PHILLIP C. STONE

About Phillip C. Stone

Ethical and Effective | Reasonable Rates | Since 2010

Ethical and Effective
Reasonable Rates
Since 2010

Meet Phillip C. Stone of Stone Law Group

Telephone: 540-432-0157
Fax: 540-432-0158

Practice Areas
  • Charitable gift planning
  • Estate planning
  • Estate administration
  • Non-profit organizations
  • Education law
  • Business planning
Education
  • JD, University of Virginia School of Law (1970)
  • BA, Bridgewater College (Economics, with honors, 1965)
law scales on table

Returning to Practice Law After Life as an Educator

After practicing for 24 years in the Valley's largest law firm, Phil Stone accepted the invitation to become the 7th president of Bridgewater College. He served in that capacity for 16 years.

During that time, he continued to maintain an active law license and served as president of the Virginia Bar Association. Upon his retirement from the college in 2010, he joined three of his children in the establishment of the Stone Law Group.

In 2014, Mr. Stone took a sabbatical from the full-time practice of law to assume the presidency of Sweet Briar College, a private liberal arts women's college in Virginia, whose previous administration had determined could not survive and had decided to close the school.

During his tenure at Sweet Briar, the college strengthened its budget and endowment, set new records in fundraising and admission applications, and experienced continued growth in enrollment.

In addition to his service at Sweet Briar and his association with the firm, Mr. Stone continues to serve on boards of several non-profit organizations; he is also heavily engaged in his research, writing and speaking on Abraham Lincoln and Lincoln's Shenandoah Valley relatives.
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Professional Memberships and Activities

  • President, Virginia Bar Association (1997)
  • President, Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys (1978-1979)
  • Council of Virginia State Bar (1978-1984)
  • Chairman, Ethics Committee of Virginia State Bar (1982-1984)
  • Chairman, Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board (1988-1990)
  • Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers (1986-2018)
  • President, Virginia Council of School Attorneys (1991-1992)
  • Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee (1999-2002)
  • Member, Virginia Bar Association Commission on Professionalism (2007- 2010)
Recognitions and Honors
  • Doctor of Humane Letters (Honorary), Bridgewater College (1991)
  • Doctor of Laws (Honorary), Shenandoah University (2000)
  • Doctor of Humane Letters (Honorary), Juniata College (2010)
  • Doctor of Laws (Honorary), Manchester College (2011)
  • Recipient of James T. Rogers Leadership Award, Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (2010)
  • Silver Hope Award, Multiple Sclerosis Society (2001)
  • Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) Leadership Fraternity
  • Distinguished Young Alumnus Award, Bridgewater College
  • First recipient of the Phillip C. Stone Award for Exemplary Service to the College, Bridgewater College (2010)
  • Outstanding Service Award, Harrisonburg-Rockingham County Historical Society (1987)
  • National Churchman of the Year, Religious Heritage of America (1987)
  • Citizen of the Year Award, Bridgewater Ruritan Club (2010)
  • Exchange Club Golden Deeds Award (1993)
  • Distinguished Virginian Award, Virginia Exchange Clubs (1997)
  • Elected a Fellow, Virginia Law Foundation (1988)
  • Elected a Fellow, American Bar Foundation (1989)
  • Permanent Member, Judicial Conference for Fourth U.S. Circuit
  • Award for Excellence in Civil Litigation, Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys (1994)
  • American Inns of Court Professionalism Award in the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals (2016)
  • Recipient of the Sen. William B. Spong Award for Professionalism from the Virginia Bar Association, 2018
Community Activities
  • Chairman, Commission on Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools [accrediting agency] (2007-2009)
  • President, Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia (1999)
  • Chair, NCAA III Presidents Council (2004-2006)
  • Member, NCAA Presidential Task Force on the Future of Division I Intercollegiate Athletics (2005-2006)
  • Board Member, WVPT Public Television (2009- )
  • Chairman, Board of Directors, Rockingham Memorial Hospital (1998-2003)
  • Chairman, General Board of the Church of the Brethren (1986-1987)
  • Moderator, Church of the Brethren Annual Conference (1990-1991)
  • Member, Attorney General's Task Force on Higher Education (2004)
  • Member, General Assembly Task Force on Private Colleges in Virginia (2008-2010)
  • Member, Commonwealth Transportation Board (2002-2005)
  • Founder, Lincoln Society of Virginia (2004); President (2004- )
  • Board Member, Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation
  • Board Member, Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest (2010- )
  • Member, Board of Advisors, The Lincoln Forum (2006- )
  • Member, Advisory Committee, U.S. Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission (2006- 2010)
  • Member, Virginia Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Anniversary Committee (2007- )
  • Frequent speaker and lecturer on Abraham Lincoln, the Lincolns of Virginia, and Lincoln's presidency
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