Waugh Law & Mediation

02/23/2026

A huge shoutout to my host, Ralph Tedeschi, at Turn the Page Bookshop in Williamsburg, Virginia, over the weekend. I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon at this wonderful independent bookshop, talking about my book, Becoming a Restorative Lawyer. Added bonus, a great conversation with the Honorable Rian Lewis, Newport News General District Court judge. We discussed improving victim access to justice through a potential Restorative Justice initiative in this area.

02/20/2026

Well...that was fun! I was joined by three of my co-authors of the new West Virginia Young Lawyers' Handbook section on Mediation at the lunch and learn today. First of all, yes Calebs books are all real! And the handbook is free and online for all lawyers to enjoy the lessons of our experienced and dedicated committee.

02/20/2026

I’m looking forward to signing copies of my book, Becoming a Restorative Lawyer, tomorrow, February 21, from 12:00–4:00 PM at Turn the Page Bookshop.

Please join me at:
5707 Richmond Rd, Suite 40
Williamsburg, VA 23188

I would love to see you, sign your book, and connect about restorative justice and the work of building a more relational, healing legal profession.

I hope you’ll stop by.

— Brenda

02/19/2026

02/19/2026

Here’s a slide from one of my favorite parts of our upcoming Lunch & Learn with the West Virginia State Bar this Friday at noon.

I’m especially looking forward to this one because of the way it came together. A group of lawyers and mediators worked in a truly collaborative way to figure out what would actually be helpful to young lawyers. We shared experiences, compared approaches to mediation, and had some very honest conversations about conflict resolution.

I walked away having learned a lot myself — not just about different mediation styles, but about what it looks like when lawyers are willing to set ego aside and be open about what we know and what we’re still learning.

That kind of collaboration is rare, and it was a privilege to be part of it.

If you’re free Friday at noon, we’d love to have you join us online.

02/19/2026

The West Virginia State Bar is hosting a lunch and learn webinar on Friday, February 20, 2026. Join members of the ADR committee as we share some lessons we learned while drafting the Young Lawyer's Handbook on Mediation Advocacy.

02/12/2026

Earn nearly the full requirement for WVCLE in just one workshop. All while visiting beautiful Pocahontas County, West Virginia, and rediscovering why you entered the practice of law in the first place. This program is highly interactive we will be available to a limited number of participants. Learn more at https://www.brendawaugh.com/cletraining/rootedpractice26

02/12/2026

Registration is open and limited to fifteen participants and is filling up fast! This course is approved for 23 WVCLEs, and includes 3 lawyer wellbeing hours. Register today! https://www.brendawaugh.com/cletraining/rootedpractice26

02/09/2026

What a wonderful honor to be a guest blogger at Why Me? "Why me? is a national charity that promotes Restorative Justice for everyone affected by crime and conflict. Many victims of crime feel sidelined by the criminal justice process. Restorative Justice gives them the chance to ask questions about the incident, explain the impact that it had on them, and have a say in how the harm can be repaired. This restorative dialogue transforms lives by helping people affected by crime to recover, and helping people who commit crime to stop".

This is a guest blog by Brenda Waugh, author of the book ‘Becoming a Restorative Lawyer’.   On an October morning more than a decade ago, I walked into the courthouse with the victim’s uncle. She had been sexually abused by her great-grandfather, and I was prosecuting the offender. I was feel...

02/03/2026

Who said, "you can't teach an old dog new tricks?" Over the past two years, I've worked with several attorneys with the West Virginia State Bar Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee to create a chapter for the Young Lawyers' Handbook on Mediation. Throughout the project, we learned a great deal from one another about advocacy in mediation, expectations for ADR, and, most significantly, how to collaborate to create a meaningful product that can help any lawyer navigate mediation. I'll be joined in the webinar bythree other members of our sub-committee, Deb Scudiere, Elliot Hicks, Caleb David, and we will share some of those lessons in a webinar on February 20 during the lunch hour. Registration is free and open to members of the West Virginia State Bar. https://mywvbar.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=947

02/02/2026

Looking at my February calendar, I’m hopeful that some of the icy road days are behind us! On February 21, I’ll be in Williamsburg, Virginia, for a book signing at the independent bookstore Turn the Page. If you haven’t gotten your signed copy of Becoming a Restorative Lawyer yet, this is a great chance to snag one—and support an independent bookstore at the same time.
Bonus: a few of Howard’s photos will be on display!