Yvette A. Ayala

804-***-**** s ac7sq4@r.postjobfree.com s https://www.linkedin.com/in/

Accomplished Attorney with nine years of experience as a Judicial Officer with the Supreme Court of Virginia. Highly successful at making judicial determinations, applying criminal law, and utilizing interpretive tools and analytical abilities to deliver fair and legally sound outcomes. Strong leadership and managerial skills, with the ability to recruit talented personnel and provide the necessary training and tools to guarantee their success. Demonstrate excellent communication skills when interacting with fellow associates and clients of diverse economic and cultural backgrounds. Skilled at developing and conducting training sessions relating to compliance with state regulations, integrity, and ethics. Hold a Juris Doctor and Master of Science in Human Resources Management. Served in the United States Army. Fluent in English and Spanish.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Criminal Justice System

Client/Defendant Services

Human Resources

Personnel Recruitment & Training

Training Sessions & Presentations

Analytical & Decision-Making Skills

Establishing Policies & Procedures

Judicial Research & Analysis

English & Spanish Fluency

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, SUPREME COURT OF VIRGINIA February 2012 - Present

Chief Magistrate, 14th Judicial District (County of Henrico)

Primary Responsibilities:

Serve as Chief Magistrate for suburban jurisdiction adjoining six counties and the State Capitol. Manage all aspects of recruiting, hiring, training, evaluation, and retention of 12 Judicial Officers. Responsible for the maintenance and accounting for fiscal records for the District and management of information input and deletion from various state databases. Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with criminal justice stakeholders, locality administrators, and citizens in matters concerning the District’s office while performing all Magistrate duties.

Leadership Recognition:

Specifically appointed by the Virginia Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Defense to serve as the sole representative for the Magistrate System on his Evidence-Based Decision-Making Initiative team responsible for establishing policy relative to making bail decisions for criminal justice system defendants in the Commonwealth.

Selected by the President of the Virginia State Bar to serve as the only Judicial Status member of the Virginia State Bar's Special Committee on Access to Justice Services, a Committee that serves to identify opportunities and develop programs to provide greater access to criminal justice services for all citizens in the Commonwealth. Reappointed to second term.

Key Achievements:

Two of the magistrates recruited, hired, and trained became Law Clerks for a Judge on the Virginia Court of Appeals; another was promoted to one of only two Training Specialist positions in the Magistrate System.

Commissioned a safety study, built consensus with other criminal justice stakeholders, and lobbied for local funding for facilities improvements. The collaboration resulted in modifications of the office that improved employee, citizen, and law enforcement safety in the Henrico Magistrate's Office.

Chief Magistrate, 13th Judicial District (City of Richmond) November 2012 - July 2013

Primary Responsibilities:

Served as Chief Magistrate for the State Capitol during transitional period in leadership. Managed all aspects of recruiting, hiring, training, evaluation, and retention of 12 Judicial Officers. Responsible for the maintenance and accounting for fiscal records for the District and management of information input and deletion from various state databases. Developed and maintained collaborative relationships with criminal justice stakeholders, locality administrators, and citizens in matters concerning the District’s office while performing all Magistrate duties. Concurrently served as the Chief Magistrate in the County of Henrico.

Leadership Recognition:

Chosen by the Magistrate System Coordinator to oversee office restructuring upon termination of the previous Chief Magistrate and the departure of over 40% of the workforce. Recruited new Magistrates and provided the proper training and knowledge necessary to deliver quality services to consumers.

Developed local policies and processes for managing funds, accounting, leave and work reporting, and proper interactions with criminal justice entities to ensure successful APA audit.

At the request of the Magistrate System Coordinator, delivered presentation at the Annual Magistrate Conference on the topics of integrity and ethical standards.

Key Achievements:

Oversaw the successful audit of financial records, and received commendation from the Auditor for compliance of public accounts.

Provided guidance and approval for architectural design and workflow of the Magistrate's Office in the construction of a new Criminal Justice Center.

Chief Magistrate, 16th Judicial District, a 9-Jurisdiction District June 2010 - April 2012

Primary Responsibilities:

Served as Chief Magistrate for a District that encompasses 8 counties and the City of Charlottesville, stretching across approximately 150 miles in central Virginia. Managed all aspects of recruiting, hiring, training, evaluation, and retention of 16 Judicial Officers working in 5 geographic locations. Responsible for the maintenance and accounting for fiscal records for the District and management of information input and deletion from various state databases. Developed and maintained collaborative relationships with criminal justice stakeholders, locality administrators, and citizens in matters concerning the District’s office while performing all Magistrate duties. Concurrently served as the Chief Magistrate in the County of Henrico.

Leadership Recognition:

Selected by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia to serve on the Magistrate Advisory Committee to the Committee for District Courts. Provided clarification and technical guidance to jurists and legislators on matters that concern Magistrates to aid in establishing procedural rules and forms for courts. Reappointed for second term.

Appointed to serve as the sole Magistrate System representative to the Judicial Boundary Realignment Study Committee to provide technical and procedural input alongside judges and clerks in advising the legislature on the efficacy and propriety of redrawing boundaries of the Commonwealth's judicial circuits.

Key Achievements:

Recruited, hired, and trained two Magistrates who were promoted to Chief Magistrate.

