In 2003, Virginia Easley Johnson opened the Miami office for Foley Mansfield. She opened and managed the Tampa Bay office in 2018. Upon retiring in January 2020, she is now Partner Emeritus.

In her 17 years at Foley, Virginia made her mark as the first woman Managing Partner of any office, the first woman Equity Partner, the first woman appointed to the firm’s Executive Committee, and provided insightful and hands on assistance in every office. She mentored young attorneys and left a legacy of success in the Miami office.

Between 2012 and 2017, Virginia organized and led five service trips involving the entire firm. All firm members were invited to participate in and/or support volunteers who chose to travel to Guatemala (twice), Mexico, Montana, and West Virginia. The firm benefitted from the opportunity to gain relationships with other office members, other communities, and other cultures, while providing humanitarian support for whatever project(s) was needed. More than 35 employees and family members participated in the week-long trips. They all have memories that will last a lifetime.

Throughout her litigation career, Virginia focused on product and professional liability, toxic tort and mass tort litigation, construction law, and environmental law. Specifically, she spent her litigation years defending product liability and general insureds, asbestos manufacturers, health care providers, and breast implant manufacturers in hundreds of multi-million dollar lawsuits. She tried cases in both state and federal courts. She had a close relationship with her many clients who she was able to assist for many years, some for decades. Virginia was asked by clients and served as Regional Counsel as well as National Trial Teams.

Her professional achievements were recognized by her peers as early as 1993 when she achieved the highest possible AV Martindale-Hubbell rating for the highest level of legal ability and adherence to professional standards of conduct, ethics, reliability and diligence. Virginia also served as Chair of the Grievance Mediation & Fee Arbitration Committee of the Florida Bar, and has served on the bar’s Judicial Nominating Rules Committee, Judicial Administration, Selection and Tenure Committee, and Civil Rules Committee. She is past chair of the Dade County Bar Association Meetings Committee, past chair of the 11th Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee “H,” and vice chair of the Mediation Committee. She is a former member of the Dade Bar Association’s Civil Litigation and Professional Committees and was Selected as a Super Lawyer by Law & Politics Magazine every year since 2006. Virginia was also a certified Fee Arbitrator and has been a Litigation Skills Adjunct Professor at University of Miami School of Law since 2003.

Immediately after retiring, Virginia volunteered for three weeks in Tanzania, Africa. Since March of 2020, Virginia has enjoyed volunteering in Miami as the pandemic curtailed her retirement plans. She volunteered to virtually assist a local hospital to develop and implement a contract tracing app and helped organize and train volunteers to contact persons exposed to COVID and track their contacts to help stop the spread. She has also been volunteering at Pelican Harbor Seabird Station which rescues and releases injured indigenous animals.

_x000D_

Lastly, Virginia has been having a blast since October 2021, working as an Usher/Greeter at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, FL for all the events. She has been fortunate to “work” and watch more than 160 shows, including The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Rod Stewart, Alicia Keys, and many, many others.

Virginia’s time with Foley was well-served. We applaud her retirement life and wish her many, many years of pure fun.