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Pender & Coward attorneys are committed to your success and peace of mind. Our motto is simple, yet effective: “Service. Integrity. Results.” Our adherence to that motto transcends the legal services we provide, whether in complicated business law, complex litigation, family law or estate planning. Our attorneys are dedicated to each client’s best interests, and strive to provide first rate legal services at a very fair value. With offices in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Suffolk, our team of experienced attorneys can provide all your legal needs.

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From the Blog

Opinions & Observations

When Should an Easement Concern a Commercial Real Estate Lender?

October 06, 2026

by Julianne E. Kouba

As discussed in a prior blog post by my colleague, (click here to read), the interplay between a title commitment and an ALTA survey is vitally important to a lender evaluating title to a property in a commercial real estate transaction. The title commitment identifies easements, restrictions, and other recorded instruments affecting the property, while the survey helps put those exceptions on the map and illustrates how they interact with the proposed...

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Can I Recover Damages if a Dam Removal Causes My Lake or River to Disappear?

July 13, 2026

by Bryan S. Peeples

There are over 3,500 active dams in Virginia. Many of those dams create beautiful waterbodies such as lakes and rivers. Most of these artificially created lakes and rivers have existed for decades. It is not always obvious which waterbodies are naturally occurring and which ones were created by dams.As a result, hundreds of Virginia residents have purchased waterfront homes on the shores of artificially created waterbodies. Waterfront homes are highly...

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New Laws in Virginia 2026 and Legislative Highlights

June 30, 2026

by Kathryn N. Byler

You need to know! These are some of the laws that go into effect on July 1, 2026. On rare occasions, a law goes into effect immediately upon being enacted (as is the case with some of the new gun safety laws) or has a delayed start date (such as the new retail sales of cannabis law), but most begin on July 1st each year.With one party having control of the legislative and executive governing bodies, we could have expected radical reform. What we got was...

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Custody Case Evidence: How to Communicate with the Other Parent

May 27, 2026

by Cassidy P. Eason

Custody cases are often more evidence-driven than parents expect. While many people focus on major issues such as school performance, living arrangements, or allegations of misconduct, one of the most important forms of evidence in a custody case is much simpler: how the parents communicate with each other.Text messages, emails, parenting app messages, and other written communications can quickly become exhibits in court. Judges frequently review months...

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We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence then is not an act but a habit.

Aristotle