ATTORNEYS
JOSEPH A. SANZONE
FOUNDING ATTORNEY
BIO
Joseph A. Sanzone is a lawyer who tries cases every day in courts all across the Commonwealth of Virginia. When the situation requires an appeal, he has filed and won appeals in every appellate court, which govern the cases where his cases are tried, including the United States, Supreme Court. His cases have been featured on television and in the newspapers, including the TV series “48 Hours”.
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PRACTICE AREAS
Criminal Law
Traffic Law
Products Liability Law
General Civil Litigation including Business Litigation
EDUCATION
J.D., Antioch School of Law, 1981
B.A., Lynchburg College, 1976​
BAR ADMISSIONS
State: Virginia
Admittance: 1981
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U.S. District Court Eastern District of Virginia
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U.S. District Court Western District of Virginia
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U.S. District Court District of Arizona
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U.S. District Court District of Maryland
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U.S. District Court District of Virginia
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U.S. District Court District of West Virginia
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U.S. District Court District of North Carolina
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U.S. District Court District of South Carolina
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U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit
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U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit
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U.S. Court of Appeals Alabama
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U.S. Court of Appeals Georgia
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U.S. Court of Appeals Florida​
CREDENTIALS:
Virginia State Bar, Member
Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, Member
Virginia Legal Elite, Virginia Business Magazine
America's Premier Lawyers, Fortune Magazine
Virginia's Most Outstanding Lawyers, Richmond Magazine
Super Lawyers
Top 100 Trial Lawyers, The National Trial Lawyers
AVI, Martindale-Hubbell
CREDENTIALS:
Lynchburg City Bar Association, Member
Amherst County Bar Association, Member
Bedford County Bar Association, Member
Virginia Bar Association, Member
Certified Mediator
Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, Member
Virginia Criminal Defense Association, Member
American Bar Association, Member
Top 100 Trial Lawyers
Worker’s Injury Law and Advocacy Group (WILG); Top Injured Worker’s Attorney (National), 2018
Presenter to attorney’s and other professionals on worker’s compensation and ADR
PHILIP B. BAKER
SENIOR ATTORNEY, PARTNER
BIO
Philip B. Baker has handled thousands of trials during his career in state, federal, and administrative courts, since 1984. He joined the firm in 1992 after learning trial practice as the Assistant Commonwealth Attorney in Bedford County from 1984-1992.
His litigation practice includes criminal, traffic, general civil and workplace litigation. He has a concentration in worker’s compensation injury, death, and loss of employment, including defective products in the workplace. However, as a certified Mediator, he takes a special interest in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) for clients who wish to avoid a courtroom process (including confidential collaborative practice work and interest-based negotiations, in a private setting).
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PRACTICE AREAS
Criminal Law
Personal Injury Law
Workers' Compensation and Employment Matters
Traffic Violations
General Litigation
ADR (including Collaborative Practice and Mediation)
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EDUCATION
B.A., Hampden-Sydney College, 1980
J.D., Wake Forest University School of Law, 1983
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BAR ADMISSIONS
State: Virginia
Admittance: 1984
Pro hac vice, Texas
Pro hac vice, North Carolina
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U.S. District Court Western District of Virginia, 1984
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U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit, 1997
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U.S. Supreme Court, 1992
PRACTICE AREAS:
Criminal Law
Traffic Law
Consumer Litigation
Title IX Defense
Civil, Employment and Business Law, Professional Licensing
In 2013, Joseph joined Sanzone & Baker and has since argued cases from the Supreme Court of Virginia to DPOR. Joseph handles traffic, misdemeanor, and felony criminal cases from Louisa to Halifax.
He has provided invaluable legal representation in the realm of corporate compliance, with regards to FLSA, ADAA, and OSHA compliance, and has successfully concluded EEOC and DPOR investigations.
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Joseph is experienced in defending Title IX respondents under a variety of situations and is very familiar with the very complex and intersectional nature of Title IX cases. Finally, Mr. Sanzone has a strong civil practice in consumer litigation and knows how to hold merchants and sellers accountable. Whether simple or complex, Mr. Sanzone will give your case the individualized attention it deserves.
EDUCATION & BAR ADMISSION:
B.A., Hampden Sydney College, 2006, Magna Cum Laude
B.A. Radford University, 2009, Summa Cum Laude
J.D., Charlotte School of Law, 2013, Cum Laude
Phi Delta Phi
Admittance: Virginia, 2013
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United States District Court Western District of Virginia, 2016