Restructured local policies at the district level to ensure compliance with those of the Supreme Court of Virginia.

Directed the standardization of office reference materials for 9 locations that serve as the blueprint for Districts throughout the Magistrate System.

Restructured workforce distribution to increase the number of offices open to consumers from 2 to 5, more than doubling access for citizens and criminal justice stakeholders.

Magistrate, Judicial Officer in the 16th Judicial District August 2009 - June 2010

Primary Responsibilities:

Served as Judicial Officer in the 16th Judicial district, conducting neutral and impartial hearings related to searches, arrests, mental health orders for involuntary committal to treatment, and bail determinations in multiple offices across 9 jurisdictions. Conducted legal research and analysis, identifying and applying relevant law to facts. Maintained order and decorum in highly-charged proceedings, safeguarding the confidentiality of sensitive information. Received and accounted for cash bonds.

Leadership Recognition:

Selected by the Regional Supervisor and Chief Magistrate to assist in interviewing and training new magistrates in the District.

Selected by the Magistrate System Coordinator to serve on the Magistrate Education Committee responsible for planning and developing curriculum for the Magistrate System.

Key Achievements:

Selected as the only Magistrate System representative for the Rule of Law program that is sponsored, in part, by the Supreme Court of Virginia. Assisted with exposing and discussing the relevance of the rule of law with middle and high school students in and around the state capitol. Currently serve with this program.

DOMINION LAW, P.L.L.C October 2007 - August 2009

Founder/Principal

Owned and operated a full-service, solo law practice providing specific solutions to legal issues facing English and Spanish-speaking individuals, families, and businesses in civil and criminal matters in state and federal courts.

LECLAIRRYAN, P.C. September 2005 - October 2007

Attorney

Associate Attorney practicing in the Business Litigation and Labor and Employment Litigation Groups, managing all facets of litigation from filing through appeal at state and federal levels. Routinely prepared and tried General District Court cases across Virginia; significant second chair Circuit Court jury and bench trial experience in state and federal courts.

CHESTERFIELD/COLONIAL HEIGHTS CIRCUIT COURT August 2004 - September 2005

Law Clerk to the Honorable F.G. Rockwell, III

Elbow Law Clerk to the Honorable Frederick G. Rockwell, III. Routinely researched and wrote briefs in support of judicial opinions and maintained administrative deadlines for files before the Court. Processed routine statutory requests for information and verified statutory compliance of files in routine domestic and civil cases for entry of final orders.

UNITED STATES ARMY January 1997 - August 2001

Medical Service Corps Captain

Served as an Officer in the United States Army Medical Service Corps in various leadership roles. Served as the Public Affairs Officer for a healthcare system servicing more than 50, 000 beneficiaries in the central and tidewater areas; Medical Plans and Operations Officer advising the Commander of a 3,700-soldier group on medical readiness; and Detachment Commander and Company Executive Officer managing training, development, retention, and evaluation of soldiers and civilians. Maintained more than $400,000 of military and medical equipment deployed to theaters around the world.

EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS

Juris Doctor (Order of Barristers), University of Richmond School T.C. Williams School of Law

Bar Admissions: Commonwealth of Virginia, U.S. District Court Eastern & Western Districts of Virginia, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

Master of Science, Human Resources Management, Troy University

Bachelor of Arts, Biology (Molecular Concentration), Hampton University

Certified Court Executive, National Center for State Courts Institute for Courts Management

AWARDS

U.S. Army Meritorious Service Medal & U.S. Army Achievement Medal (Second Award)

National Black Lawyers Top 40, Under 40, and Top 100

LEGAL ASSOCIATIONS & APPOINTMENTS

Commonwealth of Virginia Office of the Governor, Office of the Secretary of Public Safety & Homeland Defense

Evidence Based Decision Making Initiative Policy Team Appointee (2014-2015)

Supreme Court of Virginia, Office of the Executive Secretary

Magistrate’s Education Committee Appointee (2010)

Advisory Committee, Committee on District Courts Appointee (2010-2014)

Judicial Boundary Realignment Study Committee Appointee (2011)

Institute for Court Management Scholarship Awardee (2014)

Magistrate System Strategic Focus Group Appointee (2014)

Virginia State Bar

YLC Oliver Hill- Samuel Tucker Pre-Law Institute Co-Chair (2006-2009)

YLC Women and Minorities in the Law Commission Appointee (2007)

YLC “Unlock Your Potential” Solo Practitioner Program Chair (2008-2009)

Access to Legal Services Committee Appointee (2012-2018)

Old Dominion Bar Association, Richmond Chapter

Secretary and Hill-Tucker Scholarship Chair (2007- 2008)

Judicial Appointments Committee (2009)

Hill-Tucker Bar Association, President (2009-2010)

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (Since 2004)

Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity (Since 2001)

LEGAL PUBLICATIONS

Yvette A. Ayala, Freedom of Expression in The Workplace: The Concerted Rights of Private Sector Employees, LeClair Ryan Labor and Employment Newsbrief, 2006

Yvette A. Ayala, Documentation: ADEA No Shield for Poor Performance, Virginia Employment Law Letter, 2006

Yvette A. Ayala, Defamation: Don’t Give Them Something to Talk About, Virginia Employment Law Letter, 2006

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