George Holton Yates has been Lead Counsel at his law firm in Virginia Beach since 1989 where he has defended thousands of clients in judge and jury trials of criminal cases in every city in the Greater Hampton Roads region and many other cities and counties throughout the State of Virginia. He has also defended clients in North Carolina, West Virginia, and Florida.
Prior to his 24 years experience as lead counsel, Mr. Yates was Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney for the city of Virginia Beach from 1985-1989 where he tried hundreds of judge and jury trials of every kind of criminal case from DUI to child sex abuse to murder.
He has been certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy as a Criminal Trial Specialist (1987, 2002, 2007 and re-certified in 2012).
As a graduate of Wake Forest Law School in 1982, Mr. Yates was a member of the Moot Court team. He specialized in civil and personal injury litigation for 3 years before leaving private practice to become a prosecuting attorney.
During his time with the Commonwealth's Attorney office, Mr. Yates became more aware of the special needs of criminal defendants, and how poorly some of them were represented by their lawyers. There were many times during those years as a prosecuting attorney that he observed defense lawyers failing to make critical arguments for their clients. He often found himself making those arguments for the defense simply to make sure those defendants were treated fairly by the judge or jury.
After leaving the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office in 1989, Mr. Yates began his own law firm, George Holton Yates, PC. From 1989 to 1995, he practiced every kind of law: Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, Civil & Construction Litigation, Domestic Relations, Wills & Trusts, Real Estate and some Business law. He taught a business law class for the City of Virginia Beach and continued to serve as a Commercial Law Arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association.
Since 1995, Mr. Yates has specialized in Criminal Defense and Personal Injury.
Practice areas
Languages spoken
English
| State | Status | Acquired | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| UT | Administrative - Not authorized to practice | 2012 | 05/08/2021 |
| FL | Inactive | 1983 | 04/04/2021 |
| VA | Authorized to Practice Law | 1982 | 03/29/2021 |
updated on 03/08/2017
Public Reprimand means an attorney did something wrong, but may still practice law. The State gives the lawyer a Public Reprimand in hopes that he or she will not repeat the behavior. Details of the infraction are made part of the public record.
| Award name | Grantor | Date granted |
|---|---|---|
| Distinguished | Martindale-Hubbell | 2019 |
| Board Certified - Criminal Trial Specialist | National Board of Trial Advocacy | 2019 |
| Title | Company name | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Lead Counsel | George Holton Yates, Attorneys at Law, PC | 1989 - Present |
| Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney | Virginia Beach Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney | 1985 - 1989 |
| Association name | Position name | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Utah State Bar | Member | 2012 - Present |
| National Board of Trial Advocacy | Criminal Trial Specialist | 1987 - Present |
| Florida Bar | Member | 1984 - Present |
| Virginia State Bar | Member | 1982 - Present |
| American Arbitration Association | Commercial Law Arbitrator | N/A |
| National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers | Member | N/A |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach Bar Association | Member | N/A |
| School name | Degree | Graduated |
|---|---|---|
| Wake Forest University School of Law | JD - Juris Doctor | 1982 |
| Western Washington University | BA - Bachelor of Arts | 1978 |
| Conference name | Title | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Justice for All, every Saturday 2 - 4pm | George Yates, Host of Talk Show "Justice for All" | 2014 |
| Virginia Beach Bar Association | Trial Practice in Virginia Beach | 1999 |
| Case name | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Robbery and Assault & Battery | The Robbery charge was dismissed. The Assault & Battery charge was Nolle Prosequi. |
Posted by Dave
Fri Jun 21 2019
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Tue Dec 06 2016
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Thu Dec 12 2013
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Tue Dec 10 2013
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Sun Nov 24 2013
Jamison Rasberry, Criminal defense Attorney on Jul 6, 2017
Relationship: Worked together on matter
I endorse this lawyer. George Yates is an institution among Hampton Roads professionals. Aggressive and creative by nature and as comfortable in a courtroom as others are on the beach. He has tried countless criminal and personal injury cases. His experience provides invaluable prospective from the first meeting to the conclusion of the representation. Felony to misdemeanor, slip and fall to auto accident, you are in good hands with Mr. Yates.
Richard Fiorella, Criminal defense Attorney on Dec 7, 2014
Relationship: Worked for lawyer
George is a staunch advocate for the rights of those who have been charged with a criminal offense. He is a skilled trial attorney who works hard for his clients.
Michael Waddington, Criminal defense Attorney on May 28, 2014
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I endorse George. He is a highly skilled attorney that is well respected in the legal community.
I endorse this lawyer. George Yates brings knowledge and excellence to the courtroom. We have known each other for many years.