Heather Hays Lockerman
Heather Hays Lockerman supports the success of local governments, school divisions and government officials by providing legal guidance designed to assist them in making decisions that will advance the principles of good governance.
A member of our Government Group, Heather provides general counsel to local governments and school boards. Her prior experience gives her a multifaceted understanding of the numerous legal issues affecting public bodies. She understands the challenges and opportunities in governing and advises clients on a myriad of issues, including contracts and procurement, elections law, and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) compliance.
In addition to her government practice, in 2023, the Virginia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church elected Heather to serve as its Chancellor. Heather counsels the Resident Bishop and the Annual Conference in decision making in both ecclesiastical and secular law.
Prior to joining Sands Anderson, Heather was a senior assistant attorney general at the Virginia Attorney General’s Office. Heather represented state agencies and boards, advising about legal and regulatory compliance, personnel matters, litigation-avoidance strategies, lawsuits, and court challenges to final agency decisions. Before working at the Attorney General’s Office, Heather spent more than a decade as a litigator at a large, international law firm.
Outside of her legal practice, Heather enjoys gardening, reading, cheering for UVA (Go Hoos!) and, most of all, spending time with her husband, two sons, and their feisty rescue pup, Bambi.
Services
“Local governments are the first level responders in our representative democracy. Public servants who carry out the government’s work deserve timely, candid, and practical legal advice that enables them to make informed decisions. I am lucky to partner with these individuals on the foundational issues that impact the lives of their constituents.”
Heather Hays Lockerman
