight-year terms and typically consider cases in panels of three or more members.
The work flow is eased by two men AtLee recruited from the York-Poquoson courthouse: Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Dennis McLoughlin and Criminal Division Supervisor Leo Schatzel.
Hiring McLoughlin as one of his two law clerks was a “really, really easy choice,” AtLee said. As law clerk, McLoughlin assists AtLee with research, reviews material briefs, and helps him with oral arguments.
McLoughlin, who worked under York-Poquoson Commonwealth’s Attorney Benjamin Hahn for a year and a half, said it was an honor to be offered the position.
Schatzel, who has known AtLee since he was a practicing attorney, said he was “floored” when AtLee offered him the judicial assistant position.
“We’ve always have a very friendly, very cordial relationship,” Schatzel said. “I’ve always respected his rulings, his judgement and his demeanor in the courtroom.”
In addition, AtLee recruited recent William & Mary Law School graduate Rachel Cannon to be his second law clerk.
AtLee comes from a family of lawyers. He graduated from the law school of William & Mary and passed the Virginia State Bar in 1996 and worked in his grandfather’s law firm alongside his father until he was appointed to the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court bench in 2006.
“I don’t know that I thought about going down any other path,” he said. “It never dawned on me to consider doing anything other than practicing with my father.”
His mother, a former practicing attorney and retired Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Judge in Gloucester County, worked in the same district as AtLee while he sat on the York-Poquoson Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court bench from 2006 to 2011.
AtLee said his coworkers and the defense attorneys who practiced in front of him took the news of his appointment to the appeals court graciously.
“People were disappointed to see me go,” he said, calling his appointment bittersweet. “It’s nice to be thought of like that.”
His circuit court seat will be filled July 1 by longtime attorney Richard Rizk, who was appointed by the General Assembly earlier this month.
“I’m excited for Rich,” AtLee said. “He will more than fill my shoes here.”
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