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Al Orgain To Enter Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame

Published on: 9/14/2010

Albert M. Orgain IV, a shareholder and former chair of the Risk Management Practice Group, and immediate past chair of the Virginia Aeronautical Historical Society (VAHS), was among the inductees into the VAHS Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame on November 13, 2010, firm president Pierce Rucker reported.

"During his lengthy and successful career as a trial lawyer, many people have also come to know Al as an avid pilot and promoter of aviation in the state, and the recognition by this noteworthy group is a great acknowledgement of his persistent and enthusiastic work in that area," said Rucker.

Orgain will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at a ceremony in November, according to Thomas Woodburn, chairman of the VAHS. Over 100 Virginians have been inducted into the Hall of Fame since it was founded in 1978, including pioneering explorer Admiral Richard Byrd and Vietnam War POW Commander Paul Galanti. The other inductees for 2010 will be Edward Boyer, founder of Mercy Medical Airlift (Angel Flight), and George Lutz, a Virginia-based expert in aviation safety.

"Al's leadership in our firm is exemplified by his tenacity, skill, and knowledge in the courtroom and his affection for flying, as well as the fact that he always seems to expect the best of himself and the lawyers who work with him," said Terrence Graves, current chair of the Risk Management Practice Group at the firm.

Orgain joined the Sands Anderson firm after graduating from Virginia Military Institute, flying a tour of duty as a combat gun ship pilot in Vietnam and earning his law degree at Washington & Lee University School of Law. He continued his flying career as a helicopter section leader with the Virginia Army National Guard and as a civilian pilot flying his Cessna 182 Skylane throughout the region. For over 30 years, he has served clients in the aviation, transportation and insurance business, earning a national reputation for his skills in aviation accidents, especially "wire strike" matters involving collisions between aircraft and surface-bound towers and cables. He is listed in Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers of Virginia and other compilations for his aviation and transportation work, and he continues to lead the Sands Anderson Aviation Team.

Founded nearly 170 years ago, Sands Anderson has 70 lawyers practicing among its offices in Richmond, Christiansburg, Fredericksburg and McLean, Virginia, and Raleigh, North Carolina. In 2011, it was ranked 11th in the Virginia Lawyers Weekly annual listing of the state's largest law firms. Sands Anderson provides a full range of legal services to corporations and businesses, healthcare providers, financial institutions, state and local governments, the insurance industry and individuals.