This registration form is for Tuesday, October 6, 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. ET
This program is also available on:
Wednesday, November 4, 10:00 a.m.–Noon p.m. ET
Wednesday, December 2, 2:00–4:00 p.m. ET
| MCLE Credit: | 2.0 pending |
| Live-Interactive Credit: | 2.0 pending (all dates, all formats) |
Whether you’re new to personal injury litigation or looking to sharpen your practice, this program will provide you with a practical roadmap for handling Virginia personal injury cases from the initial client meeting through resolution.
Leave with actionable strategies, practice tips, and a deeper understanding of how to navigate the challenges of personal injury litigation with confidence.
Registration Deadlines:
| Webcast: | 10 minutes prior to seminar. If you register for a webcast the day of the seminar, your e-mail receipt will include a link to launch the seminar and download the materials. |
| Telephone: | 10 minutes prior to seminar Call (434) 979-8253 to register up to one hour prior to the seminar |
| Live on Site: | Online registration ends at 11:59 p.m. the day preceding the seminar Walk-in registration is permitted on a space-available basis |
Cancellation Policy: Cancellation/transfer requests will be honored until 5:00 p.m. the day preceding the seminar. You will, however, be charged $40 if you cancel or transfer your registration to a different seminar after the link to the materials has been e-mailed by Virginia CLE®.
Full refunds or transfers are available up to two days after a webcast in the unlikely event that you experience technical difficulties.
Dietary Restrictions: If you have dietary restrictions and are attending the seminar in person, please email tfitzgerald@vacle.org.
MCLE Credit Caveat: The MCLE Board measures credits by the time you spend in attendance. If you enter a seminar late or leave it early, or both, you must reflect those adjustments accurately in the credits you report on your credit reporting form. A code will be given at the end of the seminar, which must be written on your MCLE form.
Private recording of this program is prohibited.
Can’t Attend?
E-mail distance_ed@vacle.org to be notified when/if this program is made available as an online or USB seminar.
E-mail publications@vacle.org to be notified when/if this program’s seminar materials are made available for sale.
| 11:00 | From Intake to Verdict: Successfully Litigating Personal Injury Cases in Virginia |
| 1:00 | Adjourn |
Stephanie E. Grana, Esq., Cantor Grana Buckner Bucci, PC / Richmond
Chidi I. James, Esq., Blankingship & Keith, P.C. / Fairfax
Stephanie E. Grana, Esq., Cantor Grana Buckner Bucci, PC / Richmond
Stephanie E. Grana, partner of the personal injury law firm of Cantor Grana Buckner Bucci, has been fighting for individuals and families for over 30 years. She has a proven track record of securing fair compensation on behalf of the injured and has obtained more than 100 verdicts and settlements of over $1 million.
Ms. Grana holds a J.D. degree with Cum Laude honors from the University of Richmond School of Law in 1993, and previously earned her B.A. with Magna Cum Laude distinction from the University of Richmond in 1990.
Ms. Grana’s professional integrity and ability to secure results for her clients have earned her an AV® Rating from Martindale-Hubbell®, a leading lawyer rating directory. She has been lead counsel on numerous high-profile, high-stakes personal injury cases, and has successfully guided her clients to justice. She has been selected to Best Lawyers in America® specifically for her excellent work in handling medical malpractice cases (2009–current) and was recognized as Personal Injury Litigation—Plaintiffs’ Lawyer of the Year for 2020 and 2026 and Products Liability Litigation—Plaintiffs’ Lawyer of the Year for 2022 and 2023. Ms. Grana is included in the Virginia Business—Virginia 500 in the Law category, received the RVA 2022 Power Women award in the Law category, and was named to the inaugural class of “Women Who Drive Richmond” by the Richmond Times-Dispatch (2023). She was also selected into the Class of 2019 Influential Women of Law by Virginia Lawyers Weekly, and then, in 2024, was chosen as a Circle of Excellence honoree.
Ms. Grana has often been recognized for her incredible track record including being selected by her peers to the Super Lawyers® list every year since 2007. She has consistently appeared in its list of the Top 100 Super Lawyers® in Virginia, Top 50 Women Super Lawyers® in Virginia, and Top 50 Women Super Lawyers® in Richmond. In 2026 she was named to the Top 5: Personal Injury Plaintiff Virginia Super Lawyers® list, one of the narrowest peer-recognition lists in the state.
Ms. Grana is deeply committed to service to her profession and has been voted by her peers to numerous leadership positions in both local and statewide organizations. On July 1, 2022, she was elected president of the Virginia State Bar. At the request of the Virginia Supreme Court, she served on the Virginia Model Jury Instruction Committee from 2015–2025. She is a proud recipient of the 2019 Civility and Professionalism Award from the VADA.
Ms. Grana is currently the President of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Foundation. She is an active member of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, the Virginia Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, American Association of Justice, and the Commonwealth Community Trust board of directors. She is currently serving as the Secretary on the Community Brain Injury Services board, and served as a member of the Boyd-Graves Conference for 13 years. In 2025, she was inducted as a fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers.
Ms. Grana is a past President of the following: Virginia State Bar, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, the Virginia Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, the Lewis F. Powell, Jr. American Inn of Court, and the Metropolitan Richmond Women’s Bar Association. She also served as the Chair of Commonwealth Community Trust.
In addition to her trial work, Ms. Grana is often selected to teach other lawyers on various topics, including personal injury litigation, brain injury, trial practice, jury selection, and medical malpractice at conferences across Virginia. Her expertise has also led to her invitation to serve as a faculty member for the Virginia State Bar Harry L. Carrico Professionalism Course for a three-year term from October 2023 to September 2026.
Ms. Grana has been married to Scott Bemberis, Esq., for 28+ years, and together they have three adult children: Nicole, Esq., Garrett, and Dakota.
Chidi I. James, Esq., Blankingship & Keith, P.C. / Fairfax
Attorney Chidi I. James is an AV-rated attorney and a partner with the law firm Blankingship & Keith, P.C. in Fairfax Virginia. His practice consists mostly of serious personal injury cases including wrongful death, products liability, and inadequate security cases.
Mr. James joined Blankingship & Keith as an associate in 2003, after serving as a Judicial Law Clerk to the judges of the Arlington County Circuit Court and completing the Judge Advocate General School Course at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. In December 2022, he retired from the Air National Guard after 25 years of service.
Mr. James holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Texas A&M (1997) in Sociology and a Juris Doctorate from the George Mason University School of Law (2001). As a law student, he was the founding member of the George Mason University Trial Advocacy Association, where he continued to serve as Trial Team coach for many years.
Mr. James is married to local psychologist, Dr. Faith Jackson James, and has three children.
