Brief Biography of Edwin F. Brooks

Edwin F. Brooks was born and raised in Alexandria, Virginia. He obtained a bachelors of science degree with honors from Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. In 1991, Mr. Brooks attained his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Colorado School of Law. Since 1992, Edwin F. Brooks has been licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Virginia. He initially practiced in Norfolk, Virginia with as an associate in a one man firm. He relocated his practice to Richmond in the fall of 1993, where he continues to practice now.

Since the earliest stages of his career, Edwin F. Brooks has practiced criminal law. He observed many criminal trials, including jury trials, as part of his training in Norfolk. He began to represent clients in criminal cases almost immediately upon his starting work in Norfolk. He also represented clients in personal injury, federal interpleader, and assisted in medical malpractice cases. He also developed a juvenile law practice, which continues to the present.

After relocating his practice to Richmond, Mr. Brooks had a brief stint as a solo practitioner. Though his time as a solo practitioner, was brief, Mr. Brooks tried his first jury trial and won a Brady motion as the result of the prosecution failing to turn over exculpatory information in a criminal case. His time as a solo practitioner also gave him the opportunity to handle approximately one hundred traffic Court cases in about six months. He accepted a job with a local firm almost immediately after trying his first jury trial, and developed a broader range of experience. He stayed with the firm until he realized that he could take most of his best clients with him and open his own practice, which he did at the start of 1999. Edwin F. Brooks, P.C. has existed in its current form since that time.

Mr. Brooks worked as fee counsel for the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), a client that Mr. Brooks continues to represent. Mr. Brooks represents VDOT in condemnation actions, but is available to represent landowners against other condemning authorities, including utilities and localities, such as a city or county. Mr. Brooks has also represented individuals seeking special use permits before the City of Richmond's City Council. He has also represented landowners for alleged criminal violations of zoning standards.

Mr. Brooks has also represented countless individuals charged with criminal and traffic offenses in both state and Federal Courts. Mr. Brooks is licensed to practice in the Supreme Court of Virginia, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Fourth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.

Mr. Brooks, in addition to his busy criminal practice, also represents individuals injured through the careless and intentional acts of others. These cases have involved personal injuries sustained in automobile accidents, as well as people getting hurt in poorly maintained stores and parking lots. Mr. Brooks has also represented a franchisee in litigation against a major franchising corporation.

Mr. Brooks also has some labor law experience, representing a member of the NFL's officiating union in matters involving the NFL and the Professional Football Referee's Association (PFRA). He continues to develop his practice, recently venturing into the high tech arena. He has represented a local high tech company for nearly two years, and has handled a variety of cases for the company, mostly involving contractual disputes, or disputes with current or former vendors.