WALTER D. KELLEY, JR. ELECTED RECTOR OF BOARD OF VISITORS
Norfolk lawyer Walter D. Kelley, Jr. was elected rector of the Old Dominion University Board of Visitors for a two-year term at its Sept. 14 meeting. Kelley was appointed to the Board of Visitors on July 1.
Kelley thanked fellow board members for their confidence in him, saying that he thinks they all share the same goal: "to be good stewards for Old Dominion University, the commonwealth of Virginia, the students and the institution as a whole."
He noted that board members will need to work together in the coming months to "get on the same page regarding methods of how to advance the university" and to do everything they can to provide "the best environment possible for Dr. Runte to begin her tenure as president."
"We want to have things running smoothly when Dr. Runte gets here," he concluded.
A partner with the law firm of Willcox & Savage, PC, Kelley specializes in business litigation. He was listed in the 1997-98 and 1999-2000 editions of The Best Lawyers in America for business litigation.
Kelley is a member of the Virginia State Bar and is admitted to the Virginia Supreme court and all lower courts, the U.S.
District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Kelley served as a member of the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association (1989-91); chairman of the
Virginia State Bar's Section on Antitrust, Franchise and Trade Regulation Law (1990-91); president of the Virginia State Bar's
Young Lawyers Conference (1988-89); and currently serves as a member of the American Bar Association and its Sections of
Antitrust Law and Litigation.
In addition to serving on the Board of Visitors of Old Dominion University, Kelley's civic activities include president
(1992-93) and director (1986-96) of the Washington & Lee Law Alumni Association; trustee (1990-present) of Norfolk
Collegiate School; chairman (1994-98) and director (1991-present) of the Hampton Roads Board of The Salvation Army Adult
Rehabilitation Center; chairman (1997-2000) of the Republican Party of Norfolk; and member (1997-present) of Cenit Bank
Advisory Board.
Kelley earned his bachelor's degree in 1977 and his J.D. in 1981 from Washington & Lee University. While attending Washington & Lee, he was a member of the Order of the Coif and Omicron Delta Kappa, and was the Lead Articles Editor of the Washington & Lee Law Review.
Mr. Kelley is married to the former Jennifer Taylor James of Nassawaddox, and has three children.