Flora Pettit

08/20/2026

Flora Pettit Attorneys named in the 2027 Edition of The Best Lawyers In America

Flora Pettit announces that seven of its lawyers were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in the 2027 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. The attorneys listed include Michael E. Derdeyn, John W. Flora, Richard H. Howard-Smith, Donald D. Long, Marc A. Peritz, Jennifer E. Shirkey, and Cathleen P. Welsh.

Mr. Derdeyn was selected in the practice area of Commercial Litigation; Mr. Flora was selected in the practice area of Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates; Mr. Howard-Smith was selected in the practice areas of Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates; Mr. Long was selected in the practice area of Securities/Capital Markets Law; Mr. Peritz was selected in the practice area of Professional Malpractice Law–Defendants; Ms. Shirkey was selected in the practice area of Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law; and Ms. Welsh was selected in the practice areas of Employment Law–Management, Litigation–Labor and Employment, and Workers’ Compensation Law–Employers.

Best Lawyers® is an elite global network of legal professionals recognized through trusted, peer-reviewed distinction. For over four decades, its Purely Peer Review® methodology has upheld the principle that recognition should be earned through the opinions of fellow attorneys, not marketing influence or paid listings.

Only about 5% of lawyers in the United States and 3% globally are recognized, reflecting the selectivity and credibility of the results. Proprietary safeguards are in place to reduce bias and uphold the accuracy of the peer feedback. For the 2027 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®, more than 30 million evaluations were analyzed.

Flora Pettit is a business and litigation law firm with 24 attorneys specializing in over 22 diverse practice areas. Flora Pettit attorneys excel at solving their clients’ toughest and most complex issues. Flora Pettit serves the Commonwealth of Virginia from offices in Charlottesville and Harrisonburg.

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Flora Pettit announces that seven of its lawyers were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in the 2027 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. The attorneys listed include Michael E. Derdeyn, John W. Flora, Richard H. Howard-Smith, Donald D. Long, Marc A. Peritz, Jennifer E. Shirkey, and

08/05/2026

Flora Pettit is pleased to announce that Amanda R. Sansone has joined the firm as an attorney in its Charlottesville office. Amanda focuses her practice on labor and employment law and commercial litigation. Amanda’s employment law practice supports businesses in a variety of industries with advice and counsel on high-stakes compliance issues. She has experience handling all phases of litigation in state and federal courts, in matters related to employment, commercial, and civil rights disputes.

Prior to joining Flora Pettit, Amanda practiced employment law with an international law firm in Los Angeles, where she advised employers and handled litigation matters. She also conducted labor and employment due diligence in complex transactions.

Amanda earned her J.D., summa cm laude, from Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law, where she graduated as valedictorian. During law school, she served as a judicial intern in federal district courts in California and Tennessee. She also served as Production Editor of the Pepperdine Law Review and as a Teaching Fellow in California Civil Procedure. Amanda holds a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Education from Vanderbilt University.

Michael E. Derdeyn, President of Flora Pettit, said, “We are delighted to welcome Amanda to the firm. She combines outstanding credentials with practical judgment, work ethic, and a commitment to integrity, and we know she will make an immediate impact. This is an outstanding addition to our team, and even better news for our clients who trust us with their most important and sophisticated employment and litigation matters.”

Flora Pettit is a business and litigation law firm with 25 attorneys specializing in over 22 diverse practice areas. Flora Pettit attorneys excel at solving their clients’ toughest and most complex issues. Flora Pettit serves the Commonwealth of Virginia from offices in Charlottesville and Harrisonburg.

05/03/2026

On April 23, 2026, Katrina Jedamski, an attorney with Flora Pettit, presented “Liability 101 for Agritourism” at the annual Virginia Women in Agriculture Network, an outreach and education program of the Virginia Cooperative Extension that seeks to foster female farmers in Virginia.

This was the 8th Annual Women in Agriculture Gathering. The event offered female farmers, landowners and agriculture enthusiasts opportunities to network with peers, hone technical skills and discuss solutions to unique challenges. Several Virginia Cooperative Extension agents started the WAG program in 2018 after identifying ongoing growth in the state’s female farmer population.

There are more than 25,000 female producers in Virginia according to the 2022 U.S. Census of Agriculture.

Katrina’s presentation talked attendees through entity choices and their tax and liability nuances, operational ways to limit liability, Virginia’s potential statutory protections for agritourism, and the importance of insurance coverage and safety practices.