Summer 2026 Newsletter
Celebrating One Year – Some Reflections
In June of last year, I took the plunge to hang my own shingle. It’s been a rewarding journey, but it hasn’t been easy. The practice is emerging from the survival stage and is beginning to find its footing. There have been lots of high points and some lows too, but I’ve learned a couple of valuable lessons along the way.
The first is the importance of staying focused on your mission. Whether it’s starting a business or training for a marathon, it can be easy to burn out and lose focus on a long-term goal—suddenly, you find yourself networking less than you should or skipping some of your training runs (I’m guilty of both of those things). A practice that took me a while to learn that helps is reminding myself of the “why” behind what I’m doing whenever I sense myself drifting. This helps me stay motivated and gives meaning to the smaller, day-to-day tasks that I need to manage.
The second thing I’ve learned is that you have to strike a balance between humility and self-confidence. It’s important to be open to learning and recognize that you don’t have all the answers, but at the same time, you have to be able to trust your own judgment and believe that you can make sound decisions, even if you’re not sure what the outcome will be.
When I told my photographer last year that I was starting my own law firm, the first thing he said to me was, “be well to yourself throughout the process.” I think of those words often. Trying to do anything worthwhile will come with setbacks and obstacles, and mistakes will happen along the way, so the goal is not to beat yourself up over them, but to keep moving the ball forward
Legal Update: Va. Code § 46.2-818.3
The Virginia General Assembly passed a new statute this year that makes it illegal to live-stream video to any social media platform while driving. Specifically, it prohibits “initiating,” “participating,” and generally “interacting” with any live stream. A first offense can be a $500 fine, and repeated offenses can result in a license suspension. It doesn’t prohibit the use of dash cams or safety systems that record video so long as they don’t transmit the video in real time. Notably, there is an exception that permits live-streaming to report a crime or an emergency.
Client Success Stories: Pro Bono Tenant Assistance
I’ve done some volunteering with the Legal Aid Justice Center helping clients with housing issues and was fortunate to have a couple of victories in the General District Court. The first client was charged for sewage damage. My client disputed the charges and the landlord sued her. We took the matter to trial, and the judge found my client was not liable for the damage because the landlord couldn’t prove she caused it. The second client was charged exorbitant utility bills (about 3x what they should have been) that were calculated inconsistently with her lease’s formula. My client rightfully declined to pay the charges, so the landlord sued her and attempted to evict her. Shortly before the trial, the landlord conceded the issue and admitted that they overcharged my client. The parties settled the issue and my client was able to keep living in her apartment.
Community Spotlight:Väsen Brewing Co. on Forest Hill Ave.
This is their second location in Richmond, which opened in the last year. It’s an easy recommendation for outdoor drinks and 3 Korean style tacos.
Feeding the Soul – Pursuing Passions
We all have something we love to do outside of work that brings us fulfillment and joy. My brother calls this “feeding the soul.” For me (and coincidentally both of my brothers), it’s cycling in its various forms, but mountain biking will always be my favorite. Few things are more fun and rewarding to me.
I’m lucky to live in Richmond, where there are over 20 miles of mountain bike trails that I can ride to from my doorstep. Those are the best for the after-work rides, but it’s easy to stick to them on the weekends too because they’re convenient. To shake things up, a friend and I recently rode up and down Reddish Knob on the border of Virginia and West Virginia (the fifth highest peak in Virginia). It’s a slow pavement climb to the top and then it’s dirt singletrack back down. I’ve done this route before, and it’s renowned as one of the best in Virginia, but it was a little bit different this time around. As soon we started our 8 mile descent, we were hit with a torrential downpour accompanied by lightning and thunder that didn’t stop for the entire way down.
Fortunately, we got through it safely and had a ton of fun on the journey—it certainly captured the spirit of a mountain biking adventure.
Gratitude:
Thank you to all my clients, referral partners, friends, colleagues, and family for your trust and support over the last year. Puglielli Injury Law would not be here today without you.
- Gianni Puglielli
